Sunbonnet Sue Sews AND Sings! Folk Art Sunbonnet Sue and the Doughboys.

The history of Sunbonnet Sue begins, I believe, with Illustrator Kate Greenaway, but as she was a Brit,  I prefer to give credit to homegrown Bertha Corbett Melcher, who not only created the Sunbonnet BABIES but also came from the great American West.  Here is a panel drawn by Ms. Melcher depicting the young sunbonnets swiping a baby! 

However, left out of most Sunbonnet Sue stories is my favorite version of the tale, by the Fort Worth Doughboys, who at the time I believe had the magnificent Bob Wills in the group.  That would be Mr. Wills in an unusual photograph in which he appears to be standing straight upright and sober! 


The Sunbonnet Sue above is a needle holder, and has the unusual distinction of having several layers of petticoats to hold needles.

Sunbonnet Sue was later a lousy movie, which lost every bit of cowboy fun and when sung by the "Golden Voiced" Phil Regan?  Shudder.  Show tunes.


Play the Doughboy's version again.  I promise you will be singing it all day long.

Sunbonnet Sue Needle Holder Handmade circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

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Roly - Poly Carnival Sideshow Sign and Tommy Duncan Throttles Bob Wills

I never did find out what sideshow game Roly-Poly was, but if they really did award a prize to every player you can be sure it was from under the counter, not from the wall display in back.

I will, however, take the slightest excuse to share Bob Wills, especially when it is a number performed by the great Tommy Duncan. Tommy was smooth as the expensive whiskey Bob was able to drink to excess every day, but what made the pair work so well was the suppressed, seething tension in Tommy's voice every time the lovable drunk buffoon stepped on his lines with a patented "Aaah Haah" aside. You can tell Tommy wanted to throttle Bob, the biggest country ham in the state of Texas, but it was a good gig.

He finally left...and as the clip below shows, he should have stayed. Still, you have to see a real roly poly play the Bob Wills part. Gnaw on a biscuit.

Roly-Poly Carnival Sideshow Sign. Circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

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