He became known as “The Wayfaring Stranger.”Īs with many folk songs, the words are often changed. Ives used it as the title of his early 1940s CBS radio show and his 1948 autobiography. It became one of Burl Ives’s signature songs, included on his 1944 album The Wayfaring Stranger.
“The Wayfaring Stranger” (aka “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” or “I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger”), is a well-known British spiritual/folk song originating in the early 18th century about a plaintive soul on the journey through life. But he’s someone most Americans would recognize immediately as “a real guitar player.” I think he’s great. Maybe he’s sitting in San Quentin waiting for a train. I think he must be an old pro who’s played with everyone, but I can’t say for sure. His new YouTube channel is called FretKillrLives. He had over a hundred videos up on YouTube at one time and many of them were gems. He plays steel-string, 12-string, country, blues, oldies, Broadway, flat-picking, finger-picking, Scottish fiddle tunes and I don’t know what else. (And If I knew, I wouldn’t say, because it’s clear he wants to remain anonymous.) He never shows his face. His previous YouTube channel was removed by YouTube for copyright issues, I’m guessing.Īlthough I can make a guess, I don’t know for sure who Fretkillr is. Fret Killer, the All-American guitar player, is back.