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Denny Taylor
and the Muskingum Valley Boys

About The Artist

Denny Taylor and the Muskingum Valley Boys were a popular act that aired over WHIZ in Zanesville, Ohio, in the hear of the Muskingum Valley.

The group included a fellow by the name of Bunker James who played both the bass and fiddle and did the comic routines for the group. Red Smith was said to play a hot "take-off" guitar. On stell guitar, was Marion "Skeeter" Stultz, who was also the youngest member of the group. They called Denny the "Boy With the Big Smile". Denny himself was born and raised on a farm just south of Norwich, Ohio and had been singing since he was seven years old.

Denny and the Muskingum Valley Boys were on Monday through Friday at 12:30pm. They also had a television show that aired over two stations, WHIZ-TV (Channel 18) in Zanesville and WTAP-TV (Channel 15) in Parkersburg, West Virginia. No mention was made as to what day that show aired, but they did mention it was on at 6:30pm.

Denny also shared the same stage on shows that included such well known acts as Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Snow, Carl Smith and Ernest Tubb.

Among other things, Denny was also said to run one of the largest record stores in southeastern Ohio.

Timeline and Trivia Notes

Group Members included:

  • Elmer Snodgrass, emcee, bull fiddle and comedy
  • Helen Farmer, vocals, guitar
  • Bob and Gene Still, brothers, electric guitars
  • Stanford Lee, champion fiddle player
  • Chuck Atha, vocalist and impersonated other hillbilly singers, guitar

Credits & Sources

  • Cowboy Songs No. 47; July 1956; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT