T Warren, RIP My Friend (Author of The Seven Blackbirds)

It's Been A Long Hard Road 2010 Tour, Cape Carteret, NC

(My great grandfather and great uncles. BT) 

T had a difficult time writing it for about a year, then was in a graveyard one day and immediately sat down and penned it all.

Seven Blackbirds from Border Ruffians Southron Steel CD 

Seven Blackbirds sittin' on a fence 

Took up arms for their loved one's defense 

Seven brothers all left home 

Throughout the war their valor shown. 

To their grandfather, mother and sisters 

Letters to home were written 

Those letters survive and it's a fittin' 

So does the photo of them on the fence sittin'. 

The Pippen boys, no different than others 

'Jined the fight, they went as brothers 

Their mother knew they would not all return 

Deep in her heart that sorrow did burn. 

One fell early, another soon followed 

The places they fell became hallowed 

Four brothers remained, they fought on 

In a few short months another was gone. 

The Blackbirds fought 'till the fightin' ended 

Barefoot and worn they walked home defenseless 

They found their mother and sister waitin' there 

Sorrow and sadness filled the Carolina air. 

In Tarboro County the family lives on 

In the same home place where The Blackbirds begun 

The Pippen family shows no sign of end 

And I for one am most proud to call 'em friends. 

Seven Blackbirds Copyright T Warren BMI, Red Dirt and Redskin Music, 2005. 

Written on family information provided by Brock Townsend, Tarboro NC.