JIMMIE OSBORNE: The Death Of Little KATHY FISCUS (1949)

[Motherofanofficer]

I was only 6 years old when this happened but I remember it. I knew the entire song by heart and have searched for several years trying to find the song since I could not remember the child's name. I, like others, still tear up when I remember this. Such a sad, sad thing.

[froggiechar]

HillBillyHit, this is a very special and heart-touching song. You have a great channel, and I have subsbribed. Thank you/ God bless you, Brother Charlie

[kmeledeo]

Our mama and daddy sang this to us when we were little.  We didn't realize it was true until baby Jessica fell into that well and i cut out the newspaper clipping of little kathy.

[kmeledeo]

i heard this song all my life. I thought it was made up until Jessica fell into the well. WOW!

[bobbazor]

I want to thank Eddie Stubbs at WSM Radio in Nashville for remembering the tragady of little Kathy. He never forgets each April 8th. I too will always have a place in my heart for this young girl. I was 11 years old as we stayed glued to our battery powered radio in Millard Mississippi during the two day tragedy. We all, my brothers and sisters, mother and grandmother cried and prayed for Kathy. Thanks again Eddie and thanks to Jimmy Osborne. Bless your hearts.

[kathyhol]

My mother named me after Kathy Fiscus

[acypea]

I was 11 years old when this story unfolded; I listened to it on the radio. I'm 73 and have 2 grown daughters and a granddaughter. I still tear up when I think of this little girl I never knew met such a tradgic endiing.

[EMBpodcast]

oh man, i was born March 1949 so this happened when I was 1month old! What a tragedy!

[carinagillon]

I am blessed to live near her grave where I visit. My gramma was very close to this tragedy...

[columbelle]

Thanks so much for sharing. My mother was 15 when this song was recorded. She learned to play it on her guitar. She played it to me often in my childhood. I called her today when I found it . We both loved it!

[justinpop1]

Does anyone know where I can download this song . I was five years when this happend and remember hearing it on the radio .

[eggtick]

@justinpop1 down load real player sp and you can down load it and burn it on disk.that is the way i save my music and burn to cd.

[mackyphoo]

@justinpop1 try you tube i can always down load from there. hope it5 works.

[mackyphoo]

Respond to this video... i always go to you tube and down load all my music free try that . hope it works.

[mackyphoo]

@justinpop1 

[mackyphoo]

@justinpop1 

[nyjill]

I wasn't born at the time, but my dad used to sing this song to us as children. and he would cry every time.

[gjrouse1941]

I remember sitting by the radio with my family and listening to the rescue. I was only 8 years old. It made such an impact on me that when the song came out I memorized it word for word. Thanks to modern technology, I can once again enjoy the memories of those sad times and sing along with Jimmie Osborne. Even his death was a tragic affair at such a young age with so much talent.

[oldikins]

Watching the rescue attempts of the Chilean miners has brought to mind this little girl. I was only 10 years old and we had no TV, so we gathered around the radio as they tried so hard to rescue her. It appears that mankind can come together in these situations, but not on other issues. I had forgotten this song, so thanks for posting it.

[patrick36541]

i love is 1900 1960

[MizzSQ]

OMG@this song! I had heard my father sing this song all my life, just never knew I'd find it anywhere! My cousin was also named after this little girl. God bless her soul.

[poopstain565]

This is the most beautiful heart felt song i have ever heard. If you have any thing else of Jimmies please post it.

CARL

[robin36541]

i love see

[pause10two4]

I was named for this little girl, although my mom spelled my name differently. She told me of this sad story and the song, but this is the first I've found of the song. Thanks for posting it! I've read that the character Polly Phelps in Woody Allen's "Radio Days" is based on little Kathy Fiscus...

[dillapp21]

@pause10two4  My oldest sister was also, but with a C. My mom thought it would be bad luck to name her with a K. My parents grew up very close to where it happened.

[6528305]

great vidio i was 9 yrs old then. very sad. but she with the angles now

[chelseysmiles12]

This song is sad but my family sing this song to remember her on april the 8 so she will allways be in our hearts

[ernlay]

We are coming up on the anniversary of her death in a few days. A man know reminds me every year. That's why I looked up the song on You Tube.

[LENTICULARPLASTIC]

A very good 1951 B movie called THE WELL is based(somewhat loosely) on the Kathy Fiscus tragedy...the resonance generated by this event is still evident more than six decades later. Such a sad story, but the way it brought so many people together for a fleeting moment is incredibly moving...this song is a touching tribute to little Kathy. God bless her.

[CowboyOld]

r. high school in Riverside CA when little Kathy fell in the well. We followed the rescue effort closely on the radio. I cried whe they reported that she had died.

I have several copies of this song, but I like Jimmie's the best. Thanks for the post.

[Flamingredrose9]

I remember hearing this on an old record, that I still have in the basement somewhere, that belonged to my mother, heard it often. I use to get so sad hearing the ending. Thanks for posting this song, I was looking for it!

[PaulinaRena]

My parents said they sat up all night listening to the news while rescuers were working hard to get little Kathy out of the well. My mom said she cried for two days just thinking about this precious little girl losing her life. Jimmy has made her part of our country's history of which I am so thankful. I like his voice and he looks so handsome and very happy in the pictures here. ian - you had a great musician grandpa. God bless you always, - Paula (Kentucky)

[ian740]

Hello all. My name is Ian Osborne. I am the grandson of Jimmie. It's a shame I didn't get to meet him. Thanks for keeping the spirit alive!!!!Love ya'll. Ian

[PaulinaRena]

Thank you Ian for filling me in on your grandfather Jimmie's career and family. A friend of mine who gave me a CD with Jimmie singing "The Death of Little Kathy Fiscus" said he remembered his song "My Heart Echoes". He said he didn't know whether or not Jimmie wrote that one and he really liked it. He also said Jimmie wrote a novelty song "Dirty Dishes" and he laughed whenever Jimmie sang it on his radio program. He always wondered what kind of guitar JImmie played on his show. -Paula

[ian740]

he played a Martin D28 1954 model. Keep in touch Paulina! Ian Osborne

[PaulinaRena]

Ian - My friend told me he guessed it was a D 28 Martin as the sound was just beautiful. I've heard a guitar like this and I agree it's just about the best sound ever. - Paula

[enigma077]

This tragedy was the first time a tragedy of this type was actually covered live for the news as the rescue was in progress. Such a sad ending.

[nickladey]

love the song thanks for posting

nick cox hull

[HillBillyHit]

Jimmie returned to Kentucky and landed a job on the new Lexington radio station, WLEX. While at WLEX, Jimmie heard about a little girl named Kathy Fiscus, who fell into an abandoned well in San Marino, California, and died of suffocation on April 8, 1949. Within ten days Jimmie wrote and recorded the song 'The Death Of Little Kathy Fiscus' in the style of the classic 'event ballads' of the 1920's.

It was his 5th single release and within eight months it sold over a million copies.