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Max Raney and the Radio Rangers WGY Schenectady, NY WHAM Rochester, NY

About The Artist Max Raney owned the Bar M Ranch in East Bloomfield, New York where he would put on country music shows. Max would book various hillbilly music acts at the park when it was open from early Summer to late fall. The crowds were pretty impressive. When Ken Maynard and his horse, Tarzan appeared, they drew 13,560 people. Lulu Belle and Scotty, one of the mainstays of WLS' National Barn Dance saw 22,300 folks show up. Another WLS act, the Hoosier Hot Shots had about 16,000 folks in the audience. Max and his group were also entertaining folks over the air waves on radio station WHAM in Rochester, New York. In 1945, their show aired at 5:45am and a duo by the name of Si and Sparky were also part of the entertainment. In 1946, their shows could be heard from 6:30am to 7:00am and on Friday evenings between 7:30pm and 8:00pm, their show included the team of Hank and Herb as well as his Radio Rangers as his group was called then. Max apparently did pretty good with his park. And like many entertainers back then would often perhaps also have a second home in the warmer climates during the winter season. A 1946 article mentioned he had a home and ranch in Wichita Falls, Texas. One 1940s article notes he married his wife, Flossie, when he first met and heard her singing in the church choir in Schenectady, New York. Timeline and Trivia Notes Group Members (circa 1949): Max Raney, vocalist, accordion, solo vox; piano, bass Smokey, comedian and vocals, violin, clarinet, piano Stu Perkins, bass, Spanish guitar Floyd (Bud) White, Spanish guitar, electric Hawaiian steel guitar Don Hasse, bass, vocals Credits and Sources Hillbilly-Music.com wishes to thank Dick O'Brien of Lima, NY for providing us with a copy of the Max Raney and His Hi Boys personal appearance poster. Mountain Broadcast and Prairie Recorder; March 1945; Mountain Broadcast Pub. Co. Inc.; New York, NY Mountain Broadcast and Prairie Recorder; December 1945; Mountain Broadcast Pub. Co. Inc.; New York, NY National Hillbilly News; No. 10; April 1946; Poster Show Print Co.; Huntington, WV Mountain Broadcast and Prairie Recorder; June 1946; Mountain Broadcast Pub. Co. Inc.; New York, NY National Hillbilly News; Vol. IV No. 2; November-December 1948; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Via; Huntington, WV National Hillbilly News; Vol. V No. 1; September-October 1949; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Via; Huntington, WV