Here's an update on the song's origin, now that I have had time to check other sources. The following is summarized from the account given by Norm Cohen in "Long Steel Rail". The lyrics were written in 1926 by Cleburne C. Meeks. Meeks worked for the Norfolk & Western from 1926-1962. In 1926 he heard Vernon Dalhart's recording of "Wreck of Old 97" and made a conscious decision that he was going to write the words to a song and get Dalhart to record it. He remembered as a child going out in the yard and waving when Billy richardson and train No. 3 passed by. So he wrote the lyrics. He sent them to Dalhart on August 6, 1926. Dalhart liked them and had Carson Robison (see "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" thread) write some music. On August 10, 1926 Carson Robison copyrighted "Billy Richardson's Last Ride" with words credited to C.C. Meeks. Over the next 6 months Dalhart recorded it for Columbia, Okeh, Victor, Pathe, Plaza, Gennett, and Brunswick. Charles Carpenter was obviously unaware of the copyrighted sheet when he wrote his article in 1931 and his sources must have learned the song from the radio and recordings.

Meeks sometime after he wrote the lyrics found out that the fireman, C.S. Lively was actually a cousin of his (but isn't everybody in West Virginia? ;-) ) Meeks wrote at least 5 other songs including "The Wreck Of The C&O Number Five" and "The Wreck of the N & W Cannonball".

Other recordings of the song were done by George Goebel, Bradley Kincaid, Cecil Goodman, Grandpa Jones, and Eddie Nesbitt.

rich r