The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley - 1958 -

: Its success proved that traditional folk music had massive commercial potential, paving the way for later artists like Bob Dylan , Joan Baez , and Peter, Paul and Mary .

: Despite proclaiming his innocence, Dula was hanged in Statesville, N.C., on May 1, 1868. The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley - 1958

: The Kingston Trio’s version traded the graphic details of the original "love quadrangle" for "Appalachian atmospherics," turning a gritty tragedy into a polished pop-folk hit. Cultural and Commercial Impact : Its success proved that traditional folk music

The song is based on the 1866 murder of in Wilkes County, North Carolina. The man convicted of the crime was Tom Dula (pronounced "Dooley" in the local dialect), a Confederate veteran and farmhand. Dula was hanged in Statesville