BIG NOSE GEORGE'S OUTLAW BLUES by Cary Morin published on 2023-07-25T00:04:35Z As a child I would thumb through my fathers’ Charlie Russel books. He had them all! Charlie’s painting The Hold Up always got my attention. Perhaps my childish brain was curious to know why these settlers and wealthy anglo folks of note were being robbed by other white folks? I later found out that individuals that have the inclination to steal and rob aren’t driven by the ethnicity of their prey. This painting is the recreation of an actual event that took place outside of Deadwood, South Dakota around the same time that the teenaged Charlie arrived in Montana from St. Louis. George Parrot was as bad at crime as he was at attempting to have a legit profession. “George Parrott (1834-1881) also known as Big Nose George, Big Beak Parrott, George Manuse, and George Warden, was a cattle rustler and highway robber in the American Wild West in the late 19th century. His skin was made into a pair of shoes after his lynching and part of his skull was used as an ashtray.” This song may be pure schadenfreude but rest assured the events depicted in this song and Charlie’s painting didn’t actually take place in Montana, thankfully. Associated Painting: The Hold Up Musicians: Cary Morin - author, composer, guitars, vocals John Magnie: piano Nic Clark: harmonica AJ Fullerton: slide guitar Genre Country