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Wabash Cannonball
Composer: Traditional / J. A. Roff / William Kindt / A. P. Carter

Played once at a show billed as Bobby Ace And The Cards From The Bottom Of The Deck on June 11, 1969 at California Hall, San Francisco. This group was the Grateful Dead without Pigpen but with the addition of John Dawson and David Nelson. The setlist 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 Grateful Dead playing this song.

The song was recorded by Bob Weir with Dan Zanes for the Dan Zanes and Friends album House Party.

The origins of the song are hazy. Sheet music was printed for the song The Great Rock Island Route in 1882. This has similar lyrics and the same music as Wabash Cannonball and is credited to J. A. Roff. It is likely though that the song existed before this publication. A rewritten version of the song, by William Kindt, was published in 1904 using the title Wabash Cannon Ball. This may be the first use of that title. Subsequent versions of the song use the same music but have many variations in the lyrics. The Carter Family recording of the song was the first popular recording and many subsequent recordings credit A.P. Carter as the writer.



Bob Weir recordings

info House Party, Dan Zanes and Friends, 2003
info Weir Here: The Best Of Bob Weir, Bob Weir, 2004

Other recordings

This list is not intended to be comprehensive.

no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / ?), Hugh Cross, 1929?
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / Farmer Gray), Loy Bodine, 1931
no info Single (Meet Me By Moonlight, Alone / Wabash Cannonball), The Carter Family, 1932
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / Freight Train Blues), Roy Acuff And His Crazy Tennesseeans, 1938
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / Sparkling Blue Eyes), Bill Carlisle's Kentucky Boys, 1939
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / Freight Train Blues), Roy Acuff And His Crazy Tennesseeans, 1940
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / I Never Will Marry), The Carter Family, 1940
no info Single (The Wabash Cannon-Ball Blues / Scatterbrain Mama), Delmore Brothers, 1941
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / K-K-K-Kat), Terry Shand And His Orchestra), 1941
no info Songs Of The Smoky Mountains, Roy Acuff And His Smoky Mountain Boys, 1947 (reissued a number of times)
no info Single (Filipino Baby / Wabash Cannonball), Jimmie Dale And His Prides Of The Prairies, 1947
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / How It Lies, How It Lies, How It Lies), Kay Starr, 1949
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / So Tired), Kay Starr with Merle Travis And His Orchestra, 1951
no info Square Dance Album-Volume III Called By, Lawrence Loy, 1951
no info Single (Wabash Cannon Ball / Death Of Kathy Fiscus), Al Runyon, 1953
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / Wabash Cannonball (with calls)), Johnny Balmer And His Grand Canyon Boys, 1953
no info Single (The Kentuckian Song / Wabash Cannon Ball), Mac Wiseman, 1955
no info Songs Of The Smoky Mountains Vol. 1 EP, , Roy Acuff And His Smoky Mountain Boys, 1955
no info Single (Are You Satisfied? / Wabash Cannonball), Rusty Draper, 1955
no info The 4 Lads Stage Show, The 4 Lads, 1956
no info Western Roundup EP, Tex Fletcher, 1956
no info The Great American Bum: Hobo And Migratory Workers' Songs, John Greenway, 1956
no info Showcase, Lonnie Donnegan, 1956
info Raisin' the Dickens, Little Jimmy Dickens, 1957
no info Songs Of The Golden West, Red River Dave and His Texas Tophands, 1957
no info American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1, Pete Seeger, 1957
no info On The Trail, The Sons Of The Purple Sage And Tex Fletcher, 1957
no info Swingin' On The Golden Gate, Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band, 1957
no info Single (Cumberland Gap / Wabash Cannonball), Lonnie Donegan And His Skiffle Group, 1957
no info Skiffle Party, The Vipers Skiffle Group, 1957
no info Great Speckle Bird And Other Favorites, Roy Acuff And His Smoky Mountain Boys, 1958
info An Englishman Sings American Folk Songs, Lonnie Donegan, 1959
no info A Carle-Load Of Hits, Frankie Carle, 1959
no info Sing Along Country Style, The Almanac Singers, 1959
no info Take The Train, The River Boat Five, 1959
no info Eddy Arnold (aka That's How Much I Love You), Eddy Arnold, 1959
no info All Time Hits, Ernest Tubb And His Texas Troubadours, 1960
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / The Drums Of Richard A. Doo), Dicky Doo And The Don'ts/The West Texas Marching Band, 1960
no info The Original And Great, Carter Family, 1961
info Playin' and Singin': King of Hillbilly Piano Players, Moon Mullican, 1961
no info Sings Fireball Mail, Mac Wiseman, 1961
no info All Time Favourites, The Carter Family, 1961
no info Songs Of The Railroad, Merrill Jay Singers, 1961
no info Happiness Is You, Johnny Cash, 1962
info 50 Guitars Go Country, Tommy Garrett, 1962
no info Wabash Cannonball / Once More), Hank Locklin, 1962
no info World Tour with Folk Songs, Addiss and Crofut, 1962
no info All Time Greatest Hits, Roy Acuff, 1962
no info The Easy Riders, The Easy Riders, 1962
no info Country Style, Jack Elliot, 1962
no info The Sound Of A 5 String Banjo, Charles "Buck" Trent, 1962
no info All Aboard For The Railroad Special, Various artists (Moon Mullican), 1962
no info The Country Music Hall of Fame: The Greatest Collection of Country Hits, Various Artists (Moon Mullican), 1962
info Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson At Folk City, Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson, 1963
info 12 String Guitar, The Folkswingers, 1963
no info Behind These Walls, Hank Ferguson, 1963
info Our Men in San Francisco, The Limeliters, 1963
info Way Out West With, Alex Campbell, 1963
no info The Ventures Play the Country Classics, Ventures, 1963
no info Folk Songs From The Hills, The Springfields, 1963
no info The London Concert, The Limeliters, 1963
no info Board The Bluegrass Express With Hank Smith, 1963
no info The Best Of, Roy Acuff And His Smoky Mountain Boys, 1963
no info Country & Western Music Jamboree, Various artists (Gene Martin), 1963
no info Country Music Hall of Fame, Roy Acuff, 1964
no info Golden Country Hits, Hank Thompson And His Brazos Valley Boys, 1964
no info Keep On The Sunny Side, The Carter Family With Special Guest Johnny Cash, 1964
no info In Concert: Everybody's Listening. The Chad Mitchell Trio And The Gatemen, 1964
no info Little Jimmy Dickens' Best, Little Jimmy Dickens, 1964
no info At The Matador Room, Patsy Montana, 1964
no info Great Country Hits, The Andrews Sisters, 1964
no info Sing Great Country Favorites, Connie Francis & Hank Williams, Jr., 1964
info The Versatile Flatt & Scruggs, Flatt & Scruggs, 1965
no info The Limeliters London Corncert, The Limeliters, 1965
no info Great Train Songs (An American Legend), Roy Acuff, 1965
info Hits From The Country Hall Of Fame, Floyd Cramer, 1965
info Songs With A Railroad Ring, Various Artists (Carter Family), 1965
no info Salutes The Country Music Hall Of Fame, Wanda Jackson, 1966
no info Hoedown Vol. 5, Fiddlin' Mutt Poston & the Hired Hands, 1966
no info Single (Tennessee Waltz / Wabash Cannonball), Lawrence Welk And His Orchestra, 1966
no info Greatest Hits, Little Jimmy Dickens, 1966
no info Cowboy's Sweetheart, Patsy Montana, 1966
no info Al Terry, Al Terry, 1966
info 50 Stars! 50 Hits!, Various Artists (Joe Maphis), 1966
no info Welcome to Music City, U.S.A., Various Artists (Flatt & Scruggs), 1966
no info Sing The Great Roy Acuff Songs, The Louvin Brothers, 1967
no info Single (Tupelo Mississippi Flash / Wabash Cannon Ball), Jerry Reed, 1967
no info Chet, Chet Atkins, 1967
no info The Best Of Hank Thompson. Vol.2, Hank Thompson, 1967
no info The Amazing, Roger Miller, 1967
no info Lombardo Country, Guy Lombardo And The Royal Canadians, 1967
no info Nashville Underground, Jerry Reed, 1968
no info The Most Requested Songs of Don Reno, Bill Harrell & the Tennessee Cut-ups, 1968
no info Tom Wilson & His Western All Stars, Tom Wilson & His Western All Stars, 1968
no info Play Country Favorites, Chet Atkins / Floyd Cramer / Boots Randolph, 1968
no info Salutes The Country Music Hall Of Fame, Billy Walker, 1968
no info Railroad Man, Billy Strange, 1968
no info Comes Callin', Little Jimmy Dickens, 1968
no info Golden Hits Of, Mac Wiseman, 1968
info The Charlatans, The Charlatans, 1969
no info We Like Trains, Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys, 1969
no info Movin' On, Danny Davis And The Nashville Brass, 1969
no info Single (Sweet Dreams / Wabash Cannon Ball), Danny Davis And The Nashville Brass, 1969
no info Single (Love Ain't Gonna Die (I'm Gonna Have To Kill It) / Wabash Cannon Ball), Johnny Wright, 1969
no info Wabash Cannon Ball, Hank Locklin, 1969
no info Train Ballads, Bob Chapman, 1969
no info Tree Top Tall, Merrill Moore, 1969
no info Carl Smith Sings A Tribute To Roy Acuff, Carl Smith, 1969
info A Real Live Dolly, Dolly Parton with Porter Wagoner, 1970
no info 20 All-Time Great Recordings, Flatt and Scruggs, 1970
no info Bouquet Of Blue Grass Hits, Cumberland Clan, 1970
no info A. P. Carter's Clinch Mountain Ballads, A. P. Carter, 1970
no info Roy Acuff's Greatest Hits, Roy Acuff, 1970
no info Roy Acuff Jr., Roy Acuff Jr., 1970
no info Best Of Roy Acuff, Roy Acuff, 1970
no info Both Sides Now, Willie Nelson, 1970
info Doc Watson On Stage, Doc Watson & Merle Watson, 1971
no info Tracks & Trains, Hank Snow, 1971
no info Country Pickin', Chet Atkins, 1971
no info Songs Made Famous By The Carter Family, The Country Ramblers, 1971
info Country Boots, Boots Randolph, 1972
info Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1972
no info Chained To A Memory, Eddy Arnold, 1972
no info Live-In Person, Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass, 1972
info Starportrait, Johnny Cash, 1972
no info Brother Oswald, Brother Oswald, 1972
no info Johnny Cash And Friends, Johnny Cash And Friends, 1972
no info Good Though, Utah Phillips, 1973
no info Midnight Flyer, The Osborne Brothers, 1973
no info Country Comfort, Ace Cannon, 1973
no info Sing & Pick Bluegrass Favorites, The Rainbow Valley Boys & Sweetheart, 1973
no info Mother Maybelle Carter, Maybelle Carter, 1973
info Lester Flatt Live! Bluegrass Festival, Lester Flatt, 1974
no info Blue Grass On Fire, Uncle Leroy & the Pike County Partners, 1974
no info The Hammered Dulcimer Album, Jay Round And Friends, 1974
no info Spotlight on, Willie Nelson, 1974
info Memories, Doc Watson, 1975
info Steel Guitar, Buddy Emmons, 1975
no info Destination Victoria Station, Johnny Cash, 1975
no info Riding The Rails, Johnny Cash, 1975
no info Country, Floyd Cramer, 1976
no info Play It Again Charlie, Charlie McCoy, 1976
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / Ode To Billie Joe), Charlie McCoy, 1976
no info Goodtime Songtime-Sing Along With The Fireside Singers, 1976
no info Takes Ya Back, Don't It..., Chas McDevitt, 1976
no info 1776-1976 Bicentennial Spectacular, Various Artists (Jimmy Stone), 1976
info Bluegrass Memories, Bill Monroe, 1977
no info A Tribute To My Heroes, Hylo Brown, 1977
info Everhart, Bob Everhart, 1978
no info The Riot Rockers, Riot Rockers, 1978
no info Jimmy Wilkerson Country, Jimmy Wilkerson, 1978
no info Greatest Hits Volume One, Roy Acuff, 1978
no info On Foggy Mountain, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys, 1979
no info The Early Years Vol. 2, Roy Lee Centers, 1979
no info Live From Austin City Limits, Nashville Super Pickers, 1979
no info Dream Train Engineer, Buck Ryan, 1980
no info King Of The Dobro, Josh Graves, 1980
no info The Great American Fiddle Collection, Buddy Spicher & Benny Martin, 1980
no info Just For Fun, Dan Huckabee, 1981
no info Front Porch String Band, Front Porch String Band, 1981
no info King Of The Road: 20 Great Tracks, Boxcar Willie, 1981
no info The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 1981
info Precious Friend, Arlo Guthrie/Pete Seeger, 1982
no info The New Dixie Grass, 1982
info Greatest Hits, Charlie McCoy, 1982
no info King Of Country Music, Roy Acuff, 1982
no info Hank Wilson, Vol. 2, Leon Russell, 1982
no info Instrumentally Yours, Smiley Bates, 1983
no info Yakety Madness!, Richie Cole & Boots Randolph, 1983
no info Banjo Bonanza, Don Reno & Bobby Thompson, 1983
no info Live From The Lone Star Cafe, Kinky Friedman, 1983
no info Night Run, Berline / Crary / Hickman, 1984
no info Single (Wabash Cannonball / Tennessee Waltz), Hank Wilson, 1984
no info 20 Of The Best, Carter Family, 1984
info Alive At Avoca, Bob Everhart with Bluegrass Playground, 1985
no info Her Greatest Country Hits, Wanda Jackson, 1985
no info Radio Broadcasts 1957-58, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, 1985
no info 20 Greatest Hits, Mac Wiseman, 1986
no info Early Dot Recordings Vol. 2, Mac Wiseman, 1986
no info On The Wilderness Road, Art Thieme, 1986
no info Bluegrass Favorites, The Wood Brothers, 1988
info Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 1: Golden Age, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 1990
no info Grandfather's Greatest Hits, David Holt, 1991
info 1964-1969, Plus, Flatt & Scruggs, 1992
no info Just Gimme Something I'm Used To, Norman and Nancy Blake, 1992
info Close Harmony, Louvin Brothers, 1992
no info Essential 1936-1949, Roy Acuff, 1992
info Another Country, The Chieftains, 1992
info The One Rose: The Capitol Years, Rose Maddox, 1993
no info Great American Train Songs, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1993
info Guitar Rags & A Too Fast Past, Merle Travis, 1994
no info Pickin' In The Parlor, Randall Hylton, 1994
no info Western Railroad Songs, Keith and Rusty McNeil, 1994
info Bluegrass And More, Jim & Jesse, 1994
no info Roadsongs, Townes Van Zandt, 1994
info The Charlatans / Alabama Bound, The Charlatans, 1994
no info When Roses Bloom In Dixieland - The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3, Carter Family, 1995
no info Country, Percy Sledge, 1995
info Bluegrass 1970-1979, Bill Monroe, 1995
info 1968-1974, The Osborne Brothers, 1995
info Nashville At Newport, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 1995
no info Howdy! 25 Hillbilly All-Time Greats, Various Artists (Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseeans), 1995
info The Vanguard Years, Doc Watson, 1995
no info Stop All That Jazz (exp CD), Leon Russell, 1995
no info Honor The King Of Country Music Roy Acuff, Jim & Jesse & the Virginia Boys, 1995
no info Intergalactic Boogie Express: Live In Europe 1991, Robert Fripp & The League Of Crafty Guitarists, 1995
info Railroad Man (comp), Billy Strange, 1995
info That's Bluegrass!: CMH Records 20th Anniversary Collection, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1995
info The Man in Black: 1963-1969, Johnny Cash, 1996
no info Leroy Mack & Friends, Leroy Mack, 1996
info Bluegrass Masters, Various Artists (Flatt and Scruggs), 1996
info Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine, Wanda Jackson, 1997
no info LeRoy Mack & friends of the Kentucky Colonels, 1997
no info Railroadin' Classics, Wayne Erbsen, 1997
info Over the Hills and Far Away, The Springfields, 1997
no info Live In London, Tiny Tim, 1997
info Classic Railroad Songs, Vol. 1 Steel Rails, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 1997
info The Great American Fiddle Collection, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1997
no info Skiffle Sensation, Lonnie Donegan, 1998
info Heart of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1998
info Complete Sun Singles, Vol. 5, Various Artists (Four Upsetters), 1998
info Hot Tracks: Train Super Hits, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 1998
info Flatt On Victor Plus More, Lester Flatt, 1999
no info 20 Greatest Hits, Mac Wiseman, 1999
no info Country Style / Live, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, 1999
no info We Finally Made It!, Southern Star Bluegrass, 1999
no info Railroadin' Classics - 16 Great Instrumentals, Various Artists, 19??
info 40 Most Popular American Folk Songs, Paul & Margie, 199?
info In the Shadow of Clinch Mountain, The Carter Family, 2000
no info The Complete Decca Sessions 1954/55, Chris Barber's Jazz Band, 2000
info Our Men in San Francisco / The London Concert, The Limeliters, 2000
no info Showcase . . . Plus, Lonnie Donegan, 2000
no info Talking Guitar Blues: The Very Best of, Lonnie Donegan, 2000
info Bluegrass Then and Now 25th Anniversary, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2000
info American Roots Music, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 2000
no info Wabash Cannonball: 20 Classic Train Songs, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2000
info The Definitive Bluegrass Collection, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2001
no info Live at Gilley's, Mac Wiseman, 2001
no info Live at McCabe's, Townes Van Zandt, 2001
info Newport Folk Festival: Best of Bluegrass 1959-1966, Various Artists (Flatt & Scruggs), 2001
info Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Boom, 1950-1970, Various Artists (The Limeliters), 2001
no info The Roots Of Johnny Cash, Various artists (Carter Family), 2001
info Fiddler's Hall of Fame, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2001
info Front Porch Pickin': 24 Great Bluegrass Instrument, Various Artists (Fiddlin' Mutt Poston), 2001
info Folk Rock Revival Sampler, We Five, 2002
info Tribute to Bluegrass, Chet Atkins, 2002
info American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1, Pete Seeger, 2002
no info Ridin' The Tweetsie Railroad, Riders In The Sky, 2002
no info Classic Bluegrass Live, 1959-1966, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys, 2002
info The Carter Family: 1927-1934, The Carter Family, 2002
info Live at Vanderbilt, Lester Flatt & Bill Monroe, 2002
no info Country, Bluegrass and Mountain Music, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 2002
info Roots and Branches, Various Artists (Roy Acuff), 2002
info 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered: Complete Recordings 1951-1964, Mac Wiseman, 2003
no info 15 American Railroad Classics, Craig Duncan & the Smoky Mountain Band, 2003
no info Country Fried Pickin', Doyle Dykes, 2003
info Will The Circle Be Unbroken, The Trilogy, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 2003
no info The Very Best Of, The Vipers Skiffle Group, 2003
info Keep on the Sunny Side: Bluegrass Salutes the Carter Family, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2003
info The Best of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Carter Family), 2003
info Far Across the Blue Water, Bill Monroe, 2004
info Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy, Uncle Dave Macon, 2004
info Bluegrass Early Cuts 1931-1953: Classic Recordings Remastered, Various Artists (Roy Hall), 2004
info The Legend, Johnny Cash, 2005
no info Ghosts Along The Line, Backroom Bluegrass Band, 2005
info Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest (DVD), New Lost City Ramblers/Greenbriar Boys, 2005
info Long Live Bluegrass! CMH Records 30th Anniversary, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2005
no info Skiffle King, Lonnie Donegan, 2006
no info Those Plucking Strings, Charles Blackwell Orchestra, 2006
no info Blue Grass Country, Twin Country Accordions, 2006
no info Going Home To The Fold, Bill & Maggie Anderson, 2006
no info Lonesome Traveller, Lonnie Donegan, 2006
info Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways, Various Artists (Doc Watson), 2006
info Blockbuster Bluegrass, Various Artists (Randall Hylton), 2006
info Old Town School of Folk Music Songbook, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Danny Barnes), 2006
info 36 Bluegrass Hits, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2006
info Vol. 2: The Later Years 1933-1952, The Delmore Brothers, 2007
no info Crowd Favorites, Claire Lynch, 2007
info Backroads, Michael Irwin, 2007
no info Best of Hank Wilson, Leon Russell, 2009
no info Dock Boggs 1966, Dock Boggs, 2009
no info Single (Big River / Wabash Cannonball), The Secret Sisters, 2010
no info Hills of Alabam, Front Porch String Band, 2012
no info Swan Ridge: The Best Of, Eldon Davis, 2013
no info Rest My Weary Feet, Bill & Maggie Anderson, 2015
no info Believe, The Michele Fay Band, 2015
no info Plays Classic Country, Monroe Crossing, 2016
no info Cruisin' with, Blue & Lonesome, 2016
no info Never The Same Way Once: Live At The Boarding House May 1974, Doc And Merle Watson, 2017
no info With Bluegrass Legends: Live At The Ryman, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, 2018
info At The Carousel Ballroom: April 24, 1968, Johnny Cash, 2021

 
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