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Al Winburn's latest group in mid-1954 was this group called the Melody
Rangers that was working around Georgia and Florida. When Al was
discharged from the Air Force in 1953, he joined up with
Leroy McDaniel and they organized the Melody Rangers. They were a group
of six and were quite popular in the Suwanee River Valley area.
They had a show that you could have heard over radio station WNER, sending
its signal out of Live Oak, Florida on Saturdays at 11:00am. They were
also featured during the four-hour Saturday night show that was
carried over five radio stations called the "Suwanee River Jamboree".
Prior to forming the Melody Rangers, Al was part of a group called
the "Hillbilly Playboys" in 1950 and 1951. They were heard over
WIVY out of Jacksonville, Florida. While he was stationed in Valdosta,
Geogia in the Air Force, he worked with J.C. Johnson's "Radio Cowboys".
Timeline and Trivia Notes
Group Members included:
- Al Winburn, electric guitar
- Leroy McDaniel, steel guitar
- Neal McLeon, rhythm guitar
- Al Land, fiddle
- Robin Shiver, electric bass
- Cousin Clara Parker, dj at WNER
Credits & Sources
- Country Song Roundup No. 32; June 1954; American Folk
Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT.
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