Martin Simpson - Thomas Drew

Martin Simpson’s new album, Trails & Tribulations is out now and available from ► Townsend (incl. signed guitar tab pick): ► Amazon: ► iTunes: ► Spotify: and all good record stores. In Martin’s own words “While researching notes for my recent recording with Dom Flemons, “A Selection Of Ever Popular Favourites,” on Fledgling Records, I came across a contemporary newspaper account of the execution of John Hardy. It was a brutal story in every way. John Hardy shot Thomas Drew who had won 25c from him in a crap game. He was tried, sentenced to death and hanged in front of a crowd of 3000. The paper reported that Hardy was baptized on the day of his execution and blamed his crime on whisky. When the trap dropped, Hardy’s neck was not broken by the fall and he took 17 and half minutes to die. The song, “John Hardy” leaves out a great deal, particularly about his victim…. I thought Thomas Drew deserved his own