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Ramblin' Lou Schriver
Born:  July 19, 1929
Died:  January 18, 2016
Country Music DJ Hall of Fame (1985)
WJJL Jamboree
WWVA Original Jamboree
WHLD Buffalo, NY

About The Artist

Ramblin' Lou Shriver we first found about when we found an old WJJL Jamboree song folio that had several pictures of the folks on the show, but inside was a song book mainly of Jenny Lou Carson tunes. Needless to say, you can read about that folio in the story on the WJJL Jamboree.

Earl Heywood wrote in his "Canadian Corral" column in 1952 that Ramblin' Lou was at WJJL and reporting that Canadian acts were getting their share of requests on his station.

Ramblin' Lou had quite a stint at WJJL in the Niagara Falls area. He had a daily three-hour shift as disc jockey; he had a live show called "Rainbow Ridge"; and a special Saturday night broadcast from Ramblin' Lou's Record Ranch, which was one of the leading country and western record stores in Niagara Falls.

In early 1955, Smokey Warren wrote in his summary of news in the New York region that Ramblin' Lou was at WJLP in Niagra Falls (we think this may be a typo on the station call letters) and had attracted standing room only at the UNF Hall in Toronto, Ontario. Smokey also reported that Ramblin' Lou was appearing on the WWVA Jamboree every Saturday night as well. Smokey reported in 1956 that Ramblin' Lou's show over WJJL was originating from the State Theatre in Niagara Falls.

He had a band around 1956 called the "Twin Pine Mountaineers". He and the band did personal appearances in Western New York and Pennsylvania and in Ontario, Canada, too. He also appeared on the WWVA Original Jamboree at one time, too.

A 1957 article mentions he was getting ready to make another record. The songw were "God's Way Is The Right Way" b/w "Turn Your Radio On".

Around 1956, he was recording on the Spartan label and his release then was "Seashore Blues" backed with "I'm Not Crazy, I'm In Love". Rustic Rhythm magazine reported in August 1957 that the tune "Seashore Blues" had climbed to number four on the local charts.

Stay tuned as we have come across other articles on Ramblin' Lou that we'll add as we find them again.

Credits & Sources

  • Country Song Roundoup; No. 19; August 1952; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  • Country & Western Jamboree; Vol. 1 No. 3; May 1955; Country & Western Jamboree; Chicago, IL
  • Cowboy Songs; No. 47; July 1956; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  • Rustic Rhythm; Vol. 1 No. 2; May 1957; Rustic Rhythm, Inc.; 527 Lexington Ave; New York, NY
  • Country & Western Jamboree; Vol. 2 No. 8; October 1956; Maher Publications, Inc.; Chicago, IL

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Ramblin'
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  207 A Seashore Blues
  207 B I'm Not Crazy, I'm In Love
 
Sparton
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  108 A Seashore Blues
  108 B I'm Not Crazy I'm In Love