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The Blue Ridge Rangers
WESC Greenville, SC

About The Group

They were organized in 1947 and were out of Greenville, South Carolina. The founders of the group were Bob and Jim Edwards. Bob was their emcee and got called into the military service for a tour of duty at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

The Blue Ridge Rangers' schedule in the mid-1950s included a 30-minute television show over WGVL-TV and a daily radio show on WESC in Greenville, South Carolina.

Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle
Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle no. 2

Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle
Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle no. 2

Portrait - Jimmie Riddle - Harmonica and Accordion - The Smokey Mountain Boys Picture Album

A magazine article says the reason for the group's popularity was "...in their interpretation of country music, which has just the right amount of Western tang to it."

They were said to have recorded for the Atlas label and their release in mid-1954 was "Little Temptation" along with "In The Beautful Sky".

Billboard magazine however did not give their recording a very kind review.

Bob and Jim (Blue Ridge Rangers)
Record Reviews
The Billboard

Date Label Rec No. Review
12/23/1950 (BB) Atlas 1 Little Temptation — Attempt at medium bounce ballad is weakly orked and amateurishly recorded. Warbler doesn't do too badly. (Rating: 37)

In The Beautiful Sky — Maile duo harmonizes weakly on a hereafter job. (Rating: 30)

Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle no. 2
Eefin - Hee Haw screen shot - Jackie Phelps and Jimmie Riddle

Timeline and Trivia Notes

Group Members included (from 1954 photo):

  • Bob Edwards, emcee
  • Jim Edwards
  • "Pee Wee" Milton, take-off guitar
  • Ansel Garrett, bass
  • Not pictured - Bob Edwards - Military service at Fort Monmouth, NJ

Portrait - Jimmie Riddle - Harmonica and Accordion - The Smokey Mountain Boys Picture Album

Portrait - Jimmie Riddle - Harmonica and Accordion - The Smokey Mountain Boys Picture Album

Portrait - Jimmie Riddle - Harmonica and Accordion - The Smokey Mountain Boys Picture Album

Credits & Sources

  • Country Song Roundup No. 32; June 1954; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT.
  • Cowboy Songs Magazine; issue unknown; appears to be Issue No. 30; approximately October 1953.

Read More About The Group

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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Atlas
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  Unknown A Little Temptation
  Unknown B The Beautiful Sky
 
Hilite
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  H-101 A Burning My Bridges Behind Me (Vocal by Glenn Boggs)
  H-101 B I'm So All Alone (Vocal by: Glenn Boggs)
 
True Blue
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  302 A Eternity (Vocal by: Vernon Fox)
  302 B Each Dawn I Die (Vocal by Duck Daniel)


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