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Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], West Virginia Country and Western Music Memorabilia, A&M 3538, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Scope and Contents

Initial Acquisition of 2006/11/05:

1935-1945; 1 in. (3 folders in box 1)

Memorabilia regarding the musicians and music of the country and western music show "Jamboree" broadcast by Wheeling, West Virginia radio station WWVA. Includes eight song or history books, two song sheets, and thirteen photographs of the musicians who performed at the "Jamboree". Among the performers represented are Mack Jeffers' Fiddlin' Farmers, Jake Taylor and his Rail Splitters, Joe Barker's Radio Circus, Cowboy Loye, Grandpa Jones, Curley Miller and his Ploughboys, as well as West Virginians Doc Williams and his Border Riders, Big Slim "Lone Cowboy", and Frank Dudgeon. Also includes addenda.

Addendum of 2006/11/06:

1931-1945; 2 in. (6 folders in box 1)

Memorabilia regarding the country and western musicians who performed on radio stations WWVA, Wheeling, W.Va., and WMMN, Fairmont, W.Va. Includes four song booklets (ca. 1935-1942) and one "family album" booklet documenting the facilities and personnel of station WMMN (1941), and 33 photographs of musicians. Among the performers represented are Smokey and Radio Dot; Health and Happiness Gang; Western Stars; Roy Acuff; Shug Fisher; Budge and Fudge Mayse; Cap, Andy, and Flip; Lee and Juanita Moore; and the Harping Sheepherders.

Addendum of 2010/01/28:

ca. 1936-1940; 1/4 in. (9 items in 1 folder located in small collections)

This addendum contains a 1936, 10th Anniversary Book of radio station WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, and seven photographs (ca. 1936-1940) of the popular performers featured on the station's signature program, "WWVA Jamboree".

The book includes information regarding WWVA's history, personnel, studios, and the 178th performance of the "WWVA Jamboree".

The photographs, all black and white, are of several "Jamboree" stars including:

one 8 in. x 10 in. photo of

"The Border Riders", featuring "Doc" Williams;

two 8 1/2 in. x 6 1/2 in. photos of

1.) "The Bluebonnet Troupe"

2.) Jake Taylor and his band

four 5 in. x 7 in. photos of

1.) "The Harping Sheep Herder and the 4 Harps" featuring James "Sheep Herder" Moore and "Cowboy Loye" Pack

2.) Dale T. "Stoney" and Wilma Lee Cooper known as the "Singing Pals"

3.) a portrait of "Cowboy" Loye Pack and his family

4.) a group picture of four men including "Just Plain John" Oldham, "Cowboy" Loye Pack, James "Sheep Herder" Moore, and (possibly) Lew Childre and an unidentified boy. There is also sheet music for "The Old Home Place" by Jake Taylor and Tommy Pritchett (1938).

Addendum of 2010/06/21:

ca. 1935-1940; (1 item in box 1)

Photo of Franklin Brothers who performed on radio station WMMN, including the trio Billy, Delmos, and Clyde. The photo was mailed to Mrs. W.D. Lewis of Morgantown, W. Va., who apparently was a fan.

Addendum of 2014/08/22:

1908-ca.1960; 5 in. (12 folders in box 2)

Memorabilia regarding radio stations WWVA, Wheeling, W.Va. and WMMN, Fairmont, W.Va., and the country and western musicians who performed on these stations. Contains photographs of performers, programs for radio shows, songbooks, fan club related items, and other material. Also contains tourism brochures regarding locations in West Virginia and surroundings states, and postcards showing West Virginia scenes.

Contents List:

box 2; folder 1; Radio Station WMMN, Fairmont, WV ("Family Album" magazine, program for "Al Hendershot's Dixie Ramblers", and photograph of "Uncle" Nat); 1941, undated

box 2; folder 2; Radio Station WWVA, Wheeling, WV (programs for WWVA's Jamboree, "Scrapbook of Hillbilly and Western Stars", and group photographs of Jamboree musicians); 1940-1953

box 2; folder 3; Cowboy Loye (photographs, songbook, newspaper clippings); 1941, undated

box 2; folder 4; Buddy Starcher Fan Club (postcard, biography, membership cards, correspondence); 1944-1948, undated

box 2; folder 5; Buddy Starcher Songbooks (4 songbooks); 1942-1944

box 2; folder 6; Photographs of performers (8 black and white photographs of performers with identifications); undated

box 2; folder 7; Photographs of performers (21 black and white photographs of performers with identifications); 1946, undated

box 2; folder 8; National Jamboree magazine (2 issues); 1949

box 2; folder 9; Programs for country and western radio shows; 1938-1947, undated

box 2; folder 10; Programs for film and for radio shows (Tom Breneman; Ed East and Polly); 1943-1944, undated

box 2; folder 11; Tourism brochures for locations in West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania; ca. 1950-1960

box 2; folder 12; West Virginia Scenic Postcards; 1908-1909, undated

Addendum of 2014/10/18:

1940-1943; 1/4 in. (5 items in 1 folder in box 2)

Songbooks regarding the country and western musicians who performed on radio stations WWVA, Wheeling, W.Va., and WMMN, Fairmont, W.Va. Performers include: Cap, Andy, and Flip; Little John and Cherokee Sue; Maxine and Eileen Newcomer; Mack Jeffers and his Fiddlin' Farmers; and Toby Stroud.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Country music -- West Virginia
• Jamboree USA (Radio program).
• Pack, Loye Donald.
• Starcher, Oby Edgar.
• WWVA (Radio station : Wheeling, W. Va.)