Chatter and Chitter learned many of the old songs they perform from riding in the backseat of my car for so many years. These days they’re driving themselves around and my backseat is empty-something I’m still getting used to.
The old gospel song, Angels Rock Me to Sleep in the Cradle of Love is one they learned from a cd I used to listen to a lot. It was one of those compilation bluegrass gospel cds-I don’t even remember the name of it.
The version of the song on the cd was by The Bluegrass Cardinals. The girls would sing along-trying to do all the parts…including the bass.
According to Hymnary.org, Marion W. Easterling (1910-1989) wrote the song. Easterling was born in Birmingham Alabama. He frequented music schools and became a prolific songwriter.
Easterling became the youngest composer ever signed by the Stamps-Baxter Publishing Company in 1938. He was a well-known radio personality as well in those days and had a lengthy stint on WKLF’s America’s Favorites program.
Over the years, other notable performers have recorded the song including Bill Monroe, Johnnie & Jack, and Carl Story. Give The Pressley Girl’s version a listen if you have time.
Hope you enjoyed the song and the history!
Tipper
*Source: Hymnary.org
I ordered the cd and I am enjoying listening to it , God bless you all,
Wow, beautiful!
Oh Wow, this is so beautiful. They do an awesome job as usual. I have missed visiting ur blog and keeping up with everything and I surely miss getting out to see the girls. I just want you to know I still think about you alot and hoping really soon things will get better for me and I can get back some of my life. I heard they brought the house down at Martins Creek last night and I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there yet again. You tell them we’re all so proud of them and enjoy them so much and all of your family. Ya’ll are so talented and special. Love, Susie
Love it! Love that pure sound!
Tipper,
I just love the two-part songs like that. It’s been over 50 years since my brother led and I’d sing the harmony parts.
Those girls are so beautiful and
sing so nice, Chatter is just a
“natural” at playing the guitar
and harmony. Chitter has that
strong lead too, and I love the
#8 on the Playlist that she does.
Thanks for sharing their songs
with us…Ken
Forgot to mention, on my side of the river we didn’t sing in the back seat because there wasn’t a back seat. No back seat because there was no car. When we went somewhere it was in somebody’s car or truck. We didn’t sing or even speak unless spoken to. Maybe we were a generation or two behind. Maybe we were the stereotypical Appalachian family but I am proud of where I came from. I only wish I could have lived up to what I was given. If I had it all to do over, it would have been me that I would have changed. Nothing else!
A song well done – I loved it !
Chitter and Chatter are certainly beautiful young ladies! I really enjoy hearing them sing!
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
Those girls are just beautiful!! I love to hear them sing…matter of fact I love to all of ya’ll sing. I didn’t get to see these girls grow up but I hope to hear more of their singing in my future. Thanks Tipper for sharing them with me.
Oh – Miss Cindy – they are our babies aren’t they. My “youngest” will turn 40 this year.
My youngest granddaughter overheard me the other day as I called my daughter my sweet baby (yes, at 40 + they still roll their eyes!) and my littlest one put her hands on her hips, scowled at me, and said, “Silly Gwandma, that’s not a baby – that’s my Mommy!” – – gotta love ’em!
– – and gotta join the angels rocking them to sleep in the cradle of love. Maybe not what the song means but we could tweak the words a might and it would work.
This is one of the best Presley Girls songs yet. They do all of your family proud!
Thanks girls…your harmony is
wonderful!
We love listening to the Pressley Girls! Another great performance as usual, thanks for sharing!
They make beautiful music. What happened to the boots? They actually have on shoes in the photo.
Anyone who doesn’t have time to listen to The Pressley Girls have misplaced their priorities!
Hi Girls,Its About 5 am here in Hi.Great way to wake up this AM,Beautiful girls beautiful song.God Bless,
Thanks, Tipper, for the Sunday pick me up. I love singing in the car, but can’t do it when my son rides with me. He especially dislikes it when I sing harmony to someone else’s song. Harmonizing comes second nature to me from growing up in a singing family. I especially missing harmonizing with my sister. Still sing harmony with my brother when I visit on Sundays and we go to church together.
An empty backseat leaves a big hole; but I’m guessing that sometime in the not too distant future Chatter and Chitter will help you fill that vacuum with some progeny…Likin’ that gospel sound.
Love listening to the girls and watching them grow and improve in so many ways.
Their beauty shines from within.
One of my favorites also. Your family sounds a lot like mine, when we were younger any time we were in the car we were singing. My mother had a beautiful alto voice and came from a musical family. Thanks for the memories.
This is one of my favorites that the girls have done. While I enjoy their individual singing, their harmonizing is far more than the sum of the parts – really, really good.
Of course they’d been rocked to sleep by the Angel of Brasstown, so I reckon it just came naturally.
Great job! I love that tune.
The music gene skipped me but my brother and my son got it. What I can relate to most in your post is the empty backseat. My wife has a 3-panel picture of our daughter; a time series with one as a baby, one at about 6 and another at about 12. I look at that and I miss my little girl. And now I know I always will.
You two must be so (justly) proud of your young ladies. Children are such a wonder. Our two still surprise us from time to time.
Have a blessed day everyone and stay dry – if you can.
PS – Thanks for your thank you note. I thought acknowledging it this way might respect your time more.
I can just imagine how much those voices have changed, grown and strengthened through their “backseat” years. Bittersweet times — proud of them becoming young adults and missing those little people they once were. They do a great job on this song.
Tipper,
I loved their version of the song. Their harmony is getting better and better…
I love the picture. They for sure look like career minded college girls…
Thanks Tipper, Chitter and Chatter, and the gang in the background, for the song this morning.
PS…It was beautiful yesterday, but the ground was still too wet for much but weeding. Dried enough to get the grass mowed…
Raining hard here this morning again…We may have to do like one of our tomato growing friends…He says he never plants tomatoes or garden until May 1st…
Thanks for sharing a family memory with your readers. Those girls sure do look so grown-up. They are beautiful and talented.
WoW! Chatter and Chitter did themselves proud on “Rock Me to Sleep in the Cradle of Love!” Jerry Wilson must be extremely proud of his granddaughters–both of them–and the way Chatter (is she the one who played the guitar?) got onto those chords, and also furnished harmony, is a great credit to how well he has taught her–and both of them. Thank you, Chatter and Chitter (and Tipper!). It had been so, so long since I had heard this Easterling song! Good Sunday morning choice!
Wow,, that was awesome,, very good job.. Interesting History also. Down thru the years a lot of good performers, singers, song writers have come out of Alabama.. I enjoy watching the Muscle Shoals documentary of just how many have come out of the area and came to the area just to record in the Shoals… Unfortunately I didn’t get any of that talent..
Good job on the song!
Those are my little granddaughters, what do you mean grown. They can’t be grown, they are still little, aren’t they!