Folk song with the phrase "Pure white ivory gown" in it.  What is the
title and the singer.

Hello tennistom-ga,

As you probably know already, the phrase "pure white ivory gown" does
not seem to show up on any web pages.  It does show up on a newsgroup
post, but with no response.

"pure white ivory gown", message in <alt.music.lyrics> (2001-10-06)
Google Groups
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=c62e874f.0110062115.7212533d%40posting.google.com

However, there is a song, done in a folk style, that contains the
lyrics "pure white ivory crown".  In the next verse, the lyric is
changed to "full length white lace gown", which may help to explain
why you thought the original lyric was "pure white ivory gown".  The
song is called "The Red Plum", and was released in 1976 on the album
"Men From Earth" by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

"The Red Plum"
Lyrics Download
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/cgi-bin/frames.cgi?http://www.lyricsdownload.com/data/o/ozark_mountain_daredevils/ozark_mountain_daredevils_the_red_plum.php4?r=1

"The Red Plum"
Steven Hull's Ozark Mountain Daredevils Site
http://seaghull.home.texas.net/redplum_tab.html

"Men From Earth [Bonus Tracks]"
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007E8P8/104-3515813-0090313?vi=glance

On Amazon, you can hear a clip from the song.  The clip unfortunately
does not include the lyric "pure white ivory crown", but does include
the lyric about the gown.

Questions about lyrics can often be tricky to answer.  If I have not
identified the correct song, please let me know -- and please provide
any further details you know about the song (whether a man or a woman
sang it, the instrument in the background, where you heard it, etc.). 
I will then search again, or ask the Editors to withdraw my answer so
that someone else can try instead.

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google and Google Groups:

"pure white ivory"
"red plum" "ozark mountain daredevils"

Bingo.  I have been looking for this for 40 years.  Thanks. Tennistom