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Jackie Osborne
Born:  March 26, 1924
Died:  December 28, 1986
WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance
WCHA Chambersburg, PA


About The Artist

Not much is known about Jackie Osborne between his birth and death beyond his affiliation with a variety of radio programs on which he worked.

He is pictured with several musicians at WMMN associated with Buddy Starcher. About 1950, Osborne is pictured with Cherokee Sue, Little John Graham and Roy Acuff when Acuff appeared as a guest on the Graham's program at WPDX Clarksburg.

Jackie Osborne with Bud Messner and the Skyline Boys 1950

Jackie Osborne Ad National Champion Yodeler Dec 1943 The Bud Messner folio indicates that Jackie won a contest as National Champion Yodeler in St.Louis, Missouri in 1942 while on tour with Cowboy Copas. Research shows there was a yodeling (and other) contest in St. Louis on Sunday, January 11, 1942 at Municipal Auditorium. Hoosier Hot Shots were the main act. An article the next day listed the winners in the yodeling, singing, harmonica and fiddling categories. Jackie's name was not mentioned; it appeared only local St. Louis performers won. It was said only a handful of entrants came from out of town, including the Oklahoma Wranglers from KMBC in Kansas City.

That is not to say that he was not known for his yodeling. Cowboy Frank's "Cowboy Music World" publication named him Number 3 in Best Yodelers category in a readers poll in 1945. Number one and two were Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.

It was during his time that Jackie Recorded two sides for the Abbey record label with the Skyline Boys. Bill Franklin also did several sides as did Bud Messner and his Skyline Boys.

John Graham, Jr. recalls Osborne being on many of "the West Virginia Hillfolks" shows in that era and had an 8x10 portrait of him.

Later, Jackie was a cast member at the Old Dominion Barn Dance at WRVA in Richmond. After that, little is known until his death in 1986.

Badger State Barn Dance Ad Racine WI February 13 1934

Green County Fair Murray Sisters Madison WI August 8 1934

Credits & Sources

  • Hillbilly-Music.com would like to express its thanks to Ivan M. Tribe, author of Mountaineer Jamboree — Country Music in West Virginia and other books that can be found on Amazon.com and numerous articles in other publications for providing us with information about this artist.
  • 12,000 Listen to Mocking Bird And Others At Hill Billy Jamboree; January 12, 1942; St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat; St. Louis, MO
  • Cowboy Music World's Popularity Poll Winners for 1945; November-December 1945; Texas Frank; Whitestone, NY

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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Abbey
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  15020 A Your Paw Keeps Starin At The Shotgun
  15020 B I Wooed, I Cooed, I Wed In Tennessee


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