Tennessee Barn Dance
 |
|
|---|---|
| Radio show from Knoxville, Tennessee | |
| publication | 1942-1987 |
| production | WNOX |
| Contributors | |
| Moderation | Lowell Blanchard |
The Tennessee Barn Dance was an American country show broadcast by WNOX of Knoxville , Tennessee .
history
Beginnings
The Tennessee Barn Dance was created in response to the Grand Ole Opry from Nashville , Tennessee, as Tennessee audiences were deeply rooted in traditional Appalachian bluegrass music and often contrasted with the more progressive country genres of Nashville. The first edition of the Tennessee Barn Dance was broadcast live on WNOX in 1942. The show was launched by musician Archie Campbell , who also appeared in Barn Dance as the comedian "Grandpa". The first editions were held in the Old Lyric Theater with 1,800 seats, and later moved to the WNOX Auditorium with 1,250 seats. The show was directed and hosted by Lowell Blanchard.
Ascent
The Tennessee Barn Dance grew in popularity in the 1940s and early 1950s. The show was at times broadcast nationwide on the CBS system and competed with other major shows of the time, such as the Opry, the Old Kentucky Barn Dance , the Old Dominion Barn Dance or the Louisiana Hayride .
The Tennessee Barn Dance was the start of their careers for many later stars of country music. Thus began among others Don Gibson , Mac Wiseman and many more their careers here. Other well-known regular musicians on the show included Pee Wee King , Roy Acuff , Johnnie and Jack , Bill Carlisle , Cowboy Copas , Flatt and Scruggs, and Carl Smith . Veteran country / old-time musicians from the 1920s and 1930s such as Riley Puckett , Cliff Carlisle and Charlie Monroe also found an opportunity to perform in the Tennessee Barn Dance. Even Mother Maybelle Carter and her three daughters June , Anita and Helen were regularly on stage in WNOX auditorium. It was the show's rural, traditional bluegrass harmonies in particular that made it so popular as many radio stations and shows relied on new styles such as honky tonk and western swing .
The End
At the end of the 1950s, the popularity of the Tennessee Barn Dance slowly waned. Television made its way into US homes and radio stations began to replace the lavish live shows with studio disc jockeys, which were cheaper and more unconventional. Nevertheless, the show continued to be broadcast live in the 1960s and 1970s with a reduced line-up. The last edition of the Tennessee Barn Dance ran in 1987 with the simultaneous end of WNOX.
Guests and members
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://tailoredsoundrecording.com/about.htm ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
