Month: October 2010

Old Time Country Music

Last week, I took a look at the available jazz old time radio out there. Now, for old time country and Western fans, this post is for you.

1) Hank Williams

Hank Williams, Sr. had two seperate radio shows. The first was his “Health and Happiness Show” from 1949, of which there are four episodes available on the Internet Archive, and his Mother’s Best Flour Show which ran in 1950-51, which the Old Time Radio Researchers has released as a certified set with 67 episodes.

2) Gene Autry

The singing cowboy has a wide variety of his Melody Ranch Recordings available at the Internet Archive.

3) Johnny Cash

The one recording of the Johnny Cash show available provides an interesting glimpse of an American legend in the making. The recording comes from 1954, the year before Cash’s first record hit the market. A 22-year old Cash was hosting his very broadcast and sounded quite a bit nervous. It’s a very different Johnny Cash who would sing songs like “Ring of Fire” and “Boy Named Sue” with such gusto and confidence. Worth a listen for a different look at the man in Black.

4) Grand Ole Opry

If you think of country music, the first place you think of is the Grand Ole Opry.  The archive has 30 recordings with such stars as Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, and Red Foley. Speaking of Foley, eight episodes of his show are available as well.

5) Pat O’Daniel and His Hillbilly Boys

The OTRR has a good collection this interesting 1930s radio show from Texas. It also includes a fascinating story of how Pat O’Daniel used the radio show to build a political career that include  stints as Governor of Texas and U.S. Senator.

6) Pinto Pete and His Ranch Hands:

Anothers 1930s show featuring 15 minutes of Cowboy music.

7) Armed Forces Radio Programs

Just like with jazz, Soldiers who loved country music were entertained with some of their favorites. First was Melody Roundup which was hosted by many stars that would be fans of country and cowboy and music such as Lum and Abner, Roy Rogers, and Bill Boyd (best known for playing Hopalong Cassidy on the radio). A later show sponsored by the Navy and Airforce was Country Music Time.

8) 10-2-4 Ranch

Sponsored by Dr. Pepper which urged people to Dr. Pepper at 10, 2, and 4 to help with energy sags in the middle of the day, this 15 minute show featured good country music.

In our third part, we’ll look at some of the shows that featured music as a matter of course, along with some classical music, and other miscellaneous music shows.

Thin Man Theatrical Trailer

EP0265: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Mickey McQueen Matter

Edmond O'Brien

An old friend of Johnny’s comes to him for help only to change his mind, and then turn up dead the next day.

Original Air Date: August 17, 1950

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EP0264: Sherlock Holmes: The Disappearing Scientists

Basil Rathbone

Holmes wants to retire, but is in demand to solve one last case before taking up bee farming.

Original Air Date: April 8, 1946

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EP0263: Let George Do It: Lady in Distress

Bob Bailey

With George out of town on a wild goose chase, Brooksie is tricked into impersonating a night club singer, and finds herself charged with murder.

Original Air Date: April 25, 1949

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EP0262: Jeff Regan: Gentlemen Prefer Horses

Regan is hired by a jockey to find a missing man.

Original Air Date: August 27, 1950

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EP0261: Screen Director’s Playhouse: Chicago Deadline

Alan Ladd

A reporter (Alan Ladd) finds a woman dead of TB and is determined to find out why she died.

Original Air Date: March 24, 1950

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All that Jazz

As I’ve listened to old time radio, I’ve acquired a taste for classic Jazz, particularly the instrumentals.

However, old time radio music can be hard to find unless you know what you’re looking for.  Over the next three weeks, we’ll be sharing some great sources for finding classic music, and we’ll start with some Jazzy Stuff.

The Big Band Remotes:

The Internet Archive features two seperate sets of Big Band Remotes featuring greats such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Armstrong, and much more. This is a treasure trove of great Jazz:

Band Remotes

Bind Band Remotes

AFRS Jive:

When Americans went overseas to fight World War II, the Armed Forces Radio Services played a critical role in maintaining morale, as they shared radio programs and music programs from back home. The Jazz program for the AFRS was, “GI Jive.” A nice collection of these recordings is available here along with other AFRS programs such as, “Mail Call.”  Two smaller but slightly better quality versions of twenty GI Jive are available here and here.

1920s Jazz Collection:

Not actually old time rado, but rather some very early Jazz 78 records.  Still, this collection of truly Golden oldies aged to 80-95 years old is worth a listen, thought not all of the 120 + songs would be qualified as jazz.

Bing Crosby:

Bing Crosby was an American institution for decades, and he made a lot of radio appearances and hosted many radio show. The Internet Archive has two Bing Crosby collections. The first is an eclectic selection of Crosby radio shows from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.  Many of these are of lower 24kbps quality, but there are some good recordings in there as well.  The second collection is the Old Time Radio Researchers set of the Bing Crosby-Rosemany Clooney show that ran from 1960-62 . Between these two collection, there’s more than 400 episodes of Bing Crosby radio available.

Al Jolson:

Jolson was one of the most noted entertainers in Vaudeville and early films, including the classic, The Jazz Singer. The Al Jolson collection includes guest appearances on Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Eddie Cantor’s show, along with episodes he hosted for the Kraft Music Hall and the Shell Chateau.

Next week, we’ll take a look at some great country and folk music available. If you’ve got a program you’d like to share, let me know about it in the comments.

EP0260: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Blood River Matter

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny heads to a small town to investigate the murder of an insured 

Original Air Date: August 7, 1950

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EP0259: Sherlock Holmes: The April Fools Adventure

Basil Rathbones

Watson joins in an April Fools prank on Sherlock Holmes.

Original Air Date: April 1, 1946

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EP0258: Let George Do It: The Elusive One Hundred Grand

Bob Bailey

George goes to Nevada to help an actor with gambling debts make enough ona deal to pay off the syndicate. But getting the one hundred grand is not as hard as holding onto it.

Original Air Date:April 18, 1949

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EP0257: Jeff Regan: There’s Nothing Like a Pork Chop When Supper Rolls Around

International is hired to protect a bad, but commercially successful poet, who is then killed after a radio broadcast.

Original Air Date: August 6, 1950

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EP0256: Box 13: Round Robin

Alan Ladd

A letter to Box 13 puts Dan Holiday in the middle of a complicated blackmail scheme.

Original Air Date: December 22, 1948

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The Best of Box 13

After 52 episodes, the last Podcast of Box 13 will be released. It’s been a good run with some of the best writing and acting in radio. While there were a few clunkers such as, “Actor’s Alibi” this was the exception rather than rule.

Holiday’s plan to find mystery plots by receiving letters sent to Box 13 at the Star Times has paid off. It’s attracted all kinds: damsels in distress, criminals looking for unwitting accomplices, and people who were just plain crazy. Below are five of my favorites:

5) Book of Poems

A great mystery where Dan tries to find out what a disabled young man who can’t talk meant by sending him a book of poems by Sir Walter Raleigh. Features Ladd’s fantastic reading voice.

4) Hare and Hounds

This is a very tense and suspenseful story as Holiday finds himself framed for murder, with the local police hunting for him, along with the real killer. His job is to stay alive. It’s one of Holiday’s cleverest adventures.

3) The Philanthropist

Dan Holiday answers a letter from a homeless man, and goes undercover as an indigent as he tries to find out who’s behind the disappearance of several homeless men. The answer is shocking.

2) Find Me, Find Death

Dan Holiday got plenty of crazy letters, but this one took the cake. The letter writer informed Holiday that he would kill him in 4 days and that if he went to the police, he’d kill Holiday sooner.  Holiday’s challenge is to find the madman–without finding death.

1) The Treasure of Hang Li

Dan Holidays follows the instructions in a letter to purchase “the Hang Li” piece. The shop owner gives it to Holiday and insists he not pay for it.  It’s a very surprising story, and perhaps the most profound of the series.

And there are many other great episodes, all of which are available on our Box 13 page.

EP0255: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Henry J. Unger Matter

 Edmond O'Brien

An ex-con who Johnny sent up, frames him  for murder.

Original Air Date: July 20, 1950

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