Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Knoxville Girl

The Louvin Brothers

— Cradle of Country Music Tour —

The Knoxville Girl Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel Seewald, May 31, 2018

1. The Knoxville Girl Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

The Knoxville Girl and other adaptations of folk ballads were among the earliest popular recordings in country and bluegrass music. The Knoxville Girl was among the early national recording hits for WNOX radio stars, The Louvin Brothers.

In 1744 in Berkshire, England, a miller named John Mague was hanged for murdering his financée. The gruesome murder and the eventual capture and execution of the murderer soon were adapted into the oral tradition of English folk ballads. Folk ballads were an important part of the cultural traditions imported to the North American continent by European immigrants. These ballads would be "Americanized" by changing the names and locations of events in the song to match the new surroundings of the settlers. It is through this process that the story of murder and justice in faraway England came to be known in America as The Knoxville Girl. (Marker Number 2.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1744.

Location. 35° 57.698′ N, 83° 54.982′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee

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, in Knox County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and South Gay Streeet, on the right when traveling east on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Main Street, Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Knox County Spanish American War Monument (a few steps from this marker); Site of First Block House (a few steps from this marker); Sarah Hawkins (a few steps from this marker); Governor John Sevier (a few steps from this marker); Katherine Sherrill Sevier (a few steps from this marker); Captain Charles T. McMillan II (within shouting distance of this marker); C. Kermit "Buck" Ewing (within shouting distance of this marker); Knoxville (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Also see . . . The Knoxville Girl. (Submitted on June 14, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 51 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on June 14, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.