This song’s sheet Music was published at Boston, MA by C. H. Keith in 1843. It included an endorsement “As performed by the Virginia Minstrels, words by Dan Emmett.” The sheet music does not mention the melody’s composer. However the melody’s author is mentioned in the preface of “White’s New Ethiopian Song Book.” This book was published at Philadelphia, PA in 1854 and attributes the tune to Charles White. He was a longtime friend and associate of Dan Emmett. He was a minstrel performer who played an accordion and went on to become a successful manager and promoter of minstrel shows.