Playing that old guitar

I listened to the wonderful harmonies of the LOUVIN BROTHERS while driving to cover an assignment in neighboring Illinois yesterday.
Although the late (and troubled) IRA LOUVIN was a masterful songwriter, two of my favorite songs on the compilation "WHEN I STOP DREAMING: THE BEST OF THE LOUVIN BROTHERS" were penned by country music pioneer ALTON DELMORE of the earlier duo, the DELMORE BROTHERS.
"SOUTHERN MOON" and "GONNA LAY DOWN MY OLD GUITAR" were popularized by the Delmore Brothers. The Louvins included the songs on their 1960 album "Charlie and Ira Louvin -- A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers."
According to reports, Ira and Charlie visited the ailing Alton Delmore to seek his guidance on the final song selection. Alton reached under a bed and dug out a tenor guitar once played by his late brother Rabon Delmore. The surviving Delmore brother allowed the Louvins to use the tenor guitar on their album.
"There were some old strings still on Rabon's guitar," CHARLIE LOUVIN recalled. "Ira took those home and took 'em off and soaked 'em in kerosene and rubbed 'em and soaked 'em in kerosene again 'til he got 'em alive. And he cut that album with the same strings that Rabon had played on 12 years before."
The results are remarkable, I decided after listening to the songs several times yesterday.