rand's esoteric otr

Burkhardt’s Request Roundup - Jan 20, 1950

 Finally on the blog this week, the next-to-last in a series of programs from a collection of discarded working lacquers originating at WHBC in Canton, Ohio, I’ve been posting over the past few weeks.

“Burkhardt’s Request Roundup” was a country music series sponsored by the Burkhardt Brewing Company of Akron, Ohio.  The first tune is “Roamin’ in Wyoming”  Other songs include “Anticipation Blues” and “A Calico Apron and a Gingham Gown”.  The music is from transcriptions.  Performers include Andy Parker and the Plainsmen, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and T. Texas Tyler.  (They must have subscribed to the Capitol transcription library.)

A listener to the blog helpfully provided this scan of an advertising item from the series - I’d love to credit you for the scan, but I lost your message on Facebook!

Our show was transferred from a single-sided sixteen inch Audiodisc lacquer transcription from WHBC.

Red Horse Ranch - Pgm 1

"Red Horse Ranch" was a fun early syndicated show distributed by World Broadcasters.  A continuing serial about a group of cowboys, the show was a mix of adventure, romance and great cowboy songs.

Ryan Ellett has been researching the show at the University of Missouri-KC collections and is assembling a log of the program, and has dug up extensive background information on the series.  The show was created by Arthur Church, the head of KMBC, Kansas City and started out on a contract basis for the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company for the first 26 episodes.  Church hoped to produce at least 104 shows, but only 65 were made.  Socony's contract is dated March 30, 1935 for the series and the episodes were delivered by April 15th.  The series was recorded in World Broadcasting's Chicago facilities and the program ran mainly in the midwest US. The cast members of "Red Horse Ranch" were Gomer Cool, Doie Henlasey (Tex) Owen, Duane Swalley, Edward Cronenbold, Roderick May, Robert Crawford, Ruth Barth, John Preston, Paul Sells, Herbert Kratoska, Eddie Edwards, and Marion Folville.  You can see a photo of the cast at the University of Missouri-KC website and also read about the the Arthur B. Church KMBC Radio Portfolio Collection. The show was transferred from an original red acetate World Broadcasting, Inc. transcription, matrix number C-2208-1L. I'd like to thank the Old Time Radio Researchers Group for this disc and the others that comprise the first 26 episodes of the series in my collection.

Buckeye Barn Dance - December 4, 1948

A few weeks back, I posted two fifteen minute country music shows with the Georgia Crackers from April 29 and April 30, 1949.  This is the last show in my collection featuring the group.

"Buckeye Barn Dance" was a half-hour country music show originating at WHKC in Columbus Ohio and sponsored by the Glick Furniture Company.  In the episode of December 4, 1948, the first song is "Steel Guitar Rag" and the Glick Furniture Company advertises the fine selection of Philco radios they have at the store along with a "Dream Home" decorated by them that was open for tours at the time. The show was transferred from a original set of single-sided lacquer transcriptions and sounds as if it might be an aircheck.  It is previously uncirculated.

Jimmy Wakely - Pgm 127

Program 127 of "The Jimmy Wakely Show" as it was heard on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service has "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" as the first song.  Then, Jimmy takes suggestions from listeners on names for a new chihuahua he bought his wife.  We also hear a promo announcement by Marvin Miller dealing with the threat of Communism aimed at servicemen listening to the show on AFRS.

The series was originally heard on CBS and this particular episode may date to May 9, 1958, since that's the date on the transcription matrix (but it can be hard to tell on some of these late-era AFRTS discs).  It was transferred direct from the original AFRTS vinyl microgroove transcription.

Georgia Crackers - April 30, 1949

A few weeks back, we heard a quarter-hour of country music from the Georgia Crackers on their Mutual network show that originated at WHKC in Columbus, Ohio.

Here's the other episode I have in the series, broadcast a day after the last program I posted.  The show of April 30, 1949 has "Cimarron" as the fist tune.  The show appears to be an aircheck and was transferred from an original lacquer created by Anderson Custom Recordings, Columbus, Ohio.  The show is previously uncirculated. Later, I'll post a half-hour "barn dance" type of show featuring the group that came from the same batch of discs.

Red Foley - Pgm 85

I don't have too many country shows in my collection; there's sometimes hard to dig up from sales and auctions.

Here's the only example I have of "The Red Foley Show" featuring the popular country singer and originally heard on NBC.  Program 85 of the series as it was heard on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service features guest Bobby Helms who sings his number one country hit "Fraulein"; Foley kicks off the show with his early 50s country chart topper "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes".  You might remember Helms for his other pop hits, "My Special Angel" and "Jingle Bell Rock". The show was transferred from an original AFRTS vinyl microgroove transcription; the side is dated September 19, 1958 in the disc matrix.

Jimmy Wakely - Pgm 126

Here's another entry in the "Jimmy Wakely Show"; I posted one of these awhile back.

Program 126 of the series as it was broadcast on AFRTS has girls as the show's theme; the first song is "Marie".  The show is dated May 2, 1958 in the disc matrix.  Our transfer is from an original AFRTS vinyl microgroove transcription.

Georgia Crackers - April 29, 1949

Once in a while, I turn up a nice little local or regional show featuring performers that were well known at the time in a particular area or with a certain audience, but are almost forgotten today. Such is the case with "The Georgia Crackers", a quarter-hour hillbilly music show that originated at WHKC in Columbus, Ohio and was carried on the Mutual network.  I have a disc containing two shows from the series and another disc set containing a half-hour program featuring the Georgia Crackers.

The program of April 29, 1949 features a composition by a member of the group, "Baby Doll", as the first tune.  The show is sustained. According to this website, the group recorded a few sides for RCA Victor and were featured on a number of Mutual hillbilly shows.  One member of the Georgia Crackers, Al Myers, is in the Ohio Fingestyle Guitar Club Hall of Fame. Our show was transferred from an original Anderson Custom Recordings, Columbus, Ohio, lacquer transcription aircheck. I'll post the other shows I have with the Georgia Crackers in the next few weeks on the blog.

Smiley Burnette Show - Pgm 177

A big tip of the hat to Michael Utz, who recently donated some wonderful discs to my collection.

Here's one of the highlights - a previously uncirculated episode of the syndicated RadiOzark series, "The Smiley Burnette Show".  Program 177 includes really nice Western swing versions of "Caravan" and "Sleepy Time Gal" in the show.  And the sound on this near mint condition disc is marvelous - it's one of the best recorded shows I've run into. By the way - did you know that Smiley, in addition to being a sidekick for Gene Autry in films and a familiar face on television's "Petticoat Junction" was also a talented musician that wrote over 400 songs? The show was transferred from a RadiOzark vinyl transcription; it's banded into three parts for inserting announcements by your local announcer.  "WLOG - 10/31/51" noted in pen on label.

Jimmy Wakely - Pgm 124

From late in the old time radio era, here's the "Jimmy Wakely Show".  This program of light patter and live music was broadcast on CBS in the late 1950s and was one of the last live music shows of the otr era.

In this post, we hear program 124 in the series as heard on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service and originally broadcast stateside on April 18, 1958.  The first tune is "Avalon" and we hear a spirited rendition of "Jeepers Creepers" in the show.  Bobby Helms stops by to promote his new movie and his records. The show was digitized from an original AFRTS vinyl microgroove transcription; the date is from the transcription matrix. I've got several other episodes of the show I can post once in a while if you like it.  I don't think any are circulating among otr collectors.