Pearl Bryan

In February of 1896, a little boy discovered a woman's headless
body in a farmer's field in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. No one knew who
she was, or what had happened. Newspapers carried headlines like
"Hunt for the Head" and "Headless Horror." Quickly, the crime scene
became a tourist attraction and visitors traveled from all over to
collect bloody souvenirs. The gruesome details were adapted into a
popular song that's been recorded dozens of times. We talk
with folklorist Sarah Bryan about the true story behind the murder
ballad, and the band Elephant Micah performs an original
arrangement. Download Elephant Micah’s “Pearl Bryan” on
iTunes or Bandcamp. Read their guide, “How to Bring a Murder
Ballad Back to Life” here. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.
Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts:
iTunes.com/CriminalShow. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads
a Mystery. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online
shop.  Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn
more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices