The song was also recorded on an LP of many different folks who used to hang around on the steamboat JULIA BELLE SWAIN before Capt. Dennis Trone (the man who owned, designed and built that boat) had to sell it because of a decade of pressure from gambling vessels. And they'll always try to tell ya about all the jobs gambling has created??? What B.S.!!! Dennis Trone is doing better than ever with his remaining boat THE TWILIGHT. But it was sad that he couldn't hold onto the Julia Belle Swain long enough to survive the bad years. But ten years of gigs for me playing on both boats was how our son, Chris, got through college.

A strange tale:
The TV show GOOD MORNING AMERICA (ABC) was doing a feature on John Hartford and his occasional piloting of that boat. The TV crew was riding the boat to the town of Henry, Illinois on the Illinois River. They had left their station wagon at the Starved Rock landing. John called me from the pilot house as he knew I lived in Peru, IL and told me they'd pay me $50.00 to drive their car to Henry. Carol drove our car there so I'd have a ride back and everyone turned out pretty happy. When the Julia Belle landed at Henry, I gave my business card to Captain Trone and mentioned I was a folksinger. That led to ten years singing on the river for me. Amazing how this old world works sometimes.

Art Thieme