James Corbitt Morris (20 June 1907 – 12 July 1998) - better known as Jimmy Driftwood or Jimmie Driftwood - was a prolific United States folk songwriter and musician, most famous for his songs The Battle of New Orleans and Tennessee Stud.
== Early life and education =
Driftwood was born in Mountain View, Arkansas on 20 June 1907. Driftwood's father was folk singer Neil Morris. Driftwood learned to play guitar at a young age on his grandfather's homemade instrument. Driftwood used the unique guitar throughout his career and noted that its neck was made from a fence rail, its sides from an old ox yoke, and the head and bottom from the headboard of a bed. This homemade instrument produced a pleasant distinctive resonant sound. Driftwood attended John Brown College in northwest Arkansas and later received a degree in education from Arkansas Teacher's College. He started writing songs during his teaching career in order to teach his students history in an entertaining manner.
== The 1920s and 1930s =
During the 1920s and 1930s Driftwood left Arkansas and took to the road. Eventually ...
