On July 3, 1981, Ervin Rouse, composer of “Orange Blossom Special,” the “unofficial anthem of bluegrass,” died. Plagued by alcoholism and mental illness, he was living on the edge of the Everglades ...

While most every Southerner over the age of 50 knows the song "Orange Blossom Special," every bluegrass fan of any age today knows it, too. It used to be that any fiddle player wishing to play in a ...

“Just be sure you spell my uncle’s name right,” my wife Linda admonished me.”It’s ‘Ervin’ with a ‘V’, not ‘Erwin.’ ” Of course I would. After all, Uncle Ervin — with a V —was the composer of “The ...

From 1925 through 1953, the luxury passenger train Orange Blossom Special traveled from New York City to Miami and back. Other Florida stops included Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, and Hollywood before ...

In Hear This, A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week: Songs with prominent harmonica usage. In junior high, I took torturous piano lessons, but I wasn’t a natural and ...

Well, I'm going down to FloridaAnd get some sand in my shoesI'll ride that Orange Blossom SpecialAnd lose these New York blues – Extracted lyrics from "Orange Blossom Special" written by Ervin T.

Most men wore hats under a bright Naples afternoon sun that winter day nearly 90 years ago. A sign with the words 'Welcome To Naples' hung near patriotic ceremonial bunting. Many along the front row ...