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About The Artist
Trivia and music fans will be interested to know that Red was the great-nephew of the WSM Grand Ole Opry's first star, Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a legendary fiddler. During his career, Red worked with Fred Oliver's group, the Prairie Pioneers when they were at WLDS in Jacksonville, Illinois. Later, Red got his own show, "The Red Thompson Show" on WLDS in the 1940s and 1950s. When the time came to leave WLDS, Red moved to radio station WJIL in Jacksonville, a fan of the older music he came to play and entertain fans with, he continued his efforts to promote it though the industry was rapidly changing it into a new direction even then.
In our archives, we found a feature article on Red and Lois Thompson when they were at WLDS in mid-1949 by Mary Jean Shurtz in the National Hillbilly News. It happened more than once we've seen where the artists seemingly stopped in at Mary Jean's house or the homes of the other columnists that often gave them more personal insights into the artists and of course, treated to some of their fine music. The visit by Red and Lois was one of those instances. Mary Jean told the readers that Red and Lois wrote ahead of time and let her know they'd bring their instruments so they could sing some of their songs. As a treat, Hal Hartmann, president of the Hart-Van Record Label was also with them.
Mary Jean was also excited to learn that Red and Lois were going to record some of her tunes. Mary Jean's daughter, Norma then showed them some of her song lyrics, too and out of that, Norma got a contract and Red and Lois were going to record that tune in an upcoming recording session. That tune we think is mentioned below as we found mention in a later issue.
Next came a move to Monmouth, Illinois. Here he began to enjoy what came to be his first love, writing songs, especially country gospel tunes. In early country music publications, we find mention of some of those early songwriting efforts and who he collaborated with. In late 1949, Red had a song placed with Fairway Music, "When Your Heart Calls" that he wrote with Eddie Cardon and George Walker. In the column "Your Song and Mine" by Mary Jean Shurtz she wrote that the song was getting aired by Red and also Eddie Sosby. In that same column, she noted that the tune, "My Dog 'N Me Together" by Lois Thompson, Red Thompson and Norma Shurtz was out in sheet music form, published by the Ancheta Music Publications. Later on we read that Capt. Servais was recording the tune. They also wrote another tune together, "Waltz That Was Mine In The Past" that appears to have been recorded by Big Slim, the Lone Cowboy on the Page label. In a November-December 1948 article in Walter Hudnall's "Along the Song Trail" column, mention is made that Fred Oliver's Prairie Pioneers were featuring a tune by Red, "The Illinois Waltz", published by Chaw Mank's Blue Ribbon Publishing company. Red entertained fans all through his life. Later in his career, he would often sing in nursing homes while living in Monmouth, Illinois from 1976 until his death. Red would pass along some home style phrases to the fans on occasion, some that stayed with him for many years such as:
The Jacksonville Journal-Courier obituary for Red Thompson written by Edward Glad wrote of several remembrances of Red and his work at the local stations. Dave Walden, said to be a kindred spirit of Red's told Mr. Glad that Red was at WLDS, he helped "...create a revival of country music by making it a mainstay at the radio station." Mr. Walden also said, "The Red Thompson Show" was as popular as anything I can remember in recent history on that station." Mick Higgerson, a brother-in-law, noted that Red taught many others to play the acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo. "He played music by ear. All he had to do was listen to a piece of music and he could play it." Mick's wife, Freda, Red's sister noted that counted several WSM Grand Ole Opry stars among his friends, including Stringbean, Lonzo and Oscar and Grandpa Jones. Credits & Sources
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