“Stanley and Otha” is the second cassette tape offering by The Emert Brothers in our archives collection. Brother Otha was a prisoner of war for 30 months in a Chinese prison camp, which we have previously mentioned. Otha was serving with the 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Division when he was captured, at that time maintaining the rank of Master Sgt. His duty before capture and becoming a P.O.W. was machine-gun platoon sergeant. It was unknown if Otha had survived until his wife, Annie Mae, identified him from a photograph of the prisoners. Upon Otha’s release after nearly three years as a prisoner of war, Maryville coined the day of his new freedom “Otha Emert Day”. The day including a band performance from the Sevier County Highschool Band and a speech from Governor Frank Clement. The brothers were two siblings out of eleven and grew up on their parent’s farm. The duo sang their blood harmonies in the Museum of Appalachia for 16 years, and both brothers served for the military and Air Force. The duo played many shows during their days, including 1982’s Knoxville World Fair.
Newspaper Articles
Otha passed from a heart attack in 1996 at 79, leaving Stanley alone with a yearning to make more music, and not on his own. Stanley promised his brother their music will not be forgotten, and that he will carry on making music. He went on to form a new duo with his nephew George Emert, who had just retired from being president of Utah State University. Their group was named the Birds Creek Boys, and they performed for sold-out crowds in western Washington, where Stan was living with his wife Joanne at the time. In 2008 Joanne & Stan moved to Calhoun, Georgia where he formed The Pine Chapel String Band with local musician Howard Withrow and grandson Heath Brooks. For more information and music, view the Emert Brothers Collection in our archive. Included above are newspaper articles covering Otha’s imprisonment and things related to the Emert Brothers. This album is available below and on YouTube.