Tom Dooley, the real one

Rico says that his memories of his father singing the song made him look up the real story behind Tom Dula:

The Legend of Tom Dooley is a 1959 Western movie directed by Ted Post, starring Michael Landon, Jack Hogan, and Jo Morrow. Based on the ninety-year-old folk song Tom Dooley, inspired by the real-life case of convicted murderer Tom Dula, the ballad, as sung by the Kingston Trio, was a big hit in 1958, and is the theme song of the film. The movie's plot is consistent with the lyrics of the song, but otherwise bears little resemblance to the actual murder case.

Thomas C. Dula (22 June 1845 to 1 May 1868) (photo) was a former Confederate soldier convicted of murdering Laura Foster. National publicity from newspapers such as The New York Times turned Dula's story into a folk legend. Although Laura was murdered in Wilkes County, North Carolina, Dula was tried, convicted, and hanged in Statesville. Considerable controversy surrounded the case. In subsequent years, a folk song was written entitled Tom Dooley, based on the pronunciation in the local dialect, and many oral traditions were passed down, regarding the sensational occurrences surrounding Laura Foster's murder and Dula's subsequent execution. The Kingston Trio recorded a hit version of the murder ballad in 1958: