.jpg)
The year was 1955. Four pioneers of live music content, both radio and television, were about to make history in the Ozark city of Springfield, MO.
The men involved were Lester Cox, Ralph Foster, John Mahaffey, and Si Siman. The foresight that these men had to pivot from radio production to live television production, in the form of The Ozark Jubilee, absolutely shaped the future of country and hillbilly music.
The Ozark Jubilee was the first television program to feature America's top country music stars. As a result, it was the first country music program to attract a significant national viewership, putting Springfield, MO at ground zero in the process. At five years, eight months it is arguably the longest-running country music series on network television ever produced.
The weekly live stage show premiered on ABC-TV on January 22, 1955. It was renamed Country Music Jubilee on July 6, 1957. On August 2, 1958, it was renamed Jubilee USA and continued under that name until the final show on September 24, 1960. The show was instrumental in helping popularize country music.
During the program's 1955 premiere, host Red Foley asked, "If you folks want us to come and visit at your house like this every Saturday night, why don't you drop me a line in Springfield, Missouri?" In the next week 25,258 cards and letters arrived from 45 of the 48 states, and the show typically received 6,000 letters each week.
The live audience helped sell the show. Briefly, during part of the broadcast each week, a camera would swing around to show the sold-out Jewell Theatre. Attendees, often nearly 90 percent from out-of-state, would cheer and hold up signs or banners with the names of their hometowns. Producers estimated 350,000 people (from as many as 30 states on some nights) attended the performances at the Jewell during the show’s run there. It is estimated that some 9 million viewers watched the show each Saturday night.
According to Reta Spears-Stewart, author of the book Remembering the Ozark Jubilee, the show is credited with putting Springfield, MO “on the map” and establishing a vibrant Ozarks tourism industry. The show is also credited with lighting the fuse for the Branson area music explosion. A topic we will delve further into in a future blog.
Although Cox, Foster, Mahaffey and Siman are the primary characters in the history of The Ozark Jubilee, there is no person more central to the story than Foley.
Born on June 17, 1910, in Blue Lick, KY, Clyde Julian "Red" Foley was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality. Foley moved to Springfield in July of 1954 after Siman convinced him to host The Ozark Jubilee. The deal was made over a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey at the Andrew Jackson Hotel in Nashville, TN.
With the face of the show in place, a superb production team, and the legendary creative story and script writing of Don Richardson, the game was on.
The program was broadcast from the Jewell Theatre, however, the first 14 national telecasts were staged at KOMU-TV in Columbia, MO because network television transmission capability from Springfield was not available. After modifications were made to the Jewell, including extending the stage and adding a control room, the program broadcast its first show there on April 30, 1955.
The Jewell Theatre has long since been removed from the landscape, however, there is an historic marker in the Ozark Jubilee Park on Historic Route 66 in downtown Springfield where the theatre once stood tall.
The original Ozark Jubilee cast, led by Foley, included Wanda Jackson, Norma Jean, Bobby Lord, Webb Pierce, Marvin Rainwater, and a young man named Porter Wagoner who hailed from just down the road in West Plains, MO.
According to Wagoner, Si Siman, who coincidentally co-wrote many songs with Wagoner, was the most influential person in the early days of The Wagonmaster’s career. He has also been quoted many times as saying that Red Foley was one of the greatest entertainers he had ever encountered in his life.
In addition to Porter Wagoner, the local Missouri talent was strong. Artists such as Leroy Van Dyke (Mora, MO), Speedy Haworth (Springfield, MO), and Slim “Pickens” Wilson (Christian County, MO) catapulted the show to heights these artists could only dream of.
Over the years, virtually every country music star of the day appeared on The Ozark Jubilee.
Carl Perkins and the Perkins Brothers Band made their television debut on the live broadcast on March 17, 1956, performing Perkins' No. 1 hit, "Blue Suede Shoes.”
Patsy Cline made frequent appearances on the show. Chet Atkins and Eddy Arnold both served as fill-in emcees as well as regular performers on the show.
Following is a list of some of the major artists who graced the stage over the 6 years it was in production:
- Roy Acuff
- Gene Autry
- The Carter Sisters
- Johnny Cash
- Little Jimmy Dickens
- Jimmy Driftwood
- Ferlin Husky
- George Jones
- Grandpa Jones
- The Louvin Brothers
- Buck Owens
- Minnie Pearl
- Merle Travis
- Ernest Tubb
- Conway Twitty
- Kitty Wells
- The Wilburn Brothers
- Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys
For a more detailed history we suggest you read Remembering the Ozark Jubilee. Written by Reta Spears-Stewart, with introduction by Porter Wagoner, the book features lots of first-hand accounts and memories from the show as well as hundreds of superb photos.
You can also find some fantastic footage from the early shows. Missouri State University has curated and compiled more than 50 of the original broadcasts and created an Ozark Jubilee YouTube channel.
The Acoustic Shoppe is proud to carry on the tradition of producing and promoting live, and taped, music featuring local and national musicians from our Springfield, MO sound stages. Be sure to watch our television show Ozark Music Shoppe and follow us on our social media channels.
