The Coon Creek Girls were a popular all-girl "string band" in the Appalachi… Read Full Bio ↴The Coon Creek Girls were a popular all-girl "string band" in the Appalachian style of folk music (a precursor of country music) which began in the mid-1930s. Created (and named) by John Lair for his Renfro Valley Barn Dance show, the band originally consisted of sisters Lily May and Rosie Ledford (from Powell County, Kentucky) along with Esther "Violet" Koehler (from Indiana) and Evelyn "Daisey" Lange (from Ohio).

A fixture on the Renfro Valley Barn Dance for over fifteen years, the Coon Creek Girls developed into one of the best known all-women string bands in early Country music. Whereas many other women performers of the 1930’s tended toward sentimental or even cowboy songs (e.g. Patsy Montana, the Girls of the Golden West and the Three Little Maids), the Coon Creek Girls were distinctive, because they all played their own instruments, and because they used a repertoire of southern mountain tunes. When Eleanor Roosevelt asked them to play in Washington, D.C. for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939, she chose them knowing that they reflected an authentic mountain style filtered through their own remarkable talent. Though the personnel of the Coon Creek Girls varied over the years, the original cornerstone of the group was the remarkably talented, Lily May Ledford. She was born in a beautiful but remote section of Powell County in eastern Kentucky, called Big River Gorge. The seventh child of a family of ten boys and four girls, she grew up on a tenant farm, enriched by the string band music her own family made. By the time she was a teenager, she had joined her sister Rosie and brother Cayen in a band called the Red River Ramblers, which played for local square dances. Lily May learned both fiddle and banjo, picking up repertoire from her family, especially her brother Kelly. He had absorbed banjo tunes and styles while working in the mines of Pike County. In 1936, the Ramblers auditioned for one of the WLS talent scouts who routinely made the rounds in the upland South, and Lily May was chosen to come to Chicago and appear on the WLS Barn Dance. There she met entrepreneur announcer John Lair, who was fascinated with her and signed her to a five-year personal management contract. For a time, she was a featured soloist on the Barn Dance, and soon became so popular that Stand By!, the WLS magazine, even ran a comic strip about her. When Lair moved his cast to Cincinnati, and then to Renfro Valley, he decided to form an all-girl string band around Lily May, and the Coon Creek Girls were born. Originally, the quartet consisted of Lily May, her sister Rosie, and two new musicians from the Chicago area, "Daisy" Lange and "Violet" Koehler. By design, all the girls were given the stage names of flowers, and used as their theme tune, the old song, You’re a Flower Blooming in the Wildwood. They made their radio and live debut on October 9, 1937 in a show from the Cincinnati Music Hall. The girls were an immediate hit on the new Renfro Valley Barn Dance, and in 1938, they recorded what would become their only major label session, for Vocalion (ARC). They did traditional songs like Little Birdie and Pretty Polly and uptempo efforts like Banjo Pickin’ Girl and Sowing On The Mountain. However, their real success was on radio, not records, and in touring with Lair’s troupes, as they moved around the South and Midwest. The band even turned down an offer from the Grand Ole Opry, because they could make far more money with Lair. By 1939, though, the original quartet split up, with Koehler and Lange leaving for other work with the Callahan Brothers’ Blue Ridge Mountain Folk in Dallas. A third Ledford sister, Minnie, replaced them, under the name "Black Eyed Susan." This trio, or one with other performers from Renfro Valley, occasionally replacing one of the members, continued on at Renfro Valley. By
1957, the Coon Creek Girls disbanded to riase their families, doing occasional recordings for the local Redbird label, and for Capitol. Lily May Ledford pursued a solo career in later years, recording under her own name for Voyager and with a "comeback" band for County. She wrote a delightful autobiography, Coon Creek Girl in 1980 and passed away in 1985. Her son, J.P. Pennington is a popular songwriter who helped to found the Pop-Country group, Exile. Violet played for a while on the Boone County Jamboree, and eventually married one of Lily May’s brothers and settled in Berea, Kentucky. Daisy married and settled in Indiana, retiring from music, but often playing at fiddling contests. A modern Bluegrass band, the New Coon Creek Girls was formed in the 1980’s and appeared on records and at numerous festivals.

Pretty Polly
Coon Creek Girls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh I used to be a rounder, I've been around this town,
Oh I used to be a rounder, been around this town,
I courted Miss Polly I've been all around.
Oh where is Pretty Polly, oh yonder she stands
Oh where is Pretty Polly, oh yonder she stands
Gold rings on her fingers and her lily-white hands.

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, come go along with me,

Oh Polly Pretty Polly, come go along with me,
Before we get married, some pleasure to see."

Oh I led her over hills to valleys so deep,
I led her over hills to the valley so deep
And then Pretty Polly she began to weep.

Oh Willie, oh Willie, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
Oh Willie, oh Willie, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
I'm afraid you are going to lead me astray.

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
I dug on your grave the best part of last night.
Oh Willie, oh Willie please spare me my life,
Oh Willie, oh Willie please spare me my life,
So deep into my busom he plunged that fatal knife.

She fell to the ground and her blood it did flow,
She fell to the ground and her blood it did flow,
And into the grave Prettty Polly did go.

Oh I the dirt around her and turned to go home

Oh I the dirt around her and turned to go home
And left Pretty Polly with the birds for to mourn.

Overall Meaning

The Coon Creek Girls' song "Pretty Polly" is a traditional murder ballad that tells a haunting story of a woman named Polly who is courted by the singer, Willie. The lyrics convey a sense of foreboding and danger throughout the song. Willie's intentions appear sinister from the start, and the listener is left with a sense of dread as the story progresses. Willie takes Polly to remote locations, and she finds herself getting increasingly uneasy. She starts to suspect that Willie may have dark intentions, and her fears turn out to be justified as he admits to digging her grave and murders her. The song is grim and chilling, but also poignant in its portrayal of Polly's innocence and trust in a man who ultimately betrays her.

The Coon Creek Girls' "Pretty Polly" is just one of many versions of this classic folk ballad. The song has been covered by countless artists over the years and has become a staple of traditional folk music. The origins of "Pretty Polly" are murky, and the song likely evolved over time through oral storytelling and musical interpretation. Despite its macabre subject matter, the song has endured as a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring quality of traditional folk music.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh I used to be a rounder, I've been around this town,
I have a reputation for being a party animal and having been all around town.

I courted Miss Polly I've been all around.
I've been around chasing after Miss Polly and my reputation precedes me.

Oh where is Pretty Polly, oh yonder she stands
Where is Miss Polly? Oh, there she is in that direction.

Gold rings on her fingers and her lily-white hands.
Miss Polly has gold rings on her fingers and her hands are very fair.

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, come go along with me,
Miss Polly, would you like to come with me on a journey?

Before we get married, some pleasure to see.
Before we tie the knot, let's have some fun.

Oh I led her over hills to valleys so deep,
I took Miss Polly on a romantic journey through the hills and deep valleys.

And then Pretty Polly she began to weep.
Miss Polly started to cry.

Oh Willie, oh Willie, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
Willie, I'm afraid that you might lead me astray.

I'm afraid you are going to lead me astray.
I fear that you might lead me down the wrong path.

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
Miss Polly, you are correct in your assumptions.

I dug on your grave the best part of last night.
Last night, I dug your grave.

Oh Willie, oh Willie please spare me my life,
Please don't kill me, Willie.

So deep into my busom he plunged that fatal knife.
Willie stabbed me so deep in my chest that it was fatal.

She fell to the ground and her blood it did flow,
Miss Polly fell to the ground and blood was flowing from her.

And into the grave Prettty Polly did go.
Miss Polly was buried in the grave.

Oh I the dirt around her and turned to go home
I shoveled dirt around the grave and left Miss Polly there.

And left Pretty Polly with the birds for to mourn.
I left Miss Polly with the birds who lamented her passing.

Writer(s): R. Stanley

Contributed by Hannah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@sebastianespinel2652

1y↑7

Oh, I used to be a rounder, I've been around this town
I used to be a rounder, been around this town
I've courted Pretty Polly, I've been all around

Oh, where is Pretty Polly, oh, yonder she stands
Oh, where is Pretty Polly, oh, yonder she stands
Gold diamonds on her fingers and her little white hands

Oh, Polly, Pretty Polly, come go along with me
Oh, Polly, Pretty Polly, come go along with me
Before we get married, no more pleasure can we keep(?)

Oh, I led her over hills and valleys so deep
I led her over hills and valleys so deep
And then Pretty Polly, she begin to weep

Oh, Willie, oh Willie, I'm 'fraid of your way
Oh, Willie, oh Willie, I'm 'fraid of your way
I'm afraid you are going for to lead me astray

Oh, Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
Oh, Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right
I dug on your grave the biggest part of last night

Oh, Willie, oh Willie please spare me my life
Oh, Willie, oh Willie please spare me my life
So deep into her bosom, he plunged that fatal knife

Oh, she fell to the ground and the blood it did flow
Oh, she fell to the ground and the blood it did flow
And into her grave, Pretty Polly did go

Oh, I threw the dirt around her and turned to go home
Oh, I threw dirt around her and turned to go home
And left Pretty Polly with the birds to weep and mourn

All comments from YouTube:

@karenkish4222

"Daisy," Evelyn Lange, at right playing stand up bass was my mother in law. She was talented in so many ways. I just loved her. 💕🎻🎶 Fiddle was her primary instrument.

@sebastianespinel2652

1y↑7

@ethanstepney3156

1y↑8

This song is believed to originally date from the early 18th century!

@AlanCanon2222

1y↑3

First all-girl string band on radio (WLS National Barn Dance). From the Red River Gorge area of Eastern Kentucky. Performed for FDR and King George VI at the White House.