What did "Diamond Joe" have to do with the Mississippi River? Funny you should ask.

While playing music on the river I developed the theory that "Diamond Joe" was actually "Diamond Jo" and had been transcribed wrong after Charlie Butler sang the song for a Libr. of Congress folksong collector in 1937 (at Parchman Prison). DIAMOND JO REYNOLDS built stemboats on the river for many years. One was actually named the Diamond Jo. ALL of his boats had the letters "JO" prominently displayed inside a DIAMOND shape <> on the side of this steamboats!

I always felt the song was being sung to a steamboat---not to a person!!

Diamond Jo, come and get-a me,
Diamond Jo, come and get-a me...

It was a mournful plea to be transported away from the prison.

No way to prove this---just a theory that I think has, at least, some proof behind it.

Art