The Stanley Brothers - I Saw The Light (1980)

If you even think you know bluegrass, you have to know Ralph (born 1927) and Carter Stanley (born 1925), the Stanley Brothers. Parallel to Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, though not with their renown, were Virginians Ralph and Carter, mountain boys who took those mountains and their traditions and their songs and wove them into a traditional bluegrass sound of utter purity, simplicity, and astonishing beauty. Their first band, formed around 1947, played more of a mountain/folk music reminiscent of the old string bands, changing to their style of ultra-traditional bluegrass when Monroe's band became popular. Even on their recordings in the early '50s, the Stanleys' unmistakable sound is there, with guitarist Carter singing lead and banjo player Ralph singing tenor harmony. In the opinion of many, Carter possessed the best lead voice in bluegrass history — rich, emotional, and (in the best sense of the word) lonely. He took a happy song and sang it sad; he took a sad song and sang it sadder. And Ralph's unworldly mountain tenor matched his brother's voice perfectly, soaring above and often lightening the emotional load of the lyrics, creating a duet unsurpassed in country history.

Ralph and Carter were born into a musical family — their father sang and their mother played banjo. As teenagers, the brothers began performing around their hometown. After graduating from high school, the siblings both served in the Army during World War II. Carter was discharged before Ralph. When he returned to the States he got a job singing in Roy Sykes' Blue Ridge Mountain Boys. He quit the group as soon as Ralph returned from the Army in October of 1946, and the brothers formed a band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.

The Stanley Brothers had a regular gig at WNVA Norton for a few months. Then they moved to the Bristol, TN-based WCYB, where they appeared regularly on the Farm and Fun Time program. While they appeared on the show, they gained quite a following and soon signed a contract with the Rich-R-Tone label. The Stanleys made their first records early in 1947, the same year they began playing various radio stations in the South, including ones in North Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky. The Brothers and their five-piece Clinch Mountain Boys were developing their style, moving from traditional string band sounds to a Monroe-inspired bluegrass style. During the late '40s and early '50s, several well-respected musicians passed through the band, including Curly Lambert, Pee Wee Lambert, Chubby Anthony, and Bill Napier.

After recording ten songs for Rich-R-Tone, the Stanley Brothers were signed to Columbia in 1948. For the next three years, they stayed with Columbia, producing 22 songs during their stint at the label — these songs would become bluegrass classics. For a brief time in 1951, the Stanley Brothers broke up. Carter sang with Monroe and made a handful of records with the father of bluegrass. Ralph was sidelined for several months following a car crash. The break was brief and the band was back together before the end of the year.

In the summer of 1953, they left Columbia for Mercury Records. During the mid-'50s, they made a series of recordings that expanded their boundaries, as they played gospel, honky tonk, instrumentals, and a number of original songs.

At the end of the decade, the Brothers left Mercury and signed to both Starday and King, moved to Live Oak, FL, and began playing the Swannee River Jamboree. In the early '60s, they played a number of television shows and concerts throughout the South and recorded numerous records. However, the duo began to suffer financial problems beginning in 1961, which meant they couldn't afford to retain a whole band. Nevertheless, the Stanley Brothers continued to tour, playing clubs and various bluegrass festivals. However, they rarely left the South and their career suffered because of this. They recorded for a number of smaller labels after leaving King, though none of the records sold much. In 1966, Carter became seriously ill. On December 1 of that year, he passed away. He was only 41 years old.

Ralph continued performing with a new lineup of the Clinch Mountain Boys. For the next three decades, he performed with various new lineups of the band, playing festivals and clubs and recording numerous records

Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine & David Vinopal

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Stanley Brothers - I Saw The Light
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Artist……………: Stanley Brothers
Album…………….: I Saw The Light
Genre…………….: Bluegrass
Source……………: CD
Year……………..: 1980
Ripper……………: EAC (Secure mode) / LAME 3.92 & Asus CD-S520
Codec…………….: LAME 3.96
Version…………..: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality…………..: CBR 160, (avg. bitrate: 160kbps)
Channels………….: Stereo / 44100 hz

Included………….: NFO, M3U
Covers……………: Front

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Tracklisting
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1. (00:02:15) Stanley Brothers - I Saw The Light
2. (00:02:55) Stanley Brothers - I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning
3. (00:02:22) Stanley Brothers - In Heaven We'll Never Grow Old
4. (00:02:50) Stanley Brothers - Mother's Only Sleeping
5. (00:01:41) Stanley Brothers - God's Highway
6. (00:02:32) Stanley Brothers - Over In The Glory Land
7. (00:03:35) Stanley Brothers - What A Friend We Have In Jesus
8. (00:02:00) Stanley Brothers - That Home Far Away
9. (00:02:00) Stanley Brothers - Vision Of The Promised Land
10. (00:01:54) Stanley Brothers - My Lord's Going To Set Me Free





If you like this music check the following albums:

1. The Stanley Brothers
John's Gospel Quartet (1966) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:03:30) Stanley Brothers - The Old Crossroads
2. (00:02:11) Stanley Brothers - Drifting Too Far From The Shore
3. (00:02:04) Stanley Brothers - Just A Little Talk With Jesus
4. (00:03:02) Stanley Brothers - Precious Memories
5. (00:01:53) Stanley Brothers - I'll Fly Away /Sweet Bye And Bye Instrumental
6. (00:02:37) Stanley Brothers - Uncloudy Day
7. (00:02:27) Stanley Brothers - Over In The Gloryland
8. (00:01:46) Stanley Brothers - Lonely Tombs
9. (00:02:08) Stanley Brothers - Amazing Grace
10. (00:02:19) Stanley Brothers - I Am A Pilgram
11. (00:02:17) Stanley Brothers - Beautiful Life
12. (00:02:39) Stanley Brothers - Someone's Last Day





2. The Stanley Brothers
Beautiful Life (1966) ~256 kbps~

01. If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again (1:57)
02. Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me (2:43)
03. Over In The Gloryland (2:31)
04. Beautiful Life (2:17)
05. Nobody Answered Me (4:25)
06. Precious Memories (2:47)
07. We Shall Meet Someday (2:06)
08. Amazing Grace (2:08)
09. How Beautiful Heaven Must Be (2:33)
10. Farther Along (3:03)
11. Just A Little Talk With Jesus (2:14)



3. The Stanley Brothers
Songs Of Mother And Home (1965) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:03:01) Stanley Brothers - That Little Old Country Church
2. (00:04:25) Stanley Brothers - Nobody Answered Me
3. (00:02:35) Stanley Brothers - Shake My Mothers Hand For Me
4. (00:02:11) Stanley Brothers - I Heard My Mother Call My Name In Prayer
5. (00:03:28) Stanley Brothers - Mother's Only Sleeping
6. (00:03:16) Stanley Brothers - Shake Hands With Mother Again
7. (00:02:07) Stanley Brothers - Hide Ye In The Blood
8. (00:01:41) Stanley Brothers - Give Me Your Hand
9. (00:02:12) Stanley Brothers - Where We'll Never Grow Old
10. (00:02:28) Stanley Brothers - Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
11. (00:02:15) Stanley Brothers - Angel Band
12. (00:03:18) Stanley Brothers - Farther Along



4. The Stanley Brothers
Good Old Camp Meeting Songs (1962) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:02:06) Stanley Brothers - Who Will Sing For Me
2. (00:02:52) Stanley Brothers - Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
3. (00:02:18) Stanley Brothers - Paul And Silas
4. (00:02:45) Stanley Brothers - When He Reached Down (His Hand For Me)
5. (00:02:41) Stanley Brothers - Drinking From The Fountain
6. (00:02:21) Stanley Brothers - I'll Fly Away
7. (00:02:35) Stanley Brothers - Land Where We'll Never Grow Old
8. (00:02:40) Stanley Brothers - Harbor Of Love
9. (00:02:26) Stanley Brothers - Heaven's Light Is Shining On Me
10. (00:02:57) Stanley Brothers - If We Never Meet Again
11. (00:03:24) Stanley Brothers - Let Me Walk, Lord, By Your Side
12. (00:02:50) Stanley Brothers - Memories Of Mother
13. (00:02:29) Stanley Brothers - We Shall Rise
14. (00:03:08) Stanley Brothers - Hand And Hand With Jesus



5. The Stanley Brothers
Old Time Camp Meeting (1961) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:02:13) Stanley Brothers - Somebody Touched Me
2. (00:02:10) Stanley Brothers - My Sinful Past
3. (00:02:07) Stanley Brothers - Campin' In Canaan Land
4. (00:02:09) Stanley Brothers - Old Country Church
5. (00:02:43) Stanley Brothers - Mother's Only Sleeping
6. (00:02:26) Stanley Brothers - Working On A Building
7. (00:02:53) Stanley Brothers - A Few More Years
8. (00:02:15) Stanley Brothers - Kneel At The Cross
9. (00:02:40) Stanley Brothers - I'm Dying A Sinner's Death
10. (00:02:41) Stanley Brothers - Mother Call My Name In Prayer
11. (00:03:58) Stanley Brothers - Little Bessie
12. (00:02:30) Stanley Brothers - Village Church Yard



6. The Stanley Brothers
Sacred Songs From The Hills (1960) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:02:27) Stanley Brothers - Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet
2. (00:02:30) Stanley Brothers - In Heaven We'll Never Grow Old
3. (00:02:11) Stanley Brothers - Praise The Lord (I Saw The Light)
4. (00:02:26) Stanley Brothers - Where We'll Never Die
5. (00:02:55) Stanley Brothers - The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn
6. (00:02:49) Stanley Brothers - Let Me Hide Myself In Thee (Rock Of Ages)
7. (00:02:09) Stanley Brothers - Let The Church Roll On
8. (00:03:05) Stanley Brothers - Rank Strangers
9. (00:02:13) Stanley Brothers - I'm Ready To Go
10. (00:03:01) Stanley Brothers - Mother No Longer Awaits Me
11. (00:02:47) Stanley Brothers - A Few More Seasons
12. (00:03:30) Stanley Brothers - What A Friend



7. The Stanley Brothers
For The Good People (1960) ~256 kbps~

1. (00:02:08) Stanley Brothers - When Jesus Beckons Me Home
2. (00:02:39) Stanley Brothers - Purple Robe
3. (00:03:07) Stanley Brothers - I'll Not Be A Stranger
4. (00:02:37) Stanley Brothers - Pass Me Not
5. (00:02:24) Stanley Brothers - Mother Left Me Her Bible
6. (00:02:22) Stanley Brothers - From The Manger To The Cross
7. (00:02:31) Stanley Brothers - Over In The Glory Land
8. (00:03:05) Stanley Brothers - My Main Trial Is Yet To Come
9. (00:02:02) Stanley Brothers - Jordan
10. (00:02:58) Stanley Brothers - Lonely Tombs
11. (00:02:16) Stanley Brothers - Four Books In The Bible
12. (00:02:14) Stanley Brothers - Jacob's Vision