Appalachias Tiger King 

Johnny Cash even wrote a song about Tiger King!!! Tiger King's actual photo his family still has was shared with a Library in Elizabethton, TN. for Display. Did some digging due to your Great Story this evening. Thanks!!!

yes Johnny did write a song about tiger for a children's album after a friend of Johnnys took him to Tigers grave and told him the story, I didn't play the song due to copyright and I didn't include Tigers real photo for the same reason. They probably wouldn't have minded tho@@bryanbennett972

I did my best to honor his legacy and tell his story to the world.

That’s amazing. I truly wish I could lay some flowers where his Shell is buried. He’s in Heaven now. Much respect to you & yours because you’re Kin. 🫶🏼

Me too lmao small world you know some of my people I bet your kin to my uncle Gary W

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller son you did amazing my uncle loved it thanks from my family to yours

@EternalEscapePod, James T."Tiger" Whitehead is my 16th cousin, three times removed. Looks like we might be cousins? 😉

that's mighty kind of you, I just thought this ole fellas story should be celebrated in his honor

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller - Absolutely. I have friends today who hunt FOR FOOD and they're very kind to share a little with me since I'm a little too old to go with them anymore. For people who've never tried it, I highly recommend barbequed venison, soaked in milk overnight first to get rid of the gamey taste - unless that's what you like best.

That’s good eating

Agreed!

Same here!

glad to be a small part of it!

Yes!

Man I appreciate that, I did my best to bring this mans story to life

Thanks Jason, glad to have you here!

Well said Charlie!

Thank you Deborah, hope all is well in your neck of the world

My neck of the woods is not far from ROAN MOUNTAIN. As a matter of fact I was on top of Roan Mountain a week ago today. My oldest grandson and his beautiful bride got married there. One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Mountain after mountain. Truly breathtaking. Again, Thank you and take care.

that's awesome, congrats to all on the wedding, the weather has been nice and the fall colors, I bet that was spectacular @@deborahgross1045

Thank you Melissa, I really appreciate your help in keeping these stories alive !

well said my friend

Well said Melanie, I take pride in bringing forgotten stories of extraordinary people to life. Long live their memories

@melanielohr2273 - Don't worry, there are lots of such hidden gems even today. It will be a brighter future when they get over the mutual fear and hatred they've been taught.

It's so very important that the Storytellers like yourself, Donnie Law and Jared King keep putting these stories out there for future generations to hear. It may not be important to them right now, but one day, they will catch their attention and they will appreciate y'all and the stories of the forgotten past and the valuable lessons in them.

folks never care about history til they are old enough to look back and wonder where they came from @@melanielohr2273

I grew up an old soul. I loved history and HERstory from the time I could sit still at the knees of storytelling elders. Thank God I still have my 85yr young Momma (coal miner’s daughter, NoTown, KY) and she loves to recall and tell the good, the bad and the ugly. My Daddy (Harlan, KY & Cumbersome Gap) loved to tell stories too. God won him to Glory 2yrs ago. I do find people who yearn for stories of reality - not a homogenized school text book. I went on to get a degree in American History when I was 46. I’m almost 63 now and I’ve taught my 3 Cubs and I am my 7 Grandbabes too. Lol I even cook the old ways a lot. Even canning harvest like Grammaw Daisy did. One of my many favorite things is to hear the old Primitive Music & the Toe Tappers singing, playing instruments & Clogging on the Long Porch. My parents are the epitome of a Love Story. He found this perty 16yr young Gal & they stuck like glue for 66yrs. Thru all the Vows & Life’s toils and snares. I could ramble on all day but I’ll end by saying: 11/ 11/2023 HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO ALL THAT SERVED OUR BEAUTIFUL NATION. 🇺🇸🫡 May God abundantly bless you and fill your barns with love, laughter and manna. 🫶🏼🙏🏼✝️🙏🏼🫶🏼 R. Stanley

Amen

Thank you Bella ❤️

yes sir, history is all around us!

Thank you Mrs. Libby, it’s folks like y’all that allow me to tell these stories almost lost to time, thank you so much for your support!

heck yeah, man I appreciate that!

Thanks Troy! I did my best to bring that fight to life!

I think he had some help from above!

Thank you Joy!

Thank you Michael, really appreciate your support of this channel my friend. Yup, ole Tiger, Sallie, and Coy, they shouldn't be forgotten

I think we need to study history not just from the big grandiose events but the contributions of those individuals some ordinary and some extraordinary. I love looking at old pictures and wondering how those people lived and how their lives differed from mine

We are cut from the same cloth my friend

Yes sir, we didn’t buy groceries, we made groceries

I'm a ma'am lol It's a very old name. My namesake waitressed at Red Bridge's BBQ Lodge in Shelby NC for 39 years, died from ALS and left a legacy I'll never touch.

My apologies ma'am. My father also passed from ALS. Terrible disease.

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller yes it is. My condolences to you.

Wow. Transylvania was a perty hard life. God bless you & yours. 🫶🏼

well said my friend

Thanks so much Brian! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods

Thank you Aimee, back when all a man and woman had were each other

Mighty kind of you James, preciate that brother!

I always try to see these stories thru the eyes of the people who lived them, to make the listener not only feel like they know them, but are right there with them.

Hard times made Strong Men and Tiger was a Strong Man

you got that right brother, what a spot to find yourself in!

Hey there Willow! You know, I did a story about a fella named Uncle Nick Grindstaff called Alone in Appalachia on here a while back. Would you believe that Tiger lived on the opposite side of the mountain as Uncle Nick did!

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller that’s why we you to tell these stories of history that we might not ever have known.

oh my... that comment hit me hard and humbled me.

thank you!

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for commenting too!

Thanks Ronnie!

Thank you!

yes indeed, these hills are full of stories waiting to be told

History is all around us

Aww, I love that!

well how bout that! I did my best to pay tribute to him

Thank you Suzanne!

Glad you enjoy it!

Isn’t it a blessing to be here and hear? 🥰

You're the best! ❤️

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller I come from good stock & real stories and was taught right. Like you. 😊 (edit): lol I can’t say *all of my Kin was “good” because some weren’t. But I believe everyone has some skeletons in the closet. (Chuckles) 🙏🏼

she was a heck of a woman!

Thank you Pinky

I did my best to bring Tigers story to life

Ain’t it funny how places have names, and we never give any thought to how it got that name, I actually did a whole segment on that for this video, but in the end I left it out of the video

yes indeed, long live the legend of Tiger Whitehead

Im glad you enjoy them my friend!

Tell mom I said hello from East Tennessee

❤️ ❤️

Thank you Pam, have a wonderful day

Pa. Seriously, it's Pa. 😆 Enjoy your weekend.

I love the way you put that!

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Thank You, I Truly Enjoy Your Interesting Channel.

Thank you Victoria, I always look forward to your witty and poetic comments ❤ @@Victoria-OneLove4AllPeople

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller You're Welcome, I Appreciate Your Awesome Stories. I Eagerly Await the Next One.

Awesome!

Oh my, thank you Wanda, I must humbly sidestep that title with much respect to those who came before me and taught the the craft. My father, my grandfather, my grandma, and many others... they told stories that no one ever heard besides the few fortunate enough to sit quietly and listen and learn. I learned from the true masters. These are their lives, their stories, and I am a messenger trying to honor them.

Maybe one day they will!

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

Thank you sir!

Edward this is so true. When I’m resting (not often lol) I love to cozy up and come here where my people are. It brings me great comfort. 🫶🏼🙏🏼

Thank you Thomas, I live a stones throw from Maryville in Anderson county

He sure was!

Thank you so much my friend!

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller You ever bump into any interesting history on the Blagrave, or Blackgraves of Kentucky, I would love to hear about it. They were some of the first to come into the wilderness of eastern Kentucky from Virginia. The area of England the name comes from (Berkshire/Lambourn) is known for equestrian sports, and the finest race horses. Not expecting anything, but it never hurts to mention. I've struggled to learn history about my daddys side for several reasons. I've heard some amazing stories about my GG, or GGG grandfather Blagrave/Blackgrave swimming one of the big rivers in the winter to get medicine, and being successful but dying later. I've also heard tell tale of some of the Blackgraves being guns for hire during elections, and land disputes in 1700s, and early 1800s Kentucky. Regardless, I have absolutely fallen in love with your brand of history, and storytelling. I follow you on Facebook, and RU-vid. Keep up the amazing work.

Thanks so much for the suggestion and for your support, I really appreciate it. if you'd like a Appalachian Storyteller sticker, email me your address and ill send one your way for free theappalachianstoryteller@gmail.com @@damenblackgrave2189

Thank you!

You got that right Scott, enjoy this beautiful weather!

that is so nice of you, the world needs more kindness, thank you so much

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller ❤️❤️

Thank you Melody, enjoy the crisp weather today!

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller You know it! Anything is better than that harsh Texas heat we endured all year! Lol I'm loving this temp for sure. You do the same and God bless.

Thank you Pete!

Did you eat the panther?

Thank you ma'am!

This was one of those times I decided to paint a picture with words instead of visuals, I felt like folks would visualize like you said 😊

Excellently done. Sometimes I play your amazing stories while working around this farm and my imagination fills in greatly. When my back feels broken I remind myself that our ancestors had it harder. And it gives me strength to carry on and get my jobs done. Thank you so much. 🫶🏼. Renee’ S.

❤️

Well said!

Send me a photo if you go!

Yes they were

Glad you enjoyed it my friend

Thank you Michelle, have a blessed night

Hey there Chris, thank YOU for suggesting I look into Tiger. I screenshot your comment a while back and last week I ran across it and I took a few days researching and then writing this story. I don't know if you you noticed but I thanked you in the video description. Also, Id like to send you a free Appalachian Storyteller sticker if you email your mailing address to me theappalachianstoryteller@gmail.com

Thank you Bessie! Hope you are enjoying this beautiful day

shew! glad I didn't let you down!! 😊

Thank you Anna!

Thanks for watching!

Is that right, im glad to hear the bears still have their habitat

Thank you!

I really appreciate that, im a lifelong musician and music teacher, for me, the music is a vital part of each story

Thanks Kathy, have a blessed day

I know for a fact that panthers exist here. My father always told me about them, and that man didn't lie bout things like that.

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller it infuriates me when people say otherwise. Like my little Granny sitting there in her 70s telling me things for no reason. What would have ever been the point in lying about this? The stories I was told about them didn't involve any heroics or anything and was mostly people admitting that they were terrifying. So the stories don't involve some desire to be seen as a brave hero or anything like that, usually the opposite.

One of my neighbors here in WNC, who is in his late 70s, had an encounter in the early 1950s with a “painter”. He is not a tall tale teller.

Hi Jenny, I live in south GA and and can tell you from my hunting experience and thank goodness for trail cams there are panthers here in GA mostly along the rivers and swamps they are tan or beige in color with very long tails. If they are here, they are also there, never mind the nay sayers. 😉😁

So, this past Thursday I saw a “Painter Cat” track in the mud beside the Savannah river near Vogtle. I’ve seen several cross the road in South Georgia. I drive a lot at night!

Thanks so much my friend, I like to think Tigers spirit is still out there in those hills.. him and coy

Thank you Sir!

Thank you Gayle! Hopefully spring is shaping up nicely outside your window!

Thanks you Sir!

Thank you Susan!

Thanks Lynn!

Thank you Janice

Thank you!

Thank you Victoria!

yes sir!

Thank you!

Aww, thank you Karen, I always enjoy reading your positive comments. The world needs that kind of kindness today. Hope your Saturday is a blessed one.

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller you have a Blessed Day also! Happy Veterans Day. If you are I Thank You for everyone’s Freedom!

Thanks Olskool!

Thanks so much!