Origins: Jim Blake, The Engineer origins?

Subject: Origins: Jim Blake, The Engineer origins?
From: derekpiotr
Date: 08 Nov 21 - 11:57 PM

Curious if anyone can trace the origins of Jim Blake's Message, popularly attributed to the Carter Family but certainly predates them. Some of the pre-war field recordings I have listened to feature versions of this tune, obviously not learned from the Carters.

One version, sung by Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill, Elk Park, N.C., 1939:


Jim Blake, your wife is dying
came o’er the wires tonight
brought late down to the office
by a boy who’s death-pale with fright

came rushing up to the office
his face was warm and white
take this message to dad in his engine
for mother is dying tonight

and when I heard that the message
was for my comrade Jim
I made no delay, but hastened away
to take the message to him

Subject: RE: Origins: Jim Blake, The Engineer origins?
From: cnd
Date: 09 Nov 21 - 08:09 AM

Fresno State gives the earliest date as 1910 (link) but not much else. Vernon Dalhart's seems to be the oldest known recording (1927).

Multiple references under the name "The Midnight Express", and I've also seen one or two where the name is difference (Jim Slake), but not significantly.

The book Long Steel Rail by Norm Cohen is the most complete look into the origins of the song. I haven't found a version on newspapers.com earlier than 1914.

Subject: RE: Origins: Jim Blake, The Engineer origins?
From: cnd
Date: 09 Nov 21 - 08:14 AM

For some reason the Google Books link is being finicky about showing pages that were previously visible before I shortened the link. Here's the long version: click