Stanley Brothers - Molly and Tenbrook free for downloading

Great upload! Interesting verse at 1:26. I either hadn't noticed or hadn't heard that verse in other versions. It helps the continuity of the story but is missing from every other version and performance I can find. It sounds a bit cumbersome, I wonder if they stuck it in later. Anyway, very cool unique version. I also like the "strainin' every nerve" verse which doesn't appear in every version of this song.

this is bill Monroe

Pee Wee Lambert- Mandolin/Lead Vocals Leslie Keith-Fiddle Carter-Guitar Ralph-Banjo Ray Lambert, known as "Cousin Winesap" on stage-Bass (I believe)

Pee Wee Lambert sings lead-Ralph Stanley who had been Playing in the 2 Finger Banjo Style plays on this recording in the 3 Finger Banjo style for the first time on a Stanley Brothgers Recording-Some debate about was this song recorded in 1948 or 49-one source suggests Stanley's had this out on record about a year before Bill Monroe released his 1947 recorded version of the song in February 1949. So in fact the Stanley version was on record before Monroe's Version. Monroe had featured this on the Opry around 1947 but did not release it on record at that time. MOLLY AND TENBROOKS 1 March 1949 [12:30-15:00] Castle Studio At the Tulane Hotel, 206 8th Ave. North, Nashville, TN - Stanley Brothers (Carter Stanley [ld vcl/gt], Ralph Stanley [ten vcl/banjo], Darrell “Pee Wee” Lambert [bari vcl/mand], Jay Hughes [bass], Bobby Sumner [fiddle])

this is bill monroe singing.

bill is the father of Bluegrass not Ralph. end of story

you do know that Bill Monroe learned just as much as he taught from the Stanley bros.

Pee Wee Lambert is singing. He consciously copied Bill Monroe's sound.

This is one of Bill Monroe's trademark songs, but the story goes that Bill didn't add it to his reportoi until the Stanley Brothers had a hit singing it live on various radio stations in WV/TN/KY, this very version, with Pee Wee Lambert lead. Pee Wee later moved to Columbus, OH where he raised his family and passed too soon. I interviewed his widow in 2003 in Columbus.

thank you for posting. important record and a great one...

Even though it is much associated with him, Bill Monroe didn't write this song. This Stanley Bros recording is a year before Monroe recorded it. It's about a horse race between a Kentucky horse named Ten Broeck and a California horse named Molly McCarthy. The race was in the 1870's.

RIP RALPH STANLEY

If this is from the Rich-R-Recording, Ralph was just playing 2 finger banjo at the time, and doing a fine job of it too.

This don't sound like Carter Stanley. Sounds like Bill Monroe.

According to Gary B Reid this was recorded mid-48, at WCYB radio station, Bristol,Va Carter, Ralph, Pee Wee Lambert (voc) And Art Wooten on fiddle No bassplayer Monroes’ version came out feb-49 First recording with Ralph using the three-finger style

I really don't like much bluegrass but y'know good ole songs like this are gettin' it to grow on me. :)