The Story of John Henry (intro)by Josh White

Made his first recordings in 1928 at the age of 14: blackhistorynow.com ; earlier in his life, in 1921, Josh's father was dragged out of the house by five sheriff's deputies, beaten, and dragged by a horse through town to jail. He would spend the next nine years in a mental institution, until he died. Josh was 8 years old then, and started traveling and playing music with itinerant blind minstrel John Henry "Big Man" Arnold: www.culturalequity.org ; he appeared on Broadway in 1940 as Blind Lemon Jefferson in the play "John Henry," which was loosely based on this song