Clifton Hicks "Indian Tribes of Tennessee" (The Cumberland, Pioneer's Letter)
This video explores an early American ballad titled "Indian Tribes of Tennessee," also known by various other names like "Old Cumberland Land" and "The Pioneer's Letter." The presenter, Clifton Hicks, shares that he learned the song from recordings and that its earliest printed version dates back to 1853. The lyrics describe a difficult journey to a fertile new land, contrasting with the scarcity of religion and preachers, and a poignant mention of encountering human graves within "Freemason works." The song concludes with a wish for peace alongside the "Indian tribes in Tennessee."






