Tanya Tucker was just 13 years old when she burst onto the country music scene with her debut single, “Delta Dawn.” In 1972, she released her second single, “Jamestown Ferry,” a song that further solidified her status as a rising star and showcased her powerful, mature vocals that belied her young age.
“Jamestown Ferry,” written by Mack Vickery and Bobby Borchers, tells a captivating story of infidelity and revenge. Set against the backdrop of the Jamestown Ferry, a real ferry crossing the James River in Virginia, the song narrates a wife’s discovery of her husband’s affair. Instead of confronting him directly, she enacts a unique form of retribution. She takes his car, drives it onto the ferry, and deliberately pushes it into the river, effectively sinking his prized possession.
The song’s narrative resonated with audiences, particularly women, who appreciated its bold depiction of female empowerment and taking matters into one’s own hands. While it didn’t achieve the same crossover success as “Delta Dawn,” “Jamestown Ferry” performed exceptionally well on the country charts, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the United States and even reaching number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.
The feedback from audiences at the time was overwhelmingly positive. Listeners praised Tucker’s surprisingly mature delivery and the song’s catchy, memorable melody. The dramatic and unconventional storyline also drew significant attention, sparking discussions and solidifying its place as a memorable entry in the outlaw country subgenre, although at such young age, Tanya was yet to be fully associated with it. The song helped establish Tanya as a force that was to be notice in the music industry.
