Today’s post was written by Paul.
The video I’m sharing today is the very first recording that my cousin Maria and I made together. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t feature a bunch of instruments, like “Daddy’s Hands,” which was made with the help of some professional karaoke tracks. This recording features only the little classical guitar that Wayde Powell, II gave me (which was recently featured in the video of “The Blind Pig Bounce“).
According to Google: “The gospel and bluegrass classic “Who Will Sing for Me” is most famously attributed to Carter Stanley (of the legendary Stanley Brothers), who adapted and popularized the song. However, its lyrical roots trace back to an older hymn written by John Thomas Ely in 1922.” To learn more about the song and Thomas Ely, visit hymnary.org.
When we made this recording, I intended to play a harmonica break in the middle, so I left a “gap” there, where the guitar just chords or plays rhythm alone. The fact that I never got it done in 36 years shows how great I am about procrastinating! 🙂 You might recall, though, that the only harmonica I had at the time of this recording was in the key of D, so I couldn’t have played that break without getting another harmonica. The pitch wheel on the cassette recorder wouldn’t decrease speed enough to drop down two frets from E to D. I think the top E string on that little guitar sounded really great on the run that it makes at the end of that “gap.”
This recording has very low volume. I boosted it as much as I could (along with a lot of tape hiss) for this upload, but this is about as loud as I could make it. I apologize for the low quality of the recording. I didn’t really know much about setting mic levels back then. The other “found” recordings with Maria that I will share in the coming weeks feature more volume/better recording quality.
I think I did a little better job on my harmony by staying “tucked” behind Maria’s lead vocal on this one (compared to “Daddy’s Hands”), though my vocal did stick out a little in a couple of places at the ends of the lines.
Although this song is quite old, and Pap knew it well, I had never heard it until Maria sang it for me. I remember when we played the recording back, Maria was a little disappointed that she accidentally sang “tread” in the second verse, rather than “turn,” but the take had such a good feel to it, that we decided not to do it again. We also figured that “tread” still made sense in the song.
When I uploaded “Come Morning, there’s Glory for Me” a while back (see Maria Campbell playlist here), Maria liked it, but she said that she felt a little self conscious about the sometimes highly “proper” ways that she pronounced certain words in her singing. She said that it was the influence of being in high school chorus at the time. I can hear what she’s talking about (in that song and in this one), but I don’t think it hurts anything. To me, the precise or proper pronunciation goes along just fine with her very precise vocal control.
Though it was never planned to be that way, this song is one of the last songs that Pap and I sang together. You can see the video of us here. Pap’s conception of or approach to the song was a little different from Maria’s, but I like both approaches.
With Pap, I sang lead, and he sang harmony. He had me change a couple of notes by singing them slightly higher, particularly on the word “sea.” You can tell in that video that Pap’s strength was failing him, but he still sang his part very well.
Pap and his brother, Ray (Maria’s father), sang for many, many funerals, by request. Pap told me before he passed, that he would like for the Robbinsville Quartet to sing at his funeral. They came out of retirement to honor that request, which greatly touched me. I thought it was unusual for Pap to request a quartet when he loved duet singing so much. I guess he just admired them as singers and as men that much, that he wanted them to provide the singing at his service.
I haven’t really wondered who will sing at my funeral. If I am able to make arrangements prior to passing (with a local funeral home), I think I will give them some recorded music to play, featuring a few of my favorite songs. I have wondered more about what will be the last song that I will sing or hear. I don’t know, but I know who does know, and that’s the Lord. Thanks for watching.
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
The Wilson Brothers Words of Life Album released in the 70s.
Beautiful song and beautiful voices singing it.
Absolutely Beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing !!! Love & prayers for all !!!
I have never heard this song before but I like it. I listened to both videos. Both beautifully sung and played, really beautiful. Thank you.
Beautiful!!!
Thank you Paul, it’s such a beautiful song!
Beautiful song, Paul. Maria has such a pure voice and I love your harmonies. Thank you so much.
Sunday blessings and a beautiful way to start the day.
I really enjoyed the words and music plus Maria and Paul singing. Beautiful!
Beautiful!!
Hi Paul and Acorns. There won’t be any sons for me here. I’ve donated my body to the Quillen College of Medicine at ETSU in Johnson City, TN. My kids will get my ashes in 3 years after my death. They will take my ashes and sprinkle them at the grave of our Fred (my foster son) that was killed at Fort Hood in 2009. That is where my son, Ed, ashes will be as well.
I loved that song, and Maria’s voice is amazing. Paul, maybe she will sing for you.
What a lovely way to start my day before church. Our revival starts this evening at Walnut Grove Baptist Church in Lawrenceville Ga. please pray for lost souls to be saved and that God’s people be lifted up. Our country needs a revival. I’ve been working harder than ever not to worry this year. Each time I find myself going down that awful path I say stop it and think of my blessings and what He’s done for me. Praise God he keeps showing up and showing out. I love y’all. Please keep praying.
Yesterday I was looking for the lyrics of a hymn when I could only recall a small piece of it and not the title. Turned out it was “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. When I read all the words, I thought, ” That could make a good funeral song.” That’s because it speaks to the realization of a long-held desire that could never be met here below. To me, that is a good thing to leave folks with, the knowing that one gone was looking forward to something beyond. Anyway, I plan to do that. I already feel a sorrow for those who will miss me but somehow I think it would be a mistake to want them to have no sorrow. The way I see it, the length and depth of sorrow is a kind of measure of the depth and worth of the relationship sorrowed for. As to Pap’s request, I expect he was both honoring the singers and also thinking about those present, what would be good for them to hear for their own sake. I think the Lord did that on the cross. He gave Mary and John to each other for their own sakes. Their relationship afterward was private and personal and we aren’t told about it. But we are shown he provided them for each other and undoubtedly they were blessed in it.
I didn’t intend to be up before 6 this morning but an ambitious crop duster decided that I would be! At first I was a bit annoyed then I got struck by a fit of giggles. I think I’ve conveyed my love of living in the country, surrounded by by farms that have been in their families for over 100 years. What, in “modern times” is anymore country life living than being awakened at 5:50 a.m. to the sound of a crop duster. This fall, I’m sure I’ll be listening to a combine, well after 10 p.m. as they harvest the corn that surrounds me this year. Thank you, Paul, for having this article and beautiful song waiting for me to enjoy this morning ♡
Kim, I have lived all of my life in the country and have lived and been a part of many neighbors living the country way of life. In SC if you need to be working outdoors, it is wise to be up and doing it just as soon as it gets light enough to see. During the last 2 weeks it was already around 90 degrees by 9-9:30 and feeling hotter. One thing , I do not cut my grass when it is soaking wet from dew. Shoot I slept late this morning, I didn’t wake up my last time until 5 o’clock. I am getting ready to leave for church, if I’m not careful I might try to catch a nap during the sermon.
Such a beautiful song and you both have beautiful voices. Thank you for sharing this. It has blessed my morning.
good morning Paul, God bless you brother, I enjoyed hearing the song, God bless Papa Tony with deliverance from sickness and disease, heal his body and make him well Lord in Jesus name I pray Amen
Beautiful! ❤️
I really like this song and love listening to Maria, I wish she would record a cd/dvd of the old time hymns. I always wanted and had asked my sister in law. Kathy to sing ‘Where The Roses Never Fade” at my funeral but she died in December of 2016 from a rare brain disease. I do not have a recording of her singing this song. Now I think about the recording of this song by Darlene Skyler. To me it is a bluegrass recording at it’s best by a group of young people.