My Darling Nellie Gray - Jack Adams

This is a beautiful old song ...and has quite a history ...I will attach the story as I found it.
Darling Nelly Gray was written by Benjamin R. Hanby in 1856. His father was an Ohio minister with strong abolitionist sympathies. His home was a station on the "Underground Railroad." The tune was based on the story of a slave who was sold away from her home and family. The tune was very popular in the North before and during the Civil War.

It is said that the tune was inspired by a runaway slave named Joseph Selby who stopped at the Hanby home on the way to Canada. Selby hoped to earn sufficient money in Canada to buy the freedom of his sweetheart, a slave named Nelly Gray. One version of the story says that Nelly was traded to a Georgia slaveholder on the day before she and Selby were to be married.

Benjamin Hanby only lived to be 33 years old. During his lifetime he wrote over 80 tunes. Another of his tunes is Up on the Housetop.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Darling Nellie Gray
• Ella Fitzggerald
• folk music
• old folk music
• JackGAdams
• Russell MB
• Flin Flon MB
• Winnipeg MB
• Yorkton Sask
• toronto
• Asissippi Ski Hill

[cardicorgis]

noticed your comment on our string band's version of this and came to see your rendition. Luv it!

[JackGAdams]

@cardicorgis Thank you Sharon ...tried to comment on the song Alice wrote and sung and the great music your group.....couldn't find any place to comment ...so Will do it here...very very nice indeed. Did sub to your channel but I see there is no friend feature on the new YouTube ....Merry Christmas to you and yours...

Jack

Jack

[kjchicago1]

@JackGAdams That must be either a Gibson or Ibanez guitar(without the distortion)you're playing! Anyways, good song!

[JackGAdams]

@kjchicago1 Thank you so very much for your comment....actually it is a Washburn rhythm guitar. Gibson would be nice but just a little out of my class lol..

Jack

[kjchicago1]

@JackGAdams This is such a great old song! First Time Hearing It!

[JackGAdams]

@kjchicago1 Thank you so very much ....appreciated.

Jack

[JackGAdams]

@TheCarlo66 Yes I can remember singing it as a kid Carl....thank you so much for the comment.

Jack

[TheCarlo66]

This is an oldie Jack. written in 1856. Thats pretty old.

You did a wonderful job of it my friend. I liked the story too, although it is quite sad............Carl

[JackGAdams]

@maililiw2010 Thank you so very much Ed... it was pointed out to me that The Wreck of the old 97 used this same tune... and sure enough.....very close to being identical

Jack.

[maililiw2010]

A wonderful Song with a great tune Sir Jack**** The story was very sad as presented by the Author/composer, Benjamin R. Hanby. A clever "research" as to who really owns/ composed the song. I love your ideal expression of the song. Thanks for posting. ...Ed