Man… way back in the late 60s,early 70s I used to go to the Berryville Bluegrass Festival in Watermelon Park in Berryville, VA. Right across the Potomac River from Harper’s Ferry, WV. We camped 50-100 yards from the stage. It was a tiny venue for such affairs. All seats were really close to that stage. Seats ON THE GROUND, all of ‘em. And I sat at the feet of the Greats: Bill Monroe. Ralph Stanley. Mac Wiseman. Don Reno. Red Smiley. The Country Gentlemen. Porter Waggoner. I know I’m forgetting some! But even if I forget some, I have those experiences to treasure forever. Treasure yours as well. Nobody will ever have those experiences again. IN THIS WORLD. But they’re playing in the next one. Maybe I’ll see you - and them - there. Who really knows?
There’s very few covers of this song that I don’t love. That’s something so special about folk music. You can fall in love with a song and find new ways to enjoy it all the time.
Bill’s Brother Charlie was best known for this song. He never had a song on the charts, but this was Charlie’s best known number. Other people had earlier versions of it, but Charlie had the best known version ever of it.
My mamaw sung this song to me and I know it by heart and one other called the brown girl. Plus my mother loved this song because I'm named after it Rosecondalee is another version of that name for this song.
Is Bill Monroe the original artist? Google says "The Everly Brothers" is the original version. This song is an old bluegrass song. I find it impossible for "The Everly Brothers" to be the original artist.
This is a folk song. There is no "original artist." The first recording, as far as I know, is Grayson & Whitter's 1927 version, under the title "Rose Conley" (not entirely sure about the spelling). The song was apparently collected as far back as 1915 and collected by Cecil Sharp in 1918. The Everly Brothers learned the song from their father (their version appears on the album Songs Our Daddy Taught Us).
The song is actually probably more closely associated with Bill's brother Charlie; I don't think Bill did it very often, this was just the solo for his lead singer that night.
You will never find the original credits to this song I'm guessing... From what I've researched it may very easily be pre 1850's, and probably written somewhere in the Appalachian mountain range.
