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Let's read a bit of what Albert E. Gibson, Promotion Manager at Radio Station WSM wrote in one of Roy's earliest Song Folios: Roy was born in Maynardsville, TN in 1907. Roy got a violin for 25 dollars that took him away from a baseball career it was said. Roy began his radio career in Knoxville, TN. Over seven years at WSM, Roy and his Smoky Mountain Boys rose to the top in their type of "old-time music". The band at the time had the same personnel for about 5 years, until Odie had to leave to server for Uncle Sam. Back then, the roster included: The boys were featured in the the Republic picture "Grand Ole Opry". They were also features of the Grand Ole Opry Tent Show one summer and travelled thousands of miles and played personal apearnces to many thousands of people. But no matter where they played, it was back to Nashville on Saturday night where on the Grand Ole Opry were the featured act of the Prince Albert Network half hour for the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco company of Winston-Salem, NC.
Roy was also part of a lot of country music history. One such occasion was hosting the "Kate Smith Evening Hour" show back on March 26, 1952. Its interesting enough to note that an icon of country music was hosting a show for a 'pop' icon such as Kate Smith. But this particular show is known for something else as well. Another well-known country music legend was also appearing on this show - Hank Williams. His appearance on this show is one of the few video clips that have survived showing us Hank Williams performing. As fate might have it, in our collection is a typed manuscript of what appears to be the script for that show in 1952. June Carter was also peforming as was Brother Oswald. We've typed it up just as the script had it except for the page breaks. It's about 13 pages or so. Read on...
(1) MUSIC...FIDDLE...."SALLY GOODIN" (CALLER: CALLING END OF SET) ACUFF (ON CUE) (S.R.) Hello, folks....I'm Roy Acuff. Sure glad you came to visit. We're just having a barbecue here at my place and that's always a mighty good ex- cuse to sing and dance and have some fun. Little singing's what we're going to do now....tell you all about that "Hillbilly Fever." (2) MUSIC: ACUFF, BAND..."HILLBILLY FEVER". GANG HILLBILLY FEVER GOIN' 'ROUND GOOD OLD MOUTNAIN MUSIC'S GOT ME DOWN. ACUFF GOT ME ROBBIN CASTLES THROWIN" RICE AND SLIPPING AROUND GANG HILLBILY FEVER'S GOIN' 'ROUND. ACUFF IF YOU WALK UP TO A JUKEBOX AND YOU SLIP A NICKEL IN YOU CAN BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR WHEN THE RECORD STARTS TO SPIN YOU'LL HEAR FIDDLE AND A GUITAR WITH A HONKY, TONKY SOUND HILLBILLY FEVER'S GOIN' 'ROUND. GANG HILLBILLY FEVER GOIN' 'ROUND GOOD OLD MOUNTAIN MUSIC'S GOT ME DOWN. ACUFF SPENT A SUNDAY DOWN IN TENNESSEE AND THIS IS WHAT I FOUND GANG HILLBILLY FEVER'S GOIN' ROUND. (FIDDLE..... 1/2 CHORUS) ACUFF WHEN THE LOVE BUG BUZZES 'ROUND YOU AND YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'VE BEEN STUNG AND YOU GO TO SEE A DOCTOR AND HE SAYS POIKE OUT YOUR TONGUE WHEN HE LOOKS INTO THAT CNAYON, TELLS YOU, BROTHER, I'VE GOT NEWS YOU'RE THE VICTIM OF SWEET DADDY, YOU'VE GOT THE LOVESICK BLUES. GANG HILLBILLY FEVER GOIN' 'ROUND GOOD OLD MOUNTAIN MUSIC'S GOT ME DOWN. ACUFF I STOPPED IN CHATTANOOGA GOT A SHINE, AND I HEARD THIS SOUND. (SOUND ON GUITAR) GANG HILLBILLY FEVER'S GOIN' 'ROUND. (HARMONICA....TO FRONT.) (1 FULL CHORUS) GANG HILLBILLY FEVER GOIN' 'ROUND GOOD OLD MOUNTAIN MUSIC'S GOT ME DOWN. ACUFF I'M GONNA ONE FOOT, TWO FOOT, FLEW FOOT DRAG AND THEN HOE IT DOWN. GANG HILLBILLY FEVER'S GOIN' 'ROUND. (ALL: APPLAUSE, COMMENT) (3) CARTER (COMING TO HIM) Roy - you know I'd give antyin' to sing tonight, but I'm plumb sung out....I'm as hoarse as can be. ACUFF Well, how'd that happen, June? CARTER Singing for them Army fellers. They wuz out on maneuvers and I was singin' for 'em and all of a sudden, it started to rain, so I jumped into one of them wolf-holes and.... ACUFF June, honey - that was a foxhole. CARTER That's what I said....I jumped into that there wolf-hole and --- ACUFF Foxhole, June. Foxhole! CARTER Roy, a fox mights dug that hole, but that sure wuz a wolf in it! ACUFF Now you stop your foolishness and sing for us. Folks, this is June Carter. (4) MUSIC: JUNE CARTER..."It's MY LAZY DAY." (ACCORDION INTO...) JUNE (1st CHORUS) WELL, I MIGHT HAVE GONE FISHIN' WELL, I MIGHT HAVE GONE FISHIN' I GOT TO THINKIN' IT OVER I GOT TO THINKIN' IT OVER. THE ROAD TO THE RIVER IS A MIGHTY LONG WAY. IT'S A MIGHT LONG WAY. IT MUST BE THE SEASON. IT MUST BE THE SEASON NO RHYME OR NO REASON NO RHYME OR NO REASON I'M JUST A TAKIN' IT EASY I'M JUST A TAKIN' IT EASY GROUP IT'S MY LAZY DAY. JUNE IT'S MY LAZY DAY. JUNE (2ND CHORUS) I'M FINDIN' IT EASY I'M FINDIN' IT EASY TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS I'M KEEPIN' MY NOSE OUT I'M KEEPIN' MY NOSE OUT OF EVERYONE'S WAY OF EVERYONE'S WAY AIN'T A TAKIN' NO ORDERS AIN'T A TAKIN' NO ORDERS AIN'T A GIVIN' ADVICES AIN'T A GIVIN' ADVICES I'M JUST TAKIN' IT EASY I'M JUST TAKIN' IT EASY IT'S MY LAZY DAY. IT'S MY LAZY DAY. (3RD CHORUS --- ACCORDION) JUNE (4TH CHORUS) AIN'T ASKIN' NO QUESTIONS. GROUP AIN'T ASKIN' NO QUESTIONS. JUNE AIN'T GIVIN' ADVICES GROUP AIN'T GIVIN' ADVICES JUNE AIN'T DOIN' NO DATIN' GROUP AIN'T DOIN' NO DATIN' JUNE AIN'T A WANTIN' TO PLAY GROUP AIN'T A WANTIN' TO PLAY JUNE JUST A GWINE A LOOK STUPID JUST A GWINE A LOOK STUPID DON'T WANT TO MEET CUPID DON'T WANT TO MEET CUPID JUST A TAKIN' IT EASY JUST A TAKIN' IT EASY IT'S MY LAZY DAY. IT'S MY LAZY DAY. (ALL: APPLAUSE, COMMENT) (5) MUSIC: UNDER APPLAUSE. FIDDLE STARTS "KATY HILL". ACUFF Here's some dancing by our good friends from Springfield, Tennessee ....the Cedar Hill Square Dancers. (6) MUSIC: "KATY HILL"....DANCERS. (CALLER) (JUNE CARTER BIZ) (ALL: APPLAUSE AND COMMENT) (7)ACUFF June, honey - you were having some trouble there, weren't you? CARTER Couldn't git myself a fellar, Roy. All them women is so hoggish with their men. ACUFF Well, June, I've got just the one for you.... CARTER Who? ACUFF I've got just the partner for you. Hank Williams. (CARTER BIZ) HANK I'm going to do for you "Hey Good Lookin'". (8) MUSIC: WILLIAMS ... "HEY GOOD LOOKIN'". WILLIAMS HEY GOOD LOOKIN' WHAT YOU GOT COOKIN' HOW'S ABOUT COOKIN' SOMETHING UP WITH ME. HEY SWEET BABY DON'T YOU THINK MAYBE, WE COULD FIND US A BRAND NEW RECEIPE I GOTTA MODEL T FORD AND A TWO DOLLAR BILL AND I KNOW A SPOT RIGHT OVER THE HILL THERE'S SODA POP AND THE DANCIN'S FREE SO IF YOU WANNA HAVE FUN, COME ALONG WITH ME. HEY GOOD LOOKIN' WHAT YOU GOT COOKIN' HOW'S ABOUT COOKIN' SOMETHING UP WITH ME. (STEEL GUITAR -- TURN AROUND...) I'M FREE AND READY SO WE CAN GO STEADY SO HOW'S ABOUT SAVIN' ALL YOUR TIME FOR ME. NO MORE LOOKIN' i KNOW i BEEN TOOKIN' HOW'S ABOUT KEEPIN' STEADY COMPANY. I'M GONNA THROW MY DATE BOOK OVER THE FENCE AND BUY ME ONE FOR FIVE OR TEN CENTS I'LL KEEP IT TILL IT'S COVERED WITH AGE 'CAUSE I'M WRITIN' YOUR NAME DOWN ON EVERY PAGE. HEY GOOD LOOKIN' WHAT YOU GOT COOKIN' HOW'S ABOUT COOKIN' SOMETHING UP WITH ME. (9) (ALL: APPLAUSE, COMMENT) ACUFF (AT RIGHT) That was real fine, Hank. ANd you know--we've got another friend coming in here who always says -- "Those Shoes Are killing Me". The Duke of Paducah! (10) DUKE: ENTER LEFT, MAKING FUSS. (DUKE EXIT LEFT ON CUE..."I'M GOING BACK TO THE WAGON...THESE SHOES ARE KILLIN' ME". (MUSIC: PLAYOFF) (ACUFF, GROUP AT TREE) (11) ACUFF That Duke is really something. Say, fellas, let's get together and make a llittle jug band music here. (12) MUSIC: ACUFF, JUG BAND..."TOO OLD TO CUT..." (INTRO....NOTE ON JUG) GANG TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. HE'S A GETTIN' TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. PAP WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND FULL OF PEOP I COULD GET AROUND WITHOUT NO HELP BUT NOW I'M OLD AND A GETTIN' GREY PEOPLE ALL LOOK AT ME AND SAY... GANG TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. HE'S A GETTIN' TOO OLD, TO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. (INSTRUMENTAL......FIDDLE MUSIC) JIM I USED TO RUN JUST LIKE A DEER BUT JNOW I NEED A NEW LANDING GEAR I USED TO JUMP A PICKET FENCE BUT NOW I'M LUCKY IF I JUMP AN INCH. GANG TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. HE'S A GETTIN' TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. (INSTRUMENTAL ..... HARMONICA) OSWALD WHEN I WAS YOUNG I HAD AN AUTOMBILE I'D SCOTT MYSELF RIGHT UNDER THE WHEEL I USED TO FIGHT THE GIRLS OFF WIHT A STICK NOW ALL THEY SAY IS "YOU MAKE ME SICK". GANG TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. HE'S A GETTIN' TOO OLD, TOO OLD, HE'S TOO OLD TO CUT THE MUSTARD ANY MORE. (ALL: APPLAUSE, COMMENT) ACUFF We have a lot of fun with our sing- ing. but some of the singing we like best is on the serious side... like this old fasioned sacred song we all enjoy singing together. (14)MUSIC: ACUFF...BAND...THEN ENTIRE GROUP...."I SAW THE LIGHT". GANG I SAW THE LIGHT I SAW THE LIGHT NO MORE DARKNESS NO MORE NIGHT NOW I'M SO HAPPY, NO SORROW IN SIGHT, PRAISE THE LORD, I SAW THE LIGHT. ACUFF I WANDERED SO AIMLESS LIFE FILLED WITH SIN I WOULDN'T LET MY DEAR SAVIOUR IN THEN JESUS CAME LIKE AN ANGEL IN THE NIGHT PRAISE THE LORD, I SAW THE LIGHT. GANG I SAW THE LIGHT I SAW THE LIGHT NO MORE DARKNESS NO MORE NIGHT NOW I'M SO HAPPY, NO SORROW IN SIGHT, PRAISE THE LORD, I SAW THE LIGHT. HANK I WAS A FOOL TO WANDER AND STRAY FOR STRAIGHT IS THE GATE AND NARROW'S THE WAY NOW I HAVE TRADED THE WRONG FOR THE RIGHT PRAISE THE LORD, I SAW THE LIGHT. GANG I SAW THE LIGHT I SAW THE LIGHT NO MORE DARKNESS NO MORE NIGHT NOW I'M SO HAPPY, NO SORROW IN SIGHT, PRAISE THE LORD, I SAW THE LIGHT. (15)MUSIC: START FIDDLE...."EIGHTH OF JANUARY" ACUFF Looks like we have to say goodbye. Sure glad you came to visit. Gang-- say goodbye. (ALL GOODBYES.) (MUSIC: FILL OUT WITH "EIGHTH OF JANUARY"....AND DANCERS)
In the later years of his life, Roy lived in a house on the Opryland grounds
and was a fixture of the Grand Ole Opry if there ever was one.
Credits & Sources
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