Halsey Institute

Time don’t wait, and neither do we. Find Marty and the Fabulous Superlatives out on the road each weekend this month! 🎸

Tickets at MartyStuart.net

Would the music we know as Western swing exist without a Fort Worth, Texas radio figure, flour promoter, and politician named W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel?

Probably, but Daniel nonetheless has to be acknowledged as a guy who was there at the very beginning, hiring a group that featured the two musicians — Bob Wills and Milton Brown — generally acknowledged as the fathers of Western swing.

In 1931, as sales manager for Burrus Mills in Fort Worth, O’Daniel hired fiddler Wills, vocalist Brown, and their band to appear on radio and in personal appearances as a promotional tool for the mill’s Light Crust Flour. (Keep in mind that the flour market was a much bigger deal than it is now, because lots more baking was done at home.) Daniel would appear on the broadcasts and at the live shows as well, reading poetry and indulging in fundamentalist and patriotic oratory. O’Daniel’s often autocratic ways, coupled with his disdain for dancing and drinking and his unwillingness to let the band moonlight, led Brown to leave the Doughboys in ’32 and Wills in ’33.

While they went off to form their two seminal Western swing bands, Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, O’Daniel brought in new Doughboys and continued with the broadcasts and regional tours. That lasted until 1935, when O’Daniel left Burrus Mills and created his own flour company, which gave the world — or at least Texas and its environs — Hillbilly Flour. He also put together a new band, W. Lee O’Daniel and His Hillbilly Boys, to promote the product, just as the Light Crust Doughboys had promoted Light Crust Flour.
Two of the Hillbilly Boys were O’Daniel’s actual sons: Mike (on fiddle) and Pat (banjo).

The Hillbilly Boys and their music also promoted O’Daniel’s career as a Texas politician. In 1939, he became Governor of Texas, and from there won a special election to the U.S. Senate — beating out another politician named Lyndon Johnson, who would later suceed him in the job.

Saturday on SWING ON THIS, I’ve got O’Daniel and his boys (including one of his actual boys, Pat) doing a famous jazz tune that first appeared in 1921. This version was released on the Vocalion label a year before O'Daniel moved into the Texas Governor’s Mansion. Our playlist this week also includes another famous song by a politician, this one written by a Louisiana governor. And, listen for numbers from the two Western-swing greats who parted ways with Pappy early on — Bob Wills and Milton Brown.

All that and lots more awaits you Saturday at 7 p.m., when the latest edition of SWING ON THIS airs over Tulsa’s NPR affiliate KWGS, 89.5 FM, and live-streams everywhere at publicradiotulsa.org. So Please consider this your invitation to join me and our worldwide group of listeners for an hour of Western swing, cowboy jazz, and, probably, a surprise or two.

🎶 Hey Blues Family! Today’s Black American Spotlight for Black History Month: Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five! 🎤✨ 🌟

Today on Radio IDL, we’re shining our Black History Month spotlight on the iconic Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five! Known as the “King of the Jukebox,” Jordan’s career revolutionized the music world, blending jazz, blues, swing, and boogie-woogie into a sound that laid the foundation for R&B and rock and roll as we know them today.

🎵 Why Louis Jordan is Legendary:
In 1947, Billboard magazine introduced a chart ranking Black-American-oriented musical genres, then called "Most Played Juke Box Race Records." That year, Louis Jordan dominated the charts, holding the #1 spot for an incredible 40 weeks with hits like:

"Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens" (16 consecutive weeks at #1!)
"Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" (14 weeks at #1)
"Jack You’re Dead"
"Texas and Pacific"
"Caldonia"
At one point, 4 out of the top 5 songs on the chart were Jordan’s—a testament to his unmatched talent and popularity. His innovative style and infectious energy not only made him a jukebox favorite but also influenced a generation of artists who would go on to define rock and roll.

🎸 His Impact on Blues & Rock n’ Roll:
Jordan’s upbeat, storytelling lyrics and his ability to merge blues with swing rhythms inspired legends like Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, BB King and even James Brown. His music bridged gaps, bringing Black-American music to mainstream audiences and forever changing the sound of popular music.

🎉 Celebrate Louis Jordan on RadioIDL:
We’ll be playing some of his greatest hits today, along with a selection of other incredible Black artists, as part of our Black History Month celebration. Remember, at RadioIDL, we honor Black Americana music every day with Professor Kerry Kudlacek’s collection, which dates all the way back to 1809.

🌟 Support Us with Stars!
Love Louis Jordan and his influence on music? Show your support by interacting with us! 💫 Meta’s new star system allows you to earn points while helping us keep the music and history alive. Drop a comment, share your favorite Jordan song, or just send us some love! Your engagement means the world to us! ❤️

📻 Where to Tune In:
Stream RadioIDL live and celebrate the legacy of Louis Jordan and other amazing Black artists all month long. Let’s keep the spirit of Black History Month alive through the music that shaped history! 🎶
@topfansPoppa NiteELizabeth HollisStormy MillerThe Blues FoundationOklahoma Blues SocietyBlues Society of Tulsa Still Got The Blues Music Bluesmania

&B

Check out the special exhibition of Jim Halsey's Images at the Independence Historical Museum and Art Center that begins on April 23!

Generous Gifts

Thanks to our friend, Jan Bridges, Leon Russel’s widow, for the generous gifts to our Halsey company museum -
WOW!!! Leon’s baby grand piano used on recordings and tour. Leon’s white cowboy hat and sun glasses, fabulous, fringed, and beaded leather jacket and many of his awards and citations.
Jan and Leon, longtime family friends. Proud to display in Leon’s memory.

Check out our Halsey Institute youtube channel!
We just uploaded all of July's "Live from Halsey HQ" episodes.
With amazing guests like Tate Wittenberg, Corey D. Taylor, Miles Williams, Jim Paul Blair, Alaska and Madi, and more!
Be sure to subscribe so you can watch and share with your friends.
And stay tuned for upcoming new episodes LIVE from the Halsey HQ every week! Hip Hip Hoorey!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLqHfuIYQtqT3iIvAfX5_g

The Halsey Institute MISSION STATEMENT The Halsey Institute is dedicated to providing the best possible specialized education in the Music and Entertainment Business. These progr...