12/1/2005 Dear Bruce & All:
Buddy Woodward has very capably already answered your question, thanks, Buddy! Your answer is absolutely 100% accurate. You folks are just about the sharpest group of people I've ever known! I've got a few seconds here to answer one or 2 e-mails, please keep sharing your wonderful memories and information with one another here. I don't recall when there has been such interest in this website & I think it's absolutely the best! Bruce, Ray Davis was one of the "unsung heroes" of the music world, and Daddy loved doing the shows at New River Ranch & I have some live albums recorded by Ray Davis where Daddy talks about coming to you "all the way from the streets of Baltimore", unless I have that wrong. I recall Daddy announcing they were at "Johnny's Used Car Lot" & "All the Way from the Streets of Baltimore", also "New River Ranch" just as you say. I know that was one of their favorite venues. Ray Davis helped put Stanley music on the air when it wasn't nearly as popular or mainstream as it is now & sponsors weren't all that easy to come by. I think those shows are some of the Stanley Brothers' BEST work, don't you. If you ever have the opportunity, I encourage you to mention your long-standing support of Stanley music to Ralph. Ralph is getting better every day and nothing makes him happier than hearing how much you all love him & loved the music he & Daddy made together. I shudder to think that someday he won't be here so fans can tell him how much the music has meant to you. Your daughter sounds as if we might want to remember her name for future reference, she may support you one of these days! I'd love to meet both of you and again I would encourage you to let Ralph know what a loyal & long-standing fan you've been. Both Stanley Brothers were & Ralph still is, always anxious to hear from folks like you, this is what really keeps Ralph going when he no longer has any true financial need to work-he loves the fans, the people and the places and the songs he sings. That is what kept the brothers going for so long when it was very tough financially to stay true to bluegrass music. Many times they were encouraged to "go commercial", "do finger-poppin' music", add drums to their music, and similar things. Their recording contracts weren't renewed one time by a studio because they refused to "sell out" and just kept on singing THEIR music in THEIR unique, beautiful way. That's what they knew you folks wanted to hear. I don't think, being honest, that Ralph CAN stop now. This music becomes a way of life, and once it's really in your blood and you really put your heart into it, you can't put the darned stuff down or stop if you try I'm told. Again, everyone here should make a point of letting Ralph & his band know how long and faithfully you've loved Stanley music-or if you've just signed on, just let them know how MUCH you love what they do. Take it from me, all the money in the world couldn't keep a performer working in this business with it's financial hardships & the physically wearing touring involved-it's people just like you who keep them going. It's fans who ask for autographs, approach them at shows, write letters & messages to them & tell them you want them to keep on making music-that's as important as buying tickets & records I know. Thank you so much for your kind words. I love Stanley music too. Daddy wrote "Baby Girl" for me when I was about 6 months-1 year old. He only wrote songs about 2 living people during his career-his mother & me. He & Ralph were raised by a wonderful woman who taught both men what it is to be good gentlemen and they both have the greatest respect for the women in their lives and women in general because of her. For a while, poor Ralph lived in a "house of women", until Ralph II came along, and Ralph II's 2 big sisters used to give him quite a time. Along with Aunt Jimmie, Lisa & Tonya gave that poor boy a fit! He couldn't find a place to hide & stayed in the dog house 95% of the time with them no matter what he did, he couldn't stay off their list. I absolutely loved his first record, "Haunted House" & wore out 2 tapes on my car radio & finally had to put the 3rd away. It was the cutest little song you ever heard-you all should get it you can. "Baby Girl" means the world to me and it meant so much to Daddy. I think that he also wrote it for all the little "Baby Girl" s in the world, and for all the other Daddys of little girls who will understand why he wrote it. It's obvious your daughter is a very special young lady and I wish her all the success she can stand. Every woman was once a "Baby Girl", and we all remember the first fellow we loved, our Daddy. I think Daddy was quite amazed at the depth of his love & protectiveness when I was born after they'd had my 2 older brothers, and he & Ralph had only a half sister who was almost grown when they were born, so they didn't have a lot of experience with little baby girls in their family. And it took Daddy by surprise that he felt so differently as a parent about a daughter than he had about his sons-and every Daddy who has little daughters will know what he felt. Feelings for little daughters are quite different-NOT BETTER-but quite different I'm told than what parents' feel towards their sons. I think he wanted to express HIS wonder and feelings about his daughter and also to put into words the feelings of most of the other fathers of little daughters in the world. So it's really for all women who were baby girls, for all little girls who were baby girls, and for all the really little baby girls out there in addition to me & for all the Daddy's who work so hard & sacrifice to protect & raise them. You all, we're doing GREAT-I got a message from the AOL man that we're running up his charges because there's so many e-mails or something-WE COULD DO WORSE!!! You folks keep on keeping on here, this is what keeps the radio stations playing our kind of music & makes the record executives sign on great performers-you people are the very lifeblood of bluegrass/mountain/gospel music in this country. Today is a sad day for our family, it was at 10:42 am on a Thursday morning, December 1st, 39 years ago that Daddy left us all so bereft and broken hearted. He was our bread winner and our family never fully recovered from his loss-we were shattered and scattered to the four winds. Our lives were irrevocably changed and my mother was overwhelmed by responsibility and the never-ending job of raising 5 children without their father. It took her youth away. Yet it never once occurred to her to do anything except raise us as best she could-she could have put us into a home and gone on with her life, she was young, 37 years old, but she never wavered in her duty as a parent. I will miss and grieve for Daddy until I leave this world. Some things we arent' meant to get over, we're only given a way to learn to live with them. As I grow older, I find great comfort and solace knowing that Daddy never had to grow old or have arthritis or wrinkles or even one gray hair. I am thankful for God's mercy in taking him when he was so young and handsome for sparing him the indignities of aging. Keep loving bluegrass & mountain music, it's the best music in the world! Cordially your friend, Doris. Quoting Buddy Woodward <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " Bruce, " " " " "Baby Girl" was recorded by Doris' sister Jeanie on her new CD on CMA " " Records. The ordering info is on her website: " " http://jeaniestanley.com/buy.html " " " " bw " " " " on 12/1/05 9:20 AM, Lloyd, Bruce at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: " " " " Dear Club President, " " " " " " " " What¹s up with my message I sent yesterday (below)? " " " " " " " " Have you forwarded a copy to Doris, and when will you post my message I " " worked on here on the site for all to see? " " " " " " " " Thank you, " " " " Bruce Lloyd " " " " " " " " " " " " From: Lloyd, Bruce " " Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 10:40 AM " " To: 'bluegrass@drralphstanley.com' " " Cc: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'; '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' " " Subject: RE: Doris Stanley Bradley " " " " " " " " " " To: Doris Stanley Bradley and all other great folks here devoted admirers " " of the ³Stanley Sound² " " " " " " " " I want to add to Doris S. Bradley¹s last several great commentaries on the " " impact of the ³Stanley Sound², something that has stayed with me for ever, " " and will continue to do so. " " " " " " " " It was the fall of 1953, and I had just started my freshman year at Johns " " Hopkins in Baltimore as an engineering student; and I guess I had that " " ³all " " alone² feeling. I came to Baltimore already hooked on the bluegrass sound " " from some great Flatt and Scruggs I had heard in Washington D.C. on WARL " " that Don Owens played if his management wasn¹t watching too carefully. So " " there in Baltimore, I started surfing the local AM radio dial, then one " " day " " at noon time, I heard this amazing booming resonate voice, with that " " country " " sound. I had discovered Ray Davis. What a phenomenal talent. I can " " remember " " it to this day Ray was broadcasting from Johnnies Used Cars at 900 East " " Fayette Street in Baltimore, and he had this great 12 Noon to 1 PM show. I " " tried to catch every one. He left us for a few years and went down to " " border " " radio, but Ray came back and when he did he made a point of really " " promoting " " the Stanley Sound with Ralph and Carter by having them come in a do a few " " live numbers on air and booking them around the area. We all loved it. " " " " " " " " Ralph, Carter and the boys who usually consisted of George Shuffler, and " " Chubby Anthony when I saw them in the mid to late 50¹s would play up at " " New " " River Ranch on Sundays, and yes they would be performing before several " " thousand serious folks, and also as Doris said they would cover the small " " venues as well where only 30 -40 people would be there. But Carter, Ralph, " " and the others always gave the same performance. Top notch ! " " " " " " " " Question: I loved the number that Carter and Ralph came out with in the " " mid " " 50¹s of Baby Girl. Was Carter referring to you, Doris? I have always loved " " that number. I similarly have a great daughter, and yes she started off " " as " " my ³Baby Girl². Karen (my daughter) knows of the song and loves it. " " " " " " " " Forgive my recollection here, but I think I saw an announcement someplace " " that that number was redone and was available for purchase from either you " " (Doris) or some other Stanley family member. Is that correct? What¹s the " " procedure. Or should I just get it directly from Dave Freeman at County? " " " " " " " " I¹ll say more on another email from me, but my daughter Karen has gone on " " to " " great performing musical things and events, and God bless her, she got her " " start really singing harmony to my lead (when she was about 6) as I did " " many " " of the great Stanley numbers, Jimmy Martin material and other. I had a " " small group of musicians and we would play out and around. " " " " " " " " Best to you Doris S. Bradley and all other great folks here in what I " " would " " call the great ³Stanley Sound Heritage Association², all of us who love " " the " " Stanley music. " " " " " " " " God bless you all. So where can I get ³Baby Girl². from you Doris or " " what? " " " " " " " " Thank you. " " " " Bruce M. Lloyd " " " " (Now in Yardley,PA) " " " " " " " " ****************************************************************** " " BUDDY WOODWARD - [EMAIL PROTECTED] " " - - - - - - " " BUDDY WOODWARD & THE NITRO EXPRESS " " http://www.buddywoodward.net " " - - - - - - " " THE DIXIE BEE LINERS - bluegrass with a buzz " " http://www.dixiebeeliners.com " " ****************************************************************** " " " " " " " " Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/
