Music Radio

Long before the invention of “talk radio,” music was the heart and soul of radio programming—whether standing alone, filling in the time between features, or identifying to widespread audiences the shows coming on and signing off the air.
Jim Cox’s Music Radio encompasses the entire range of musical programming from the early 1920s to the early 1960s. Jazz, country, classical, gospel, pop, big band, western, and semi-classical forms are covered, as are the vocalists, instrumentalists and disc jockeys who made them available to listeners. Virtually all the major series and artists are explored in depth, and lesser known shows and performers are touched on as well. Some of the series included are The Bing Crosby Show, The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, The Fred Waring Show, Grand Ole Opry, The Bell Telephone Hour, The Cities Service Concerts, Your Hit Parade, The Kate Smith Show, The Railroad Hour, and The Voice of Firestone.

Jim Cox, a leading radio historian, is an award-winning author of numerous books on the subject. A retired college professor, he lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jim Cox
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 380
Bibliographic Info: 13 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011 [2005]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6085-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0451-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii

Preface      1

The Bell Telephone Hour      3

The Big Bands      16

The Bing Crosby Show      52

The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street      81

Cities Service Concerts      90

The Classics      103

The Contests      127

The Disc Jockeys      144

The Fred Waring Show      164

Grand Ole Opry      177

The Horse Operas      192

The House Bands      206

The Hummert Musicales      228

The Kate Smith Show      245

The Railroad Hour      261

The Sacred Singers      271

The Vocalists      276

The Voice of Firestone      299

Your Hit Parade      317

Chapter Notes      337

Bibliography      341

Index      345

“detailed historical overview”—Midwest Book Review; “fascinated…a fantastic amount of research…a wealth of information…tremendous amount of effort…a detailed history…magnificent…you can’t go wrong in getting this book…great job”—Chattanooga Airwaves; “insightful…unique…valuable…recommended”—ARBA; “comprehensive”—Old-Time Radio; “exceptional…fascinating”—RLL on the Air; “vividly brings these shows to life again…superb”—Radio Recall; “Jim Cox is one of the most productive writers on the Golden Age of Radio…well worth adding to your Old-Time Radio library”—Return With Us Now Newsletter.