I’m continuing my look at Manly Wade Wellman’s pulp hero Silver John, the roaming singer and guitarist who fights supernatural forces in the Appalachian Mountains of long ago, sort of like a countrified Orpheus meets Kolchak. He’s called Silver John because of the silver strings on his guitar and the silver coins he carries in his pockets. For more details click here: https://glitternight.com/pulp-heroes/
***THEN I WASN’T ALONE – In this vignette Silver John encounters an actual, bona fide centaur roaming the Appalachians.
***CALL ME FROM THE VALLEY – If there is such a thing as a Valentine’s Day Silver John story, this is it. Our wandering balladeer gets caught up in a Hatfields vs McCoys-style feud between two mountain families. Wrapped up inside that tale is a Romeo and Juliet love story between a young couple, one from each family, who once dared to fall in love with each other. Top that off with a ghost story and an eerie but poignant finale which Silver John is lucky to escape unscathed and you’ve got a very memorable short story.
***THE LITTLE BLACK TRAIN – John and several other musicians are performing at an outdoor hootenany being held by a woman named Donie Carawan, one of the most memorable Femmes Fatale from the Silver John stories. Part Scarlett O’Hara and part Angela Channing from Falcon Crest, Donie’s a widowed, evil cougar who takes any man she pleases but only for as long as she pleases, while simultaneously maintaining an economic stranglehold on the community. Donie’s life of sin and toying with the lives of those around her is supposedly going to come to an end on this night thanks to a ghostly train with coffin- shaped boxcars that runs only at midnight on one night per year, running down and killing a sinner each time it does. Can Silver John save her? Does she deserve to be saved? Find out.
Balladeer's Blog 
You know, when I get home this summer, I’ll have to try to find some of these Silver John Stories… some of them sound so nifty!!!!
Thanks for the comment! I hope you like them!
My. my, you’ve gotten into some new things since the old days, haven’t you? These stories seem fun if I could bear the characters.
Hey, look who’s talking! I never knew about psychobilly music until your recent mention of it so you’ve got some new tricks too. They should do a psychobilly musical of Silver John!
“Part Scarlett O’Hara and part Angela Channing from Falcon Crest” and “sort of like a countrified Orpheus meets Kolchak” I really enjoy your descriptions. You really make some obscure references which I know is your thing. I used to watch “Night Stalker” it was a great show!
Thank you very much! Every time there’s a Night Stalker marathon I make sure to tape it or watch some of it.
luv these outlines of these stories. Like Sara said on that other one you should do a podcast if nobody else will give these stories more exposure.
Thanks! It’s a possibility, but I’d have to check into a lot of the whys and hows first.
That story with the train sounds really kewl!
Thanks and thank your for commenting!
I demand that you do a Silver John radio show! Is the movie as bad as you say?
Thanks. The movie’s as bad as you can imagine. Inane and pointless and dull.
I want to read all this guy’s stories now. So sick of vampires and zombies.
I know exactly how you feel!
Little Black Train! That’s awesome!
You said it!
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Great posts as always. Silver John definitely appears to be one of the most fascinating characters I have come across. It makes me wonder why no movie has ever been made about him. This story of the musician reminded me a lot of the classic musical “West Side Story”. It tells the story of two lovers from opposing families whose relationship is threatened by gang rivalries. Spielberg did an incredible job of introducing the classical musical towards a modern generation. Even if you’re not a fan of musicals, this one is worth a watch.
Here’s why I recommend it:
“West Side Story” (2021)- Movie Review – The Film Buff (huilahimovie.reviews)
I appreciate it. I’ve seen the original West Side Story but not the remake.