The absurd paradox of this society that a kind, humble, modest banjo playing prodigy and his beautiful wife should leave this world so rough and violently is saddening even to the hardest of hearts. The beauty of it is that Stringbean still lives. The evil act that took them could not erase them, and his gentle and unpretentious soul and music is eternal and he will not be forgotten, at least from myself and countless other bluegrass lovers. God bless Stringbean and Estelle.

Stringbean rocks and what a great friend he had in Grandpa Jones

Justice was not served.. RIP Stringbean & Estelle

They are still dead. No parole should ever have been granted.

I feel so sorry for Grandpa Jones. To be such a close friend and go be the one to find such a atrocious thing. Poor poor man. Bless his Soul.

Great ballad. No winners, only sadness in this story. Two old folks and two young ones all lose their lives over greed. Reinforces the idea, "the darkest moment in a man's life is when he tries to figure out how to get money without earning it".

I am the second cousin to StringBean. I cry fro the bottom of soul everytime I listen to this ballad! If you saw my Uncle Jesse who was his first cousin you would think they were twins!

Powerful. This tribute ballad needed to be done.

Thanks for sharing this. Stringbean was my Grandpas cousin

John Brown walks free now. String and Estelle got no justice. The last I heard, they were still dead.

How can't you understand he killed one of the greatest banjo players of all time

Verlon is an amazing picker. He has a good old fashioned country singing voice. Listen to "The Guitar" for a great performance by Verlon.

What would stringbean and Estelle think of their killer being paroled? He was sentenced to life and yet he now walks free. His freedom is a slap in the face of the Akeman's. Shame on the justice system.

There should never be parole for this type of crime.

I grew up listening to Stringbean and Grandpa Jones. I live an hour south of Nashville and will never forget the sad feeling I got when I heard the news about how he met his fate. Thanks for the wonderful tribute to a legend.

This is a terrific ballad, and it can't be done any better than the way Verlon Thompson does it here.

First song I ever heard by String was "Barnyard Banjo Picking" ("Hot Corn, Cold Corn") on campus radio, which he picked in the old Kentucky thumb-lead two-finger style. I've never heard it done better, and to this day (55 years later), I always begin it with "Come along boys, make less noise while the old folks are sleepin'...." Hee Haw was never the same without him.

Great ballad!! I have 2cd's by String bean! 🤠

beautiful song, and so well done. haunting., rip string and estelled. tragic

A fitting musical memory by Ferlon Thompson an innocent, loved couple perished through crime & ignorance. God Bless those who followed the opry family as members and fans. Patriot , Ken

ok this is one song that i really like and love so mush im a banjoe player i like all the old timers

I'm just so glad that we have such a fantastic archive of film clips, and a great body of work from Strang. I love him and I watch and listen to him all the time. He will never be forgotten. In the year 3029, some one will say, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!? HAVE YOU HEARD THIS GUY!?!? LOOK, PEOPLE HAD REALLY SHORT LEGS BACK THEN! And it will cause a great stir, maybe even a new religion! Count on it!

Boy, if Grandpa Jones was still alive, he would have something to say about it.

i was 9 years old when this happened. Loved Stringbean. RIP to Stringbean and Estelle. Hee Haw was a favorite show in California.

I agree never let him out.

A shocking tragic event in music history. It's fitting that it's remembered in a banjo song.

I was lucky enough to grow up with hee haw. Loved string bean and was sad when he past and wasn't on there anymore

I was 6 years old and saw String Bean at Opryland a week before he and his wife were murdered

When I was a kid growing up I'd listen to String bean on Her Has and I loved to hear him pick the banjo and sing. I never knew what happened to him until I saw this video, and it chocked me up. String bean was a good old man and he nor his wife deserved what they got. But it was immortalized in this song and will not be forgotten. Rest In Peace String bean and Estelle. At least you won't be feeling anymore pain and you're together with your loved one. God needed a banjo player in heaven but the Great Almighty couldn't separate you from Estelle so God took you together. You're sorely missed but remembered.

This is total B.S. He should have never been paroled and he doesn't deserve to be a part of society.

I just saw this. I really enjoy the music of Vernon Thompson and Guy Clark.

Thank you for this post, String bean Estelle are alive in our hearts.

Great song.

No parole for John Brown ever RiP string and estelle

Allowing them to live their lives out in prison after such heinous murders shows how much value the Great State of Tennessee places on our lives.....

After they killed Stringbean, his wife begged for her life. They killed her anyway.

Thank you for this touching tribute!!!!🖤🖤🖤🖤

wow. miss these guys..that sob should never get out..

One of the men who murdered Stringbean & Estelle was paroled today after 40 years in prison. I don't think it was long enough! Rest in peace Mr & Mrs Akeman. You will continue to be remembered fondly in our hearts.

God has a plan for us all, we can wonder why, but we'll should not ever question our maker. Money has always been the culprit behind greed, dirty deeds, and worse. I loved String Bean from the time I was 10, watching him on Hee Haw. We will always have you and Estelle torched in our hearts and soul... God rest your souls, and someday I'll know if I make it to heaven from the sounds of your banjo pickin'...

God bless string and Estelle.

murder should automatically be life with no parole, if not death.

Than you for sharing Verlons great ballad!

How can anyone dare to continue to ask for parole after committing such a selfish and horrific crime? You did the crime, you best do the time.

Nice one Verlon..... beautiful.....

This is so sad...RIP

I remember when this happened. So sad. Miss you string and estelle.

That's a very good song Good tribute to string bean

Gets me in the feels every damn time

still the best ever played

His "remorse" would have been believable had he simply been expressing it, and not asking for parole.

One big reason I like grampa and string is because yea they was rich but they lived simple lives

I think I remember seeing Stringbean on the grand ole opry... never knew what happened to him... so sorry he died...I liked his music...

Profound sadness overtook me the morning that I learned of Stringbean and Estelle's murder. The Ballard of Stringbean and Estell makes my eyes water every time I hear it. Less we forget.

man oh man....what a track! Great video, great editing and song was on point!

It's sad that these people don't care about the lives of the people they kill. Yet, we are supposed to care about their selfish sociopaths ways and be filled with pity for them. If they kill they should rot in jail.

The Tennessee State Law should change the sentencing for murder from "life in prison" to "death in prison"...then, maybe then, people like this won't ever get a chance to get out. I've read that these guys were sentenced to 198 years in prison. How in the world can anyone justify John Brown being paroled at all? 198 years means you are going to die in prison. That is why sentences like that are handed down...to drive home the point that you are never getting out. I've also read that City Confidential did an episode about Stringbean and Estelle's murder, but I have searched and can't find it anywhere. If anyone can find a link to it, would you please post it. I'd love to watch it, I was only 6 years old when they were killed, and have found lots of bits and pieces of the story, but I'd sure like to hear the whole story. Thanks very much, and God Bless

RIP Stringbean & Estelle. I remember when he was first on Lester & Earl's show, man that get up and eyebrows.

Thank. You. Miss. Rebecca. Sansom. For. This. Respectful. Vedio. Memorial. Of. Mr. String bean. And. His. His. Beloved. Wife. Miss. Estelle. My. Son. Randy. And. I. Cry. When. We. Play. This. Respectful. Vedio. And. Song. The. World. Lost. Two. Great. Human. Beings. That. Terrible. Tragic. Fateful. Day. Rest. In. Peace. Mr. String bean. And. Miss. Estelle. Respectfully. Dennis. Lee. Jensen. And. Randy. Lee. Jensen. ✝️✝️✝️🙏🙏🙏🕎✡️🔯🌹🌷💐✨🌟⭐☀️💖💕💞💘🇺🇸🇺🇸🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇮🇱🇺🇦🇺🇸🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱

Beautifully done.

He wouldn't live long enough,they would never find a finger bone of the killer of String Bean and Estelle

Such a sad song about a tragic event. And three tragic outcomes. The Akeman's (2) and the parole of an affront to their very memories and society. As Jan Howard said "he did not deserve to take one breath of free air". I hope that parole board was investigated after this! (Probably not.) So sad. 😭😵😤👎💔

Best version I've heard. Love this song. Such a sad history.

God Bless Stringbean & may him & his wife R.I.P. & may the scum bags that killed them, rot in in the hottest part of HELL.

Should never be considered for parole !!

i love the song

I learned to play the ukulele from string bean I have learned to play from him personally I did watched him on here haw and I do guess that was where I learned to play the ukulele from him he taught me a few songs of Henry Thomas

God bless stringbean

Such a sad chapter. I really appreciate this song and I never knew that Stringbean had that money hidden in his firepalce.

Great tribute to Stringbean.

Awesome and powerful song, I miss old Stringbean. Many thanks for writing this song and posting it. I would love to be able to purchase the sheet music so that I might learn in on my banjo.

BTW I loved the song

Rip string bean he will be missed

I have the episode of city confidential/stringbean murder. Pull it up on you tube. Murder, cabin in the woods. Nashville. It should come up. I watched it many times. So sad. Miss you String. I was a teenager back then. Remember it well.

I am disappointed in the stare of Tennessee for paroling that guy

I miss you string

great song your friend billy

The righteous thing to do is quit beggin and feeling sorry forself! Le t Stringbean and Ma Estelle REST IN PEACE,

I didn't know Verlon was a banjo player. He's one of my all time favorites.

RIP String!! X(

i love this songs on banjo im a banjo player my sefe

Why does it not surprise me that Verlon knows what to do with a banjo?

It's such a sad story. Thank you for sharing.

I'd love to see a well made movie made from this.

Mr. Brown was parole today and Mr. Brown you should have stayed behind bars and shouldn't have had the choice for PAROLE. You took the life of a great person and his wife and you should have stay the rest of you life behind bars and never had a change to see the out side of them bar again. But I quest there is a place for you out here and a person that love you and that needs her head check. But you are they one that will have to live with this for the rest of you life.

Thank you for this. They sure deserved better. 💔

That's how string bean and estelle died. Holy shit. I didn't know that. I just got into the banjo at 60. And of course string bean came to mind. That is just awful what happened.

& now their killer is released. SAD!!!

50 years next month…rest in peace String&Estelle 😢

I love this video, ty

Great song. Sam Bush put it on an album also. Love this version.

NO PAROLE FOR JOHN BROWN EVER!!!!! RIP String and Estelle

Beautiful...

Those bars have a profound effect on the soul of a man or woman.

It's sad and heartbreaking to think that two men was just waiting in their home for them to get home just to kill them. The Brown guy that killed them should have never getting out of prison he should have die in there. What I'm fixing to say may sound bad but its not I promise since it did happen the way it did Im so happy that Stringbean and his wife don't have to go though life without each other. I'm just so sad that such a great man with a big golden heart and his wife was killed by two money hungry people but at least they went together. RIP Stringbean and Estelle.

This is just Haunting.😥🥀 Well Done, Verlon Thompson.😌

What a sad needless thing to happen

Dammit I just learned of stringbeans pickin. Total sadness he was killed..

Very powerful and haunting song. NO PAROLE FOR JOHN BROWN EVER!!!

Love this true story