The Louvin Brothers
The Louvin Brothers |
|---|
The Louvin Brothers were an American country music duo composed of brothers Ira Lonnie Loudermilk (1924–1965) and Charlie Elzer Loudermilk (b. 1927), better known as Ira and Charlie Louvin. They helped popularize close harmony, a genre of country music.
History
The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz," recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming." They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.[1]
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking and short temper. Married four times, his third wife shot him three times in the back after he tried to strangle her. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe. He died on June 20, 1965 when a drunken driver struck his car in Williamsburg, Missouri.[2] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge. Charlie pursued a solo career and lives in Manchester, Tennessee. They are cousins to John D. Loudermilk, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member.
Country-rock pioneers The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their seminal 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.[1]
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[3] The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Satan is Real album
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1960 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot tall plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone.[4] While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time,"[5] the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.[6]
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
Partial discography
- 1956: The Louvin Brothers (MGM)
- 1956: Tragic Songs of Life (Capitol)
- 1957: Nearer My God to Thee (Capitol)
- 1958: Ira and Charlie (Capitol)
- 1958: The Family Who Prays (Capitol)
- 1958: Country Love Ballads (Capitol)
- 1959: Satan Is Real (Capitol)
- 1960: My Baby's Gone (Capitol)
- 1960: A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers (Capitol)
- 1961: Encore (Capitol)
- 1961: Christmas with the Louvin Brothers (Capitol)
- 1962: The Weapon of Prayer (Capitol)
- 1963: Keep Your Eyes on Jesus (Capitol)
- 1964: The Louvin Brothers Sing and Play Their Current Hits (Capitol)
- 1965: Thank God for My Christian Home (Capitol)
- 1966: Ira and Charles (Hilltop)
- 1967: Two Different Worlds (Capitol)
- 1967: The Great Roy Acuff Songs (Capitol)
- 1968: Country Heart and Soul (Capitol)
- 1973: The Great Gospel Singing of The Louvin Brothers (Capitol)
- 1975: Live at New River Ranch (Collectors Classic)
- 1976: I Don't Believe You Met My Baby (Hilltop)
- 1978: Songs That Tell a Story (Rounder)
- 1990: Early MGM Recordings (Rounder)
- 1992: Close Harmony (Bear Family Records)
- 1995: Greatest Hits (Capitol)
- 1995: When I Stop Dreaming: The Best of the Louvin Brothers (Razor & Tie)
- 2006: The Essential Louvin Brothers 1955-1964: My Baby's Gone (Raven)
References
- ^ a b Wolfe, Charles K. (1996). In Close Harmony: The Story of the Louvin Brothers. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-0-8789-5892-1.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Strauss, Neil (November 28, 1996). "The Pop Life". New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
- ^ Country Music Hall of Fame entry for The Louvin Brothers. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
- ^ KtB - Satan is Real
- ^ Aquarium Drunkard: MP3 Blog, Music Blog » The Louvin Brothers :: Satan Is Real
- ^ "Example of meme-posting of album cover on Fark.com". Fark.com. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
External links
- Official Charlie Louvin and the Louvin Brother's Web Site
- Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville - report on Charlie Louvin's 80th birthday, 2007
- State of Mind - A Word with Charlie Louvin - January 2009
- Livin' Lovin' Losin' the Louvin Way. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
- Charlie's life from 1927 to the present on Raised Country!