ROOTS of Country Music

Hayloft Hoedown (WFIL)

On St. Patrick's Day 1922, Strawbridge & Clothier started broadcasting from its store with the call letters WFI. In 1923, the Lit Brothers, started similar operations from their store, using WLIT call letters and sharing time with WFI. In 1926, the stations began network service from NBC. In 1935, the two operators agreed to merge with each department store having representation on the new board of directors. The new call-sign became WFIL. Studios for the early WFIL radio stations were in the Widener Building in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA).

The Hayloft Hoedown originated on WFIL in December 1944 and it was broadcast live from Philadelphia's Town Hall. Jack Steck was the emcee. The telecast ran for an hour from 9:30pm to 10:30pm. From 10:30pm until 11:00pm, the show was broadcast over the ABC Radio Network, beginning in 1945.

Pictured right Elmer Newman

For a time Hayloft Hoedown broadcast from the Pythian Temple at 19th and Addison, Philadelphia, PA. The show included square dancing, yodeling and comedy routines. It is estimated that the hillbilly show played to more than 100,000 Town Hall patrons. Kold Kit Corporation sponsored a half hour portion of the show.

In addition to Steck, regular cast members included; Carol Wayne, Chester Valley Boys, Santa Fe Rangers, Sleepy Hollow Ranch Gang, comedians Lou Carter and Sherriff Ed, Willow Ranch Dancers and fiddling Pop Johnson. The Chester Valley Boys, a harmonica quartet included, Casey Elsasser, Tom Wynn, Harold Harmon and Bob Heizman.

The Sleepy Hollow Ranch Gang was also heard on the ABC Radio Network (12:30pm – 12:55pm) originating from WFIL radio in Philadelphia, PA. Members of the Sleepy Hollow Ranch Gang included, Uncle Elmer Newman, Julie Murray, Monte Rosci, Sophie Murray, Pee Wee Miller, Curly Herdman and Pete Newman. Julie and Sophie were sisters.

Pancake Pete Newman

Their show was sponsored by the Block Drug Company. There actually was a Sleepy Hollow Ranch. It was in the Delaware Valley, located in Quakertown, PA. Sleepy Hollow Ranch had animals and live country music shows. It lasted at least into the fifties, possible later.

The Sleepy Hollow Ranch Gang recorded for Majestic Records, Cowboy Records and the Victor Recording Company. The Murray Sisters, Pee Wee Miller and Elmer Newman also did some individual sides for Majestic Records. When the Murrary Sisters weren't involved, the group was called the Sleepy Hollow Ranch Boys and sometimes called the Sleepy Hollow Ranch Cowboys. The name was taken from the Sleepy Hollow Ranch near Quakertown, PA.  Famed country singer Rex Allen sang with the group for a couple of years.

Jesse Rogers (Mar. 5, 1911 ~ May 15, 1970, b. Waynesboro Mississippi) was a long time featured artist on the Hayloft Hoedown. He later started his own noontime show, Ranch Round-Up, on WDAS, Philadelphia, PA.  When Jimmie Rodgers finally succumbed to tuberculosis on May 26, 1933, the world of country music was left without its founding father and Victor records was left without one of its biggest stars.

Pictured right Monti Rosci

In an effort to fill the void, Victor (Bluebird) quickly signed Jimmie’s cousin, Jesse Rodgers, to their Bluebird record label. Similarities between the two were emphasized, with rumors circulating that they had grown up in the same household (they hadn’t) and that Jimmie had taught Jesse to play the guitar. Sides were recorded with distinctly Jimmie Rodgers titles (Yodeling Railroad Blues) and Jesse even signed his early promotional photographs with Jimmie’s trademark Yodelingly Yours.

But as time wore on Jesse must have found the comparisons to Jimmie constricting, or perhaps waning commercial interest in Jimmie Rodgers imitators made them less desirable. Jesse developed his own singing cowboy persona and by 1938 had dropped the “d” from his last name in an effort to further distance himself from his cousin (and likely to associate himself with that other singing cowboy, Roy Rogers).

While he never came close to being the national star that Jimmie was, the singing cowboy, Jesse Rogers had a successful career as a featured performer on the WLS National Barn Dance in Chicago and on the Hayloft Hoedown (where he would go on to host the children’s television show Ranger Joe) Jesse’s recording career continued into the early ’60s, when emphysema forced him to retire. This author has heard some of Jesse’s recordings and it is amazing how much he sounded like Jimmie Rodgers. The once immensely popular Hayloft Hoedown fizzled out by the early-1950s. 

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