Charlie and Ira Louvin brought the world their tales of woe, misery, and redemption to a wider audience. Songs of love for the Lord and warnings about the end of days and getting right with said Lord made them a household name, especially thanks to their 1959 album, which bore a unique album cover and title. Charlie was a God-fearin’man, while brother Ira was both God-fearing and a man to be feared, with a notorious temper and uncontrolled rage, thanks in part to alcoholism. Blending traditional country and rural music with their own original songwriting, the duo quickly made a name for themselves with their 1956 debut album, Tragic Songs of Life.

For such a Godly duo, though, they could sure come up with some dark material. One such example of this is their adaptation of this Appalachian murder ballad, “Knoxville Girl.” It’s a gory tale of pointless murder and regret, and with their angelic harmonies, the Louvin Brothers sound positively terrifying as they tell this story.

The duo was short-lived, splitting in 1963. The split would shortly be cemented; Ira Louvin would diein a car accident in 1965. His sudden death was ironic, as he was killed by a drunk driver; Louvin had warrants for his arrest for outstanding DUI charges himself. Charlie Louvin continued making music until his death in 2011.