The Reverend Mr. Black

"The Reverend Mr. Black" (also, "The Lonesome Valley") is a 1963 song by Billy Edd Wheeler, Mike Stoller, and Jerry Leiber.^[1]

"The Reverend Mr. Black"
Single by The Kingston Trio
from the album The Kingston Trio No. 16
B-side	"One More Round"
Released	1963
Genre	Folk
Length	4:43
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Billy Edd Wheeler Jerry Leiber Mike Stoller
The Kingston Trio singles chronology
"Greenback Dollar" (1963) "The Reverend Mr. Black" (1963) "Desert Pete" (1963)

Background

The chorus came from the 1931 folk song, "The Lonesome Valley," recorded by the Carter Family.

Kingston Trio recording

• "The Reverend Mr. Black" was recorded and released by The Kingston Trio in 1963 for their album The Kingston Trio No. 16 and became a top-ten hit for them on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number eight.^[2] On the Hot R&B Singles chart, it went to number fifteen.^[3]

Other recordings

• In 1963, Bill Anderson included it on Still.^[4]
• Bobby Darin also included the song on 18 Yellow Roses.^[5]
• Johnny Cash covered the song in 1981 for his album The Baron.^[6]
• The Fairfield Four recorded a version for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?^[7]