Norman and Nancy Blake have a beaut rendition of this song under the title 'Old Stepstone' on their 'While Passing Along This Way' album [Shanachie 6012]. The lyrics are almost identical to the Bascom Lamar Lunsford version in the DT. Lunsford may be heard singing it on 'Ballads, Banjo Tunes and Sacred Songs of Western North Carolina' Smithsonian/Folkways SF CD 40082. The notes to the Lunsford album by Loyal Jones et alia indicate that Lunsford learned it in 1904 from Miss Lela Ammons of Robinsville, NC.

Meade et alia 'Country Music Sources' indicate that words and music were by J.O. Webster in 1880 - strangely they make no mention of Crider and Chase referenced as authors, via Levy Collection, by Dale Rose in a previous thread. What's the story here?

--Stewie