Artist: Vaughan's Texas Quartet
Author: traditional
Label: Victor
Year: 1929
As Wayfaring Pilgrim. Southern gospel authority James David Vaughan (1864-1941) became his own publisher, had his own record company (Vaughan Phonograph Records), his own music school, his own periodical (The Vaughan Family Visitor) and his own radio station (WOAN). George Pullen Jackson found this song in shapenote music books from the early 19th century. Popular melody in England and in the States. Variations: Parting Friends and The Dear Companion, dating back to 1836/37 (W.P.A. Federal Music Project in Floyd Co., KY and Library of Congress).
Covers:
Burl Ives [gave its name to his own CBS radio show]
Jo Stafford [as Poor Wayfaring Stranger]
Ewan MacColl [as The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow]
Davie Stewart [idem; Lomax recording]
Almeda Riddle [the way she learned it as a little girl in church in Arkansas]
Estil C. Ball [on Sounds Of The South]
Carolyn Hester [as Yarrow]
Peggy Seeger [as The Bowie Dens O Yarrow]
Joni Mitchell [as Yarrow, live]
Dusty Springfield [as Poor Wayfaring Stranger]
Tim Buckley [in medley with You Got Me Runnin']
Joan Baez [as Poor Wayfaring Stranger]
Eva Cassidy [released posthumously]
Norma Waterson [and in 2010 with daughter Eliza Carthy]
Charlie Haden [grew up in a singing radio family digging Grand Ole' Opry stuff; yes, jazzman Charlie sings]
Iris Dement [on a Tom Russell cd]
Maria McKee [in film Songcatcher]
Natalie Merchant [as Poor Wayfaring Stranger]
Jack White [in film Cold Mountain]
Charley Rose [in BBC TV series Nashville]
Jos Slovick [in film 1917]
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)