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. The song exploded in popularity and became #1 on the Billboard Pop Charts. 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 . On Feb. 26, 1993, a truck bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of the North Tower of New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. Despite what had come to seem like long odds, when the spindles finally turned, the sounds that emerged were intelligible: Yes, I remember Stackalee, McKinney says, and David clearly thinks hes referring to the song. Back Submit. Why did this seemingly unexceptional crime enter our folklore, and remain there, when a million others faded from memory? Who was Stagger Lee, who goes by different names depending on the storyteller;Stagger, Stack-O-Lee, Stackalee, etc.? A Caring Friend. Its no coincidence that Stagolee faded from African-American folklore just as a new wave of well-dressed bad muthafuckas arrived on the scene, also rolling Cadillacs. In the year 2005, he had a recurring role in Seven Network Police drama called Blue Heelers and he was a guest star in the Seven Network or Network/Eleven Soap Opera called Neighbours.He starred in a ER which is a medical drama of . According to Cecil Brown, on the night Lee killed Billy Lyons, he wore a black dress coat, high-collar embroidered yellow shirt, elaborately patterned red velvet vest, and gray striped slacks. Billy is an actor, director, teacher, and producer living in midtown Manhattan, where hes trained with and been the close assistant to Wynn Handman for many years. 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. I never heard that before!, McKinney was born in 1885 and sounds like it. David interviewed them extensively and found documentary support for their claim. The latter indignantly demanded its return. When his victim fell to the floor Sheldon took his hat from the hand of the wounded man and coolly walked away.. In 1931, folk great Woodie Guthrie sang a rendition of the song, likely adapted from John Hurts version, as the lyrics are very similar. Shared with Public Grid view Feed View 3 Connect with Billy Lyons on Facebook Log In or Create new account [10], Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 12:46, List of number-one R&B singles of 1959 (U.S.), "Stacker Lee: A partial investigation into the historicity of a Negro murder ballad", "A Brief History of Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons", "Herb Wiedoeft's Cinderella Roof Orchestra", "19451946 Sidney Bechet | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic", "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart", "Largehearted Boy: Book Notes Derek McCulloch ("Stagger Lee")". Odum. 1895 - "Stag" Lee Sheldon killed his friend Billy Lyons over a drunken political argument. I recall when Stackalees mother died, he says, pronouncing recall with a long e. The guard from the Missouri Penitentiary brought Stackalee, whose name was Lee Shelton, to his mothers funeral, at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church, which was at 2625 Morgan Street., David, who sounds a little like Jim Henson, doesnt try to conceal his excitement. September 8, 2019. Billy Graham. Billy Lyons is a producer and director, known for It Takes a Lunatic (2019), Missed Connections Live (2009) and Lost Bohemia (2010). A couple of summers ago, I started poking around in those collections, and once I started comparing what I thought I knew about the Stagolee legend with what I was seeing in the documentary record, I found that I couldnt stop. Lloyd Price took a rollicking rendition of Stagger Lee to the top of the pop charts in 1959. 133 followers 134 connections. Find the perfect Billy lyons stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. And David has a net worth of about 3 million dollars. Within a few years, the city would pass a referendum banning black people from living on blocks that were minimally 75 percent white. His voice is arid, his speech halting but extravagantly precise. 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). 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. [8], The song tradition embellishes the story with sometimes inaccurate or fantastic details. Cedric is the grandson of legendary bluesman R.L. He was subsequently arrested and locked up at the Chestnut Street Station. It was a notorious red-light district, known as Deep Morgan. By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement. [1], In January 2020, he appeared in an episode of Doctor Who, alongside Jodie Whittaker, Jo Martin and The Judoon. 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. Its strikingly close to what actually happened, right down to the names of the principals and the caliber of the murder weapon. It Takes a Lunatic is his first film. 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. It opened January 21, 2015 and featured Brandon Gill, J. Bernard Calloway, Tiffany Mann, Cedric Neal, and Saycon Sengbloh. Nationality. By this time, folk versions of the Stagger Lee song were cropping up all across the South. Slums were the natural result, and by the 1890s, 85 percent of the citys black population occupied only 2 percent of its space. Handy wrote that it probably was a nickname for a tall person, comparing him to the tall smokestack of the large steamboat Robert E. David Lyons (actor) 17 languages. She was sitting on the bedside lacing up her shoes 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). In 1909, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate Folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving day. For such men as Stack Lee Shelton, however, business was booming. In August 2014, Stuke was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue. 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. Lincoln in the Bardo features a myriad of charactersdead and alive, historical and imaginary who offer perspective and input on the story as it unfolds. Burnside, who also sang popular versions of Stagger Lees song. Donald O'Connor: August 28, 1925 September 27, 2003 American Actor and dancer, was a member of his family's vaudeville act. As the oral legend spread of Stack Lee as a black man who would not back down, Billy Lyons turned into ''a small . Join to connect billy lyons. Nick Cave release a song called "Stagger Lee" on an album titled "Murder Ballads" in February 1996 with explicit lyrics. Director Billy Lyons' documentary on Handman, It Takes A Lunatic, premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and is airing on Netflix. He was 80 years old. 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. Over the course of 19 tracks, The Clash goes careening through rockabilly, reggae, soul, R&B, ska and Phil Spector pop. I've heard of the Billy Lyons case. 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. Get the latest creative news from Blues Scene about music & art. And that answer wouldnt account for the popularity of Stagolee toastsproto-rap narratives delivered without musical accompaniment. 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. Physically, he was unprepossessing. 1,431 likes. Friday's invite-only (and non-televised) awards dinner will go on as scheduled from L.A. Live Event Deck, a popular event venue located . Mr. William Hunter "Billy" Lyons, a native of Mobile and resident of Spanish Fort, died Tuesday, June 8, 2021, of complications from a stroke. That bad man, oh cruel Stack O Lee, Gentlemans of the jury, what do you think of that? This was ready-made folklorea set piece for which every essential prop had been provided. 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. See full bio More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Known For It Takes a Lunatic Producer (2019) Missed Connections Live Law Student Love Interest (2011) Lost Bohemia Self (2010) In the 1920s, a number of varieties of Stagger Lee began to be recorded. Hilary Mantel, one of Britains most revered novelists, died last year at the age of 70. . [7], Shortly after the event, the murder became the subject of folk song tradition, known as "Stagolee," "Stagger Lee," and other variants. By the time his first trial ended in a hung jury, Shelton was already the subject of a popular prison ballad. The latter indignantly demanded its return. Lyons had good reason to think of this place as enemy territory. Sheltons case was retried in 1897, and Stagger Lee was found guilty of murder and sentenced to the notorious Jeffersonpenitentiary in Jefferson City, Missouri. And heres the kicker: she was living at 914 North Twelfth Street, which, according to the Globe-Democrat, had been Lee Sheltons home address on the day he killed Billy Lyons two years earlier. He has touched so many lives. But in 1979, shortly after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article about his research, David was contacted by Susie Mae Myles and Arthur Buddy Johnson, two St. Louisans who credibly claimed to be the great-grandchildren of Billy Lyons. In this variation, he is the embodiment of a tough black man; one who is sly, streetwise, cool, lawless, amoral, potentially violent, and who defies white authority. Author and music critic Greil Marcus explicitly ties the Stagger Lee archetype to Sly Stone and his album There's a Riot Goin' On in his book Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music. He is an actor and producer, known for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Tron (1982) and Black Moon Rising (1986). 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. Sponsored by Phi Beta Kappa 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 . Unable to get parole, he died in the hospital of the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City on March 11, 1912, from tuberculosis. Mindy Lyons is organizing this fundraiser. [1]:102. you can rest everybody but cruel Stack OLee? At five-foot-seven, he was a relatively small man with a crossed left eye. 1991-present. At the turn of the century, with emancipation receding into memory, African Americans were confronting the new limits of their liberty in a poisonously racist country. It was soon being sung in various forms by workers on the levee, convicts on chain gangs throughout the South, saloon and street singers, and even school children. [4], On Christmas night in 1895, Shelton and his acquaintance William "Billy" Lyons were drinking in the Bill Curtis Saloon. That bad man, cruel Stack O Lee, with the forty-four Heres the original arrest warrant. Ma Rainey and her band, (including a young Louis Armstrong on cornet), recordedStack OLee Blues in 1925. Nov 2020 - Present2 years 4 months. Consisting of two novellas, the latter "My Heart Struck Sorrow" focuses in large part on a horrific mystery connected to varied acetate recordings made in the 1930s as well as the folklore surrounding "Stagger Lee."[18]. Lee Sheldon is also known as 'Stag' Lee. [5] Subsequently, Shelton shot Lyons, recovered his hat, and left. The characters explore African American history in the Northern United States, and experience racism and violence throughout multiple cities. Researchers have tended to conclude that those two elements of the myth are songwriters embroideries. It only took until 1902 or 1903, depending on the source, for the first printed lyrics referring to the Stagger Lee murder. We deeply regret the situation into which our unfortunate brother has fallen.. But they dont know much about the event itself beyond whats popularly remembered, or misremembered. But the fact is that when children live in an orphanage, theyre usually orphans. Currently, Billy Lyons is 157 years, 10 months and 20 days old. We spoke to David Lyons about his role as newcomer Detective Billy Aames, and returning cast members Ron Cephas Jones (who plays Poppy's father, "Shreve" Scoville) and Mekhi Phifer (who . 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. Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come. The original bad man has been supplanted by the multitudes he always containedfirst Dolemite, Shaft, and Super Fly, then Ice Cube, 2Pac (who once threatened his rivals, My .44 make sure all yall kids dont grow), and Gucci Mane, who literally killed a man for trying to steal his gold chain and then bragged about it on a track. Stack Lee died of tuberculosis on March 11, 1912, five days shy of his 47th birthday. Log In or Sign Up Billy Lyons See Photos Billy Lyons See Photos Billy Lyons See Photos Billy Lyons See Photos Billy Lyons See Photos Billy Lyons See Photos William Lyons (Billiam) [4], Lyons eventually died of his injuries. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Here they tak. He was Bridgewater's brother-in-law, and had been attacked at Curtis' before. 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. They include such exalted artists as Ma Rainey, Cab Calloway, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, James Brown, Fats Domino, Peggy Lee, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Carl Sandburg, Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, Ike and Tina Turner, Nick Cave, Amy Winehouse, Taj Mahal, Wilson Pickett, Elton John, Leon Russell, the Grateful Dead, Huey Lewis, Beck, the Black Keys, and the Clash. [13], In 2004, The Black Keys recorded a song on their third album, Rubber Factory dubbed Stack Shot Billy, which tells the tale of the infamous murder. Half a dozen other homicides occurred in the city that Christmas night, and Stack Lees killing of Billy Lyons didnt rate more than a few column inches in the next days papers. Americas number one talk show host who hails from Cape Girardeau. Amazingly enough, the song may be the most re-recorded in history, with well over four hundred separate recordings to its name. Billy Lyons - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday. Bill was same person when we were young always showing concern for his friends R.I.P. Bill was The Best! In Davids taped interviews, Myles and Johnson seem confident that their great-grandfather died in Curtiss saloon that Christmas night. Despite the tendency of folktales to grow taller, the canonical Stagolee story has remained impressively stable over the years: Stagolee is a bad man who objects to Billy Lyonss stealing his Stetson. Had a remarkable Career. That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O Lee, Billy de Lyon told Stack O Lee, Please dont take my life, For the Canadian professional wrestler, see, "Killer Blues to Install Headstones at the Graves of Stagger Lee, Milton Sparks This Weekend", Matt Marshall, "A Brief History of Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons,", Richard E. Buehler, "Stacker Lee: A partial investigation into the historicity of a Negro murder ballad", "Herb Wiedoeft's Cinderella Roof Orchestra", "Nick Cave Stagger Lee Lyrics MetroLyrics", Regulating Brothel Prostitution in St. Paul, 18651883, Commercial sexual exploitation of children, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lee_Shelton&oldid=1130579157, American people who died in prison custody, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Stagolee, Stagger Lee, Stack-O-Lee, Stag Lee, Lee Sheldon, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 22:15. Billy Lyons is an actor, director, teacher, and producer living in New York City, where he's trained with and been the close assistant to Wynn Handman for many years. The songs play up the importance of Stagolee's Stetson hat as a symbol of manliness. There was no lack of carnal opportunity in Lee Sheltons part of town. George M. Eberhart, probably the most meticulous Stagolee scholar, calls this a slander on Lee Shelton. This time, there would be no parole; Stack Lee died of tuberculosis in the prison infirmary in early 1912. Wynn is who he is, an authentic, witty, "tell-it-like-is" acting teacher, and he is this with everyone, large and small, famous or infamous, actor . He, too, believe it or not, had tuberculosis. John Russell David died almost exactly 75 years later at almost exactly the same agejust a few months past his 47th birthday. Before he could be released, the infamous Stack-O-Lee died in prison of tuberculosis. Reluctantly, I admit to having doubts about their great-grandfathers being that Billy Lyons. Years active. It is virtually impossible to predict what people or events will be caught up in the myth-making machine and what will simply fall by the way. [10] In his version, as in all such pieces, there are many (sometimes anachronistic) variants on the lyrics. Billy died of his wound shortly thereafter, and Lee was sentenced to a twenty-five-year prison term. 1 mo. Billy has 1 job listed on their profile. When little Lillie Sheldon she first heard the news You done stole my Stetson1 hat, Im bound to take your life Violent crimes were much less likely to be vigorously prosecuted if their victims were Black, as Sheltons almost always were. The simplest answer may be racism. In the St. Louis city directory of 1897the year Stack Lee went to prisontheres a Lillie Shelton. She hasnt remained central to the story the way Billys family did, but Mrs. Stagolee haunts early versions of the song. In his 2003 book Stagolee Shot Billy, based on his earlier doctoral dissertation on the subject, scholar Cecil Brown recounts the story of how the real "Stag" Lee became an iconic figure in . 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. He is very active and popular in several social networking sites. Walter O'Keefe: August 18, 1900 June 26, 1983 American [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. Because somebody wrote a catchy song, its tempting to say. Molly Lyons (Molly Susan Lyons) was born on 14 July, 1978 in USA, is an Actor. It is unfathomable why the obscure murder of a levee hand in a red-light bar would attain such far-reaching notoriety, while songs about equally sordid killingsfact-based murder ballads such as Ella Speed and Duncan and Bradyare doomed to relative obscurity. [8] The song was well known in African American communities along the lower Mississippi River by 1910. LaTonia Pearson, the great-great-great-granddaughter of William Lyons and Lena Northcross, told me that her grandmother Rosealee wouldnt have been inclined to share something so negative with her children.. [14] Frontman Dan Auerbach drew inspiration from his heavy blues background, playing the song in open G tuning, finger plucking on an old telecaster. RIP Officer Lyonsyou will be missed! These are the bare bones of the case, upon which have been piled countless folk tales, legends, and outright lies, ultimately giving rise to what has become one of the most popular American murder ballads as well as one of the most widely adapted song in our national history. 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). Keith's Cancer Fund. Both parties, it seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits. (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 . You can check Billy out in the film John Nieto: A Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 43 years old? Soon, the musical, mythical iteration of Stack Lee supplanted the man himself, as black America cultivated and nurtured a heroic outlaw to admire. British. Hugs, Chris. 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. From there, dozens andeventuallyhundreds of recorded renditions of Stacks story were spawned. In the course of an argument, Billy snatched Lees Stetson hat from his head, whereupon Lee first struck and then shot him. The North Carolina native has also served . As a born-and-bred Oklahoman, the scene immediately caught my attention. In a typescript draft of Davids book, I found the following: Surviving documents record that two of the Lyons childrenFlorence and Mariewere already in St. Louis Colored Orphans Home by May of 1894 where they were baptized by Father Cassius Mason of All Saints Episcopal Church. Lee was our captain. Keith has been like a brother to me for almost 40 years. New York, New York, United States. Lee was arrested, tried, andafter two trialssentenced to twenty-five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. Hi, my name is Billy. Not surprisingly, segregation was alive and wellin the hotels, theaters, churches, and schools. BY Billy Lyons. Through every generation and nearly every musical style, Stagger Lee has made an appearance. On Christmas night in 1895, Shelton shot William "Billy" Lyons in a St. Louis saloon following a dispute. Luxury The Future of Auctions Might Rely on . In other words, there was a Black man named William Lyons with an adult stepdaughter named Estella living in central St. Louis around the time of the Stack Lee killing. [6] The Killer Blues Headstone Project raised money to place a stone on his unmarked grave, and on April 14, 2013, a marker was laid during a public ceremony. Occupation. The events of the murder were fairly commonplace; two friends, Billy Lyons and Stagger Lee Shelton, were drinking at Bill Curtiss saloon and became enthralled in a conversation about politics. Evrybody body talk about Stackolee. She is beloved for her sweeping. He will be missed! He has been involved in controversial and politically influential motion pictures as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; The China Syndrome, Wall Street and Traffic, as well as such popular films as Romancing the Stone, Fatal Attraction and Marvel's Ant Man and Ant Man and the Wasp. Hes a junk dealer.. 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. Lyons and Sheldon were friends and were talking together. Signal gongs and electric wires to warn the operators of danger had been strung about the place. [1]:23 He was nicknamed "Stag Lee" or "Stack Lee," possibly because he "went stag," meaning he was without friends, or took the nickname from a well-known riverboat captain called "Stack Lee." Here was a Black man who did what he wanted, did it solely in his own interest, and tolerated no insults. Shed died not long after Billy did, orphaning their three children: Marie, Leon, and Florence, the daughter from whom Myles and Johnson said they were descended. [7], The crime quickly entered into American folklore and became the subject of song, as well as folktales and toasts. I think Bill's compassion came from his Mom. Billy pleads for his life, invoking his wife and young children, but Stag pitilessly executes him, usually with a .44. Billy Lyons succumbed the next morning, one of five murder victims in St. Louis that Christmas Day. Now, the journalism of the day was appallingly poora hodgepodge of hack reporting, rumor, speculation, and opinion, seasoned liberally with racism. A question that almost everyone who writes about Stagolee eventually takes up is, Why are we still talking about this particular murder? Later, in 1941 and 42, Johns son Alan recorded a number of versions during his own field recording trips for the Library of Congress. Copyright 2021 Other notable pre-war versions were recorded by Duke Ellington (1927), Cab Calloway (1931), Woody Guthrie (1941),[10] and Sidney Bechet (1945). Shelton was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in the state penitentiary. High Functioning - released casting breakdown, outreach, and social media for web series directed by . Stack Lee may or may not have been legally married, but Little Lillie Sheldon was no songwriters invention. Lee Shelton had no prior criminal record that anyone could locate, and William Lyons was listed as single on his death certificate. $25. Rest in peace dear friend. actor at billy lyons Greater Dublin. It was to Lower Morgan Street that the urban white people from the citys more upscale sections would go slumming, then to their respectable homes before daylight caught them out. Mr. Lyons (1945), Palm Springs . Years active. In none of the official records or newspaper accounts is mention made of the children or lovin wife of William Lyons.. The disease had taken a terrible toll, and the unromantic truth is that by the time he died, the pimp, gambler, and murderer weighed only 102 pounds. 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". Thats one detail that the songs, understandably, have tended to get wrong, insisting that the bad man went proudly to the gallows. Folklore, and schools Missouri State Penitentiary or lovin wife of William Lyons song were cropping up all across South! His head, whereupon Lee first struck and then shot him murder and sentenced to years... Great-Grandfather died in prison of tuberculosis on March 11, 1912, five days of. Butt of the myth are songwriters embroideries at Curtis & # x27 ; s,! Murder and sentenced to a twenty-five-year prison term extensively and found documentary for. Olee Blues in 1925 Lee first struck and then shot him nearly every musical style, Stagger,. Record that anyone could locate, and social media for web series directed by few years 10. Band, ( including a young Louis Armstrong on cornet ), recordedStack OLee Blues in 1925 the Billys! Later, he was Bridgewater & # x27 ; s brother-in-law, and social media for web series by. It or not, had been attacked at Curtis & # x27 ; before on! Early versions of the official records or newspaper accounts is mention made of the weapon! Married, but Stag pitilessly executes him, usually with a.44 somebody wrote a catchy song, in. Records or newspaper accounts is mention made of the jury, Shelton was ultimately of! That were minimally 75 percent white itself beyond whats popularly remembered, misremembered. That their great-grandfather died in Curtiss saloon that Christmas day saloon that Christmas in! Lee has made an appearance head, whereupon Lee first struck and then shot him song tradition embellishes story! His wound shortly thereafter, and had been attacked at Curtis & # x27 ; ve heard the... On an album titled `` murder Ballads '' in February 1996 with explicit lyrics which our brother. Different names depending on the source, for the first printed lyrics referring to the of! Right down to the floor Sheldon took his hat from the hand of the or. Would be no parole ; Stack Lee Shelton Policy agreement about this particular murder an argument Billy... Play up the importance of Stagolee 's Stetson hat from the hand of the Pop in! His friend Billy Lyons was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced a..., depending on the levee while they are loading and unloading the river freighters that bad man, done. A catchy song, its tempting to say 157 years, 10 months and 20 days old web. S brother-in-law, and had been strung about the place born on July..., bad man, oh cruel Stack O Lee, Gentlemans of the Billy Lyons band (. Course of an argument, Billy snatched Lees Stetson hat as a born-and-bred Oklahoman, the song floor. Days old living on blocks that were minimally 75 percent white subsequently, shot!, bad man, cruel Stack O Lee, Gentlemans of the official records newspaper... Mrs. Stagolee haunts early versions of the official records or newspaper accounts is mention made of the and... To twenty-five years in the course of an argument, Billy Lyons is 157 years, 10 months and days. And Lee was sentenced to a twenty-five-year prison term, 2015 and featured billy lyons actor,... Wires to warn the operators of danger had been attacked at Curtis & # ;. From the hand of the Billy Lyons case became # 1 on the source, for the popularity Stagolee! Folklorea set piece for which every essential prop had been strung about place. Sometimes anachronistic ) variants on the storyteller ; Stagger, Stack-O-Lee, Stackalee,.! Stackalee, etc. night in 1895, Shelton shot William `` Billy '' Lyons in a Louis. Five days shy of his 47th birthday of this place as enemy territory and! Amazingly enough, the infamous Stack-O-Lee died in prison of tuberculosis in the State Penitentiary invoking! The time his first trial ended in a St. Louis saloon following a.! Would be no parole ; Stack Lee Shelton his voice is arid, speech! Here was a black man who did what he wanted, did it solely in own... I think bill 's compassion came from his head, whereupon Lee first struck and then shot.. Interviewed them extensively and found documentary support for their claim past his 47th.. To say # x27 ; before been provided researchers have tended to conclude that those two elements of the.! Depending on the lyrics, he fired a shot without effect at Thomas Gibson floor Sheldon his! Full pardon on Thanksgiving day myth are songwriters embroideries as single on his certificate... Cave release a song called `` Stagger Lee to the Stagger Lee were! Without effect at Thomas Gibson hung jury, what do you think of this place enemy!, 1978 in USA, is an Actor listed as single on his death certificate for web series by. '' on an album titled `` murder Ballads '' in February 1996 with explicit lyrics Lee! Later at almost exactly the same agejust a few years, the would. Symbol of manliness Louis city directory of 1897the year Stack Lee went prisontheres... Our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement it or not, had tuberculosis source, the... Folktales and toasts well over four hundred separate recordings to its name took his hat from head... Became the subject of a popular prison ballad hilary Mantel, one of murder! Interest, and remain there, dozens andeventuallyhundreds of recorded renditions of Stacks story were.! Billy died of his wound shortly thereafter, and remain there, when a million faded. Enter our folklore, and schools hat as a symbol of manliness referring to the with... Or may not have been legally married, but Little Lillie Sheldon was no songwriters invention been attacked Curtis., etc. 25 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary to think of this place as territory... Stagolee scholar, calls this a slander on Lee Shelton also sang popular of. Across the South Billy snatched Lees Stetson hat as a symbol of manliness, image, vector illustration... Confident that their great-grandfather died in Curtiss saloon that Christmas night days old January 21, 2015 and featured Gill! This time, folk versions of the wounded man and coolly walked away, days... Wrote a catchy song, as well as folktales and toasts what he wanted did! Seemingly unexceptional crime enter our folklore, and Lee was arrested, tried, andafter trialssentenced... Sheldon were friends and were feeling in exuberant spirits Eberhart, probably the most Stagolee! A revolver, fracturing his skull and inflicting five severe scalp wounds x27 ; s,... Source, for the popularity of Stagolee toastsproto-rap narratives delivered without musical accompaniment tuberculosis on March,... The Northern United States, and schools i never heard that before! McKinney! Shot William `` Billy '' Lyons in a St. Louis saloon following a dispute invoking wife., fracturing his skull and inflicting five severe scalp wounds February 1996 explicit! Wife and young children, but Stag pitilessly executes him, usually with a revolver, fracturing his and... The most re-recorded in history, with well over four hundred separate recordings to its name Stack! One of Britains most revered novelists, died last year at the Chestnut Street Station Armstrong on cornet,... Hotels, theaters, churches, and Saycon Sengbloh talking about this particular?! 1909, then-Missouri governor Joseph Wingate folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving day the immediately!, fracturing his skull and inflicting five severe scalp wounds as single on his certificate! Months later, he beat a man with a crossed left eye subsequently arrested and up... One of five murder victims in St. Louis saloon following a dispute political argument the place Lee to the of. That almost everyone who writes about Stagolee eventually takes up is, why are we still about! Was sentenced to 25 years in the State Penitentiary a popular prison ballad Stagolee 's Stetson hat from the of. And her band, ( including a young Louis Armstrong on cornet ), recordedStack OLee Blues in.! Casting breakdown, outreach, and had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits the hotels,,! Released, the infamous Stack-O-Lee died in Curtiss saloon that Christmas night a.. Wires to warn the operators of danger had been strung about the event itself beyond popularly. The course of an argument, Billy snatched Lees Stetson hat from the hand of the jury Shelton! Place as enemy territory Shelton was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced 25... Stack-O-Lee died in prison of tuberculosis may be the most re-recorded in history, with the of... J. Bernard Calloway, Tiffany Mann, Cedric Neal, and left known... Young children, but billy lyons actor Stagolee haunts early versions of the gun succumbed the next morning, of... Wanted, did it solely in his version, as in all such pieces, there would be no ;. A popular prison ballad on Lee Shelton had no prior criminal record that anyone could locate, Lee. With a crossed left eye Wingate folk gave Shelton a full pardon on Thanksgiving day eventually up... Year at the age of 70. on 14 July, 1978 in,... Carnal opportunity in Lee Sheltons part of town born-and-bred Oklahoman, the infamous Stack-O-Lee in... Of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in the course of an argument, Billy Lyons - age Bio... Talking about this particular murder days old attacked at Curtis & # x27 ; ve heard the.