Wabash Cannonball

Song composer(s)

Traditional / Kindt, William / Carter, A. P

Grateful Dead Recordings

Not recorded by the Dead

Dead Related Recordings

No Dead related recordings entered

Other Recordings

Hugh Ballard Cross (192?)
Single : Mac Wiseman (1955)
Songs Of The Golden West : Red River Dave & His Texas Tophands (1957)
American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1 : Pete Seeger (1957)
Mother Maybelle Carter (195?)
Songs Of The Railroad : Merrill Jay Singers (1961)
Happiness Is You : Johnny Cash (1962)
World Tour with Folk Songs : Addiss and Crofut (1962)
All Time Greatest Hits : Roy Acuff (1962)
At Folk City : Jean Ritchie & Doc Watson (1963)
Behind These Walls : Hank Ferguson (1963)
The Ventures Play the Country Classics : Ventures (1963)
Country Music Hall of Fame : Roy Acuff (1964)
Great Train Songs (An American Legend) : Roy Acuff (1965)
Nashville Underground : Jerry Reed (1968)
Charlatans : Charlatans (1969)
Best Of Roy Acuff : Roy Acuff (1970)
Both Sides Now : Willie Nelson (1970)
Doc Watson On Stage (Featuring Merle Watson) : Doc & Merle Watson (1971)
Country Boots : Boots Randolph (1972)
Will The Circle Be Unbroken : Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1972)
Good Though : Utah Phillips (1973)
Memories : Doc Watson (1975)
Riding The Rails : Johnny Cash (1975)
Everhart : Bob Everhart (1978)
The Riot Rockers : Riot Rockers (1978)
Precious Friend : Arlo Guthrie (1982)
20 All-Time Great Recordings : Flatt & Scruggs (1983)
20 Of The Best : Carter Family (1984)
Everhart Alive at Avoca : Bob Everhart (1985)
Her Greatest Country Hits : Wanda Jackson (1985)
On The Wilderness Road : Art Thieme (1986)
Just Gimme Something I'm Used To : Norman & Nancy Blake (1992)
Essential 1936-1949 : Roy Acuff (1992)
Another Country : The Chieftans (1992)
Great American Train Songs : Various Artists (Benny Martin) (1993)
Roadsongs : Townes Van Zandt (1994)
When Roses Bloom In Dixieland - The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3 : Carter Family (1995)
The Vanguard Years : Doc Watson (1995)
Steel Rails (Classic Railroad Songs) - Roots of Americana, Vol. 1 : Various Artists (1997)
Railroadin' Classics - 16 Great Instrumentals : Various Artists (19??)
Grandfather's Greatest Hits : David Hold (19??)
Roy Hall & His Blue Ridge Entertainers (19??)
The Legendary Carter Family : Carter Family (19??)

Notes

DeadBase includes this song in the set list for 6/11/69 California Hall, San Francisco. The list was provided by a Bay Area deadhead who attended the show and kept a list. It is thought that no tapes of the show exist. Therefore it is likely that there is no recorded example of the Dead playing this song.

Authorship uncertain. First appeared in print in 1904 copyrighted by William Kindt. But this version was based on an existing train song.

Made popular by the Carter Family and many subsequent version give writing credits to A. P. Carter.

George Milburn in The Hobo's Hornbook (1930) explains that "the Wabash Cannonball is for the hobo what the spectral Flying Dutchman is for the sailor. It is a mythical train that runs everywhere.."

Performed in the film Rolling Home To Texas by Roy Acuff.