Mother Maybelle & The Carter Sisters: The Henrico Years

The lilting music of the Carter family sprang from the hills of Southwest Virginia, but it flowered in Henrico County. For about six years during the 1940s, Maybelle Carter and her young daughters - Helen, June and Anita - set roots in central Virginia. In 1946, they saw their popularity explode when they landed a spot with Richmond's biggest radio station - WRVA - and its premier stage for hillbilly fun. The family moved to Henrico in 1947, buying a two-story home on what used to be Mountain Road.

[@bar9973]

I’m 80 and it seems that real country music began to fade away in 1978 and 1979 when Maybelle and Sara passed away. Fortunately we can enjoy many video and audio recordings of the Carter Family and other vintage country greats. At least I was able to see Maybelle several times when she toured with Johnny Cash. They even came to Minot ND in the 1960s when I was stationed at Minot AFB.

[@bobdal1946]

There is nothing like the Carter Family. The roots of country music.

[@AirborneDoc-nb1pe]

This video made me so homesick. I was born and raised here. I used to work in the tobacco fields as a teenager. By my late teens I only knew one thing, I wanted out. So after college at ETSU I joined the Army and saw a lot of the country and world in 20 years. Now I'm easing towards civilian retirement and I just want to go back home. You don't realize how attached you are to a place until you leave and can't get back.

[@frednicholson1131]

The carter family was the first beautiful country music I ever heard

[@edmccaffrey1]

The beauty of Ma Carter and her daughters was mixing the Christian gospel, with the beginning of old country music. Ma Carter is the Matriarch of country music, and this is the purest form of country music and so beautiful to hear!

[@SmokyMountainBlessed]

I'm enjoying the history of the Carter family, we visited the courthouse where June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash got their marriage license, we live in the smoky mountains Tennessee, I grew up listening to country music and bluegrass music

[@moonstar2335]

Thank ya for sharing Wonderful stories ofMother Maybelle and them Beautiful Sister's 👏❤️👏❤️👏❤️👏🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@HenricoCountyGovernment]

Our pleasure!

[@jpmace321]

Thank you so much i really enjoyed this video

[@SuperOlds88]

"they're not like todays country" Amen brother.

[@davesiler4064]

The story of national treasures, Maybelle and her girls! OH, MY!

[@tonylupo1764]

Stay tuned for my upcoming book about the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle band era

[@roybodden9243]

Beautiful tribute to Mother Maybelle and her beautiful daughters.

[@horrorskopf]

Great video! Thanks so much for posting!

[@johnlyon6170]

I have always been in love with Helen. I truly think she had the most talent, and was so good looking.

[@addamr2052]

I just came across this video on KZbin and absolutely enjoyed this great story immensely . We'll put it this way is it o.k for a grown man to shed a tear ?

[@lindamills9502]

Great wee video and so informative. Thank you

[@robingermon8380]

I started listening to the Craters music in Australia around 1957. I was sold on the sound and managed to own a guitar and set to work to copy the style. Living in the outback Bush of Australia with no electricity, I could relate to the Craters very well. Eventfully I learn to ply country guitar and got pretty good at singing their songs,.

[@packingten]

I used to play old 78s on Grandmas 78 ONLY record player/radio...then abou christmas 1958 Dad&Mom got me an RCA 45 only record player radio loved it About one of my first new records,Johnny Cash guess things happen that way,Elvis Hound Dog...

[@jamesrobertlittle6204]

Aloha now in Honolulu,, young days in 1940’s in Bedford county Pennsylvania listening to “Carter Family’s on our radio..& recording albums on our new player. JRLittle

[@geneelliott7718]

The best is hard to beat, they were the best.

[@111JenA]

Thank you so much for posting this. I’m 45 but my mom was a big Elvis fan. She told me Elvis introduced Johnny to June.

[@tonylupo1764]

Elvis introduced Johnny's music to June when they toured together in 1955

[@emilytodd1999]

I absolutely loved this, it was also nice seeing my friend, Ronnie Williams in this. He knows so much about the Carter Family, he has carried on their music for years. I'm glad he's keeping their music alive to this very day. I met Ronnie at the Carter Family Fold, it was the 42nd Annual Carter Family Festival. I met all kinds of nice people up there, they were full of life and all smiles. I miss being there in Virginia. I plan on making a trip back there someday.

[@ifuwantpeaceprepare4war740]

I would love to go up there and visit it looks so beautiful and like a step back in time

[@wespaul9345]

I know very little of these amazing people. Like many of my time and place, Australia, we know June and Johnny and heard stories. But let me say that was something. That song at the end what is it called, it's so beautiful it bought a little tear in my eye.

[@jimrenfro218]

,

[@annewright6034]

@@wespaul9345I’m from Australia and it was the highlight of our to trip to America to see the Carter Family Fold. I even got sit in Johnny Cash’s rocking chair. It’s a beautiful area.

[@user-hv5wd9bn9m]

Hill top music

[@user-hv5wd9bn9m]

What year listening to is a very rare sound country and bluegrass that tells a story

[@maryfizer9030]

🌷LOVE ! !LOVE! LOVE!😇💖

[@scburkhardt8464]

Music that’s like the watercress to my cheese sandwich. They all passed to soon but seems lived their lives with just the right touch.

[@Eio7]

What a wonderful story about the wake. ❤️🙏🏻🎶

[@rosier5428]

Lived in Henrico County for years but never realized it was home to the Carter Family until many years later…even dated a girl who went to the same HS that June graduated from…..John Marshall.

[@ryanmj8968]

I need this version of wildwood flower

[@georgezink8256]

Best of the Best

[@antoniomennello2202]

❤

[@rdo1231]

legends

[@lisamarieva3514]

While this may all be true and I am sure it is, The Carter Family is and has always been of SW Virginia. If not for that fact it is doubtful the Carters would have become what we know them to be today. Their mountain heritage is what made them what they were and still are. No offense meant to Henrico. I love Richmond and think its a really interesting and exciting city. There is so much to do there!

[@georgemorgan5906]

Lisa C Yes you are right.

[@mikemouse5299]

Lets just hear it for Virginia.A great state and great people.I grew up in Richmond and still have fond memories.

[@packingten]

Funny all of the Arm chair experts write their AMAZING finds almost line for line from Wikipedia..

[@oldmal60]

Not completely true. Records show 1923 a man named Peer paid the Caters $15 to record few songs at Bristol Tenn. And he paid Jimmy Rogers also to record at Bristol then. He then played the recordings in Nashville on WSM radio. Both artist became hits. Maybelle Carter "invented" the guitar pluck the root note then strum the chord still widely used to today on guitar. Jimmy Rogers traveled the nation and spread country music to point of fame thought out the USA. He was big. The girls of the Carter family actually started the country music sound. Maybelle Carter is the MOTHER of country music.

[@ArgentAbendAzure]

The recordings took place in Bristol,Tennessee in 1927. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_sessions Ralph Peer recorded with a number of artists including Jimmy Rogers,and The Carter Family. This would be the original Carter Family of Sara,and A.P. Carter,and Maybelle Carter. Maybelle was married to Ezra ( Eck ) Carter, who was A.P.'s brother.They were the parents of Helen,June,and Anita.

[@moonstar2335]

👏❤️🙂👏❤️🙂👏❤️🙂👏❤️🙂

[@tonylupo1764]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m17Li4Znocl_d9k This would be a song Helen and Anita Carter would sing on the Old Dominion Barn Dance, "Today" and get a standing ovation.

[@genedolen9166]

No mention of Lesley Riddle, who influenced Mother Maybelle’s style. Some say she copied it but he was the one who developed it.

[@jeandaugherty830]

no wonder I like hillbilly music O DOHERTYS 😃😃😃

[@marionheyenga1032]

👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️

[@antskaljurand3091]

Let this be clear he went out and found some songs yes but a whole heap of the songs where already found so to speak and being performed by other artist of the time.

[@jamesrobertlittle6204]

1936 JRLittle

[@BertilAdania]

❤️👍🇸🇪

[@beautifuldreamer3991]

Where was Maybelles husband through all this?

[@rogerpropes7129]

The song went so far back in the hills as o have lost its original lyrics. Not that it makes much difference to enjoy the music. Although originally a parlor song, the song had undergone the folk process by the time the Carter Family recorded it. For example, the first verse of "I'll Twine 'Mid the Ringlets" is I'll twine 'mid the ringlets of my raven black hair, The lilies so pale and the roses so fair, The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue, And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue. whereas the Carter Family's "Wildwood Flower" begins Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair, With the roses so red and the lilies so fair, And the myrtle so bright with the emerald dew, The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.[8]

[@independencemp3]

iT just Was’nt too Organizd

[@tcrossfranco]

J

[@dianneharper9790]

O

[@johnnyjohnson2942]

The beals e a where a joke compaid too the Carters. lol