DESCRIPTION:
The first song recorded by the second troupe of the Kingston Trio (Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, and John Stewart replacing the recently departing Dave Guard) in 1961 was their semi-comedic take on this old American folk song.

"Jesse James" appeared in printed music and as a poem within months of the outlaw's 1882 murder by former James/Younger gang accomplice Robert Ford. The original lyric includes a last verse that attributes the song to a shadowy "Billy Gashade," of whom little is known and whose very existence has been questioned.

There are dozens of variants on the original song, including several slower, bluesier versions. The first record of the tune was in 1924 by country/roots music legend Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and today the song is most frequently performed by bluegrass bands. It has been covered scores of times, the most recent notable version being by Bruce Springsteen from his 2006 "Seeger Sessions" tour.

There are only about two dozen authenticated photos of James, several of which appear in the video.