First recorded by The Carter Family on June 8, 1938. A.P. Carter said that he learned it from miners who worked the Wise County, Virginia coal mines. "Coal Miner's Blues" is a traditional American folk song that emerged in the early 20th century. Its origins can be traced back to the Appalachian coal mining communities of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

The exact origins of Coal Miner's Blues" are difficult to pinpoint, as it evolved as a part of the oral folk tradition, passed down through generations.

It draws influences from various sources, including British and Scottish ballads, African-American spirituals, and work songs.

On our energy episode of Reconnecting Roots, the song was re-imagined by the house band and No-No Boy. It is re-written from the story of the 1885 Rock Springs Massacre.

https://reconnectingroots.com