"The First Family of Country Music" laments their way onto the list with the mournful Can the Circle be Unbroken. The Carter Family would go through many members over the group's lifetime (including Johnny Cash's wife, June Carter). However, when this song was performed in 1935 the group was comprised of its original members-- A.P. Carter, his wife Sarah Carter, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter.
The Appalachian farming family helped lay the foundation of country music, and this sorrowful melody about a mother's funeral speaks to the hardships and loss that were so prevalent in the Depression Era. Throughout the song, one can hear Maybelle's signature melodic guitar style that would help define not only the group, but also a whole generation of music. Can the Circle Be Unbroken is a haunting and memorable tune that has earned itself a "Worth Hearing" seal.
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