Born Franklin Eugene Koehl II, I have released six songs (not counting those sold to other artists) under the name Al Ferguson. Today I travel and perform train and hobo tunes as Danville Dan the Singing Hobo. I was born in 1934 in D.C. and raised in Maryland, but at age 17 I hopped a train and never looked back. As I traveled I married and had six children--each child born in a different state and all raised on the road. I don't travel now due to health problems. I did show up at the 108th National Hobo Gathering in Britt, Iowa in August of 2008, but I was unable to perform. That will be my last trip out of "Mayberry" as I am now officially retired.
My first love is old-time country music. I also enjoy classic cars, trains, and travelling. I am also very interested in the hobo subculture and its history. Besides performing with the resonating guitar, I also craft hobo walking sticks. My sticks come from wood collected about the country and are decorated with hobo signs and signitures.
Three of my six children live in Dobson, NC as do I, and all of them play some sort of musical instrument. Together they have blessed me with over a dozen grandchildren. My friends are the hoboes who hail from all over the country, and are too numerous to mention here. One I will take my hat off to here though is Red Bird Express. Congradulations, Red Bird, for being elected in 2002 as King of the Hoboes, as you surely earned it!
1857 Painting by Prof. Charles Koehl
(My Great-Great-Grandfather)
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