WLW Boone County Jamboree
The first mention of the Boone County Jamboree was by Paul Kennedy
in his column in The Cincinnati Post on Thursday, September 15, 1938. He told readers, "All of which reminds us, the chief claim to fame for
WLW's "Boone County Jamboree" Friday night seems to be it will be a hillbilly show
without being a hillbilly show...whatever that means."
On the night of the first show, Mr. Kennedy tells readers after getting a haircut earlier in the day,
he went home early to have dinner before going to Emery Auditorium to take in WLW's
Boone County Jamboree. He wrote: "...a string mixture of near-hoedown hillbilly entertainment
and straight musical comedy." The first show was on a Friday night. On Saturday evening,
WLW broadcast the Renfro Valley Barn Dance, the National Barn Dance and Plantation Party.
While the show was broadcast over WLW, a station in Cincinnati, Boone County is actually
the northernmost county in Kentucky.
The inaugural program on Friday night, September 16, 1938 was attended by a reporter
from the Cincinnati Equirer writing in a "Movie Report Card" column. Rather than paraphrase
what Fred Breyer wrote, let us instead read what he wrote back then:
"With Charley Wayne as master of ceremonies and a large,
friendly and enthusiastic crowd to spur them on, the varied groups of performers
making up the cast of the Boone County Jamboree gave an ample and interesting
evening of entertainment at the Emery last night. The featured "Hoosier Hot Shots" furnish
som dizzy music and catchy songs. Their most prominent (and noisiest) musical instrument
is washboard with auto horn and whistle attachments.
Pa and Ma McCormick and the Brown County Revelers, Hugh Cross and his palls with Mary Ann,
The Plainsmen, harmonizers, Barton Rees Pogue, the Hoosier Poet; The Drifting Pioneers with
Judy Dell, the Devore Sisters, Chuck Woods and his Southern Stars, Harry Adams, the guitar
specialist, and the Boone County Choir are the other radio favorites who round out
the program.
Hillbilly music, sentimental songs of a generation ago, assorted yodeling, barnyard imitations,
a musical saw, and some barefooted comedians with poorly fitting trousers add to the
general air of festive merriment. The audience, obviously composed of radio listeners,
came out to see their favorites in person and were more than satisfied with what they saw."
A couple weeks later, readers once again could read Fred Breyer's in-person account
of the show.
"Like oysters and olives, hillbilly music can become pleaseing
to the taste if properly cultivated. When I attended the first Boone County Jamboree
at the Emery two weeks ago I was more or less convinced that two hours of assorted
"git-tar" playing and singers "Comin' Round The Mountain" was too much for anyone
to handle in one evening. Now I'm not so sure. In fact, I'll break down and confess that
this type of merriment is getting a hold on me.
Featured entertainers on last night's BooneCounty Jamboree were the DeZuirk Sisters,
a yodeling team who can outyodel anyone I have ever heard and, first and last, I've heard
a lot of yodelers. The Five Aces, comedy singers, put on a novelty comedy act that was first rate.
HelenDiller, the Canadian cowgirl who was going back to Montana last week (vocally) was headed
for Texas last night (also vocally). She is equally good, headed either directrion. The
Drifting Pioneers, the Brown Couty Revelers, and the Southern Stars dispensed their
mountain melodies (or are they cowboy melodies) with their usual effectiveness.
Lafe Harkness' jokes are getting nearer originality each week. Charley Wayne, the
hard-working master of ceremonies, sang several songs, his "Lonesome Road" drawing
the most approval. These shows, which appear at the Emery each Friday night, rank
high in entertainment value."
WLW Boone County Jamboree
Cast Photo from 1940 Flyer
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Front row (L-R): Lafe Harkness; Tillie Q. Smith; Denny SLofoot; Kenny Carlson (ventriloquist) w/Scrappy O'Brien; Dolly Good; Millie Good; (Girls of the Golden West);
Clarence Dooley, Lenore Burch, Susie Rinehart, J. Alan Rinehart, Hazel "Emmy Lou" Turner, Harold Maus (Novelty Aces); "Lazy" Jim Day; Lulu Belle; Skyland Scotty
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Second row (L-R): Roy Fields; Eileen Graham; Charles Linville; Wesley Tuttle; Brownie Reynolds; Maggie Willoughby; Clem Willoughby;
"Sleepy" Wayne Marlin; "Walt" Brown; Merle Travis; Bill Brown; Ma McCormick; Hugh Cross;
Pa McCormick; Shug Fisher; Paul de Fun; John C. Spears; Buddy Ross; Chester Herman
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Third row (L-R): Gordon Shaw; Hal O'Halloran; Bill McCluskey; Fay Earlywine; Pearl White; Jilson Earlywine;
Robert Bolton; Aileen Hinkle; John Grigsby; Virgie Lee; Elmer Lee; Tex Owens; Helen Diller; Don White;
Jo Taylor and Alma Taylor (Kentucky Girls); Fred Kirby; Lon Clark; Hank Richards; William J. Rocca
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Note: Some names be spelled incorrectly due to handwriting on flyer for each name. |
According to information contained in the song folio booklet, "Favorite Songs of the WLW Boone County Jamboree"
the show was first conceived in 1938 by James D. Shouse. He was the vice-president
of the Crosley Corporation in charge of broadcasting. He dreamed:
"...of a program which would radiate sincere friendliness;
feature the simple, tuneful melodies of rural communities, southern mountains
and the western plains—a program which would lighten the workaday cares of the great
mass of people, both old and young, to many of whom modern dance music did not appeal."
The idea was to get listeners to believe the cast was as friendly as a next door neighbor.
Pa and Ma McCormick were the 'head' of the family so to speak. Charley Wayne was
the emcee, having already done a similar role on WCKY. A Canadian native, Helen Diller,
became one of the most popular members of the show.
WLW seemed to have been a path for stars from other stations or shows to branch out
and reach other audiences. Or in the case of Sunshine Sue, a stepping stone to her
next role on the WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance. From WLS, Lulu Belle and Scotty were
on the show a couple of years. Hal O'Halloran and Bill McCluskey came from WLS
in Chicago as well. Merle Travis headed up the Drifting Pioneers. A comedy duo,
Clem and Maggie (Willoughby) entertained fans.
In early 1945, WLW introduced a new program - WLW Midwestern Hayride. It was touted
as a "new blend" of music; it was "Neither Hillbilly Nor Modern, But Pure Homespun
Novelty." The article conjures up the definitions of "taken for a ride" in past eras - "pleasant outing in
a new surry, with or without fringe on top." Or it could have been the "horseless carriage"
of the 20's and 30's. Or in later years, a one-way journey when racketeers took over
a town. But WLW took the term "ride" and incorporated it into its programs names.
Thus, "Midwesatern Hayride." The idea was said to be born from the collective efforts of "Wild Bill" McCluskey
and Ed Mason.
"The music is homespun, yet neither hillbilly, nor modern. It is a
mixture of both, which is produced by stirring together novel arrangements of
both types of music.
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The show included some of the regulars from the Boone County Jamboree. Other show regulars were
"..other contributors are the regular line of musicians and vocalists." Little Jimmie
Dickens was the master of ceremonies, "...awaiting television to have realized
by listeners the full value of the expression 'the little man with the big voice.'
Some examples provided were Max Condon, a tenor said to be able to sing any type of music,
including opera and hillbilly. Dolly Good sang along with the Buccaneers in various
types of tunes. The Trail Blazers were said to be variety artists with featured parts
in the show. Comedy was the role of Grandpappy Doolittle. Rounding out the cast
were the Johnson Twins, Lee Morgan and Penny Woodford.
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Scotty (Skyland Scotty) Wiseman
Denny Slofoot
Fiddlin' Daisy Lang and Evelyn Perry
Sunshine Sue
Cal West (Clem and Maggie)
Edith Collins
Delmore Brothers
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