Willa Cather biographers are in agreement that her character Blind D'Arnaut was based on Blind Tom. In her book O'Connell also quotes from Cather's review of Blind Tom's performances. O'Connell's book also covers in great detail the connection between Blind Tom and Twain's relative by marriage Henry Watterson. Watterson's comments as well as others are available online from this article: http://www.twainquotes.com/archangels.html The author of _Ballad of Blind Tom_ is Deirdre O'Connell of Australia who currently works in news at SBS Australia. She spent time in the U. S. researching Blind Tom and her insights into American slavery are on target. Barb