Brush Creek Follies
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| Radio show from Kansas City, Missouri | |
| publication | 1938-1955 |
| production | KMBC |
| Contributors | |
| Moderation | Hiram Higsby |
The Brush Creek Follies was an American country show broadcast on KMBC from Kansas City , Missouri .
history
The Brush Creek Follies first broadcast in 1938 from Ivanhoe Temple in Kansas City. The show got its name from the Brush Creek River, which flows through Kansas City. The stage of the show was set up as an old barn to create an atmospheric ambience for the country shows. In the following years, the show moved several times to other auditoriums (including Municipal Auditorium, Memorial Hall) until it was finally moved to the KMBC TV Playhouse in 1951.
Right from the start, KMBC's management was able to engage famous musicians for the show, for example Hiram Higsby, who had previously performed in the National Barn Dance from Chicago , became the presenter. The Rhythm Riders were also from Chicago and had successes in the National Barn Dance. Over the years, other stars such as Tex Owens and his sister Laura Lee Owens , the Willis Brothers and the Tune Chasers have been added.
The Brush Creek Follies quickly established itself as one of the most popular country shows in the US and was at times broadcast across America by CBS . At the time, the show was the only one of its kind in the Midwest and the second most popular barn dance show in the United States for 14 years. It was only surpassed in popularity by the National Barn Dance.
Other permanent members of the show were Kit and Kay , Colorado Pete , the Texas Rangers, the Prairie Pioneers, Bobby Cook, the Don Sullivan and Sally Carson. The show also featured comedians such as multi-instrumentalist Jed Starkey or the magician Tim West. The show also had a "blackface" comedian called George Washington White. Blackface comedy is now viewed as politically incorrect, but it wasn't uncommon back then given the racist political climate.
In 1950, the Brush Creek Follies got competition from KMCO's Cowtown Jubilees in Kansas City, but could still hold their own. However, in the mid-1950s, television rose in popularity while the old barn dance shows were considered obsolete. Instead of running the show on KMBC-TV, the station stopped the show in 1955.
Guests and members
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