I’ll Be True to You a Duet with Nathan Stanley (Close to the Heart Songs, 2016, Kerry Belcher, all rights reserved)
From the time I was in about the second grade I started going to see Ralph Stanley do live performances at our local schools in and around Haysi. I remember well paying a quarter to get in the first time at Sandlick Elementary. Over the years, as I played rock and then country and bluegrass music I never stopped loving Stanley music and particularly the Stanley vocal harmony blend which combined the high lonesome tenor of other artists with a moving alto part, found commonly in Primitive Baptist acapella singing. It is haunting and is truly originally popularized by Ralph. Because Ralph grew up as a Christian in this church setting, that Beautiful Southwest Virginia vocal sound was natural. Every time I heard it and still today, 50 years later, it reminds me of home and remains part of my musical fiber. In 2010, as I prepared to cut my third recording I met Alan Maggard in Big Stone Gap Virginia. He had grown up with Ralph, making over 40 recordings for him. He told me hours of Stanley trivia and the mystique of Stanley began to settle deeper in my heart. Before long, I met Ralph’s grandson Nathan and found that in every way, he was continuing and perhaps perfecting what his Papaw had begun and perpetuated.
During the last several days of the recording of my cd, “Over the Ridgeline” Nathan came to the studio. I told him I’d written a song about Ralph from his perspective based on much of what Alan had shared with me over the past few months. Nathan liked the song and told me he wanted to record it some day. After my Dad, CC Belcher, a great singer and musician himself died last year, I reworded a few parts of the song to make it be for Nathan, for me and for all of us who have a loved one that taught and inspired us to sing a little better, pick a little harder and live life in a way that the Lord and our fellow man are pleased with. We finally got to record it together to celebrate two special men, Ralph Stanley and Clynard Belcher and vicariously, all those who have supported you in a similar manner.
All my favorite memories were made sitting on your knee and seeing how the world works through your eyes Your voice it still rings clear, and all the words true in my ears as I sit and think about how time flies I hate to think how I’d turned out, without your guiding hand, no doubt you paved the way for my success you helped me understand you took me under your strong arm, you kept me far from every harm, you turned this little boy into a man Chorus I’ll be True to you, I’ll do everything you taught me to do today, forever until my time is through, I’ll be true to you
Bridge It’s just stories of the road or all the humble strength you showed, its all those things and a million more…leaving me a thousand songs about what went right and what went wrong and don’t repeat mistakes I made before
V2 And since you’re part of history, it’s probably not a mystery, everyone who knows me will know you I’ll hear you speak the words so wise, see the tears that filled your eyes and the heart that overflowed with love so true All good things will finally end, I’d relive it all again- learn some of the little things I missed Not a single day goes by that I don’t look up to the sky and thank the Lord for blessing me like this through you Chorus x2
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