Rosa Burrell, vocalist, “Veni, Vedi, Vici”  & fire dancer

Rosa Burrell’s singing of William Lord’s song “Veni, Vedi, Vici” is perhaps her only recording. Evelyn Whorton introduces it phonetically as “Weenie Weenie Winkie,” which, she says with a wink, “means I came, I saw, you conquered me.”

Bill Myers and Sam Lathan agreed with Mattie Sloan’s recollection that she was from Wilson and that she performed with Winstead’s Mighty Minstrels. Myers did not know she did a fire dance. Sloan said that she was once a bit tipsy and fell backwards into curtains as she rose with her flame, nearly catching them on fire.

• • •

Sources

Lathan, Sam. Personal interview. Wilson, NC. 21 April 2024.

Myers, Bill. Personal interview. Wilson, NC. 25 April 2024.

Sloan, Mattie. Personal interviews. Laurinburg, NC. DATES.?

–May 5, 2024