| Sights and Sounds of Ed Ames as Mingo on the Daniel Boone TV Series |
| Click here to listen to a great song sung by Ed Ames, written by John and Bill Chadwick-Friedman called Mingo, The Man with the Bullwhip "In the days before our country became its own, there was a man who walked this land as free as the wind. As rugged as the Kentucky wilderness, as tall as the timber, coppery skin the color of the earth he walked. His mind as quick as his lightning hand. And they called him Mingo, the man with the Bullwhip." And as an added note, when you hear the crack of the whip in the recording, that was Ed Ames as well. He became very proficient using the bullwhip, which in the series was Mingo's weapon of choice. |
The first time we hear Mingo sing on the Daniel Boone TV series is in Season Number One. The episode is titled, "Not In Our Stars"
and it allows us, the audience, a little insight into Mingo's past. We already knew his mother was Cherokee and his father was English. In
this episode we find out his mother died when he was a young boy. Reluctantly he is taken back to London, by his father, John Murray, Earl
of Dunsmore(portrayed by the fine actor, Walter Pidgeon) Mingo is educated at Oxford in London, but returns to his Cherokee heritage.
The twist is that his father is now the English Governor of Virginia who is at odds with Daniel Boone and the new settlers of Kentucky.
Father and son are reunited at the grave site of the Cherokee princess, Talota, Singing Wind, Mingo's mother and wife of Lord Dunsmore.
The scene is a touching one as Mingo stands by the burial scaffold of his mother and is singing the Cherokee death song. He first sings it in
Cherokee and then the English translation.
Another important note here is that Ed Ames insisted, in respect to the Native Americans, that the Cherokee version he sang was authentic.
Anytime Mingo spoke a Native American language on the series, Mr. Ames took the time and learned the proper words and pronunciation.
and it allows us, the audience, a little insight into Mingo's past. We already knew his mother was Cherokee and his father was English. In
this episode we find out his mother died when he was a young boy. Reluctantly he is taken back to London, by his father, John Murray, Earl
of Dunsmore(portrayed by the fine actor, Walter Pidgeon) Mingo is educated at Oxford in London, but returns to his Cherokee heritage.
The twist is that his father is now the English Governor of Virginia who is at odds with Daniel Boone and the new settlers of Kentucky.
Father and son are reunited at the grave site of the Cherokee princess, Talota, Singing Wind, Mingo's mother and wife of Lord Dunsmore.
The scene is a touching one as Mingo stands by the burial scaffold of his mother and is singing the Cherokee death song. He first sings it in
Cherokee and then the English translation.
Another important note here is that Ed Ames insisted, in respect to the Native Americans, that the Cherokee version he sang was authentic.
Anytime Mingo spoke a Native American language on the series, Mr. Ames took the time and learned the proper words and pronunciation.
The second time we hear Mingo sing is in the first season also. The episode is "A Place of 1000 Spirits." It is a little ditty about the
Cuckoo bird. Mingo is singing happily as he meets the Boone family, Rebecca, Jemima, Daniel and Israel out in the woods.
Cuckoo bird. Mingo is singing happily as he meets the Boone family, Rebecca, Jemima, Daniel and Israel out in the woods.
| Ed Ames as Mingo singing the Cuckoo song |
| Veronica Cartwright, Ed Ames, Patricia Blair in "A Place of a 1000 Spirits" |
| Daniel and Mingo enjoy a supper of fresh trout. |
| Mingo, singing the Ballad of Sidewinder and the Cherokee |
| Click on "The Ballad of Sidewinder and the Cherokee" to go to a page and hear Mingo sing it. |
In the Fourth season of the Daniel Boone show, which also was Ed Ames' last season on the series, we hear Mingo sing in two
episodes. The first episode is the "Ballad of Sidewinder and Cherokee." It opens with Daniel and Mingo paddling down a river in
their canoe. Mingo is serenading Daniel with a ballad about their cache of furs. (A note of interest, the song is to the tune of Come All
You Bold Robbers found in A Treasury of American Folklore)
episodes. The first episode is the "Ballad of Sidewinder and Cherokee." It opens with Daniel and Mingo paddling down a river in
their canoe. Mingo is serenading Daniel with a ballad about their cache of furs. (A note of interest, the song is to the tune of Come All
You Bold Robbers found in A Treasury of American Folklore)
The last episode we get to hear Mingo sing in is called "Beaumarchais," also from Season 4. And we get double the pleasure
because Ed Ames sings two songs in this episode. The first he plays the guitar and sings a little folk song about "Blue Skies, Green
Meadows." The song was written by contemporary songwriter, Randy Newman and his uncle, Lionel Newman who also wrote the
theme song to the Daniel Boone series with Vera Matson.
The second song is another example of the talents of Ed Ames. In the story Mingo gives up his buckskins and bullwhip for lace
shirts and the stage of a traveling opera company. He graces us with Non Piu Andrai from the Marriage of Figuro. Singing in
Italian, not a problem for Mr. Ames who spoke several languages in real life.
because Ed Ames sings two songs in this episode. The first he plays the guitar and sings a little folk song about "Blue Skies, Green
Meadows." The song was written by contemporary songwriter, Randy Newman and his uncle, Lionel Newman who also wrote the
theme song to the Daniel Boone series with Vera Matson.
The second song is another example of the talents of Ed Ames. In the story Mingo gives up his buckskins and bullwhip for lace
shirts and the stage of a traveling opera company. He graces us with Non Piu Andrai from the Marriage of Figuro. Singing in
Italian, not a problem for Mr. Ames who spoke several languages in real life.
| Click on "A Place of 1000 Spirits" or the Cuckoo Song to go to a page and hear Mingo sing it. |
| Season 1: "Not In Our Stars" |
| Season 1: A Place of 1000 Spirits |
| Click on "Not In Our Stars" or on Cherokee Song of Death to hear Mingo sing it. |
| Season 4: "Ballad of Sidewinder and the Cherokee." |
| Click on "Beaumarchais" or Blue Skies, Green Meadows or Non Piu Andrai to go to a page and hear Mingo sing the songs. |
| Disclaimer: The comments, photos, or bits of songs have been included here solely for the enjoyment of fans and not for monetary profit. The rights to the characters initially created for the Daniel Boone series belong to 20th Century Fox and Fess Parker. The same for any other characters from television series or songs performed by Ed Ames. No copyright violation is intended. |
| We call ourselves MingoWomen and this is our logo. It started out to be a blog site for women who have a fondness for Ed Ames' portrayal of the charming, brave, and loyal half-English, half-Cherokee friend of Daniel Boone on the NBC TV series. It has grown in to much more than that. I hope I speak for all the MingoWomen, when I say we have become friends. Our ages range from teen age young ladies, to those of us who actually remember the Ames Brothers. From different parts of North America, different backgrounds, different interests, all joined in our sincere and highest regard for Ed Ames and the enjoyment he has given us. Join us and see at. MingoWomen.com |
| Thanks to my MingoWomen friends who helped me in creating my Ed Ames pages by sharing their photos, artwork, writings, videos, comments and confidences. Paula D., Inahlee, Suzy H., Cynthia C., Jo, Val, Terri, and Cindy B., who created MingoWomen for us. If I have forgotten anyone please forgive me and remind me. Our logo is the creation of our resident Mingo artist, Inhalee. |
