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About The Artist Bill Case and the Melody Boys made their debut as a trio act in 1935 while on KTAT which later consolidated with KFJZ. They also made appearances as well as used transcriptions and used other names such as:
One of the nice things about researching Bill Case and company is that Floy Case would often mention the group in her columns in publications. Bill was a fiddler. In September 1941, Floy told of a person in Fort Worth who did repairs of old fiddles/violins and one that was done for Bill. She wrote of the home and shop of J. H. Stamps on S. Jennings in Fort Worth. She wrote he was a 'noted violin maker, retired railway mail clerk." In his 'retirement', he devoted his time to making and repairing such instruments. They were popular and in demand. Floy noted, "...are sold as fast as they are made." Mr. Stamps had blueprints of all famous violins and would make or rebuild fiddles to be as near an exact copy of such names as "Strad," "Guarnerius," etc. Those who played his instruments include both "hillbilly fiddlers" and "symphony orchestra violinists." He was proud of his work and told Floy that he never had someone enter a contest using his instruments that did not win. Mr. Stamps would give visitors a tour of his shop and its working. Red Steeley, an old time break down fiddler player, winner of many contests, was his assistant. Bill Case was the proud owner of a fiddle that Mr. Stamps had rebuilt by Mr. Stamps. Now one wonders, what happened to Bill's fiddle and more, Mr. Stamps? A 1941 article mentions their appearance at a reunion of the Case and Webb families that was held near Bronte, TX. "Messrs. Bill and J. C. Case and Homer Hargrove, original Bill Case and his Melody Boys on a local radio station, the group now being known as the Royal Ramblers, furnished music at the reunion in a typical Western setting of moonlight and stars."
While on KCNC, the group also had a couple of gals that were known as The Melody Girls with them to do harmony vocals. They would also team up with Homer at times to form a vocal trio. Jeaninne and Homer were also recording together on Royal-Tone records. Homer also co-wrote a song with Ernest Tubb called "I Hate To See You Go" that was recorded by Ernest on Decca records. In 1945, Floy writes of the group which was not performing at the time. Bill and J. C. Case had been assigned to work in Washington, DC as part of the war effort. Vernon Young found himself in the Pacific Theater in the Philippines. In December 1945 she told readers that Sgt. Vernon Young was on the second American transport plane to land in Japan. He was stationed on Le Shima (now called Lejima), a small island in Japan in the Okinawa prefecture. Floy shared another tidbit about the group. They started on KTAT in 1935. They recorded three programs each Sunday that were transcribed. They were then aired over radio station KDNT (about 35 miles from Fort Worth) and heard at 8:00am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Most in the group were songwriters. In addition to Bill's effort with Ernest Tubb, he also wrote a tune called "Jennie Lou" with Bill Boyd which he recorded on the Bluebird label. Their show was called "Timekeepers of the Air" - seemingly appropriate as some of the group worked in the jewelry store. When Vern Young finished his tour of duty as a radio operator in Japan, Bill Case and his Melody Boys all got together for the first time since October 1942. Group members included:
Norma Jean and Jeaninne were known as "The Melody Girls."
Footnotes: Albert Lee (A. L.) Steeley was born September 10, 1893 in Scottsborras, AL. He passed away on December 16, 1969 in Austin, TX.
Credits & Sources
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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)
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Their programs were once heard on KTAT, KFJZ, WRR, KNOW and KTNM. In
October of 1948, they were at KCNC out of Ft. Worth, Texas with
a show on at 7:15am, Monday through Friday. The transcribed show was
billed as "Fiddlin' Bill Case and His Melody Boys". An article mentions
that they had been heard across the country via the border radio
stations and also on the clear channel powerhouse station out of New
Orleans, Louisiana, WWL.
