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Virgil Rice
and the Kentucky Ramblers

About The Artist

Virgil Rice and the Kentucky Ramblers started performing together as an act about 1942 or so. They were said to be one of the more talented and also amusing acts of the time and were appearing over radio station WZIP out of Covington, Kentucky then.

The Kentucky Ramblers had a 30-minute Saturday afternoon show at 1:30pm over WZIP (1050 on the am dial back then) and were in demand for local personal appearances.

Note: The article mentions "Virgil Rice" but later in the same article we see him listed as "Virgil Bruce".

Timeline and Trivia Notes

Group Members included:

  • Virgil Bruce, leader and manager, rhythm guitar, vocals
  • "Pappy" Council, bass fiddle
  • Wilson Spivey, five-string banjo
  • "Grandpappy" Taylor, fiddle
  • Buster Bavard, electric Spanish guitar

Credits & Sources

  • Cowboy Songs No. 34, June 1954, American Folk Publications, Inc., Derby, CT.