Bob Stotts Born:  May 9, 1919 Died:  October 16, 1994 KMA Shenandoah, IA

About The Artist Bob Stotts was a hillbilly singer over at radio station KMA out of Shenandoah, Iowa in 1945. He was a guitar player, born in a town near Spickard, Missouri. He grew up in Mt. Moriah and chillicothe, Missouri. And to fit the part of a cowboy singer, his career actually included working as a cowboy - he went to Rifle, Colorado after high school and did things such as bronc busting, slept in the open, rode the fences and strummed his guitar. His guitar playing got noticed and soon he was entertaining the crowds at the rodeos. He started on a radio career, but World War II came calling after the Pearl Harbor attack. He went to work at the nearest war plant and helped make the gigantic B-29's. After the war efforts were over, he returned to radio. Along the way he married Viola Mae deWitt on August 10, 1940. They had three kids Kenneth Robert, Roberta Mae and James Esley who were 4, 2 and 1 year old respectively in 1945. They lived just about two miles west of Shenandoah then, on a farm that had a flock of chickens, a family cow for milk and a hog or two. The KMA Guide of October 1945 shows that Bob's show on KMA was from 6:30 to 6:45am on Saturday, though another article about the KMA Roundup Gang says he was on everyday. His show came on just before RFD 960. Bob was also part of the KMA Roundup Gang's show, too that aired at 6:00am to 6:30am, Monday through Saturday. Credits & Sources The KMA Guide, Tom Thumb Publishing Co., October 1945; Shenandoah, Iowa.