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Orange Blossom Special
Composer: Ervin Rouse / Chubby Wise / Jack Rouse

Orange Blossom Special was performed by Old & In The Way in 1973. It was also performed by a group that included Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Leon Russell, Mary Egan and Doug Sahm on November 23, 1972 and it was performed by the Good Old Boys in February 1975 with Jerry Garcia sitting in on banjo.

Orange Blossom Special was performed by Bob Weir and Wolf Bros with guest John McEuen.

There is often disagreement as to who wrote this song. The probable origin is as follows. It was written as an instrumental in the mid 30's by two fiddlers, Ervin Rouse and Chubby Wise (real name Robert Russell). Rouse and his brother Jack later added the lyrics. Wise gave his interest in the song to the Rouses who then copyrighted it. Therefore writing credits are now usually just Ervin Rouse or both Rouse brothers.

It became a key tune in early Bill Monroe shows played by Tommy Magness, who also sometimes is given writing credits on recordings.

The Orange Blossom Special was a locomotive that ran down the East Coast to Florida in the early 1900s. A documentary about the song, The Special: The Story Of An American Anthem, was released in 2005.



Jerry Garcia

info That High Lonesome Sound, 1996
info Acoustic Disc 100% Handmade Bluegrass, Various Artists, 2004
info 10/8/73 The Boarding House, San Francisco, Old & In The Way, 2008
info Live At The Boarding House: The Complete Shows, Old & In The Way, 2013
info Good Old Boys Live: Drink Up And Go Home, Good Old Boys, 2018

Other recordings

This list is not intended to be comprehensive.

no info Rouse Brothers, 1939
no info Single, Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, 1942
no info Single, Rouse Brothers, 1953
no info Single, Tommy Jackson, 1953
no info Single, Stanley Brothers, 1955
no info Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Bob Wills, 1957
no info Single, Gordon Terry, 1957
info Country Pickin' And Singin', Stanley Brothers, 1958
no info Single, Buddy Durham, 1958
no info EP, Buddy Durham, 1958
no info Guitar for All Seasons, Chet Atkins, 1958
info Square Dance Festival, Vol. 2, Tommy Jackson, 1960
no info Steel Guitar, Speedy West, 1960
no info Man and His Guitar, Chet Atkins, 1961
no info At the Golden Nugget, Hank Thompson, 1961
info Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe, 1962
no info Folk & Bluegrass Favorites, Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers, 1962
no info The Country Music Hall of Fame: The Greatest Collection of Country Hits Ever Assembled in One Album, Various Artists (Rainbow Ranch Boys), 1962
info Wonderful World Of Bluegrass Music, Bill Harrell & the Virginians, 1963
info On The Bandstand, Buck Owens, 1963
info Way Out West With, Alex Campbell, 1963
no info Single, Elvin Rooks and the Blue Grass Ramblers, 1963
info Kroger Country Music Festival, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1964
no info Old Time Fiddling at Union Grove. The 38th Annual Old-Time Fiddle Contest, Various Artists (Larry Campbell and the Country Playboys, 1964
no info Orange Blossom Special, Johnny Cash, 1965
info The Instrumental Hits of Buck Owens & His Buckaroos, 1965
info Blues And Bluegrass, The Dixie Gentlemen with Tut Taylor, 1966
no info Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, Johnny Cash, 1967
info Bluegrass Holiday, J.D.Crowe & the Kentucky Mountain Boys, 1968
info All-Time Great Country Instrumentals, Jim & Jesse, 1968
no info At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash, 1968
no info Curly Ray Cline and His Lonesome Pine Fiddle, Curly Ray Cline, 1969
info Bluegrass Alliance, Bluegrass Alliance, 1969
no info Bluegrass & Orange Blossoms, Orange Blossom Sound, 1969
no info Real McCoy, Charlie McCoy, 1969
no info Best of the Country Fiddlers, Various Artists (Al Cherny), 196?
no info Country Express, Country Gentlemen, 196?
no info Old Time Fiddle Tunes,: Curley Herdman, 196?
info Seatrain, Seatrain, 1970
info White Lightnin' Fresh Air, Ramsey and Ray, 1970
info Country Moog: Switched on Nashville, Gil Trythall, 1970
info Medicine Ball Caravan, Various Artists (Doug Kershaw), 1971
no info Play the Hits. The Buckaroos, 1971
info Blue Grass Breakdown, Living Guitars, 1971
no info Starportrait, Johnny Cash, 1972
no info Roy Clark Live!, Roy Clark, 1972
no info Single, Virgil Ross, Curt Gibson and the Mountaineer Ramblers, 1972
no info Last of the Red Hot Burritos, Flying Burrito Brothers, 1972
no info Greatest Hits, Charlie McCoy, 1972
info Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1972
info Sunday Morning Coming Down, 1972
info Starportrait, 1972
info Bean Blossom, Bill Monroe, 1973
no info Carl Jackson / Banjo Player, Carl Jackson, 1973
no info 38th Annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, 1973, Various Artists (New Virginia Grass), 1973
no info World of Flatt and Scruggs, Flatt and Scruggs, 1973
info Lester Flatt Live! Bluegrass Festival, Lester Flatt, 1974
no info Night the Lights Went On, In Long Beach), Electric Light Orchestra, 1974
no info Single (Orange Blossom Special / Won't You Let Me Be Your Friend), L. B. Siler & The Round Mountain Boys, 1974
no info Union Grove 50. Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Various Artists (Buddy Pendleton), 1974
info Country Bouquet, Percy Faith, 1974
no info Riding the Rails, Johnny Cash, 1975
no info Fire on the Mountain, Charlie Daniels, 1975
info Steel Guitar, Buddy Emmons, 1975
no info Spotnicks, Spotnicks, 1975
no info Rock Father, Papa John Creach, 1976
info Superbow, Vassar Clements, 1976
no info At Folsom Prison and San Quentin, Johnny Cash, 1976
no info Smokey and the Bandit Soundtrack, Various Artists, 1977
no info Very Best of the Spotnicks, Spotnicks, 1977
no info Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys, 1977
no info Fancy Pickin' and Plain Singing, John Burke, 1977
info It'll Tickle Your Innards, Dr. Corn's Bluegrass Remedy, 1977
no info Pickin' and Singin', Barrier Brothers, 1977
info Thirty Years Of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1977
no info 20 Foot Tappin' Greats, Johnny Cash, 1978
no info 30 Fiddlers Greatest Hits, Scotty Stoneman, 1978
info Everhart, Bob Everhart, 1978
no info Keep on Pickin', Chris Duffy and Friends, 1979
no info Farewell, Farewell, Fairport Convention, 1979
info Jumping The Tracks, The Tinhorn Express, 1979
info Live in Telluride 1979, Vassar Clements, 1979?
no info Rainbow of Fiddle Tunes, Lee Stoneking, 197?
no info Dobro and Fiddle, Billy Baker, 197?
no info Chubby Wise and his Fiddle, Chubby Wise, 197?
no info Early Days of Bluegrass, Vol. 3, Various Artists (Jerry and Sky), 197?
no info Blue Grass Banjos - Flaming Banjos, Wild Oats, 197?
info Bean Blossom '79, Bill Monroe, 1980
no info Riding High, Dick Solberg, 1981
no info Free Man, Johnny Cash, 1981
info Live!, Hoyt Axton, 1981
no info The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music, Various Artists (Rouse Brothers), 1981
info Greatest Hits, Charlie McCoy, 1982
no info Man of Steel, Hank Williams Jr., 1983
info Westport Drive, Vassar Clements, 1984
info Stanley Series, Vol. 2 #1, Stanley Brothers, 1984
no info On Radio, Vol. 1, Stanley Brothers, 1984
info Berkshire Mountains Bluegrass Festival, Various Artists (Charlie McCoy), 1985
no info Live at the Bluegrass Festival, Lester Flatt, 1986
info Off The Beaten Track, Deliverance, 1986
info Flat Pickin' Favorites, Glenda Faye, 1987
info Stanley Series, Vol. 3 #1, Stanley Brothers, 1987
no info King Of Western Swing/Wills And His Texas Playboys, Bob Wills, 1987
no info Nashville Harmonica - 12 Favorites, Nashville Harmonica, 1987
no info Columbia Records 1958-1986, Johnny Cash, 1987
no info Country Radio Songs, Old-Time Radio Gang, 1988
no info On WCYB Farm and Fun Time, Stanley Brothers, 1988
no info American Hammered Dulcimer, Vol. 2., Various Artists (Wes Linenkugel Quartet), 1988
no info At the Old Schoolhouse, Johnson Mountain Boys, 1989
no info Bill Monroe at His Best, Bill Monroe, 1989
no info World's Greatest Bluegrass, Various Artists (Joe Maphis), 1989
no info Happy Trails, Erich Kunzel, 1989
no info Elmer's Greatest Licks, Elmer Bird, 198?
info Stanley Series, Vol. 3, No. 3, Stanley Brothers, 1990
no info All Time Hits, Exotic Guitars, 1990
no info At Folsom Prison/At San Quentin, Johnny Cash, 1990
no info Thesaurus Transcriptions, Hank Snow, 1991
info The New Nashville Cats, Mark O'Connor, 1991
info On The Radio, Stanley Brothers, 1991
no info Hillbilly Fever, Osborne Brothers, 1991
info The Fiddle According To Vassar, Vassar Clements, 1991 (video)
no info World's Greatest Bluegrass Pickers, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman and The Stonemans), 1991
no info 200 Years: American Heritage in Song, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1991
info 1964-1969, Plus, Flatt & Scruggs, 1992
no info 50 Years of Bluegrass Hits, Vol. 4, Various Artists (Joe Maphis and Rose Lee) , 1992
no info Orange Blossom Special - 16 Instumentals, Various Artists (Osborne Brothers), 1992
info Bluegrass Breakdown, Various Artists (Stanley Brothers), 1992
no info Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983, Johnny Cash, 1992
info Once Upon A Time, Marty Stuart, 1992
info Sin City, Flying Burrito Brothers, 1992
no info Best of Branson, U.S.A., Vol. 2, Various Artists (Roy Clark), 1992
info Beat It, Blow It, Strum It, Hum It, Sunshine Skiffle Band, 1992
no info Live at Gilley's, Jimmy Sturr, 1992
no info At His Best, Charlie Daniels, 1992
no info 50 Years of Bluegrass Hits, Various Artists (Joe Maphis and Rose Lee), 1992
no info 20 Bluegrass Originals, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 1992
no info Giant Hits, Johnny Cash, 1992
no info The Stanley Brothers, 1953-1958 and 1959, Staley Brothers, 1993
no info Return of the Hellecasters, Hellecasters, 1993
info Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys, 1994
info Bluegrass And More, Jim & Jesse, 1994
no info At KWKH, Johnnie and Jack, 1994
no info Fiedler and Friends, Arthur Fiedler, 1994
info Clinch Mountain Bluegrass, Stanley Brothers, 1994
no info Polka Your Troubles Away, Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, 1994
no info World of Guitars, Buddy Merrill, 1994
no info Greatest Country Dance Record Ever, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Mark O'Connor), 1994
info Muleskinner Live: The Video, Muleskinner, 1994?
no info Blazing a New Trail, George Thacker, 1995
info The Greene Fiddler, Richard Greene, 1995
info Bluegrass 1970-1979, Bill Monroe, 1995
no info Great American Train Songs, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1995
no info Melody of Love - The Best of Billy Vaughn, Billy Vaughn, 1995
no info Man In Black 1963-69, Johnny Cash, 1995
info Bluegrass 1970-1979, Bill Monroe, 1995
no info Carolina Fiddlers - Country Fiddles, Various Artists (Debra Deese), 1995
no info Best of Delta Records, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke), 1995
no info All American Bluegrass, Various Artists (Ralph Meadows), 1995
info Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics, Various Artists (Stanley Brothers), 1995
info That's Bluegrass!: CMH Records 20th Anniversary Collection, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman and The Stonemans), 1995
no info Here's Johnny, Paycheck/Cash/Horton, Johnny Cash), 1995
info Hillbilly Fever, Vol. 5 - Legends Of Country Rock, Various Artists (Seatrain), 1995
no info Live at Town Hall 1958-1961, Joe Maphis, 1996
info The Man in Black: 1963-1969, Johnny Cash, 1996
no info Tennessee Mountain Bluegrass Favorites, Various Artists (Lester Flatt And Nashville Grass), 1996
info Hats Off! A Tribute to Bill Monroe, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1996
no info Happy Melodies, Magic Organ, 1996
no info Live, Lorie Line, 1996
no info Snoopy's Country Classiks on Toys, Various Artists 1996
no info Roots Remain, Charlie Daniels, 1996
no info American Jukebox Country Classics, Vol. 4: Kickin' Country, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 1996
info Bluegrass Masters, Various Artists (Flatt and Scruggs), 1996
info Stanley Series, Vol. 4 #1, Live, 1956, Stanley Brothers, 1996
info One Night In A Month Of Sundays, The Riverbluff Clan, 1996
info Heroes of Country Music, Vol. 5: Legends of Country Rock, Various Artists (Seatrain), 1996
no info Country Stars, Various Artists (Carl Jackson), 1997
no info Live Again! WCYB Farm and Fun, Various Artists (Stanley Brothers), 1997
info Live in Japan, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1997
no info Fast Cars and Southern Stars, Various Artists (Flying Burrito Brothers), 1997
no info Fire on the Mountain/Million Mile Reflections and Full, Charlie Daniels, 1997
info Dusty Boxcar Wall, Art Stevenson & High Water, 1997
no info Rebel, Johnny Cash, 1997
no info Encore, Encore, Fairport Convention, 1997
no info Return Of The Hellecasters, Hellecasters, 1997
no info Little Zane, Raymond Fairchild, 1997
info Steel Rails, Classic Railroad Songs: Roots of Americana, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Johnson Mountain Boys), 1997
info The Sensational Sounds of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Stoneman Family), 1997
no info 31 Banjo Favorites, Raymond Fairchild, 1997
no info Essential Bill Monroe and Monroe Brothers, Bill Monroe, 1997
no info Wood That Sings, Various Artists (Lawrence Houle), 1997
no info Lord I'm Coming Home, Jimmy Martin and Sunny Mountain Boys, 1997
no info Tribute to Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, 1997
info The Great American Fiddle Collection, Various Artists (Osborne Brothers), 1997
no info Fiddle Fire: 25 Years of the Charlie Daniels, Charlie Daniels, 1998
info Flash Flood, Tut Taylor, 1998
no info Fiddles That Destroyed the World, Various Artists (Steve Thomas/Osborne Brothers), 1998
info Kerrville Folk Festival: Early Years 1972-1981, Various Artists (Dickey Barrett), 1998
info Muleskinner Live: Original Television, Muleskinner, 1998
info Seatrain / The Marblehead Messenger, Seatrain, 1999
info Bottom Line Encore Collection, Vassar Clements, 1999
info Flatt On Victor Plus More, Lester Flatt, 1999
info Bicentennial Burritos, Flying Burrito Brothers, 1999
info Classic Country: 1960-1964, Various Artists (Roy Hall & His Blue Ridge Boys), 1999
info Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century, Various Artists (Roy Hall & His Blue Ridge Boys), 1999
no info 40 Years of Concert Performances, New Lost City Ramblers, 199?
no info Neck of the Wood, Jerry Donahue, 19??
no info This Is Your Land, Various Artists (Johnny Cash), 19??
no info Live at Austin City Limits, Nashville Super Pickers, 19??
no info Old Time Fiddle Hits, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Wayne King), 19??
no info Classic Country! The Fantastic Fiddles of F.S., Felix Slatkin, 19??
no info Rural Electric, Killer Hayseeds, 19??
no info Bluegrass Expedition, 19??
no info Single, Benny Martin and Rudy Lyle, 19??
no info Single, Bill and Oscar and the Bluegrass Trio, 19??
no info Single, David Allen and the Tyger River Boys, 19??
no info Single, Dixie Ryders, 19??
no info Single, Cager Farler and the Southern Mountain Boys
no info Single, L. B. Siler and the Round Mountain, 19??
no info Single, Sonny Collins and the Stone Mountain Boys, 19??
no info Best of Bluegrass, Arizone Smoke Revue, 19??
no info At Silver Dollar City, Rodney Dillard, 19??
no info Charlie McCoy 13th, Charlie McCoy, 19??
no info Single, Feick Family, 19??
no info Single, Turkey Pluckers, 19??
no info EP, Crystal Creek, 19??
no info EP, McPeak Brothers, 19??
no info Railroad In Folksong, Various Artists (Rouse Brothers), 19??
no info American Roots: A History of American Folk Music, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2000
info The Country-Rockin' Trust Presents: Mystery Train, Various Artists (Seatrain), 2000
info Kentucky Home, Tim Lake, 2000
info Encore/Encore, Fairport Convention, 2000
info Time-Life's Treasury of Bluegrass (30 tracks), Various Artists (Johnson Mountain Boys), 2000
no info Red, White and Bluegrass: An American Celebration, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2001
info Newport Folk Festival: Best of Bluegrass 1959-1966, Various Artists (Hylo Brown), 2001
info 40 Years of Concert Performances, New Lost City Ramblers, 2001
info Live At The Smithsonian, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 2001
no info Live at the Laurel, The Dismembered Tennesseans, 2001
info The Definitive Bluegrass Collection, Various Artists (Stonemans), 2001
info Gather at the River, Various Artists (Doc Watson), 2001
info Bluegrass Bonanza, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2001
info Bluegrass Bonanza: The Monroe Legacy 1936-45, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2001
info Broadway Bouquet / Country Bouquet, Percy Faith, 2001
info Fiddler's Hall of Fame, Various Artists (Osborne Brothers), 2001
info Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-1949, Bill Monroe, 2002
info Live at Vanderbilt, Lester Flatt & Bill Monroe, 2002
info The Essential Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash, 2002
info American Roots: The Essential Album, Various Artists (Charlie Daniels Band), 2002
info On the Road: April 9, 2002 Tulsa, OK, String Cheese Incident, 2002
info On The Road: April 18, 2002, Nashville, TN, String Cheese Incident, 2002
info On The Road: June 27, 2002, Little Rock, AR, String Cheese Incident, 2002
info On the Road: July 21, 2002 Lowell, MA, String Cheese Incident, 2002
info Time-Life's Treasury of Bluegrass (24 tracks), Various Artists (Johnson Mountain Boys), 2002
info True Bluegrass, Various Artists (Blaine Sprouse), 2002
info Thirty Essential Bluegrass Hits, Various Artists (Benny Martin), 2003
info A Concert Behind Behind Prison Walls, Johnny Cash & Guests, 2003
info Live In L.A., Scotty Stoneman with The Kentucky Colonels, 2003
info All the Classic Releases 1937-1949, Bill Monroe, 2003
info The Complete Mercury Recordings, The Stanley Brothers, 2003
info On the Road: October 17, 2002 Vancouver, BC, String Cheese Incident, 2003
info On The Road: October 31, 2002, Los Angeles, CA, String Cheese Incident, 2003
info The Best of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2003
info Smokey Mountain Bluegrass: 24 Traditional Favorites, Various Artists (Raymond Fairchild), 2003
info Will The Circle Be Unbroken, The Trilogy, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 2003
info Can't You Hear Me Callin': Bluegrass: 80 Years of American Music, Various Artists (Roy Hall And His Blue Ridge Boys), 2004
info Country Bouquet / Disco Party, Percy Faith, 2004
info Merlefest Live! The Best of 2003, Various Artists (Vassar's Jam), 2004
info Bluegrass Early Cuts 1931-1953: Classic Recordings Remastered, Various Artists (Rouse Brothers), 2004
info When the Sun Goes Down, Vol. 10: East Virginia Blues, Various Artists (Rouse Brothers), 2004
info 20 Best of Bluegrass, Various Artists (Joe Maphis), 2004
info On the Road, Monroe Crossing, 2004
info Far Across the Blue Water, Bill Monroe, 2004
info An Evening Long Ago: Live 1956, The Stanley Brothers, 2004
info Pure Pickin': Classic Bluegrass Instrumentals, Various Artists (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), 2004
info The Legend, Johnny Cash, 2005
info Faded Love 1947-1973, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, 2005
info Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest (DVD), New Lost City Ramblers/Greenbriar Boys, 2005
info On The Road: Archive Series: Mt. Shasta, CA, August 7, 2001, String Cheese Incident, 2006
info San Francisco: 1968, Vern & Ray, 2006
info True Bluegrass Essentials, Various Artists (James Price), 2006
info The Definitive Collection 1947-1966, The Stanley Brothers, 2007
info Classic Bluegrass Collection, Vols. 1-4, Various Artists (Stonemans), 2007
info I'm Old Kentucky Bound, Charlie Monroe, 2007
no info Live in Scandinavia, Buck Owens, 2007
info On The Road: March 24, 2007, Denver, CO, String Cheese Incident, 2007
info True Bluegrass Instrumentals, Various Artists (Stanley Brothers), 2007
info The Essential Guide To Bluegrass, Various Artists (Rouse Brothers), 2007
no info Yarn Sessions, Tobasco Donkeys, 2008
info The Roots of the Allman Brothers, Various Artists (Bill Monroe), 2008
info Act Naturally: The Buck Owens Recordings 1953-1964, ,Buck Owens, 2008
info Hag: The Capitol Recordings 1968-1976: Concepts, Live & the Strangers, Merle Haggard, 2008
info New Hillbilly Jazz, Vassar Clements, 2008? (bonus track)
info Trick or Treat Box Set, String Cheese Incident, 2009
info On The Road: August 1, 2010, North Plains, OR, String Cheese Incident, 2010
info Rhythm of the Road: Vol 1: Incident In Atlanta 11/17/00, String Cheese Incident, 2010
info On The Road: June 29, 2012, Rothbury, MI, String Cheese Incident, 2012
info On The Road: July 13, 2013, Louisville, KY, String Cheese Incident, 2013
info On The Road: Nov 10, 2014, Ithaca, NY, String Cheese Incident, 2014
info On The Road: Jan 21, 2015, Boise, ID, String Cheese Incident, 2015
info The Yarn Sessions, The Tobasco Donkeys, 2021
info At The Carousel Ballroom: April 24, 1968, Johnny Cash, 2021

 
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