Song of the Day: Stringbean, “It’s Mighty Dark To Travel”

Song of the Day 1 Minute

Country music’s David Akeman, known by the stage name Stringbean, was born on this day in 1915. He was a comedian and a tremendous banjo player and singer who was a member of the Grand Old Opry and the cast of Hee Haw. He and his wife were murdered in 1973 after they returned to their home in Ridgetop, Tennessee from playing at the Grand Old Opry. "It’s Mighty Dark To Travel" demonstrates his banjo style, called "frailing," where he strums the banjo rather than picking it.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

8 thoughts on “Song of the Day: Stringbean, “It’s Mighty Dark To Travel””

  1. Pingback: The Father’s Day 2022 Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

  2. I really liked this guy… he was such a talented guy and from what I’ve heard an all around good guy. It’s one of my first memories of someone dying…or in his case a senseless horrible murder. Living where I do…it was all over the news at that time.

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    1. He certainly didn’t deserve to die the way he did. He was just a simple country man who didn’t live an ostentatious life, loved God, loved his wife, loved his neighbor, loved his music and playing the banjo.

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      1. John, this post had me down the youtube rabbit hole on every break I could get… turns out I worked a mile or so from where he lived a while back.
        They found money behind a brick in the fireplace a few years ago…around $15,000 but most of it was unusable.

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        1. He didn’t trust the banks, like a lot of people who lived through the Depression. My in-laws did trust the banks, but they had cash hidden all over their apartment. I read the other day about a woman who got a free couch through Craigslist and found $36,000 in cash in it (which she did return, by the way). It probably isn’t a bad idea to have a few “bug out bucks” stashed somewhere…

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          1. My grandparents didn’t either… Yea just to hide some in some places is not a bad idea…but not too much lol.

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  3. Hi John – fascinating music man – love the nickname ‘stringbean’ – what a sad ending to his and his wife’s life … thanks for letting us hear it – cheers Hilary

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