Semi=weekly graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1895-1902, 1895-11-06
THE ORIGIN OF DIME
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE
COMPOSING OF THE BEAUTIFUL
SOUTHERN SONG.
An Interview with Its Author and Conn
pose. Daniel d Emmett. who Is
In His s1st Year-A Hale
and SprIghtly Old
Man.

MAN.
Today a reporter of the GRAPHIC
was granted an interview By
Mr.. Daniel D. Emmett. the dis
tinqUished author and composer of
"Dixie,' a song that has been sung
in every State in this land of ours
since 1859 and although thirty-six
years have been rolled backward
in the shade OF the past, no other
song or tune as ever been able to
supplant it in popular favor, and at
this date when it's stirring melody
strikes the ear the hearts OF the
hearers are forced to respond with a
quickened pulsation that no other
american musical creation has ever
been able to produce.
Danniel D. Emmett was born in
Mt. Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, on
the 18th day Of October, 1915, conse-
quently he is in his S1st year; yet,
notwithstanding this fact. the
GRAPHIC reporter found him to be a
remarkably bright and Joyous old
man, possessing all of his faculties to
Il marked degree, and with a nature
as bouyant and happy us that of u
man with less than hall hisload OF
years.
It is a well known fact that Mr.
Emmett is OF Il retiring disposition
and ayerse to unnecessary notorfety.
He has lived on his farm at Mt.
Vernon for the last twelve years, aud
in all that period he never intlmated
by word or deed, to his relations or
most Intimate friends, that he was
a composer with Il national fame,
and, had not Mr.. Al. j. Fields ex-
posed this faet in the town when he
engaged Mr.. Emmett for his min
strels it would, perhaps, not been
know to this day that the old farm
er-looking man who daily walked
the streets of Vernon, was man OF
such national notoriety.
Mr.. Emmett tells the following cir
cumstances connected with his curly
life and how he came to compose
Dixie
In the spring of 1859 he was
engaged with Bryant's Minstrels,
472. New York His line OF business
was to compose the new songs,
negro "w alkrounds'' and act as
musician when called on. 1t was on
one Saturday evening after the per-
Torrance Mr.. Jerry Bryant overlook
him on his way home and requested
him to make a new walkround, -
one thnt would suit the s.boys" have
a lively air and q catchy chorus
Next day being Sunday and raining
hard all day and, not being able to
go out of the house, he sat down and
composed "Dixie" as it is now sung
throughout the Union, both North
and South.
"Dixie" was sung throughout the
North eighteen months before it was
ever heard South. After it had been
adopted by the Confederacy the.
North tabooed it, and as everyone
knew Mr.. Emmett, its author, to be
Il Northern man and sympy thizer Of
the Union, he was the only man al.
lowed to sing Dixie" in any city.
theater or concert hall north of
Mason and Dixons line.
Mr.. Emmett is now travelling with
Fields Mnstrels. and Dixie" win be
sung at the performance tonight.
The GRAPHIC reporter was indeed
proud to grasp the hand OF the
author of the song that has
ever since childhoods earliest
hours given him the greatest
pleasure, and the song that was,
and is. loved so dearly by all true
Southern people.