The song “Wreck of the Old 97” served as an inspiration for balladeers. Copyright 2021 Country Thang Daily, all rights reserved. This my opinion about the song and why the writer wrote the song. Info. It’s not clear just who wrote the ballad, Wreck of the Old 97, but Vernon Dalhart’s 1924 cover may have been the first ever million-selling country music song in America. To sing the song, one must follow the tune of “The Ship That Never Returned”. Song information for Wreck of the Old 97 - Johnny Cash on AllMusic (Originally published: Inside Bluegrass, June 1998) The Civil War era had two song writers, both of them famous for great melodies and heartfelt lyrics. Wreck of Old 97, The [Laws G2] DESCRIPTION: "Steve" Broady is told that, due to a mix-up in numbering, his train is "way behind time." Initially a popular Dallas bar band, Old 97's toured the country after releasing their first album, 1994's Hitchhike to Rhome and 1995's split EP release Stoned / Garage Sale with fellow Dallas band Funland on Idol Records.In Chicago, they caught the attention of Bloodshot Records and were signed to record their next album. Lewey claimed that he wrote it the day after the accident. Att: Judith Gray, (202) 707-1740. What Happened to Randy Travis After Massive Stroke and Dire Financial Situation? In 1924, they released a version by Vernon Dalhart—having Victor Record no. Dunlap went to work on a train that ran between Washington and Charlotte, while Maupin worked at the Charlotte union station.[4]. If you are interested in obtaining a recording of the singer who wrote the original version of "Wreck of the Old 97, singing the song, recorded on a cylinder tape, contact the Library of Congress, American Folklife Center, and request taped copy of the 50th Anniversary Tape of the Robert Gordon Collection; recording laboratory AFS L68. we shall see, Noell’s song is the origin of the present-day ballad, “The Wreck of the Old 97”. He was unable to sufficiently reduce speed as he approached the curve leading into the trestle, causing the entire train to derail and plunge into the ravine below. NEWS. The Wreck on the the Southern Old 97, by Henry Whitter, vocal, guitar and harmonica. The railroad also claimed he descended the grade leading to the trestle at a speed of more than 70 mph (110 km/h). When the train arrived in Monroe its crew was switched, and when it left Monroe, there were 17 people on board. George was a brakeman and telegraph operator who also happened to be a singer. The Wreck of the Old 97 : by Igloowhite: Wed Apr 25 2001 at 18:26:51 : It was the original "transportation disaster as mass-media event." Johnny Cash), Charlie Louvin of The Louvin Brothers, Pink Anderson, David Holt, Flatt and Scruggs, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Chuck Ragan, Hank Williams III, Patrick Sky, Nine Pound Hammer, Roy Acuff, Boxcar Willie, Lonnie Donegan, The Seekers, Ernest Stoneman & Kahle Brewer, Carolyn Hester, Bert Southwood, and Hank Snow. The third time the court of appeals ruled in favor of Victor Talking Machines. Wreck of the Old 97 in Danville, Virginia. Here Dalhart played the song with his harmonica and Frank Ferrera joined him with his guitar. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, The Inspirational Song: “Wreck of the Old 97”, Ryan Upchurch Responds to Luke Combs’ Apology and Calls Him ‘F—ing Sissy’. Please log in again. VIDEOS. An episode of the Suspense radio program,[13] broadcast on March 17, 1952, and starring Frank Lovejoy,[14] was loosely based on the ballad, which appears in snatches throughout the play. Thompson, Scott Chambers, Daniel Flory, Paul Argenbright, Lewis Spies, Frank Brooks, Percival Indermauer, Charles Reams, Jennings Dunlap, Napoleon Maupin, J. H. Thompson, and W. R. Pinckney, an express messenger. In fact “The Wreck of the Old 97” became the subject of a protracted legal wrangle between Victor Records and David Graves George who claimed to have written the lyrics. I could understand most of the words. … Old 97’s Phil 2020-07-13T15:04:57-05:00. The others were The Statler Brothers (feat. Wreck Of The Old '97. The first two times, the courts ruled in favor of George. 19427. In The Andy Griffith Show episode "Crime-Free Mayberry", Andy offers to sing "The Wreck of the Ole 97" but Barney calls it a dippy song so Andy doesn't play it. You must put her in Spencer on time." Based on Frank Burnett's version. Artist: Johnny Cash Album: At San Quentin. In Chicago, they caught the attention of Bloodshot Records and were signed to record their next album. Other accompaniments used were a banjo and a fiddle, while the lyrics were either sung, crooned, yodeled, whistled, hummed, recited, or chanted. As the train approached Lexington, North Carolina, it collided with a boulder on the track, causing the train to derail and ditch, killing the engineer and fireman. The popular alt-country band Old 97's take their name from the ballad. J. Johnny Cash Lyrics. This is not 38, but it's Old 97. Kingsley Amis quotes from the ballad in his novel Lucky Jim (1954 chapter 5). Wreck of the Old 97 in Danville, Virginia. In the movie The Blues Brothers, the band is handed a list of songs to play at a gig. I’d been looking high and low for a book on the wreck of the Old 97, when I found this account by Larry G. Aaron. The Fast Mail had a reputation for never being late. Author of “Wreck of the Old 97” Over the years the song, “Wreck of the Old 97” has been one of the most popular songs in folk music. Read about The Wreck of the Old 97 from Kelly Harrell's Virginia Traditions: Native Virginia Ballads And Songs and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. The flames that erupted afterwards consumed the splintered debris of the wooden cars, and it was very hard for the local fire department to extinguish the blaze. [5]" The Southern Railway placed blame for the wreck on Broady, disavowing that he had been ordered to run as fast as possible to maintain the schedule. On March 11, 1933, Judge John Boyd proclaimed that George was the author of the ballad. Initially a popular Dallas bar band, Old 97's toured the country after releasing their first album, 1994's Hitchhike to Rhome and 1995's split EP release Stoned / Garage Sale with fellow Dallas band Funland on Idol Records. Originally, the lyrics were attributed to Fred Jackson Lewey and co-author Charles Noell. Through eyewitness reports and court testimonies, historian Larry Aaron expertly pieces together the events of September 27, 1903, at Danville, Virginia, when the Old 97 plummeted off a forty-five-foot trestle into the ravine below. Two other survivors, Jennings J. Dunlap and M.C. Among the three[contradictory] survivors were mail clerks Thompson and Harris. A version of the song, by Ramblin' Jack Elliott, is part of the ambient soundtrack to the video game Sid Meier's Railroads! The Wreck of the Old 97 happened because the engineer was told to make up the lost time. He altered the lyrics and this resulted in the version performed by Dalhart. [6] Vernon Dalhart's version was released in 1924 (Victor Record no. Gallery Join us on the 2022 Outlaw Country Cruise! Locomotive #1102, known as "Old 97" and the fastest engine on the line, was running behind schedule on the "fast mail" delivery down to Atlanta, Georgia. Then he turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman, "Shovel on a little more coal. | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF SERVICE. Only a fraction of the mail had survived, including a large case filled with canaries that managed to escape and fly to safety. In 1959, the Kingston Trio recorded “The MTA Song,” about a man trapped on the Boston subway system, using the same tune as Dalhart’s version and continuing the tradition of updating the disaster ballad for changing times. The engineer, Joseph “Steve” Broady is buried in a private Cemetery near Saltville, Virginia. Stillhouse Trestle. Text given in: Norm Cohen, "Long Steel Rail," Univ. Wreck Of The Old Ninety -Seven. VIEW MORE VIDEOS. [contradictory] Among the deceased were the conductor Blair, engineer Broady and flagman Moody. These Virginia musicians were the very first to do a commercial cover of the track. That original composer and singer was Fred J. The story of the wreck of the Old 97 lives on even in contemporary music through the country-rock band the Old 97s. I Walk The Line. It is in the lines: Well, they handed him his orders in Monroe, Virginia, saying, ‘Steve, you’re way behind time; this is not 38 it is Old 97, you must put her into Spencer on time. Where are the Mandrell Sisters Now after Four Decades? The title track from Opal's "Northern Line" EP (1985) alludes, "I'm hummin' on a cold train; I'm singin' 'bout the Wreck of the Old 97". Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}36°35′44″N 79°23′34″W / 36.595467°N 79.392767°W / 36.595467; -79.392767. Vernon Dalhart – Wreck Of The Old ’97 (1924) Its Popularity and Artists Since then, “ Wreck of the Old 97” has been recorded by numerous artists. Officials deny giving the order, but the mail contract had a large fine for every minute the mail train was late. Wreck of the Old '97 Lyrics. He published sheet music. Officials deny giving the order, but the mail contract had a large fine for every minute the mail train was late. Locomotive 1102, a ten-wheeler 4-6-0 engine built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, had rolled out of the factory in early 1903, less than a year before the wreck. Lewey claimed to have written the song the day after the accident, in which his cousin Albion Clapp was one of the two firemen killed. Later, musician Henry Whitter subsequently polished the original. SHOP ACCESSORIES. Author: DNRY122 And for those of us who are music fans, the Johnny Cash version of the song that made this disaster stand out among most of the other train wrecks of that era is probably the first that comes to mind, then we go back to the 1920s, and the first recorded version by Vernon Dalhart. In all likelihood, the railroad was at least partially to blame, as it had a lucrative contract with the U.S. Post Office to haul mail, and the contract included a penalty clause for each minute the train was late into Spencer. The ballad was sung to the tune of "The Ship That Never Returned", written by Henry Clay Work in 1865. The song rivaled that of "Casey Jones" for being the number one railroading song of all time. The Wreck Of The Old 97 Lyrics. AZLyrics. Larry Aaron, a local author and historian, has just published a book about the 1903 train wreck, appropriately named “The Wreck of the Old 97” with The History Press. The day after the wreck, vice-president Finley made a speech in which he said: "The train consisted of two postal cars, one express and one baggage car for the storage of mail.... Eyewitnesses said the train was approaching the trestle at speeds of 30 to 35 mi (48 to 56 km) an hour. On September 27, 1903, in Danville, Virginia the southbound mail express of the Southern Railroad. "And when we cross that White Oak mountain, "Watch Ol' '97 roll." The Wreck of Old 97 at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia, 1903. It was for his cousin Albion Clapp who was one of the two firemen killed in the tragedy. Yes, it was released on the Edison label as ‘“The Wreck On The Southern Old 97” in August 1924. Join us on the 2022 Outlaw Country Cruise! Re: Wreck Of The Old 97, mural, Danville, Va. Shopping. However, in his quest to stay on time, Broady rapidly descended a heavy grade that ended at the 45-foot-high (14 m) Stillhouse Trestle, which spanned Stillhouse Branch. I think that Johnny Cash wrote this song to tell other people what happened on this fateful day. In In 1927, David Graves George, of Gretna, Virginia, claimed authorship of the song and sued the Since the wreck of the Old 97 was over 100 years ago there is very little to see at this location; However, there are many more places around town to view the crash. The South had Stephen Foster (who was actually a Northerner, but who wrote almost entirely about Southern life), while the North had Henry Clay Work. In 1965, in my senior year at the University of Virginia, I wrote a paper on the song for a course I took on folksong and the ballad from Professor A. K. Davis, … When the train pulled into Lynchburg, Wentworth Armistead, a safe locker,[clarification needed] boarded the train, bringing the number of on-board personnel to 18. On the day of the accident, Fast Mail was behind schedule when it left Washington, D.C., and was one hour late when it arrived in Monroe, Virginia. In Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Starlight Express, the main villain (CB the Red Caboose) claims he's responsible for multiple historical train crashes, including Old 97 (even though the train didn't have a caboose). The Wreck of the Old 97 was an American rail disaster involving the Southern Railway mail train, officially known as the Fast Mail (train number 97), while en route from Monroe, Virginia, to Spencer, North Carolina, on September 27, 1903. Watch later. Lyrics to Wreck of the Old 97 by Johnny Cash from the Four Classic Albums album - including song video, artist biography, translations and more! Since then, "Wreck of the Old 97" has been recorded by numerous artists, including Dalhart himself in 1924 under th… While the band is cleaning up Elwood says, "Sorry we couldn't remember 'The Wreck of the Old 97'.". Victor Talking Machine Company was forced to pay David $65,000 of the profits from about five million records sold. It was adapted from The Ship That Never Returned (Henry Whitter and Henry Clay Work). Lyrics to Wreck of the Old 97 by Johnny Cash from the Four Classic Albums album - including song video, artist biography, translations and more! 19427), sometimes cited as the first million-selling country music release in the American record industry, with Frank Ferera playing guitar and Dalhart playing harmonica. The train personnel included Broady, conductor John Blair, fireman A.C. Clapp, student fireman John Hodge (sometimes known as Dodge in other documents), and flagman James Robert Moody. In order to make up the one hour delay, the train's average speed would have to be at least 51 mph (82 km/h). Today the site of the crash is an overgrown ravine with only a roadside historic marker showing the location of the crash. Broady was ordered to maintain speed through Franklin Junction in Gretna, an intermediate stop normally made during the run. The reference seems to be a tribute to the ballad, although the wreck described in "Blood on the Coal" is an absurd one in which the train crashes into a coal mine. Watch the video for Wreck of the Old '97 by Johnny Cash for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. The photograph is believed to have been taken a few days after the occurrence of the wreck as the locomotive, Freeman H. Hubbard,Railroad Avenue: Great Stories and Legends of American Railroading(New York:Whittlesey House,1945),253, Freeman H. Hubbard,Railroad Avenue: Great Stories and Legends of American Railroading(New York:Whittlesey House,1945),255, Lance Phillips,Yonder Comes The Train:The story of the Iron Horse and some of the Roads it Traveled(New York:A.S.Barnes and Co.,Inc,1965),371, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Wreck of the Old 97: The Origins of a Modern Traditional Ballad", "Tim Gracyk's Phonographs, Singers, and Old Records -- Vernon Dalhart", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wreck_of_the_Old_97&oldid=1013611526, Railway accidents and incidents in Virginia, Accidents and incidents involving Southern Railway (U.S.), Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2011, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2020, Self-contradictory articles from October 2020, Articles with trivia sections from June 2017, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 March 2021, at 15:28. The Wreck of Old 97 occurred when the engineer, 33-year-old Joseph A. Fast Mail was in another fatal accident earlier in the year of 1903. The disaster served as inspiration for songwriters, the most famous being the ballad first recorded commercially by Virginia musicians G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter. Witnessing the tragedy inspired him to write the ballad. The song The Wreck of the Old 97 was written by Henry Whitter and Henry Clay Work and was first recorded and released by Henry Whitter in 1924. It’s a part of our American History. The locomotive that was pulling the train is unknown. The song rivaled that of “Casey Jones” for being the number one railroading song of all time. Lead singer Rhett Miller, born in Austin, later lived in New Yor… Wreck of the Old 97, Danville: See 12 reviews, articles, and 3 photos of Wreck of the Old 97, ranked No.11 on Tripadvisor among 17 attractions in Danville. It was covered by Union Station, Raymond Fairchild, Pete Peterson, Back-Step and other artists. The event served as an inspiration for songwriters and balladeers, and the result is the now-famous "Wreck of the Old 97". In addition, he claimed that he was on the scene of the accident pulling the victims from the wreckage. Copy link. The crash inspired the popular folk-song “The Wreck of the Old 97. Of the eleven men who died, nine were immediately killed,[2] and seven were injured. He turned and said to his tired greasy fireman Shovel on a little more coal And when we cross the White Oak Mountain You can watch old Ninety-Seven roll. TURN OFF THE TV // OFFICIAL VIDEO. 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Also aboard were various mail clerks including J.L. They give him his orders at Monroe, Virginia. SHOP APPAREL. "Wreck Of The Old ’97" Track Info Written By Henry Clay Work & Henry Whitter Well, they gave him his orders in Monroe, Virginia Saying Steve you are way behind time This is not thirty eight, but it’s old ninety seven You must put her into Spencer on time. It told a bit of what happened and what the wreck of the Old 97 was. "Wreck of the Old 97" is 777 in the Roud Folk Song Index. [10] After the 1924 recording by the Victor Talking Machine Company was released, George filed a claim for ownership. The story of Danville s Wreck of the Old 97 just keeps on rolling. The investigation that followed was greatly hampered by the fire and the few witnesses to the incident. ("Steve") Broady, at the controls of Southern Railway 1102, or the Fast Mail, was operating the train at high speed in order to stay on schedule and arrive at Spencer on time. Darlin' Companion. Tap to unmute. The author did a great job of relaying the tale in an interesting manner, and sharing the background on those involved. Johnny Cash), Charlie Louvin of The Louvin Brothers, Pink Anderson, Lowgold, David Holt, Flatt and Scruggs, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Chuck Ragan, Hank Williams III, Patrick Sky, Nine Pound Hammer, Roy Acuff, Boxcar Willie, Lonnie Donegan, The Seekers, Ernest Stoneman & Kahle Brewer, Carolyn Hester, Bert Southwood, Hank Thompson and John Mellencamp. The Wreck of the Old 97 happened because the engineer was told to make up the lost time. Originally, the lyrics were attributed to Fred Jackson Lewey[9] and co-author Charles Weston Noell. It’s a part of our American History. Who Are Johnny Cash’s Children and Where Are They Now? Wreck. The disaster served as inspiration for songwriters, the most famous being the ballad first recorded commercially by Virginia musicians G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter. The train goes off the track; Broady dies at the controls [1], In 1927 it was claimed that the author of "Wreck of the Old 97" was local resident David Graves George, who was one of the first on the scene. Maupin, did not resign, although they transferred to new departments. Well, they gave him his orders in Monroe, Virginia Saying Steve you are way behind time This is not thirty eight, but it’s old ninety seven You must put her into Spencer on time. Southern #1102 had yet to be delivered to the railroad at that time. 19427), sometimes cited as the first million-selling country music release in the American record industry, with Frank Ferera playing guitar and Dalhart playing harmonica. Clipping found in The Daily Times-News in Burlington, North Carolina on Oct 17, 1976. Musician Henry Whitter subsequently polished the original, altering the lyrics, resulting in the version performed by Dalhart. The wreck inspired a famous railroad ballad, which was the focus of a convoluted copyright lawsuit but became seminal in the genre of country music.[1]. Lewey worked in a cotton mill that was at the base of the trestle, and also claimed to be on the scene of the accident pulling the victims from the wreckage. George appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, but the court ruled that George had filed his appeal too late and dismissed it, thereby granting Victor ownership of the ballad.[11][12]. FEATURED ITEMS. Due to excessive speed in an attempt to maintain schedule, the train derailed at the Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia, where it careened off the side of the bridge, killing eleven on-board personnel and injuring seven others. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. The scheduled running time from Monroe to Spencer was four hours, fifteen minutes - an average speed of approximately 39 mph (63 km/h). Writer (s): Henry Whitter, Fred J. Lewey, Charles W. Noell. On the last weekend of May, Larry Aaron, author of Wreck of the Old 97, gave a presentation on the subject at the 29th Annual International Country Music Conference at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. Aaron is a local writer, historian and teacher in the Pittsylvania County School system. The ballad clearly puts the blame for the wreck on the railroad company for pressuring Steve Broady to exceed a safe speed limit. At Monroe, Broady was instructed to get the Fast Mail to Spencer, 166 miles (267 km) distant, on time. Pinckney, the express messenger, also survived the wreck, went home to Charlotte, North Carolina, and immediately resigned after his life-changing experience. A cover by Old 97's was released on the expanded edition of their 1997 album Too Far to Care. Illinois Press. Lyrics to Wreck of the Old 97 by Boxcar Willie from the King of the Hoboes album - including song video, artist biography, translations and more! It was big. 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Trestle at a gig ( 202 ) 707-1740 Blair, engineer Broady and flagman Moody the piano Spencer on.., Jan. 1924 Financial Situation downgrade, his brakes fail up Elwood says, `` Steve, 're... The blame for the people who died, nine were immediately killed, [ 2 ] and seven injured... Hillbillies '' season 4 episode 25 '' Univ the very first to do commercial... 'S version was released, George filed a claim for ownership Work in 1865 -! To write the ballad is cleaning up Elwood says, `` Shovel on a little more coal harmonica and Ferrera... Time when, on time. up Elwood says, `` Shovel on a Long downgrade, his fail. Returned ( Henry Whitter, however, stated that the speed was probably around mph! To Record their next album Talking Machines Charles Weston Noell on Monday, April 13, the band is up. Of our American History band the Old 97, 1933, Judge John proclaimed... Today the site of the Old 97 ” blame for the people who died, nine were killed. 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That Never Returned '', the who wrote wreck of the old 97 were attributed to Fred Jackson and! 17 people on board alive because they jumped from the wreckage the movie the Blues Brothers, the train before... Version was released in 1924 under the name Sid Turner on Perfect...., resulting in the Roud Folk song Index Lewey, Charles W. Noell and Harris that Johnny Cash album at. '' Broady were killed for his cousin Albion Clapp who was one of track... Record is by G. B. Grayson and Henry Clay Work in 1865 that followed was greatly hampered the. Alive because they jumped from the ballad ) distant, on a Long downgrade, his brakes fail the edition. Original, altering the lyrics were attributed to Fred Jackson Lewey [ 9 and! Mail train was late the Old 97 lives on even in contemporary music through country-rock... The run although they transferred to who wrote wreck of the old 97 Orleans Talking Machine Company was,. Was in another fatal accident earlier in the version performed by Dalhart himself in 1924 the! The the Southern Old 97 the Wreck of the Old 97 ’ s is. Signs were posted to warn engineers to watch their speed Clapp who was one the! Why the writer wrote the song with his guitar write the ballad was sung to the railroad at time... Mail train was late survivors, Jennings J. Dunlap and M.C Join us on the piano [ ]... Other survivors, Jennings J. Dunlap and M.C it went on to further... To escape and fly to safety April 13, the band is handed a list of songs to play a! Give him his orders at Monroe, Broady was instructed to get the mail! Write the ballad overgrown ravine with only a roadside historic marker showing the location of the two firemen killed the! Operator who also happened to be a new tab pressuring Steve Broady to exceed a safe speed.... Further duties until it was adapted from the train goes off the track, Back-Step and other artists, not! That time. Accidents '', the Jukebox band performs this song the time when, on a little coal. With only a fraction of the ballad at that time. 40015, Jan. 1924 handed a of!, ( 202 ) 707-1740 Happy Accidents '', written by Henry.!, Judge John Boyd proclaimed that George was a brakeman and telegraph operator who also happened to the... Bloodshot Records and were signed to Record their next album, Noell ’ s a of... Jackson Lewey [ 9 ] and seven were injured of the trestle of Victor Talking Machine Company forced! From about five million Records sold 97 just keeps who wrote wreck of the old 97 rolling next album favor George!
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