Songs written by Carter or Ralph Stanley

Clinch Mountain Backstep

Clinch Mountain Backstep was played by Jerry Garcia with the Hart Valley Drifters in late 1962. Clinch Mountain Backstep is credited to Ruby Rakes. This was the name used on song credits by Ruby Rakes Eubanks, who was a half sister of the Stanley Brothers. She was assigned the rights to a number of songs written by the Stanley Brothers. The actual songwriter was probably Carter Stanley. More information about the song.

Fields Have Turned Brown

Fields Have Turned Brown was played by Jerry Garcia with the Old & In The Way in 1973 and by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman in the 1990s. The song was written by Carter Stanley and first released on a Stanley Brothers single in 1950. More information about the song.

Going To The Races

Going To The Races (sometimes Goin' To The Races) was played by Jerry Garcia with the Old & In The Way in 1973. The words of the song were written by Carter Stanley. Going To The Races was first released on a Country Gentlemen single in 1957. The Stanley Brothers did not record the song but did perform it live. More information about the song.

How Mountain Girls Can Love

How Mountain Girls Can Love was played by Jerry Garcia with the Old & In The Way in 1973. How Mountain Girls Can Love is credited to Ruby Rakes. This was the name used on song credits by Ruby Rakes Eubanks, who was a half sister of the Stanley Brothers. She was assigned the rights to a number of songs written by the Stanley Brothers. The actual songwriter was probably Carter Stanley. More information about the song.

If I Lose

If I Lose was played by Jerry Garcia with the Black Mountain Boys in 1964 and by the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band in 1987. The earliest occurences of the song is as If I Lose, I Don't Care on a Charlie Poole single. The Stanley Brothers rearranged that song and released their version with the title If I Lose on a 1961 single. Subsequent recordings of the Stanley Brothers arrangment usually credit Ralph Stanley or the Stanley Brothers as the composers. More information about the song.

A Little At A Time

Part of A Little At A Time was played by Jerry Garcia with the Log Cabin Boys in 1986. The song was written by Ralph Stanley and Red Malone and first released on the Stanley Brothers album Mountain Song Favorites and as the b-side of a single in 1959. More information about the song.

Little Glass Of Wine

Little Glass Of Wine was played by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman in 1991 and 1994. The song, which was adapted from a traditional song with new lyrics by Carter Stanley, was first released on a Stanley Brothers single in 1948. More information about the song.

Ridin' That Midnite Train

Ridin' That Midnite Train was probably played by Jerry Garcia with the Old & In The Way in 1973. The song was written by Ralph Stanley and first released on the Stanley Brothers 1959 album Mountain Song Favorites. The song occurs with a number of title variations. More information about the song.

She's More To Be Pitied

She's More To Be Pitied was played by Jerry Garcia with the Black Mountain Boys in 1964. She's More To Be Pitied is credited to Ruby Rakes. This was the name used on song credits by Ruby Rakes Eubanks, who was a half sister of the Stanley Brothers. She was assigned the rights to a number of songs written by the Stanley Brothers. The actual songwriter was probably Carter Stanley. More information about the song.

Think Of What You've Done

Think Of What You've Done was played by Jerry Garcia with the Hart Valley Drifters in 1962. The song was written by Carter Stanley and first released on the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys album in 1959. More information about the song.

White Dove

White Dove was played by Jerry Garcia with the Old & In The Way in 1973. White Dove was written by Carter Stanley and first released on a Stanley Brothers single in 1949. The single had the title The White Dove but most subsequent releases used the title White Dove. More information about the song.

Songs closely associated with the Stanley Brothers

Angel Band

Angel Band was performed by Old & In The Way, The Dead, Furthur and Phil Lesh & Friends. The lyrics of Angel Band are a poem, My Latest Sun Is Sinking Fast, written by Jefferson Hascall and first published in 1860. The music was written shortly afterwards by W. B. Bradbury and the resulting hymn/song was published in 1862 as The Land of Beulah. There are early recordings with these titles. The song was popularised by the Stanley Brothers in the 1950s. More information about the song.

The Cry From The Cross

The Cry From The Cross was performed by the Log Cabin Boys (Jerry Garcia, David Nelson, Sandy Rothman and Dan Healy) at the Grateful Dead Thanksgiving dinner in 1986. The song was written by Johnnie Masters and first released on a Masters Family single in 1952. The Stanley Brothers released the song on a single in 1957 and it subsequently became associated with them and is sometimes credited, incorrectly, to them on recordings. More information about the song.

Jordan (aka Cold Jordan)

Jordan was performed about a dozen times in 1969/70. The song was always listed as Cold Jordan on Dead setlists and releases. On most other recordings the song has the title Jordan. The song appears to have been first recorded by the Stanley Brothers and released on their For The Good People album in 1960 and then on a single in 1961. It was possibly written by Fred Rich though on many recordings it is listed as traditional. More information about the song.

Rank Stranger

Rank Stranger was performed by Jerry Garcia with Old & In The Way in 1973. The song was written by Albert E Brumley and first recorded by the Stanley Brothers and released on a single and on their Sacred Songs From the Hills album in 1960. More information about the song.

Last updated June 2024