Earl, thanks for the info. I'll get the first volume at least.

If people want to check out the provenance of the Carter Family song, they should read Norm Cohen's 'Long Steel Rail' pp 413-425. There is an in-depth discussion of its relationship to Charlie Poole's 'Whitehouse Blues' and other McKinley pieces. Cohen points out that the Carters' song is a traditional blues even though the tune is similar to 'Whitehouse Blues'. The 'jumper' and 'overalls' line is a staple of blues imagery - for example, Tommy Johnson's 'Lonesome Blues' begins 'Won't you iron my jumper, starch my overalls'. Cohen gives several earlier examples.

--Stewie.