See that blurb at the bottom left? The Runyon Cancer Fund is a charity founded in 1946 (named after famed newsman and writer Damon Runyon) and is still in operation over 70 years later.
Meade’s earliest printed citation for this is Sandburg’s ‘American Songbag’ (1927), the same year as the Carter Family’s recording and 4 years after the first recording by Henry Whitter in 1923. Other recordings earlier than the Carters were: Ernest Thompson (1924), George Reneau (1925), Kelly Harrell (1926), Ernest Stoneman (1926), Burnett & Rutherford (1926) and Holland Puckett (1927). [Info from Meade et alia ‘Country Music Sources’ p 197.]
Very cool. You can hear the Carter Family’s version here.
That’s a wrap for this Saturday Matinee, and have a great weekend.