Soundies on the Radio

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Air date: 
Sat, 06/24/2017 - 6:00am to 9:00am
Tommy Duncan, Carolina Cotton, Bob Wills
Lip-synching. Karaoke. Hrummph.

 

Western Swing was not immune to this crazy hepped-up thing they called Soundies in the 1940s. You could see & hear a band all dressed up in their western wear, lip-synching their hearts out, and sometimes there were even lyrics to sing along with!

While these soundies were mostly padding for movies and early television, you could also check them out on video jukeboxes as well at your favorite honky-tonk. (Ik, r?)

While the visual element is sweet, the music is pure gold.

I'm including a list of some of my favorite Soundies and early TV performances in the C/W vein.

Here's Merle Travis and Carolina Cotton performing Yodel Song

Fun with Soundies and TV/Movie clips

with some dupes - sorry. 

Spade Cooley

Joe Maphis (et al)

Les Paul & Mary Ford

Merle Travis

Bob Wills

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Episode Playlist

  • Time
    6:02
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    Stay a Little Longer
    Album
    Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys: The Golden Years of Western Swing
    Label
  • Time
    6:05
    Artist
    Wesley Tuttle
    Song
    With Tears in My Eyes
    Album
    With Tears in My Eyes
    Label
  • Time
    6:08
    Artist
    Carolina Cotton
    Song
    Be Honest with Me
    Album
    Be Honest with Me
    Label
  • Time
    6:09
    Artist
    Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys
    Song
    Slow poke
    Album
    Slow poke
    Label
  • Time
    6:13
    Artist
    Spade Cooley
    Song
    It's Dark Outside
    Album
    Swingin' the Devil's Dream
    Label
    Proper Records
  • Time
    6:16
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    Steel guitar rag
    Album
    Steelin It: The Steel Guitar Story
    Label
  • Time
    6:18
    Artist
    Ocie Stockard & The Wanderers
    Song
    Bass Man Jive
    Album
    Western Swing Chronicles, Volume 3
    Label
    Origin Jazz Library
  • Time
    6:23
    Artist
    Tommy Duncan
    Song
    Time Changes Everything
    Album
    Dog House Blues
    Label
  • Time
    6:25
    Artist
    Pee Wee King
    Song
    Bull Fiddle Boogie
    Album
    Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight
    Label
    Bear Family Records
  • Time
    6:27
    Artist
    Spade Cooley
    Song
    King of Western Swing
    Album
    King of Western Swing
    Label
  • Time
    6:37
    Artist
    Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies
    Song
    Yes Sir!
    Album
    Yes Sir!
    Label
  • Time
    6:40
    Artist
    Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys
    Song
    We're Gonna Go Fishin'
    Album
    We're Gonna Go Fishin'
    Label
  • Time
    6:44
    Artist
    Cliff Bruner and His Texas Wanderers
    Song
    That's What I like about the South
    Album
    That's What I like about the South
    Label
  • Time
    6:47
    Artist
    Smokey (Buck) Rogers and Spade Cooley
    Song
    Shame on You
    Album
    That's What I Like About the West
    Label
  • Time
    6:50
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    Take Me Back to Tulsa
    Album
    Take Me Back To Tulsa
    Label
    Proper
  • Time
    6:52
    Artist
    Spade Cooley
    Song
    Miss Molly
    Album
    Miss Molly
    Label
  • Time
    6:54
    Artist
    Ella Mae Morse
    Song
    Cow Cow Boogie
    Album
    Cow Cow Boogie
    Label
  • Time
    6:58
    Artist
    Spade Cooley
    Song
    Oklahoma Stomp
    Album
    Oklahoma Stomp
    Label
  • Time
    7:04
    Artist
    Red Foley
    Song
    Freight Train Boogie
    Album
    Sugarfoot Boogie: Gonna Shake This Shack!
    Label
    Bear Family Records
  • Time
    7:06
    Artist
    Speedy West
    Song
    Speedin' West
    Album
    Steelin It: The Steel Guitar Story
    Label
  • Time
    7:08
    Artist
    Merle Travis w/ Carolina Cotton
    Song
    Silver Spurs
    Album
    Silver Spurs
    Label
  • Time
    7:11
    Artist
    Joe Maphis
    Song
    Town Hall Boogie
    Album
    Town Hall Boogie
    Label
  • Time
    7:14
    Artist
    Joe Maphis and Larry Collins
    Song
    Flying Fingers
    Album
    Flying Fingers
    Label
  • Time
    7:17
    Artist
    Martha Tilton
    Song
    A Little Jive Is Good for You
    Album
    A Little Jive Is Good for You
    Label
  • Time
    7:22
    Artist
    Jimmie Revard and His Oklahoma Playboys
    Song
    Oh! Swing It
    Album
    Oh! Swing It
    Label
  • Time
    7:24
    Artist
    Carolina Cotton
    Song
    I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (and Write Myself a Letter)
    Album
    I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (and Write Myself a Letter)
    Label
  • Time
    7:27
    Artist
    Gene Autry
    Song
    Crime Will Never Pay (featuring Carolina Cotton)
    Album
    Crime Will Never Pay (featuring Carolina Cotton)
    Label
  • Time
    7:28
    Artist
    The DeZurik Sisters
    Song
    Call My Name
    Album
    Call My Name
    Label
  • Time
    7:32
    Artist
    The DeZurik Sisters
    Song
    Hillbilly Bill
    Album
    Hillbilly Bill
    Label
  • Time
    7:34
    Artist
    Thumbs & Curly
    Song
    Lil Liza Jane
    Album
    Lil Liza Jane
    Label
  • Time
    7:36
    Artist
    Wanda Jackson
    Song
    Cowboy Yodel
    Album
    Cowboy Yodel
    Label
  • Time
    7:38
    Artist
    Gitte
    Song
    Ich will 'nen Cowboy als Mann
    Album
    Ich will 'nen Cowboy als Mann
    Label
  • Time
    7:40
    Artist
    Johnny Bond
    Song
    Divorce Me C.O.D.
    Album
    Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys: The Hits
    Label
  • Time
    7:43
    Artist
    Boots Faye
    Song
    I'll Keep On Loving You (featuring Idaho Call)
    Album
    I'll Keep On Loving You (featuring Idaho Call)
    Label
  • Time
    7:47
    Artist
    Cecil Campbell
    Song
    Steel Guitar Jamboree
    Album
    Steel Guitar Jamboree
    Label
  • Time
    7:49
    Artist
    Jerry Byrd
    Song
    Steelin' the Blues
    Album
    Steelin' The Blues
    Label
  • Time
    7:52
    Artist
    Roy Hall
    Song
    Three Alley Cats
    Album
    Three Alley Cats
    Label
  • Time
    7:54
    Artist
    Charlie Adams
    Song
    Cattin' Around
    Album
    Cattin' Around
    Label
  • Time
    7:57
    Artist
    Jimmy Swan
    Song
    Country Cattin'
    Album
    Country Cattin'
    Label
  • Time
    7:59
    Artist
    Johnny Lee Willis and His Boys
    Song
    Tom Cat Boogie
    Album
    Tom Cat Boogie
    Label
  • Time
    8:04
    Artist
    Tillman Franks & His Rainbow Boys
    Song
    Hot Rod - Shotgun Boogie
    Album
    Hot Rod - Shotgun Boogie
    Label
  • Time
    8:06
    Artist
    Bob Atcher
    Song
    The Smoke Comes Out My Chimney
    Album
    The Smoke Comes Out My Chimney
    Label
  • Time
    8:09
    Artist
    Cindy Walker
    Song
    Pins and Needles - Single
    Album
    Pins and Needles - Single
    Label
  • Time
    8:12
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    San Antonio Rose Singalong
    Album
    San Antonio Rose Singalong
    Label
  • Time
    8:15
    Artist
    George Morgan
    Song
    My Window Faces the South (featuring Glen Campbell)
    Album
    My Window Faces the South (featuring Glen Campbell)
    Label
  • Time
    8:17
    Artist
    Jimmie Davis
    Song
    It Makes No Difference Now
    Album
    It Makes No Difference Now
    Label
  • Time
    8:24
    Artist
    Lina Romay
    Song
    Don't Get Around Much Anymore
    Album
    Don't Get Around Much Anymore
    Label
  • Time
    8:27
    Artist
    Les Paul & Mary Ford
    Song
    How High the Moon
    Album
    How High the Moon
    Label
  • Time
    8:29
    Artist
    Sonny Burns
    Song
    Powder and Paint
    Album
    Powder and Paint
    Label
  • Time
    8:32
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    Ida Red
    Album
    Ida Red
    Label
  • Time
    8:36
    Artist
    Glen Cooper
    Song
    Sugar Mama (Daddy)
    Album
    Sugar Mama (Daddy)
    Label
  • Time
    8:38
    Artist
    Bob Luman
    Song
    This is the Night
    Album
    This is the Night
    Label
  • Time
    8:40
    Artist
    Glen Glenn
    Song
    One Cup of Coffee and a Cigarette
    Album
    One Cup of Coffee and a Cigarette
    Label
  • Time
    8:42
    Artist
    Janis Martin
    Song
    Cracker Jack
    Album
    Cracker Jack
    Label
  • Time
    8:44
    Artist
    Brenda Lee
    Song
    Just Because
    Album
    Grandmother, What Great Songs You Sand
    Label
  • Time
    8:46
    Artist
    Bob Luman
    Song
    Blue Days, Black Nights
    Album
    Blue Days, Black Nights
    Label
  • Time
    8:49
    Artist
    Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
    Song
    Yodel Mountain featuring Carolina Cotton
    Album
    Yodel Mountain featuring Carolina Cotton
    Label
  • Time
    8:51
    Artist
    Hank Snow & Anita Carter
    Song
    When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold
    Album
    When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold
    Label
  • Time
    8:54
    Artist
    Les Paul & Mary Ford
    Song
    The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
    Album
    The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
    Label
  • Time
    8:54
    Artist
    Conway Twitty
    Song
    It's only make believe
    Album
    It's only make believe
    Label
    Direct Source
  • Time
    8:56
    Artist
    Hank Lochlin
    Song
    Please Help Me, I'm Falling
    Album
    Please Help Me, I'm Falling
    Label
  • Time
    8:59
    Artist
    Santo and Johnny
    Song
    Sleep Walk
    Album
    Sleep Walk
    Label

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