22/10/1854, Flashing, NY, USA – 05/05/1911, Phyladelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
American musician, song writer, and minstrel performer. Often called "The World's Greatest Minstrel Man", Bland toured the United States, as well as Europe and wrote over 700 songs, including "In the Morning in the Bright Light" (1879), "In the Evening by the Moonlight" (1879), "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" (1879) (the theme song for the long-running Philadelphia Mummers Parade), "Hand Me Down My Walking Cane" (1880) and "De Golden Wedding" (1880). His best-known song is "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" (1878), which, in a slightly modified form, was the official State Song of Virginia from 1940 to 1997. It was retired and designated "state song emeritus" in the latter year because of controversy over its lyrics.
