ROOTS of Country Music

Red River Jamboree (KFTV)

The Grand Ole Opry (GOO) was the grandest of country music’s numerous barn dances, whose reach was amplified by the radio stations that broadcasted the program. Every part of Texas (TX) sported a smaller version of the bigger dances such as, the GOO and the Louisiana Hayride (Shreveport). Central Texas briefly had the Blue Bonnet Barn Dance on KCEN-TV (Temple,TX).

Paris, TX had the Red River Jamboree, which aired throughoutEast Texason KVTV-TV.Tyler, TX boasted the Saturday Night Shindig, a little cousin ofHouston’s Home Town Jamboree. A slew of talent, including George Jones, Tommy Collins and Hank Locklin shared the stages with aspiring amateurs.

In 1957 Paris, TX was host to the Red River Jamboree, which took place each Saturday night from the Fair Park Coliseum.  It was so popular that there was a two hour matinee each Saturday afternoon. The producer of the Red River Jamboree was Roy Glenn, who also doubled as banjoist and comedian.

Handling the emcee duties was KFTV DJ, Pee Wee Reid. The show was the brainchild of Pee Wee and Roy. Pee Wee was a Native American and said to be a colorful character. He played bass and had his own dance band that played in theDallas,TXarea in the late 1940s.

The headliner was a 16-year old gal by the name of Nan Castle, an RCA Victor artist. Before coming to the Red River Jamboree in 1957, she appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout TV Show fromNew York.

Around that time, her current release was Starlight, Starbright and I'm Not Ashamed. Her real name was Nancy Castleberry, but it was shortened after she started getting national attention.

Pictured left Nan Castle

Her father, Paul Castleberry was a musician, playing guitar, mandolin, banjo and even bass fiddle with various bands in northeastTexas. Early on,Nansang to her dad’s accompaniment.

Joining the cast in 1957 was a veteran comedian and songwriter, Bob Shelton, who was also known as The Hopkins County Firecracker. Bob was formerly a part of the great Shelton Brothers act with his brother Joe.

They recorded for the Bluebird label and later the Decca label. Bob and Joe were from the Reilly Springs area. Bob was the comedian of the group, they said he would size up the audience before going on stage so he could decide whether to wear shoes or go barefooted.

William Harris and the Ramblers were the most popular rockabilly act inNortheast Texasat the time. They had two groups of brothers in the band, William and Otis Harris and Dean and Ray Martin. William Harris and his Ramblers were a rockabilly group from the Talco andMt.Pleasant area.

William was 18 years old at the time and his brother was 14 and played the electric takeoff guitar with the group. They backed up Riley Crabtree on many of his stage appearances at that time.

Another group was the Musical Keeners, which was a family act consisting of the father, Clinton, son, Glenn David and daughter, Yvonne. They also provided much of the musical backing for other performers on the Red River Jamboree.

The house band included, Clinton Keener and J.C. Case (rhythm guitar). Gleen Keener and Jerry Case (son of J.C. Case) were the lead guitarists. Pee Wee Alharton and Lloyd Ferguson played fiddle. Jimmy Don Brown or Pee Wee Reid played bass. Roy Glenn played tenor banjo and Jack Beard or Louis Ingrham would be on the drums.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Red River Jamboree Artist Roster, Partial Listing:

• Carl Blankenship
• Charline Arthur
• David Orrell
• Dean & Ray Martin
• Don McKnight
• Douglas Potts
• Homer Minty
• Jerry Hanlon
• Johnny Case
• Lloyd Ferguson
• Mary Wright
• Nan Castle
• Patricia Erwin
• Paul Castleberry
• Pee Wee Reid Reta & May
• Riley Crabtree
• Roy Glenn
• The Cases
• The Duvall Sisters
• The Hammond Brothers
• The Huggins Brothers
• The McCoys (Ronny & Peggy)
• The Musical Keeners
• The Plainsmen Quartet
• The Shelton Brothers
• Tommy Holmes
• William Harris & the Ramblers