Thank you for the memories , My parents Augie Klein ,the accordionist featured backing up Bob Atcher and Mary Jane DeZurik of the DeZurik Sisters are my parents , This was a beautiful tribute ! Thank You
I went to Kansas City from Milwaukee to see Patsy Montana in 1982. Patsy invited me to lunch with her hosts while in Kansas City. Patsy was so down to earth, I felt I had always known her.
The WLS Barn Dance was the first, in 1924. George Hay and others rolled down the road to Nashville a year later and started the Grand Ole Opry at WSM. There was no NBC yet, so they were on their own. Both shows would be on the network at one time or another. And there were many more: KWKH's Louisiana Hayride and KWTO's Korn's-a-Krackin (later Ozark Jubilee) among them. It is a crime the WLS Barn Dance transcriptions could not be saved, but throwing out the old was common practice back then. There were a few saved by other stations, so there is some record of the WLS/National Barn Dance.
Thank you so much for posting this. I grew up with this music on Saturday night and even attended the barn dance in person. I was very sad when the change came and I still regret it.
I just can't believe that I'm the first to view this great tribute to the National Barn Dance. They were there before the Grand Old Opry. Just google this program and you'll be blown away with the list of country music artists that got their start on this program! It puts the G.O.O. to shame!
Thank you Scott for posting this beautiful tribute to a time when "Country Music" was truly "Country Music" and not rot & roll noise. By the way, I have several of the WLS Family Albums. Plus I am a personal friend of Alice McKay who, back in the Mid-1930's was known as "Little Alice".
I should have added that back in the late 1970's- early 1990's a radio program in the Tampa Bay Area. In 1989 I had as guests one Saturday morning Dolph Hewitt, the Johnson Sisters, Patsy Montana and Red Blanchard on my "Country Music Memories" program. The station was WRFA in Largo, Florida.
The named mentioned was all at one time or another members of National Barn Dance. I also interviewed Gene Autry via radio. He also wrote me a letter thanking me for a 80th birthday tribute I did.
Watched this with Mom every Saturday night
Thanks for this! My Grandfather Lou Klatt was a musician on the Barn Dance. He was an employee of WLS.
Thank you for the memories , My parents Augie Klein ,the accordionist featured backing up Bob Atcher and Mary Jane DeZurik of the DeZurik Sisters are my parents , This was a beautiful tribute ! Thank You
Hi Cousin! Lou Klatt was my grandfather, Augie’s Uncle as you know.
I went to Kansas City from Milwaukee to see Patsy Montana in 1982. Patsy invited me to lunch with her hosts while in Kansas City. Patsy was so down to earth, I felt I had always known her.
The WLS Barn Dance was the first, in 1924. George Hay and others rolled down the road to Nashville a year later and started the Grand Ole Opry at WSM. There was no NBC yet, so they were on their own. Both shows would be on the network at one time or another. And there were many more: KWKH's Louisiana Hayride and KWTO's Korn's-a-Krackin (later Ozark Jubilee) among them. It is a crime the WLS Barn Dance transcriptions could not be saved, but throwing out the old was common practice back then. There were a few saved by other stations, so there is some record of the WLS/National Barn Dance.
Thank you so much for posting this. I grew up with this music on Saturday night and even attended the barn dance in person. I was very sad when the change came and I still regret it.
I just can't believe that I'm the first to view this great tribute to the National Barn Dance. They were there before the Grand Old Opry. Just google this program and you'll be blown away with the list of country music artists that got their start on this program! It puts the G.O.O. to shame!
Yeah, the GOO and WSM began life the following year.
Thank you Scott for posting this beautiful tribute to a time when "Country Music" was truly "Country Music" and not rot & roll noise. By the way, I have several of the WLS Family Albums. Plus I am a personal friend of Alice McKay who, back in the Mid-1930's was known as "Little Alice".
My great grandfather played guitar on this program in the 30’s-40’s!
What a shame that these recordings and transcriptions weren't save for posterity! They were a huge part of Country Music history! Shame on WLS!
I should have added that back in the late 1970's- early 1990's a radio program in the Tampa Bay Area. In 1989 I had as guests one Saturday morning Dolph Hewitt, the Johnson Sisters, Patsy Montana and Red Blanchard on my "Country Music Memories" program. The station was WRFA in Largo, Florida.
The named mentioned was all at one time or another members of National Barn Dance. I also interviewed Gene Autry via radio. He also wrote me a letter thanking me for a 80th birthday tribute I did.
I should have complete the statement about Alice McKay. Alice was known as "Little Alice" on the National Barn Dance