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Larry Dean
and his Virginia Playboys
WJHL Johnson City, TN

About The Artist

When we catch up with Larry Dean in early 1953, we find that he had formed the Virginia Playboys about a year earlier. The members of the band were top sting musicians from the southwest Virginia mountain areas. Interestingly, they wrote that each member of the band that Larry recruited had performed as an artist for over ten years in their respective communities. Their act featured the gamut of hillbilly entertainment shows at the time - music, comedy, trio singing and breakdown numbers to get the toes tapping. Many of the songs Larry sang were of his own songwriting.

They had a regular 30-minute show over WJHL out of Johnson City, Tennessee every Saturday morning come 11:00am. They were also said to be recording several of their tunes back then.

Timeline and Trivia Notes

Group Members included:

  • Larry Dean, guitar
  • Marvin Dean, fiddle
  • Glen Herron, guitar
  • Kin Litton, steel guitar
  • Oliver Siler, bass

Credits & Sources

  • Cowboy Songs Magazine No. 25; March 1953; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT.
  • Portions of Discography Listing courtesy of Hillbilly Reasearcher Team; Tricker, Turner and Sax

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Rich-R'-Tone
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1026 A Stepping On My Toes
  1026 B You're An Angel To Me
  1039 A Dive Bomb Boogie
  1039 B Estes Is Bestes (Kefauver For President Fight Song)
  1043 A I'd Like To Be A Single Man
  1043 B My Red Head