Oh, listen to my story, I’ll tell you no lies How John Lewis did murder poor little Omie Wise Follow us 200 years into the past, to a North Carolina river bank, where we’ll dig up the roots of America’s first murder ballad. Song: “Omie Wise”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall+ Read More

Omie Wise: America’s Oldest Murder Ballad

True And Tragic Tales From The Back Roads of American History

In 1856, two small boys wandered away from their cabin in the wilds of Pennsylvania. For almost two weeks, thousands of volunteers combed the mountainside in search of the little lost children. It seemed that they had disappeared without a trace, until one man’s eerie dream revealed their fate. Song: “Babes In The Woods”, traditional Researched, written,+ Read More

Babes In The Woods: The Lost Children of the Alleghenies

Yesterday’s local headlines, the daily tragedies and triumphs in American communities large and small, are often trampled in the unrelenting march of time, overshadowed by more monumental moments in our collective history. But the fragile, yellowed pages of century-old newspapers contain untold treasures for those of us who are fascinated by the past. Today we present an+ Read More

Keep On The Sunny Side: July 1899

Follow us back in time as we walk the red brick streets of our little Wild West town to a haunted shack by the railroad tracks, the scene of the untimely death of Ella Myers. But was she really dead when her corpse was buried in a pauper’s grave?  Tales of ghostly visions and reports of plaintive wails caused+ Read More

The Blood-Red Hand: A Guthrie Ghost Story

In this episode, we take you to the Texas Hill Country of the 1860s, a perilous place for those who remained loyal to the Union, however secret they tried to keep their allegiance. For many of these unfortunate Union sympathizers, the War Between the States ended at the bottom of Dead Man’s Hole. Song: “Weeping Sad+ Read More

Weeping Sad and Lonely: The Fire Eaters

As you may know, we’re taking a short production break, but we wanted to mark a very special milestone. The Most Wonderful Wonder is one year old today. To celebrate, we’re giving you an unreleased Welcome Little Stranger original song, and our unending gratitude. Thank you for listening to our weird and wonderful little show.+ Read More

Omie Wise: America’s Oldest Murder Ballad

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