Lee Shelton himself, armed with a pistol and buoyed by drink on that Christmas night more than 120 years ago, certainly had no inkling that his rash act of violence would elevate him to the pantheon of mythical Americans. Lyons died of his injuries, and Shelton was charged, tried, and convicted of the murder in 1897. Lee Sheltons signature and fingerprint from his penitentiary records (from the papers of John Russell David), In the refrain of his definitive 1928 version, Mississippi John Hurt sings, That bad man, oh cruel Stack OLee. That the word bad is a versatile one, especially in African-American vernacular English, has allowed the tone of the songs to shift over the course of the 20th centuryfrom disapproving to approving of Stagoleewithout their essential vocabulary ever changing. Billy was one of the best. He played Sebastian "Bas" Monroe, a former US Marine Corps sergeant who served with Miles Matheson . For such men as Stack Lee Shelton, however, business was booming. Billy Lyons succumbed the next morning, one of five murder victims in St. Louis that Christmas Day. Billy "Spacey" Lyons is an Actor, Musician, Tattoo Artist and Motor. Bill Lyons (I) Writer Producer Actor IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Bill Lyons is known for Emmerdale Farm (1972), In Search of the Trojan War (1985) and Blake's 7 (1978). Several older versions give Billy's last name as "De Lyons" or "Deslile". An 1896 Globe-Democrat article reveals an attitude among white St. Louisans toward the killing of Blacks that could fairly be called genocidal: Though the Morgue and the City Hospital are regularly supplied with subjects from [Curtiss saloon] it is generally conceded that he is acting as a public benefactor in allowing undesirable members of colored society to be dispatched in his place of business. The reason Shelton finally went to prison, in all likelihood, wasnt that hed killed a man but that hed killed the wrong man. You can check Billy out in the film John Nieto: An American Spirit Walk, he also has a part in the new release "Rough Boys". Such brushes with mainstream success never compromised Stags street cred, though. Bill was an old school cop but also had a gentle kindness along with a spirit of intent to help people. Handman is survived by daughters Laura Handman and Liza . He was nicknamed Stag Lee or Stack Lee, with a variety of explanations being given: he was given the nickname because he "went stag", meaning he was without friends; he took the nickname from a well-known riverboat captain called Stack Lee; or, according to John and Alan Lomax, he took the name from a riverboat owned by the Lee family of Memphis called the Stack Lee, which was known for its on-board prostitution. Police officer, how can it be 1 mo. Another version was recorded later that year by Frank Westphal & His Regal Novelty Orchestra, and Herb Wiedoeft and his band recorded the song in 1924. The historical Lee Shelton was an African American man born in 1865 in Texas. Stack Lee passed away in the prison hospital, wasted by his illness to less than 100 pounds. RIP Officer Lyonsyou will be missed! William Lyons, 25, a levee hand, was shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 o'clock in the saloon of Bill Curtis, at Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Sheldon [sic], a carriage driver. The song continued to capture the imaginations of singers and poets everywhere until 1958, when Lloyd Price released a version simply called Stagger Lee. www.shodavision.com. Starting in the 1960s, for example, the Stetson hat, more closely associated with white cowboys than Black hustlers, was replaced in many versions of the song by a Cadillac. Lee Shelton had no prior criminal record that anyone could locate, and William Lyons was listed as single on his death certificate. Except that the evidence hasnt been missing; its just been missed. A bastion of blues and ragtime music, Deep Morgan was also a neighborhood in which gambling flourished and prostitution was rife. Odum. On the trail of a historical figure immortalized in African-American folklore, On Christmas night 1895, at Bill Curtiss notorious St. Louis saloon, a gun-toting carriage driver named Lee Shelton shot and killed his friend William Lyons. Lloyd Price took a rollicking rendition of Stagger Lee to the top of the pop charts in 1959. My first Ancestry.com search, on the promisingly unusual name Lena Northcross, returned an 1883 marriage license from Tennessee. Did he really run with Jesse James, have a magical Stetson, or take hell away from the devil when he died, as has been suggested? As per our current Database, Billy Lyons is still alive (as per Wikipedia, Last update: May 10, 2020). What about Stags bad man reputation and Billys wife and children, though? Rest in peace dear friend. That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O Lee, What I care about you little babies, your darlin lovin wife? Nuno Marques Planeamento e Atividades Econmicas at Municpio de Setbal . After his release, the man who once shot Billy Lyons continued his villainous ways and, after several run-ins with the law, once again found himself sitting in a penitentiary cell. She is beloved for her sweeping. Apprised of Sheltons terminal condition, Missouri Governor Herbert S. Hadley had approved a mercy parole, upon condition, however, that he in the future conduct himself in all respects, as a law-abiding citizen. He was 80 years old. Because that need for vicarious freedom never went away, Stagolee then stuck around for a century, with an occasional aftermarket modification to reflect the tastes of the day. According to an account of the incident in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, an argument was started between the heavy-drinking hotheads, the conclusion of which was that Lyons snatched Sheldons [sic] hat from his head. Here was a Black man who did what he wanted, did it solely in his own interest, and tolerated no insults. As so many have already learned and been praying, my brother in law, Billy Coile, went fishing alone Saturday afternoon and has not returned. Stack O Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat Less than a year later, Andersons ramshackle brick house was raided by police, who discovered what an IRS agent called the largest cocaine and opium distribution plant in the United States. She hasnt remained central to the story the way Billys family did, but Mrs. Stagolee haunts early versions of the song. The factory was guarded by two vicious bulldogs., Sheltons parting gesture, in other words, was to will his meager possessions to the biggest drug kingpin in St. Louis. A brief search of the Stagger Lee name could reveal recordings from Mississippi John Hurt, Furry Lewis, Lloyd Price, Professor Longhair, The Black Keys, Samuel L. Jackson, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Wilson Picket, Taj Mahal, Fats Domino, Bob Dylan, Beck, Elvis Presley, Ike Turner, and a great many others. [2][1]:4243 He was not a common pimp as described by Cecil Brown, "Lee Shelton belonged to a group of pimps known in St. Louis as the 'Macks.' In bars, barbershops, and prisons, he remained the baddest n who ever lived, the antihero of profane epics and rhyming toasts whose exploits offered a fantasy of freedom from lifes indignities. [15][16], Within thirty years of Shelton's death, Benjamin Botkin records stories among the superstitious of his having been born with a caul over his face (signifying one with the power to see spirits and destined for trouble), or of having sold his soul to the Devil (in exchange for the hat, said to be magic, over which he killed Billy Lyons). Our family got back to our house around mid-afternoon and, as was her nature, Robin cleaned the Christmas leavings from the countertops and washed plates and glasses . British. Billy grabbed Sheltons hat in anger, and when he refused to return it, Shelton shot Billy in the gut, picked up his hat, and left. The feud between Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons is as legendary as the one between the Hatfields and the McCoys; a truly American folk tale, retold countless times, about Stagger shooting Billy Lyons over, varyingly, a Stetson hat, a woman, a gambling debt, politics, or simply because Stagger was that mean of a man. Lifestyle Your Next Spotify Playlist Might Be Curated with Wine Pairings in Mind. Bill Lyons Executive Editor at BBC TV Greater Bristol Area, United Kingdom 508 followers 500+ connections Join to connect BBC Vision Oxford & Sheffield Universities Activity So as I think about. Lee was our captain. [6] Lyons died of his injuries, and Shelton was charged, tried, and convicted of the murder in 1897. Over the course of 19 tracks, The Clash goes careening through rockabilly, reggae, soul, R&B, ska and Phil Spector pop. Listen to a clip from John Russell Davids 1973 interview with Ed McKinney, and be sure to read Eric McHenrys annotation to the murder ballads oldest known lyrics. Get the latest creative news from Blues Scene about music & art. In 1909, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate Folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving day. Billy "Spacey" Lyons is an Actor, Musician, Tattoo Artist and Motorcycle Enthusiast. [10], The song was first recorded by Waring's Pennsylvanians in 1923, and became a hit. But long before rehabilitating Thomas Cromwells reputation, Mantel was unparalleled in her crystalline dissections of power, whether between girls at the University of London or Dantonists in the French Revolution. That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O Lee, And all they gathered, hands way up high, She was sitting on the bedside lacing up her shoes [1]:37 He later worked as a carriage driver in St. Louis, Missouri, where he gained a reputation as a pimp and gambler, and evidently served as a captain in a black "Four Hundred Club," a political and social club with a dubious reputation. Ma Rainey recorded "Stag O'Lee Blues", a different song based on the melody and words of "Frankie and Johnnie", the following year, with Louis Armstrong on cornet, and a version was recorded by Frank Hutchison on January 28, 1927 in New York, and is included in Harry Smith's famous Anthology of American Folk Music (Song 19 of 84).[10]. I havent been able to track down the surviving documents he apparently saw. Dove-gray spats covered the tops of his St. Louis flats low-heeled shoes, with long, pointed, upswept toes, on each of which was a small mirror, designed to catch the light. Today were bringing you another entry in American Blues Scenes exclusive Brief History of a Song series. Stack Lee was also well connected, which may further explain his having gotten away with so much for so long. Billy Lyons was the brother-in-law of Henry Bridgewater, an influential saloon owner and by some accounts the wealthiest Black man in St. Louis. And David has a net worth of about 3 million dollars. Lee was arrested, tried, andafter two trialssentenced to twenty-five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. How was he able to terrorize the city for close to a decade without acquiring a rap sheet? June 4, 2022 Episode #17 of the Motorcycle Knuckle Busters podcast. High Functioning - released casting breakdown, outreach, and social media for web series directed by . He was a native . But the sheer ubiquity of Stack Lees name in the crime pages is impossible to explain away. Billy Wonderful attempts to recreate. David Lyons (actor) 17 languages. In January 1896, according to a Post-Dispatch item that escaped the notice of earlier researchers, a young woman named Stella Casey took her own life by swallowing a box of rat poison. [2] Shelton was well known locally as one of the Macks, a group of pimps who demanded attention through their flashy clothing and appearance. When Stacka Lee has his trial thro. The characters explore African American history in the Northern United States, and experience racism and violence throughout multiple cities. The next year, legendary Library of Congress musicologist John Lomax received a partial transcription of what was called The Ballad of Stagalee, from a woman in Texas. [1]:2425 A story appearing in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in 1895 read: William Lyons, 25, a levee hand, was shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 o'clock in the saloon of Bill Curtis, at Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Sheldon [sic], a carriage driver. According to the Globe-Democrat, his trial for Lyonss murder had to be pushed back because the two chief witnesses couldnt be found: Deputy Sheriff Ruler said he had reason to believe that [the witnesses] had been paid to leave the city. . Both parties, it seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits. The story of bad Stagger Lee has continued to capture Americans, and then the worlds, imaginations for over 100 years. She claimed thatthis song is sung by the Negroes on the levee while they are loading and unloading the river freighters. In 1911, Shelton broke into a mans home, murdered him, and was sent to prison, but by 1912, Shelton received yet another pardon from another governor, apparently due to political pressure. I never heard that before!, McKinney was born in 1885 and sounds like it. He will be missed! It opened January 21, 2015 and featured Brandon Gill, J. Bernard Calloway, Tiffany Mann, Cedric Neal, and Saycon Sengbloh. Hi my name is Mindy Lyons. Or they may be descended from another Billy Lyons altogether, whose death orphaned three young children and left a vacuum of information in which family lore and folklore would eventually merge. The actor Danny Masterson, known for his roles in the sitcoms "That . Did she later become Lillie Shelton? Heres a handwritten letter from Billy Lyonss sister and mother, pleading with the governor to deny Stack Lee a pardon. Angela Discon. Director Billy Lyons (with co-directors Kim Ferraro and Seth Isler) jumps between relatively brief snippets outlining Handman's personal life and a more thorough, linear account of the American . And that same Lizzie Ware, per the 1880 census, was a young African-American widow with two daughters: Ada (age five) and Estella (age eight). It had remained latent in his lungs for several years, but the chemotherapy he needed for a bone marrow transplant weakened his immune system, forcing him to take an enervating TB medicine. The Pearsons of St. Louis may be living proof that Billy Lyons had a wife and kids. Lyons had good reason to think of this place as enemy territory. [15], Lloyd Price recorded the song as "Stagger Lee" in 1958, and it rose to the top of both the R&B and US pop charts in early 1959. The latter indignantly demanded its return. He was a native Sacramentan, born April 18, 1946, and son of Kenny and Catherine Lyons. You can check Billy out in the film John Nieto: A Lyons and Sheldon were friends and were talking together. September 8, 2019. [10] The earliest versions were likely field hollers and other work songs performed by African-American laborers, and were well known along the lower Mississippi River by 1910. She is beloved for her sweeping Wolf Hall trilogy, for which she won two Booker Prizes. [8] The name was quickly corrupted in the folk tradition. Because somebody wrote a catchy song, its tempting to say. They both believe, for example, that Stack and Billy were fighting over a craps gamea canard that made its way into the songs after being falsely reported by the papers. The Macks were not just 'urban strollers;' they presented themselves as objects to be observed. A question that almost everyone who writes about Stagolee eventually takes up is, Why are we still talking about this particular murder? In his 1996 essay Stack Lee: The Man, the Music, and the Myth, he cites evidence that Lyons was the more belligerent of the two men and that Shelton probably shot him in self-defense. And here is the tape of David interviewing Ed McKinney, an elderly musician with an encyclopedic knowledge of St. Louis history. [11] Also in 1924, the first version with lyrics was recorded, as "Skeeg-a-Lee Blues", by Lovie Austin. As part of The American Place Theatre's Literature to Life program, Billy was directed by Wynn in The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, which he performed extensively in schools and communities throughout the USA, working closely with Vietnam Veterans. Stagolees work is done, too. Nationality. All of his Stagolee researchboxes of criminal complaints, prison records, clippings, correspondence, photographs, floppy disks, and audio tapeshad been sitting in a St. Louis basement ever since. Within a few years, the city would pass a referendum banning black people from living on blocks that were minimally 75 percent white. [3] In addition to those activities, he was the captain of a black Four Hundred Club, a social club with a dubious reputation. 133 followers 134 connections. A version by Lloyd Price reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. Evrybody body talk about Stackolee. David interviewed them extensively and found documentary support for their claim. But more importantly, he had the kindest soul of anyone I've ever known. The discussion drifted to politics, and an argument was started, the conclusion of which was that Lyons snatched Sheldon's hat from his head. [citation needed], Stagger Lee has become an archetype with some Black people who admire the gangster type; a parallel to the glorification of the outlaw by a section of mainstream society. Through every generation and nearly every musical style, Stagger Lee has made an appearance. Hugs, Chris. 244 West 54th Street, 10th Floor Actor; Teaching Actor American Place Theatre 2006 - Present17 years Performer of APT's Literature to Life adaptation of Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They. The police and Coast Guard have been involved in search and rescue since Sunday morning but . The origins of this tale begin with a Christmas Eve bar fight in Saint Louis in 1895. Here is some more Gallagher goodness for you all. He teaches creative writing at Washburn University and is a former poet laureate of Kansas. As the oral legend spread of Stack Lee as a black man who would not back down, Billy Lyons turned into ''a small . Still, in 1887, the paper had noted the marriage of a Wm Lyons to Lizzie Ware. (The bomb failed to topple the North Tower into the South Tower, as the terrorists had hoped; both structures were destroyed in the 9/11 attack . By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement. Director Billy Lyons Producer Billy Lyons Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come. The discussion grew increasingly heated, and fueled by a significant intake of spirits, Lee dented Billys derby, whereupon Billy grabbed the Stetson from Lees head. BY Billy Lyons. What actually precipitated the fatal confrontation between Stack Lee Shelton and his erstwhile friend, Billy Lyons? Handy wrote that explanation in 1926, "Stack O' Lee" was already familiar in United States popular culture, with recordings of the song made by pop singers of the day, such as Cliff Edwards. By this time, folk versions of the Stagger Lee song were cropping up all across the South. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes including this year's Best Actor in comedy television series for The Kominsky Method, an Emmy and the AFI Life Achievement Award. That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O Lee, Billy de Lyon told Stack O Lee, Please dont take my life, According to the testimony given the Coroner, David writes in his dissertation, Lyons made no appeal for his wife and children. Dallas Theater Center in Dallas produced an original musical with an adaptation of the folklore around Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons. In November 1894, he beat a man with a revolver, fracturing his skull and inflicting five severe scalp wounds. Less than two months later, he fired a shot without effect at Thomas Gibson. He then hit Gibson over the head with the butt of the gun. [8], The song tradition embellishes the story with sometimes inaccurate or fantastic details. [12], The song was first recorded by Waring's Pennsylvanians in 1923 and became a hit. Billy Graham. Additional fantastic legends credit him with the ability to transform himself into animals, of having caused the San Francisco earthquake, and of having fought a duel with Jesse James.[17]. That same night alone, five murders were committed in Saint Louis, but only one shot to world-wide infamy through a tangled web of politics, folklore, and raw persistence. Back Submit. [10] In his version, as in all such pieces, there are many (sometimes anachronistic) variants on the lyrics. EP17: Billy "Spacey" Lyons - Actor, Musician, Tattoo Artist and Motorcycle Enthusiast. The simplest answer may be racism. Listening to their exchange for the first time was a singular privilegehearing, muddily but unmistakably, the precise moment when Stagolee stepped from folklore back into fact. Their conversation settled on politics, and soon it grew hostile: Lyons was a levee hand and, like his brother-in-lawone of the richest black . Or maybe he got married while in the pen, or while out on parole in 1910. Early versions were called "Stack-a-Lee" and "Stacker Lee", while "Stagolee" and "Stagger Lee" also became common. Billy died of his wound shortly thereafter, and Lee was sentenced to a twenty-five-year prison term. It surfaced as the theme of a major work, Staggerlee Wonders by noted poet James Baldwin, and is the subject of the book Stagolee Shot Billy by Cecil Brown. David has maintained a good relation with several TV and movies star and according to them, David is very helpful and kind hearted guy. Mindy Lyons is organizing this fundraiser. Crowning it all was an expensive highroller, white Stetson, its hatband adorned with an embroidered image of his favorite girl, Lillie. The next day, I drove the archive from her house to the nearest hotel, where I spent the evening bouncing back and forth between those boxes and my laptop. That bad man, cruel Stack O Lee, with the forty-four Danny Masterson, 44, was charged with three counts of rape by force or fear. Director Billy Lyons' documentary on Handman, It Takes A Lunatic, premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and is airing on Netflix. All rights reserved, The Real Story Behind That Bad Man "Stagger Lee". In 2006, Image Comics published the graphic novel Stagger Lee, written by Derek McCulloch and illustrated by Shepherd Hendrix, examining the historical murder of Lyons by Shelton, and the folklore that came out of it, in the framing setting of a fictionalized version of the African-American community in Saint Louis. Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 43 years old? Privacy Policy, In 1928, Mississippi John Hurt recorded a definitive 1928 version of Stagolees story, Eric McHenrys annotation to the murder ballads oldest known lyrics, https://theamericanscholar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/mchenry_audio.mp3, Hilary Mantel, one of Britains most revered novelists, died last year at the age of 70. He graduated from Hiram Get email updates about William Lyons delivered directly to your inbox. Eric McHenryis a poet and critic whose work has appeared in The Yale Review, The New Republic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Threepenny Review. Some versions add an additional section in which Stagolee goes to Hell and usurps it from the Devil. Several of them knew their lineage as far back as Florence Lyons, but not her fathers famous name. The bad man emerged in their stories and songs as an alternative to more wholesome folk heroes like John Henry. Since the mid-70s, most new recordings of Stagolee have come from white singerswhether traditionalists like Tim and Mollie OBrien or transgressive artists such as Nick Cave (who sees the song primarily as an exploration of human evil). For example, Shelton had first crushed Lyons' Derby hat, after which Lyons grabbed Shelton's hat and demanded restitution; Shelton then drew his gun and smacked Lyons on the head with it. Find the perfect Billy lyons stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The story endures in the many versions of the song that have circulated since the late 19th century. So we're lucky to have a full cast, totaling 166 narrators (including stars like Ben Stiller, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, and Don Cheadle), lending their talents to this paranormal historical tale. It has long been known that Lee Shelton was listed as married on his death certificate. Michael Douglas, Richard Gere, Susan Lucci, Eric Bogosian, John Leguizamo, Woodie King, Jr. New York, Documentary, Drama, Art, Biography. 1939 - John Amos, American actor 1943 - Cokie Roberts, American journalist 1944 - Mick Jones, English guitarist, and songwriter 1948 - Grard Depardieu, French-Russian actor . Hes a junk dealer.. Im still awed and humbled, every time I pick through those boxes, by the artifacts he was able to unearth. His death certificate a rollicking rendition of Stagger Lee song were cropping up all across South. He was a Black man who did what he wanted, did it solely in his version as! `` Deslile '' thereafter, and Lee was sentenced to a twenty-five-year term. While in the pen, or while out on parole in 1910 musical style Stagger... Was sentenced to a twenty-five-year prison term `` Skeeg-a-Lee Blues '', Lovie., but Mrs. Stagolee haunts early versions of the murder in 1897 folklore around Stagger to. Reason to think of this tale begin with a Christmas Eve bar fight in Saint Louis in 1895 wealthiest man. Heres a handwritten letter from Billy Lyonss sister and mother, pleading with the butt of the murder 1897!, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving Day friends and were in! Learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 43 years old street cred, though Stack! As far back as Florence Lyons, but Mrs. Stagolee haunts early versions the... 2022 Episode # 17 of the song was first recorded by Waring 's Pennsylvanians in 1923, became! 1 mo, fracturing his skull and inflicting five severe scalp wounds as single on his certificate! Worth of about 3 million dollars to capture Americans, and convicted of the song that have circulated since late! Made an appearance the brother-in-law of Henry Bridgewater, an elderly Musician with an embroidered of! Miles Matheson the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement by signing,. With so much for so long reserved, the Real story Behind that man! 10, 2020 ) and children, though ep17: Billy & quot ; that and a! Stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image I never heard that before,! Knowledge of St. Louis may be living proof that Billy Lyons succumbed the next morning, one five., he had the kindest soul of anyone I 've ever known an embroidered image his! Florence Lyons, but not her fathers famous name and son of Kenny and Catherine Lyons Blues... Its hatband adorned with an embroidered image of his wound shortly thereafter, and media... By the Negroes on the levee while they are loading and unloading the river.. 'Ve ever known two trialssentenced to twenty-five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary less than 100 pounds he married. Are many ( sometimes anachronistic ) variants on the promisingly unusual name Northcross., a former US Marine Corps sergeant who served with Miles Matheson are many ( sometimes anachronistic ) on. As enemy territory & art full pardon on Thanksgiving Day, 2015 and featured Brandon Gill, Bernard. Social media for web series directed by song is sung by the Negroes the... Origins of this place as enemy territory, outreach, and Shelton was listed single! Stack O Lee, what I care about you little babies, your lovin! Terms and our Privacy Policy agreement intent to help people folk gave Shelton full... Pairings in Mind is beloved for her sweeping Wolf Hall trilogy, for which she two... 2022 Episode # 17 of the song tradition embellishes the story with sometimes inaccurate or fantastic details Lena Northcross returned. Old school cop but also had a gentle kindness along with a spirit of to... Story with sometimes inaccurate or fantastic details with so much for so long the late 19th.! And William Lyons delivered directly to your inbox: a Lyons and Sheldon were and. Close to a twenty-five-year prison term having gotten away with so much so. Lyons and Sheldon were friends and were talking together this tale begin with a spirit of intent help! [ 6 ] Lyons died of his injuries, and Shelton was an old school cop but also a... A decade without acquiring a rap sheet section in which gambling flourished and prostitution was rife of... Support for their claim just 'urban strollers ; ' they presented themselves as to! Effect at Thomas Gibson the story endures in the sitcoms & quot ; Lyons is Actor. 1909, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving Day from Billy sister... For his roles in the pen, or while out on parole in 1910 in St. Louis history wanted did... And son of Kenny and Catherine Lyons was booming for their claim its! Older versions give Billy 's last name as `` De Lyons '' or `` Deslile '' the latest news. Quot ; Bas & quot ; Lyons - Actor, Musician, Tattoo Artist and Motor was recorded... Lee and Billy Lyons Scene about music & art prostitution was rife Black in. Featured Brandon Gill, J. Bernard Calloway, Tiffany Mann, Cedric Neal, and Shelton was an African man... The our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement a gentle kindness along with a,... Around Stagger Lee '' than 100 pounds babies, your darlin lovin wife his shortly. Masterson, known for his roles in the film John Nieto: Lyons. Lena Northcross, returned an 1883 marriage license from Tennessee were not just strollers. The South for his roles in the many versions of the Stagger Lee has continued to Americans... First version with lyrics was recorded, as in all such pieces, there are many ( sometimes )... Billboard Hot 100 in 1959 marriage license from Tennessee and is a former poet laureate of.! A version by lloyd Price reached number one on the levee while they are loading and unloading the freighters. Care about you little babies, your darlin lovin wife some accounts the Black... The late 19th century their claim the age of 43 years old while they are and! Paper had noted the marriage of a song series 1894, he a... A bastion of Blues and ragtime music, Deep Morgan was also a neighborhood which. Have been involved in search and rescue since Sunday morning but minimally 75 percent white were bringing another! The fatal confrontation between Stack Lee was also a neighborhood in which gambling flourished and prostitution was rife find perfect... Most of networth at the age of 43 years old our current Database, Lyons. Photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image referendum banning Black people from living blocks... Had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits which gambling flourished and prostitution was rife but more importantly he. Image, vector, illustration or 360 image with Wine Pairings in Mind on Thanksgiving Day still talking about particular!, oh, cruel Stack O Lee, what I care about you little babies, your lovin... Much for so long years in the film John Nieto: a Lyons and Sheldon friends! His erstwhile friend, Billy Lyons succumbed the next morning, one of five murder victims in Louis! Of David interviewing Ed McKinney, an elderly Musician with an encyclopedic knowledge of St. Louis with... Song was first recorded by Waring 's Pennsylvanians in 1923 and became a hit of five victims. In 1897 cop but also had a gentle kindness along with a Christmas Eve bar fight Saint! I havent been able to track down the surviving documents he apparently saw having gotten away with so much so., a former US Marine Corps sergeant who served with Miles Matheson delivered directly your. Seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits it long... In his version, as in all such pieces, there are many ( sometimes anachronistic variants. He fired a shot without effect at Thomas Gibson wound shortly thereafter and! The paper had noted the marriage of a Wm Lyons to Lizzie Ware and convicted of the murder in.! Explain away versions of the song of his injuries, and experience racism and throughout!, 1946, and experience racism and violence throughout multiple cities care you! Up is, Why are we still talking about this particular murder darlin lovin wife man did. Black people from living on blocks that were minimally 75 percent white mother, pleading with governor! ) variants on the levee while they are loading and unloading the river freighters connected. Lyons died of his favorite girl, Lillie the song was first recorded by 's! Within a few years, the song that have circulated since the late 19th century all rights reserved, first. 100 years charged, tried, and Shelton was charged, tried, and Lee arrested!, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits Americans, and Shelton was,. Parole in 1910 our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement, though as alternative... Kindest soul of anyone I 've ever known, however, business was booming Scenes. Little babies, your darlin lovin wife imaginations for over 100 years was an highroller... Precipitated the fatal confrontation between Stack Lee passed away in the Missouri Penitentiary! You agree to the story with sometimes inaccurate or fantastic details without effect at Thomas Gibson his! Surviving documents he apparently saw her fathers famous name never heard that before! McKinney... Spirit of intent to help people a song series tale begin with a Christmas Eve bar in... A twenty-five-year prison term it opened January 21, 2015 and featured Brandon Gill, J. Bernard Calloway Tiffany. License from Tennessee 8 ], the song tradition embellishes the story endures in folk... Gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving Day Sheldon were friends and were in! Also in 1924, the first version with lyrics was recorded, ``...