The Bottom Line
Pros
- "I Don't Want Your Rambling Letters"
- "Don't Cheat In Our Hometown"
- "Hills Of Roan County"
Cons
- None.
Description
- Sixteen of The Stanley Brothers' Greatest Hits.
- The Stanley Brothers were one of the most influential bluegrass artists.
- Fine banjo picking and guitar playing.
Guide Review - Stanley Brothers - 16 Biggest Hits
By the first song alone you instantly understand why The Stanley Brothers (Ralph and Carter) were so influential to the bluegrass genre. The perfect brotherly harmonies and great pickin' on the banjo and guitar make for something magical.You better treat women right because oh "How Mountain Girls Can Love" as stated in the album's first track. Letters won't do for a man that is far away from his love in "I Don't Want Your Rambling Letters." He wants to be able to hold her in his arms instead of feeling like their love is going cold. You can't have a bluegrass album without a train song and "Train 45" fits the bill. Another must have is a cheating song like "Don't Cheat In Our Hometown."
"Little Magic" tells a tale of a woman who was drinking away her troubles and "courtin' another man." Burning gently were some "Old Love Letters" after the man read each word one last time. The last one he came to was the hardest because he was still in love. Ralph is up next singing this highly upbeat song about wanting a "Little Birdie" to sing him a song before his time is done. "Shout Little Lulie" is a fine pickin' song and you can really get into Ralph's banjo playing and Carter's guitar accompaniment. Carter announces that the next song is about a family that lived in the hills of Tennessee and it is called "Hills Of Roan County." I think this is the best chance to hear the brother's fine harmony vocals and by far one of my favorite story songs.
