KWGB Rhythm Jamboree Bandwagon
The folks at the KWGB Rhythm Jamboree Bandwagon out of Goodland, Kansas
might look a bit familiar to you. For the most part, they're the same
gang that appeared on the WGY Radio Ranch show out of Schnectady, New York
around 1953 - 1954 at least.
A Cowboy Songs article from 1954 made it sound as though Ernie and the gang
were first at KWGB then went to WGY. But here in an article in 1957,
we find they're at KWGB in Kansas but without Ernie and Candy Lindell.
The show appears to have been on both television and radio out of Goodland,
Kanas. On tv, it was over Channel 10. During the week, the gang would do
personal appearances far and wide in the surrounding states, from Dodge City,
Kansas to as far away as Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The cast has some similarities to the gang we saw at WGY, but also had some
changes, too.
Stan Fish, a top hawaiian steel guitar player was with them. In this article,
we found that he was formerly a part of Hal "Lone Pine" and Betty Cody's
recordings on RCA Victor and Robin Records.
A new face in the gang was Jim Jarose who was known to be a radio announcer
and disc jockey at KWGB, he took on the role of a comedian known as "Crazy
Waldo" on the show. He was known for his ad-libs. He could also sing a decent
tune they said.
A husband-wife duo of Marion and Bob Heck were on the show. Marian was formerly
Marion Bruno when they were on WGY. They got married while they were with
Ernie Lindell's group back east. Marion was from Connecticut, Bob was from
New York.
And still another husband-wife duo we find as part of this gang - Helen Fish,
Stan Fish's wife, was also part of the group at this time and played the
accordion. She didn't sing or rather they didn't know she could sing
until as luck often happens, they had an opening on a show and they asked
her to sing a tune.
Finally there was Tommy Reilly, who they described as a big Irish cowboy,
standing about six feet tall. He played guitar, doing his own arranging
on his solo numbers and was a singer who 'made the teenagers swoon'. He
also took part in the trio numbers with Bob and Marion Heck.
Credits & Sources
- Country Song Roundup No. 53; December 1957, American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
