The Waynesboro Public Library presents a free performance of the one-man show A Life of Sorrow, the Life and Times of Carter Stanley on July 8 at 11 a.m.
The program uses a mix of storytelling and music to bring to life the saga of an Appalachian Mountain Music treasure.
A Life of Sorrow is the creation of Roanoke actor Gary Reid. A bluegrass enthusiast and historian for more than 45 years, he is regarded as the foremost authority on the music of the Stanley Brothers.
Carter Stanley was the front man for the legendary Stanley Brothers duo. Raised in the coalfields of Appalachia during the hardscrabble days of the Great Depression, the bright lights of a country stage raised the hairs on the back of a 10-year-old’s neck. A decade later, his musical expression of choice was a new phenomenon known to many as the high lonesome sound, what would come to be known the world over as bluegrass. He played the music, he wrote the songs, and ultimately, he self-destructed.
In 2009, Reid conceived the idea of putting together a one-man show about Carter Stanley. Launched on Sept. 10, 2014, A Life of Sorrow has enjoyed more than 100 performances at theaters, festivals, libraries and museums in 17 states and three Canadian provinces.
Reid has also published a book The Music of the Stanley Brothers tracing Carter and Ralph Stanley’s 20-year recording history.
As a long-time fan of the music of Carter and Ralph Stanley, Reid has spent years collecting memorabilia of the brothers and has all of their single and album releases as well as 80 hours of live recordings and close to 500 photos.
Reid enjoys meeting and talking with fans who knew or saw the Stanley Brothers in years gone by and encourages them to bring photos to the show and share.
The Waynesboro Public Library is located at 600 S. Wayne Ave. in Waynesboro.
For more information, call (540) 942-6746 or visit the library’s website.
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Crystal Graham
