Burglar Song, or: "The Old Maid's Last Hope". A popular older song that has been adapted into many formats over the years, played here for you on the banjo.

As partially heard in the introduction, this is the full version of "Sail Away Ladies". Jim also elaborates on where he learned the song and on the nature of songs as stories.

Jim picks up many of his tunes from people in neighboring counties and never fails to credit them, providing further context in which to understand the songs. Here he plays an older fiddle tune with an accompanying origin story. A soldier that was thought to be dead comes back from war to find an unexpected surprise.

Another fiddle tune combined with its origin story, this tune was supposedly the last song that a fiddler named Ellswick played on his deathbed. This is 'Ellswick's Farewell'.

Talcott, WV is the home of the Big Bend Tunnel, possible location of the famous steam drill race in the John Henry legend. The town has a memorial park with a statue of John Henry, as well as the annual 'John Henry Days'. Since Jim a resident of Talcott and an able banjo player, I couldn't resist asking him to play 'The Ballad of John Henry'.