The Wheeling Jamboree, part 2 of 2

This story looks at the history and significance of the Wheeling Jamboree. The show ended late 2005 after 72 years, but now a new group has formed to revive the Jamboree. This story first aired Dec. 16, 2004, on the program "Outlook,: and was rebroadcast Jan. 31, 2008. Russ Barbour and Steve Chapman produced the story.

[@cmchop]

I grew up to the Jamboree and Abbie Neal and Her Ranch Girls (TV shows are on You Tube) and Abbie's husband, Gene Johnson, and Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Crazy Elmer, Hardrock Gunter, Rusty & Doug Kershaw, and all the stars you mentioned. Best time of my life.

[@hotwendy77]

Gene is my grandfather.

[@davidrandall7436]

I. Want. To join. Love. Country music. Needs. To continue

[@dreadnought45]

Brings back a lot of memories for me growing up in Toronto and listening to the Jamboree in the fifties and early sixties as well as listening to WWVA every night. Wilma Lee and Stoney Copper- my all-time favourites. I and my two buddies got to meet Wilma Lee in 1956 when I was 12 yrs old at the Birchmount Arena in Scarborough, Ont. I miss litening to announcer Lee Sutton and that "coffee drinkin' nighthawk' Lee More every night on WWVA. Ken , Toronto

[@saved1]

Someone should have sought out Buddy Ray for this documentary. He was the best Jamboree MC ever...hands down.

[@BionicBrain2]

My favorite singer, Bill Clifton with his Dixie Mountain Boys also played there.

[@monmixer]

I worked on that stage at this time and remember this staff band. Lionel was a great talent. He did record a an album with some hits and I remember him rolling to Jamboree In The Hills ( big country music festival that was created out of the same venue) in his big tour bus. He could have stayed on the road but Lionel didn't like that. He found a spot on Nashville Network directing the music on their shows and slept in his own bed at night. Smart fellow.

[@Garr1984]

I am surprised that no one mentioned Lee Sutton, Lee Moore, Mac Wiseman, or Uncle Jim O' Neal, whose Rural Rhythm Records label recorded Jamboree stars in the 1960s and was one of the program's sponsors.... Moore and Wiseman cut albums for Rural Rhythm, and Sutton produced albums for the label.

[@dreadnought45]

@Garr1984: No, I don't remember Jim O'Neal's Rural rhythm. I do remember Lee Sutton shilling for those stupid coocoo clocks supposedly from the Black Forest of Germany; Wayne Raney's harmonica course; and Lee Moore making coffee every night. Also, Mac Wiseman had a fifteen minute spot where Lee Sutton played his records every night. Loved "Genial" Gene Hooper singing "A Letter Edged in Black"; Dusty Owens; and Lee Sutton singing "Greenback Dollar".

[@Garr1984]

@dreadnought45 Do you remember hearing commercials for Uncle Jim O' Neal's Rural Rhythm on the WWVA Jamboree?

[@hapwichryk]

At 2:05 into this segment the bluegrass band Timber Ridge has a nice shot with My daughter playing the Bass

[@tubasinbulgaria]

Does anyone remember, "TV Party Line" on channel 6 and the guitar player, Little Jimmy Hodges?

[@arnoldsmith5754]

i lived only 17 miles from wwva 1170 am transmitter even a crystal radio could run a speaker through a transformer