After playing my guitar for Mom in the senior's home, when leaving I stopped to play some Wildwood flower for an elderly lady with dementia in her wheelchair who doesn't speak anymore. To my surprise, she hummed the tune exactly and her face lit right up. Music does amazing things.

My Uncle Ray Edenton right behind her, A team session rhythm guitar player for 40 years

Several years ago, I drove over to Hiltons, Virginia to a small Methodist church to pay my respects to AP Carter who is buried there. These people began what is now country music. Respect ❤.

Those 3 part harmonies around one mic - sublime

Sitting here in nostalgic tears. I am 61 years old and when I was little mom had the album with this song on it. We lived in a tiny little house in Saskatchewan and some nights mom and dad would have friends over to play guitar and sing. I grew up listening to the Carter Family and listening to it just brings back mom and her guitar. Thank you so much for posting this.

In 2012 , at my mothers funeral, my daughter got up with her guitar and dedicated this song to my mom as it was her favorite song. My daughter did an amazing job singing and playing. My mother would have been so proud 😌

2024 anyone?!?! I know.. we grew up.

I don’t know much about these (the carter family) but I ain’t even lying when I say that woman is one of the best guitarists I’ve ever seen, she’s picking a melody and strumming chord at the same time!!! While singing 🤯 skill

This was my Mothers favorite song. Lord how I miss her. She died July 20th 1997 in my arms.

I am older than dirt , so I grew up with my mom and her 4 sister humming and singing the Carter songs. They were at the time , bigger than any rock star , and are still remembered as the start of real american music. I still go to Mother's grave and play tunes on my mandolin.

I found this song by accident after 40 years of trying because my daddy Played it on the harmonica when I was a little girl. I was so happy to find it! Music speaks to the heart. Thank you for sharing.

There's magic in this music. The essence of American country music. Thanks for uploading.

Gives me shivers every time, that's what I call real music.

Lots of singers have sung this classic number but this rendition is by far the definitive one. The Carter family singing their signature song, Wildwood Flower.

Heartbreakingly beautiful. Especially since we don't get real mountain music like that anymore. They were the best.

An old boy from Tennessee taught me how to pick this when we were deployed over seas..i had never heard it, but he told me i'd never forget it...man, was he right..changed my life..I don't let a day go by without listening to this song...It is that important ..

I love how when they lean in to sing harmony, they are all exactly the same distance from the microphone. Family harmony, all with equal power, knowing exactly where to go. Can't get any closer than that...

I listen to every version of this song on KZfaq that I can find and, still, coming back to Mother Maybelle and girls....this is the most vibrant, most intense, most beautifully and clearly picked performance...obviously the standard that no one else has been able to surpass. The Angels of American Country Music live forever!

Vielen Dank für diese schöne, fremde Musik in meinen Ohren. Grüße aus Deutschland.

The first and greatest family of Country Music.

No words can describe how totally awesome this is.

The famous "Carter scratch". This woman basically invented country music. Thousands of guitar players owe their careers to her.

Both my parents grew up in Dungannon, Va - deepest Appalachia. My mom told me many times that the Carters would perform in places like school auditoriums during the Depression. If you didn't have the price of admission, people would bring home-canned goods, fried chicken, you name it. The Carter Family never turned anyone away. These were desperately poor times in Southwest Virginia in the 30's and 40's, so hearing the Carters play was like hearing angels sing on earth to the poor farm folk in the audience. Although my parents were very young then, they never forgot Mother Maybelle and all the rest bringing great music to their doorstep.

Watching Maybelle Carter pick that baseline on the guitar is priceless. What a pioneer! Just brilliant.

I have such a deep feeling of melancholy listening to and watching these old films and recordings from the fifties - and earlier. To me, recordings of old country, and blues from the deep south, are gold. Sounds of Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys and others before, and also Mississippi John Hurt and others of the old Blues recordings, are as true and organic as can be. The entertainment world today is nothing but a monster destroying this country.

I just love this song...my Daddy and almost all of his siblings played it...it was certainly my favorite. I'd always ask Daddy to play it for me...now it brings me to tears because it just makes me miss Daddy so very much! Hope you're playing for the angels Daddy..along with Uncle Doug and Aunt Mavis...I still love and miss you so much! Other people often point out that you weren't perfect..you were an alcoholic! But you know what...you were my Daddy and I loved you anyway. I still do! RIP Daddy, till we meet again. 🙏 ❤

Carter Family = a golden period of country music.

I wander who are giving this great musicians thumb down. They are great, wonderful and amazing. God bless them.

I was BLESSED to have such GREAT music enrich my life! Grandma use to sing the Carters to me while growing up, and it was the BEST thing ever! I sure Miss her very much! RIP GRANDMA WANDA 3/1923-4/2016 Love Your Grandson Robert!

My grandfather just passed away and this was his favorite song ever, this song will forever be special in my heart❤️

The first family of country music. One of the earliest recorded songs ever. Thank you for the knowledge mr. Ken Burns

Pure talent and true love of the music! Proud to call this music part of my American mountain roots!

Mother Maybelle had to be the best female guitar player back in her days no doubt. Hell, she was better than a lot of men in those days. RIP Mother Maybelle, Helen, Junebug, and Anita.

What a beautiful music. Not fashionable but made for eternity.

Listening to my father play this when I was a child, back in the 50's lit a fire in me that stayed with me long after he passed. Thanks Dad!

As innocent and original as music can give. The simplicity and ultimate fame of the cater family (sisters) brings tears to my eyes.

Who wouldn't like this rendition of "Wildwood Flower"? It brings back so many memories of the past!

Music doesn't get much better than this. Maybelle Carter - what a talent!

This classic song and the performance shown here is the definitive version of that great tune. Amazing singing and the wonderful guitar playing is just superb. Always enjoy listening to Wildwood Flower.

So great classic old country music!! I loved the Carter Family!!

Do you realize just how good this is?, pure, genuine talent. Thank God they made the trip to Bristol.

Thank you. Thank you for keeping this precious recording online for the world to love and enjoy.

One of the first songs I learned to play when I was gifted my first guitar way back in 1955 .. yep .. I’m that bloody old and it still makes my foot tap and my tears flow all these years later. Love love love that old time pure gold country music ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

My grandpa couldn't read music. But he could play any sting interment by ear. I remember every time he tried to think of a new song who would play wildwood flower over an over while he thought. What great memories his brought back.

When I was growing up, I sometimes thought we were related to the Carter Family somehow, because my mother talked about them so often and so personally. Knowing that funeral homes now play music during a person's viewing, she put together her own playlist a couple weeks ago. We will be playing it for her next Monday.

I just started to learn this song on guitar. It got my curiosity, so I looked up some history on this song. I always thought the Carters were just some backward hillbillies as I never was one to listen to their music. That is my loss. I didn't realize what a genius and legend Maybelle was. I am humbled, but now I know.

My Mom played and sang this song to me since forever! I grew up listening to this! Love this song!

Daddy used to play this in the evenings when I was little. I could only remember one line of the lyrics that my dad always sang and the beautiful guitar music he picked. For the longest time I never knew where to find it and now I listen to the Carter family frequently, especially when I think of my dad and how he used to play it for mom. I'm sure he thought of her as a wildwood flower. So beautiful and the Carter family plays superbly in our great American country tradition.

What a wonderful video! So nice to see a close up of the guitar. Thank you for sharing this piece of musical history.

I'm a heavy metal fan but this song makes a lot of heavy metal guitarists look immature....nice guitar work ladies...

That first verse can only come from a mountain person. Just amazing. An entirely different world

Watching Ken Burns documentary Country Music. This is a great song.

This was played at my grandmother's funeral in 2002. A righteous and God fearing woman she was. May she and the Carter family be welcomed on the other side.

These beautiful ladies were awesome!

By any measure this is in the top five of all country music songs. Don't you agree?

This is wonderful. Imagine being there in person to listen to this. LOVE IT - - !!

something about this song, so haunting and so beautiful - perhaps heightened by the deep longing stare of mother Maybelle. Peace and love to all, God bless!

I love Maybelle Carter. Besides being a great singer and songwriter, it is sometimes forgotten what a great guitar player she was. As far as I am concerned, all country/bluegrass/folk flat-pickers/acoustic accompaniment to this day----comes out of Maybelle's style.

My mom grew up on the carter family music. She used to always talk about them. Grew up in the same part of the country also. Being a rock musician myself, it took me many tears to appreciate this music. This is great music! I only wish I could play guitar that well.

This is a great video of the Carter family playing Wildwood Flower. Wildwood Flower was the first song i learned to play on guitar at 11 years old back in the 60's and i still play that song even to this day. The thumb work is your bass work on the two top strings to give it the sound you hear. A.P. Carter and family lived real close to Gate City Virginia and would go to Bristol Virginia to a recording studio and cut records. His daughter June would latter marry Johnny Cash.

This is my very favorite song. My wife played the guitar and sang many nights to the same. My condolences to you poor people who gave this "thumbs down". it would be so much better if you would not indicate your musical ineptitude. It hurts the feelings of many of us.

Only just discovered this amazing group. This is music at its purest and it is so beautiful! Can't stop listening to it!

Mama Carter.. the matriarch of country music.. just humbling to see her in action absolutely amazing..

The original Carter Family were all long dead by the time I came into this world, but there's something oddly nostalgic about their music. It's like I've been transported back to the 1920s despite having never even lived through that period.

I'm up to about 50 listenings and i can't stop, i agree with lateraius this is the best live performance ever . just perfect! and its only about a minute long

This makes me think if my father, he didn't sing but I remember him playing this tune on his guitar when I was growing up ❤

I remember music like this from when I was kid in our farming community. Local musicians played at Christmas and other holidays at our country hall. Great memories from the 1970s.

Wow! My mom and her 4 sisters sang like this, but no instruments, just vocals , from West Virginia. Awesome!

I think this is one of the very best country songs ever written, and this certain performance singing the song fantastic. Long live the Carter family!

This is real Country Music to me.

Anybody who plays guitar should know this song. It was majesty in my young life. I didn't understand the majesty until I purposefully sought it out as an adult. ❤️❤️

The Carter Family will ever be known for The Wildwood Flower one if the great songs of country music. Mother Maybelles guitar playing is in a class by itself.

For some reason tonight, I have been feeling the need to reconnect to my Kentucky roots, I listen to metal, play that type of guitar, but tonight, after many years I want to forget all the anger and strong emotions and just hear something for the soul, the last time I've felt this way was when my dad died two years ago, its nice to know I'm always welcome to come back to this music and feel my heritage.

Listened to many versions of "Wildwood Flower" but this one stands far above all others. A true classic of American Country Music. Country music in its true origins no longer exists and hasn't since the passing of these and other great country artists from that era up through the 1960's and early 1970's..

Chef d'œuvre, grande famille country, belles voix, brillantes musiciennes, tout cela avec simplicité

My dad always said “If you can’t pick Wildwood Flower, you got no business with a guitar!” Every Saturday while mom was at work, he would play the guitar and we would “sing” Wildwood Flower was ALWAYS included (and Puff the Magic Dragon 😉) Those were the best days of my life!

Such a beautiful sound. Makes me so happy :')

me siento como si estuviera viendo bonanza o el gran chaparral al oir estas lindas melodias angloparlantes campesinas, me gusta mucho el country, saludos desde Ecuador. I feel like I was watching bonanza or high chaparral to hear these nice English-speaking peasant melodies, I love the country, Greetings from Ecuador.

A gorgeous lady and her three gorgeous daughters.

This is close to the most amazing thing I've ever seen ❤

Just last weekend I got to visit the Carter family fold. What an amazing place. The scenery is beautiful, and the history behind it is so interesting. I would suggest for anyone to go there! I absolutely love old time music, and in my lifetime I will do all I can to introduce it to people, and keep it alive.

As soon as I heard this song i had to learn it, it was stuck in my mind. Love it. Thanks Carter family. 😉

Maybelle was on fire here! as always :) if only Sara Carter did not retire in 1943 she could of experienced so much with her family.

Amazing again- Thanks KZfaq for getting me better acquainted with Carter Women Power People

When I was a child here in England my father put this on our radiogram ( a large piece of furniture with a turn table and radio) and I became fascinated by the solo and the song ..as I grew up I got a guitar and learned to play it and still love it to this day ..this is a great gateway fir guitar players

Damn, what amazing live performers they were! They were always spot-on with every harmony, every instrumental part. It's almost hard to believe in this day and age when performers have a lot of uhh "technological assistance" with their performances. lol

I remember my Mom was in comma for 2 days in the hospital. My sister told the nurse I play the guitar. She ran home and brought her guitar. I play one of my mothers favorite songs. All a sudden she opened her eyes and started to look and listen.

Beautiful music and so well done by the Carter family. I can remember this way back when I was a kid, on WWVA Radio. Still beautiful after many decades. ❤❤❤

Was very pleasantly surprised to hear this in the South Park game, "Fractured But Whole", in the quest where you play music for the elderly.

[Verse 1] Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair With the roses so red and the lilies so fair And the myrtle so bright with the emerald dew The pale amanita and eyes look like blue [Verse 2] I will dance, I will sing, and my loft shall be gay I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway When I woke from my dreaming my idol was clay All portion of love had all flown away [Verse 3] Oh, he taught me to love him and promised to love And to cherish me over all others above How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell He's left me no warning, no words of farewell [Verse 4] Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flower That's blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour Oh, I long to see him and regret the dark hour He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower

When I was wanting to get into music and learning how to play my grandfather told me he would pay for my guitar lessons and even buy me a guitar if I promised to learn one song first and it was this song. Ever time he came over or when I'd go over he'd ask me to play it and the smile on his face every time even the times I messed it up. He recently passed and I'm gonna miss him.

Grew up with this song on a daily routine! My Mom played it on the guitar, loved it, sang it and danced to it! A big part of my childhood memories!

There are two types of guitar players...those who have played the Wildwood Flower and those who haven't.

I love how June was really getting into the song, bopping in her seat, until Mama gave her the ol' stink-eye and calmed her down.

Such wonderful harmonies from Mom and Daughters Carter. Johnny Cash was deeply blessed to be surrounded by all of them.

Loved my Carter had a old battery operated radio growing up heard Jimmy Rodgers.Love more.We were dirt poor 17 of us kids.7 now.

Great tribute to the Carter family on the Country Music documentary on PBS. Be sure to watch all 8 episodes .

Mother Maybelle was just an amazing Guitarist ! This is American Music at it's finest !

The *Carter Family* : what a wonderful family, at least half a century ahead of time! It will remain forever in the hearts of all fans. Greetings. *💌SWEET CINDY💌* Country Guitar in the style of *Duane💙Eddy*

This is one of the first songs I learned to play on acoustic. 🎸