The Reverend Mr. Black
Encyclopedia
"The Reverend Mr. Black" is a 1963 song by Billy Edd Wheeler
, Mike Stoller, and Jerry Leiber. The chorus came from the 1931 folk song, "The Lonesome Valley," a version of which appears in the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
. "The Reverend Mr. Black" was recorded by The Kingston Trio
in 1963 and became a top-ten hit for them on the Billboard Hot 100
. Johnny Cash
covered the song in 1981.
Billy Edd Wheeler
Billy Edward "Edd" Wheeler is an American songwriter, performer, writer and visual artist. He has written songs performed by over 90 different artists including Judy Collins, Jefferson Airplane, Bobby Darin, The Kingston Trio, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Kenny Rogers, Hazel Dickens, and Elvis Presley...
, Mike Stoller, and Jerry Leiber. The chorus came from the 1931 folk song, "The Lonesome Valley," a version of which appears in the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
. "The Reverend Mr. Black" was recorded by The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
in 1963 and became a top-ten hit for them on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
covered the song in 1981.