Colonel Sanford C. 'Sandy' Faulkner (1806–1874) was an American teller of tall tales, fiddle player, and composer of the popular fiddle tune "The Arkansas Traveler

The Arkansas Traveler (song)

"The Arkansas Traveler" was the state song of Arkansas from 1949 to 1963; it has been the state historical song since 1987. The music was composed in the 19th century by Colonel Sanford C...

", which was the State song of Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...

 from 1949–1963.

Colonel Faulkner served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, and was at one point placed in command of the Arsenal at Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...

.

The song inspired Edward Washburn

Edward Washburn

Edward Payson Washburn American artist, son of Indian missionary Cephas Washburn. He is best known for painting The Arkansas Traveller which was lithographed by Currier & Ives and became a popular print....

 to paint the painting of the same name, which later became a popular Currier & Ives lithograph.

External links

• Recording of the song "Arkansas Traveler" from the 1956 Florida Folk Festival (from the Music from the Florida Folklife Collection Cd, available for public use from the Florida State Archives.)