Hank Williams signing autographs at Radio Ranch, Delaware Twp, Watsontown Pa, May 1950.
The little girl helping pass out the records is one of the the daughters of "Ken Montana" & "Texas Lil" who operated Radio Ranch on the Fogleman grounds.
Ken & Lil's Radio Ranch was located at what is known as "Fogleman's Grove", an area along the Susquehanna River near where the camel farm is today, between Montgomery and Watsontown along 405. This was not the same venue as the McNett's Radio Corral, across the river in Montgomery. Hank appeared on the Radio Corral stage the year before, in August of 1949.
Texas Lil & Ken Montana at WRAK - the Williamsport Radio Station
"Jim and Jane Claar and their Western Vagabonds, along with Ken Montana and Texas Lil and their Friendly Radio Gang, are working week-ends at the Claars Radio Corral. The Claar's unit is heard on WRAK Williamsport Pa, and WBPZ Lock Haven, Pa." - Billboard Magazine, July 1949
Ken Montanta, Hank Williams, Jim Travis
Ken Montana was born Kenneth Garland Blevins. In 1943 he married Ethel Ruth Walter and together they formed the comedy singing team of Ken Montana & Texas Lil, or Ken & Lil. Ken and Lil toured with the Louisiana Hayride, along with Ken's sister, Patsy Montana.
Patsy Montana at the Radio Corral [not the Radio Ranch] in Montgomery
Patsy Montana, born Ruby Blevins, could yodel and play the guitar. She was the first female country music singer to sell a million copies of a single with "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart", in 1935. Patsy's lead guitarist was Bob McNett. Bob would later leave Patsy's band to play in Hank Williams band, the Drifting Cowboys.
In 1950 Bob McNett left Hank's Drifting Cowboys band to join up with his brother, Dean, "in Williamsport Pa" [Montgomery]. They formed their own band and later opened a "Hillbilly Music Park" , McNett's Radio Corral, across the river from Fogleman's Grove, in Montgomery. Both the Radio Corral and the Radio Ranch opened each week-end in the spring summer of 1950, often with their advertisements appearing side by side in the local papers.
The SONS OF THE PIONEERS on the Jamboree at Radio Corral, Williamsport Pa 1949
Front Row: Ken Curtis, Pee Wee, Texas Lil, Ken Montana, Shugg Fisher, Jane Claar, Carl Farr
Back Row: ? Hugh Farr, ?, Jim Clarr, ? Lloyd Perryman, Dean McNett, Curley Reynolds
In July of 1949, Ken Montana & Texas Lil were were performing at Jim & Jane Claar's Radio Corral, in "Williamsport", which would later be taken over by the McNett brothers. Ken & Lil played in venues throughout Pennsylvania including the Turbotville Fair, Williamsport baseball games, and many fireman's carnivals. Lil was an avid photographer, and documented much of their time as performers.
Various advertisements listed the Radio Ranch as being located in Williamsport, Milton, and Montgomery - but the address was actually Watsontown.
On May 14 1950 the couple opened Ken & Lil's Park, "2 miles south of Montgomery on Milton Hwy 405". They rented the land from Guy Fogleman.
There's a story about Hank's performance here in Watsontown that no one has been able to verify. It may be legend, it may be true. If you happen to know, or have any photos, please contact me, or Rick Wolfe in at Watsontown Glass. He's the one who told me about this, and he's been trying to track down proof for some time now. The story is that Audrey came to the show here in Watsontown, along with baby Hank Jr, who had been born the year before, and that someone, local, in the audience held Hank Jr so that Audrey could join the stage for a song.
Each year Watsontown Glass creates a new Christmas ornament commemorating local history. In 2020, the ornament was Hank Williams. From Rick:
"Story I was told by woman was that her mother went to show at Radio Ranch. Audrey Williams asked her to hold one year old Hank Williams Jr while Hank played, along with Audrey and Drifting Cowboys. Logically why would Audrey have traveled 800 miles to see Hank when he was at end of tour and on his way home? On other hand it was Mothers Day weekend show and she would have loved to show off Hank Jr." [Patsy Montana, in her autobiography, talks about how Hank loved to show off his son]
For three months in 1950, Ken Montana and Lil Texas brought big name country singers and actors to Watsontown each Sunday night. The Radio Ranch Park had a stage, a pond, a concession stand, and wooden plank bench seating. Admission was 50 cents for adults and 30 cents for children over the age of 12.
The line up was a veritable who's who of Country music stars, beginning with Hank Williams for their opening show. Others included Tex Ritter, Hank Snow, Ernest Tub, Patsy Montana, Jim and Jane, Cowboy Copas and Grandpa Jones
On Saturday May 20th, the Radio Ranch Airplane flew over the area tossing out handbills, and a few free passes to the Radio Ranch.
There were new contests each week.
June 4th, 1950
The park advertised picnic tables, cool shade, good water, rides for the kids, and 16 acres of parking.
On June 11 1950, Grandpaw Jones performed at Radio Ranch. Two years earlier, in 1948, he was posing with Jim & Jane Claar of Radio Corral, in Williamsport. [Photo on right]
In addition to country music there were comedy acts, and airplane jumps.
It was common for advertisements for The Radio Ranch Park to run alongside advertisements for the McNetts Radio Corral, in local newspapers.
Bus service was offered from Market Street in Williamsport to the park grounds, between 1 and 6 pm.
The concession stand was run by Albert Yeagle, who opened the restaurant today known as the Station House in Montgomery, and also had an ice cream truck that traveled the local area.
The Fourth Of July Celebration at Radio Ranch was to be a huge event, with country western movie star Tex Ritter and his horse. Tex Ritter, a country music singer and actor, was one of the founding members of the Country Music Association in Nashville. By the time Tex & his horse came to Watsontown in 1950, Tex had appeared in dozens of Western B Movies. He's not only in the County Music Hal of fame, he helped to create it.
One local recalled "Texas Lil" running off the stage and climbing the tree next to it, as part of her act.
On August 11 1950, Ken and Lil were scheduled to perform at a Mazeppa Union Church Benefit. The second nights entertainment was to be Mary June and Shorty Mayes with the Shady Hollow Boys. Mary June and Shorty also performed frequently in the Susquehanna Valley in the summer of 1950, including at the 4th of July celebration at Radio Ranch Park.
In August of 1950, the Radio Ranch Park advertisement changed to "Mary June and Shorty's" Radio Ranch Park.
The Radio Ranch was still being used as a picnic grounds in 1952, although August of 1950 was the last I found advertisements for country music performances.
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For More Local Stories & History Of Watsontown
And for more from the surrounding towns:
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READ MORE
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Lil Texas & Ken Montana
Lil Texas & Ken Montana
Smokey Pleacher with Jim and Jane Claar at the Radio Corral at Woody Crest [State College]Also in the photo are Ken Montana, Texas Lil & Pee Wee. These "Radio Corrals", and "Radio Ranches" - outdoor stages on local farms - were common all throughout central PA.
8/14/49-Hank appears at "Radio Corrall, Jim and Jane's Country Music Park"
--1/9/50 MGM SESSION- Castle Studio, Nashville Hank Williams-Vocal, Guitar Jerry Rivers-Fiddle Don Helms-steel guitar Bob McNett-Electric Guitar Jack Shook-Rhythm Guitar Ernie Newton-Bass
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From Patsy Montana's Autobiography:
"This new show, the "Louisiana Hayride," offered me the opportunity of staying in one place and still getting my music out to a wide audience. The appeal was more than I could turn down. Although I had been considering retirement from show business, I kept my band working enough to keep them together. Bob McNett, my lead guitar player, lived in the bunkhouse at our Box R Ranch. Bob was a wonderful, loyal human being, and our lives are richer for having known him. He was also one of the best lead guitar players around. He played lead on the electric guitar, and his sound was very commercial. I felt lucky to have such a fine musician in my band. Morally, he was a straight arrow.
"Watching the career of Hank Williams unfold before my eyes was one of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed. Offstage, Hank Williams always seemed so sad, as if he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. The moment his name was called to perform, he stepped onstage, selected his most convincing smile, leaned into the microphone and mesmerized everyone who could hear him. As with most regular performers in a weekly show, we all became friends and shared some time together. Hank's "Lovesick Blues" was recorded, and in January, barely into 1949, it was released. As the record's popularity grew, so did his encores at the Hayride. One night after a show, Bob McNett, my lead guitar player, the one who lived at the Box R with Paul, the girls and I, wanted to talk to me privately. I asked him what was up, and he said he was just wondering if I was still serious about retiring. I told him I was always thinking about retiring but had not done anything about it. I asked him why he wanted to know. "Well, Patsy," he began," I've been offered a job with another band, and I just thought if you were going to retire I might want to take this offer." I asked him whose band it was and he said, "Hank's." I told Bob I had been watching Hank grow as an entertainer and I felt
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“I thought about Hank when I walked out on that Opry stage for the first time. all I could think of was, This is the same stage that Hank Williams was on and now I’m here.”
– Elvis Presley
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“You got to have smelt a lot of manure before you can sing like a hillbilly.”
– Hank Williams
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MONTGOMERY - Dean M. McNett, 77, of 253 McNett Road, died Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005, in the Williamsport Hospital, Williamsport.
He was born June 22, 1927 in Roaring Branch, Tioga County, a son of the late Frank and Helen (Cole) McNett. He and his wife of 42 years, the former Dorothy L. Shoemaker, were married Jan. 26, 1963.
Dean was an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Well known as a country music historian, he traveled with the Doc Williams Band out of Wheeling, W.Va. and Hank Williams' band, the Drifting Cowboys out of Nashville. He performed live musical broadcasts on local television and radio stations, worked as a deejay for country music radio and also performed with his brother as the Bob and Dean McNett Show. In 1979, he started the Dean McNett Band, more recently known as Dean McNett and McNett Country Band.
He unselfishly volunteered his musical talent to several area churches, nursing homes and non-profit organizations. In addition to his music, he greatly loved his family.
Dean was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, Watsontown.
He was also a member of several musician's associations and a few veteran's organizations.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, Dorothy, are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Shawn M. McNett of Berwick and Timothy J. and Brenda McNett of Muncy; one daughter, Deana C. McNett of Nashville, Tenn.; two grandchildren; and two brothers and their spouses, Francis and Alice McNett Sr. of Roaring Branch and Kenneth and Dorothy McNett of Williamsport.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert McNett in June 1995.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Grenoble Funeral Home Inc., 121 S. Main St., Muncy and from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Church of Christ, 602 Main St., Watsontown, where the funeral will follow at 11 with his minister, Pastor Edward Henry, officiating.
Burial with full military honors will be in Green Lawn Memorial Park, Montgomery.
The family will provide flowers and suggest contributions in Dean's memory be made to the Dean McNett Music Scholarship Fund, c/o Montgomery Area High School, Montgomery, PA 17752 or to Trinity United Church of Christ Memorial Fund, 602 Main St., Watsontown, PA 17777.
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Robert "Bob" McNett
Born near the village of Roaring Branch in Union Twp., Bob McNett was the only northerner to become a member of the Drifting Cowboys, the band of the legendary Hank Williams (see memorial # 1109). Bob was hired on the spot when Hank was on the Louisiana Hayride, broadcast from station KWKH in Shreveport LA in 1949. He participated in two recording sessions as a member of Hank's band, playing electric guitar. Most notably he played the lead on "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" which became Hank's second # 1 hit. In March of 1950 He was asked to record with Charlie Monroe which resulted in four sides that were released. While a member of the Drifting Cowboys Bob toured nationally and appeared on the Grand Old Opry regularly.
In May of 1950 he left the Drifting Cowboys and returned to Pennsylvania. He and his brother Dean opened Radio Corral, a country music park that they operated until 1970. With Bob's connections in the country music business they were able to present the top artists from Nashville and other country music hot spots.
Bob and Dean formed their own band which appeared on several radio stations and traveled widely throughout Pennsylvania and neighboring states. They recorded one LP for Wheeling Records, featuring mostly songs they had written. In 1975 Bob rejoined the Drifting Cowboys band which performed on tour in the US and Europe until 1990. In 1990 he organized Bob McNett Tours which took folks to Nashville, Branson and other country music venues.
Bob was survived by his wife Geraldine, daughter Robin, brothers Kenneth, Francis & Dean and one granddaughter.
I wonder if anyone can help me with a high resolution advert for Hanks show August 14, 1949 in Watsonville.
ReplyDeleteSincerly
Bo waxobo@gmail.com