Letter Edged in Black, The

DESCRIPTION: The singer cheerfully greets the postman, only to be handed a letter edged in black. The letter is from his father, informing him that his mother is dead.
AUTHOR: Hattie Hicks Woodbury (Hattie Nevada)
EARLIEST DATE: 1897 (sheet music)
KEYWORDS: death mother mourning
FOUND IN: US(MW,SE,So)
REFERENCES (11 citations):
Randolph 703, "The Letter Edged in Black" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Randolph/Cohen-OzarkFolksongs-Abridged, pp. 475-476, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 703A)
McNeil-SouthernFolkBalladsVol2, pp. 169-171, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Richardson/Spaeth-AmericanMountainSongs, p. 35, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Stout-FolkloreFromIowa 55, p. 74, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text)
Huntington-TheGam-MoreSongsWhalemenSang, pp. 260-261, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Shay-BarroomBallads/PiousFriendsDrunkenCompanions, pp. 192-193, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Spaeth-WeepSomeMoreMyLady, pp. 38-39, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Brumley-LamplitinTimeInTheValley 46, "The Letter Edged in Black" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 267, "The Letter Edged In Black" (1 text)
DT, LETTRBLK
Roud #3116
RECORDINGS:
Cotton Butterfield, "Letter Edged in Black" (OKeh, unissued, 1929)
Fiddlin' John Carson, "The Letter Edged In Black" (OKeh 7008, 1924)
Pete Cassell, "The Letter Edged in Black" (Majestic 6007, c. 1947)
Vernon Dalhart, "The Letter Edged in Black" (Lincoln 2426, 1925) (Edison 51649, 1925) (Victor 19837, 1925) (Cameo 809, 1925) (Banner 1653, 1926; Challenge 560, 1927; Conqueror 7074, 1928) (Bell 396, 1926) (Challenge 160/Challenge 319, 1927) (Champion 15906, 1930; Champion 45096, 1935; rec. 1928) (Brunswick 2900, 1925; Supertone S-2000, 1930) (Columbia 15049-D [as by Al Craver], c. 1926) (Brunswick 6799, 1934) (CYL: Edison [BA] 5085 or 5086, 1925) (Durium 9-2, n.d.)
Bradley Kincaid, "Letter Edged In Black" (Bluebird B-5895, 1935; rec. 1934)
Frank Luther, "Letter Edged in Black" (Decca 435, 1935)
George Reneau, "Lettter Edged in Black" (Vocalion 14998, 1925/ Vocalion 5058, c. 1926)
Marc Williams, "Letter Edged in Black" (Decca 5327, 1937; rec. 1934)
File: R703

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