Back when they used to have DJ's..........

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 26 Oct 2011 8:58 pm

Back in the early 1950's, Disc Jockeys were the biggest thing in town. You could count on them to play the latest records out of Nashville and elsewhere......and that's where we olde timers used to hear and thence learn our newest songs of the day.

Then came the pay-olla scandals and somewhere in that time period came the musicians' union strike and just about all of "our kind of music" ended. After that it was "ELVIS" and the draught in western music continued.

The DJ's used to always pick out there favorite tune of the day for their shows' THEME SONG. Quite often it was a JERRY BYRD tune but they seldom ever played it all of the way thro'. They were frustrating years for steel players.

JERRY BYRD finally addressed the situation with his song "THEME for a DJ". You can hear it in the next couple of days by visiting the www.JERRYBYRD-FANCLUB.com
Hope you'll enjoy it!

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 27 Oct 2011 8:45 am

I remember my mom turning on the "KOIN Chuck Wagon" show every day at noon, live country music from downtown Portland over the airwaves, right up until I started off to school in the late 1950's. As a wee sprout at the time I don't remember who was in that band but it started me out right anyway...

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 27 Oct 2011 9:43 am

I remember those shows as well.

I believe SAMMY WHITE was a member of that band; or, another. Nearly all the stations had a country band.

Sammy is still playing over in Vancouver, WA., I believe, and SGF-steeler Dale Grandstrom has worked with him for eons.

Radio KWJJ had cowboy singer Dallas Turner and I seem to recall........was it Dave West?

Radio KXL had Arkie & His Jolly Cowboys.....

Radio KEX had The Northwesterners...with Kenny DeBored and Possum Schilling, I think it was.

KGW had Heck Harper..........

KVAN had Anne Jones and Willy Nelson.......

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 27 Oct 2011 2:49 pm

Hey, awesome link provision!

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 27 Oct 2011 5:41 pm

Yeah, and Ralph Emery used to use Buddy Emmons' 'Four Wheel Drive'
on his over-night show, Roy Queen used to use Joaquin Murpheys' 'Oklahoma
Stomp' and Billy Parker used to use Jim Bakers' 'Here's Billy'
on their shows.
Bill Mack, then on WBAP in Ft. Worth, would more often
than not play a steel number to 'close out the hour'.
~Russ

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 28 Oct 2011 1:06 am

I talked to Speedy West several years ago and when he found out that I was from Austria he said that he was always suprised to receive some royalty money from Austria. I was able to solve the mystery - one of the Austrian Country DJs used Speedy's and Jimmy's "Swinging On The Strings" as theme song.

Kind Regards, Walter

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 29 Oct 2011 1:13 am

Hey Ray, I miss the old time DJ's a bunch but one thing I never liked was the way most of 'em would always talk over the intro or ending of a song and sometimes even during the instrumental break. Back in those days we'd mostly learn songs from hearing them on the radio and/or taping them (if we had a tape recorder). It really bugged me when I was trying to get an intro right and trying to hear exactly what was being played behind the DJ's voice......JH in Va.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 29 Oct 2011 7:50 am

At the time, it seemed like they were doing it just to punish me. They'd have some half-baked country singer....singing right up to the steel guitar part and like you say, they'd start their own ramblings until the end of the steel break. GADD!

But, those were the days. I don't know how many songs I learned that way in spite of their obstruction.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 29 Oct 2011 4:23 pm

Every time I get onto Ray's Jerry Byrd website I end up playing dozens of the numbers.

This time I played "Trembling" by the York Brothers. Great C6 playing. I love that sound, even though people would think it out-of-date nowadays.

We lost a lot when everyone raced to use E9.

Don Euton · Post by **Don Euton** » 29 Oct 2011 4:29 pm

In the early 1960`s, Ralph Emery used Bobby Garrett`s, " Rose City Chimes", for his sign off, at about 4:30 am. I would listen to Ralph most every morning on my way to milk cows.
Don Euton

Joe W. Gilbert · Post by **Joe W. Gilbert** » 29 Oct 2011 7:37 pm

Oh my goodness Don, that sure brings back memories. One morning Mom got my brother up to go milk, the radio was tuned to KSWO out Lawton Ok. She told us "just a minute boys I want you guys to hear something". As we were listening to the radio, the DJ said "I have a request this morning for Butch and Joe Gilbert" It is the Milk Cows blues. Now you boys get out there and milk those cows. We had no idea Mom had written to the DJ and requested that until that chilly morning. Thank God for Moms.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Back when they used to have DJ's..........

Back when they used to have DJ's..........

I remember too........................

JERRY you're absolutely right!