The song of the day for Sunday, Mary 5, 2024, is “I’m Coming, Virginia.”

About This Song

“I’m Coming, Virginia” was written in 1926 by Donald Heywood and Will Marion Cook. The song was recorded by many of the great jazz performers: Ethel Waters, Bix Beiderbecke, Bunny Berigan, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and Ruby Braff. Alec Wilder in American Popular Song that it is “an unusual and a very good song.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’m Coming, Virginia” on April 4, 1961, for his album My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“I’m Coming Virginia,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available on Apple Music.

I found a lot of great recordings of this song by other artists, but this one from Bunny Berigan caught my fancy:

And then there’s this one by Jimmy Rushing and The Count Basie Orchestra:

Finally, Sidney Bechet and his New Orleans Feetwarmers: