Ragtime emerges as a new musical style. The Dallas Theater Center’s four-sentence description of Stagger Lee did just that. Both Stack O Lee by MJH and Stagger Lee by NC tell the story of a bad man with a hat and a gun. The story for Stagger Lee ‘the Mack” (Lee Shelton), also known as Stack Lee and Stack O’ Lee, is a true tale of a card game gone bad after an argument over a Stetson hat on a river boat in St. Louis Missouri in 1895. More than 100 years and as many songs later, authors Derek McCulloch and Shepherd Hendrix take an entertaining and bold look at that "Bad Man Behind The Myth & Song" in their new graphic novel, STAGGER LEE. Although no one can agree about the spelling of the song’s name – Stagolee, Stackalee, Stack-O-Lee, Skeeg-a-lee, Stackerlee and Stagger Lee are some of the variants – and despite the heavy fictionalization of Shelton’s murder of Lyons, the song remains a source of musical inspiration. Late 1800s. Sure, this isn’t much to go on, but the similarities to Small change are too close to deny. After recognizing this change, I began to wonder why the backup singers in Price's version seem to be urging Stagger Lee on to kill his opponent. "Stagger Lee", also known as "Stagolee" and other variants, is a popular American folk song about the murder of Billy Lyons by "Stag" Lee Shelton, in St. Louis, Missouri, at Christmas, 1895.The song was first published in 1911 and first recorded in 1923, by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians.A version by Lloyd Price reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. 1865. The Myth. On Christmas Night, 1895, in a St. Louis saloon, "Stag" Lee Shelton shot Billy Lyons during an argument over a Stetson Hat. All three versions of Stagger Lee mention a hat, a gun, and the general fear of the community. Stagger Lee" in Lewis's version, but they chant "Go! Stagger Lee, written by Meadows Prize winner Will Power, spans multiple generations and genres. The Stagger Lee myth refers to A) The romantic idea of a musician dying at a young age B) The cultural misunderstanding of blues songs C) A stereotype of sexually driven black men who view white women as conquests D) The belief that blues music evolved from folk music. Each character or set of characters was based off a myth from a song popular with the African-American culture at that time. It also puzzled me why Price had sung a song about the killing of a human being in such an exuberant manner. Stagger Lee" in Price's record. Early 1890s. With $100, John B. Stetson rents a small room, buys tools and $10 worth of fur. The John B. Stetson Hat Company is born. St. Louis is the Ragtime hothouse. A popular song of the south is "Bully of the Town." Over time, Stagger Lee's story evolved and became a part of turn of the century American folklore. Lee Shelton is born. 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