Old Time Radio Westerns
Episode: Cowboy Copas Dark-Faced Filipino | Grand Ole Opry (12-05-53)
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Air Date: March 5, 2026

Overview

This episode transports listeners to a classic 1953 broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show is headlined by Cowboy Copas and features comedic storytelling, lively banter, and a vibrant selection of folk and country music from legends like Moon Mullican, Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield, and more. The episode combines nostalgia, humor, and heartwarming performances, enveloped in the crisp clarity of modern digital restoration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Setting the Stage

• Host Andrew Rhynes opens the show, introducing the episode as a digitally restored classic Grand Ole Opry broadcast. [00:13]
• The soundscape is set with references to the enthusiastic Opry crowd and the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. [00:20]

2. Cowboy Copas Performs "Filipino Baby"

• The main performance opens: Cowboy Copas sings “Filipino Baby,” a sentimental ballad about longing and love.
• Notable Lyric:
  “I love my dark face Filipino. She’s a Filipino baby, she’s a saver and my pet...” [00:55]
• The song is interspersed with spoken vignettes and country charm, drawing in the crowd.

3. Opry Community Banter & Character Introductions

• The host joyfully acknowledges the Opry’s cast: Copas, Rod Brasfield, Minnie Pearl, Stringbean, the Old Hickory Singers, and Moon Mullican.
• Polk County, Texas, is humorously referenced for its loyal Opry fanbase. [02:05]
• Minnie Pearl (portrayed in-character) welcomes listeners “from Grinder Switch,” sharing local color and folksy wisdom. [03:19]

4. Comic Monologues and Down-home Humor

• Minnie Pearl delivers her trademark small-town storytelling, riffing on beauty, romance, and fashion in classic Opry style:
  • “If that’s an hourglass figure, I never knowed time to drag!” [03:57]
  • “Use what Mother Nature give you before Father Time messes it up.” [04:13]
• Jokes about changing hemlines and necklines (“there’s gotta be a new Mason Dixon line” [04:49]) draw laughs.

5. Small-Town Antics and Witty Exchanges

• The running gags highlight the personalities of the Grinder Switch crowd:
  • Pap Winkle’s dynamite mishap: “Well, I'll be blowed. And sure enough he was.” [07:10]
  • Misadventures with foundation undergarments and old-fashioned courting advice.
  • Bridget Baker’s quip on legs: “Legs is something that if you ain’t got two pretty good ones, you can’t get to first base. And neither can your sister.” [06:21]

6. Entertainment for U.S. Troops and Special Guests

• Tribute to Roy Acuff for taking Opry performers to Korea to entertain troops.
• Special guest Moon Mullican is introduced, fresh from Korea. He enthusiastically urges other entertainers to visit the troops:
  • “I wouldn’t take nothing for the experience... please go by and say hello to these guys.” (Moon Mullican) [08:03]

7. Musical Highlights

• Moon Mullican and ensemble perform “Cherokee Boogie” [09:18]
• The Old Hickory Singers offer “I Saw the Light,” a rousing, heartfelt gospel number.
  • “Praise the Lord, I saw the light!” [10:53]
• The singers follow up with the harmonious “In a Little Red Barn on a Farm Down Indiana Way.” [12:28]

8. Comedian Rod Brasfield’s Rural Routines

• Rod Brasfield joins Cowboy Copas for playful farm humor and witty exchanges:
  • “How can you tell a he cow from a she cow? The she cow always carries a shopping bag.” [15:59]
• Warm teasing about overweight relatives and the perils of holiday gift-giving.
  • “She has to wear automobile inner tubes for garters... she had a blowout!” [17:09]

9. More Musical Favorites

• Mullican sings “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” a sentimental ode to lost love. [18:12]
• Community singalong: “Y’All Come,” capturing the spirit of country hospitality. [19:52]
• Cowboy Copas closes with “A Heartbreak Ago,” a reflective ballad on lost love’s sorrow. [22:47]
  • "A heartbreak ago the sun was so bright... how things have changed you never, never know, that was just a heartbreak ago." [22:48]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Fashion & Time:
  Minnie Pearl: “Use what Mother Nature give you before Father Time messes it up.” [04:13]
• On Changing Styles:
  Minnie Pearl: “If the necklines get any further south and the hemlines get any further north, there's gotta be a new Mason Dixon line.” [04:49]
• On Visiting Troops:
  Moon Mullican: “I wouldn't take nothing for the experience. I'd like to urge all of our folks... to please go by and say hello to these guys.” [08:03]
• On Rural Wisdom:
  Rod Brasfield: “The she cow always carries a shopping bag.” [15:59]
• On Campfire Mishaps:
  Minnie Pearl: “Old Pep Winkles... he sat down on a keg and lit up his cob pipe... ‘Well, I'll be blowed.’ And sure enough he was.” [07:10]

Segment Timestamps

• [00:13] Show introduction by Andrew Rhynes
• [00:20] Cowboy Copas and “Filipino Baby” performance
• [03:19] Minnie Pearl’s comedic debut
• [07:19] Tribute to entertainers in Korea and Moon Mullican’s entrance
• [09:18] “Cherokee Boogie”
• [10:53] “I Saw the Light” by the Old Hickory Singers
• [12:28] “In a Little Red Barn”
• [14:35] Rod Brasfield’s comedy and farm tales
• [18:12] “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone”
• [19:52] “Y’All Come”
• [22:47] “A Heartbreak Ago” ballad
• [26:35] Show sign-off (content ends)

Conclusion

This episode of Old Time Radio Westerns offers a masterfully restored trip to the vibrant heyday of the Grand Ole Opry. The listener is treated to a delightful mix of humor, storytelling, and classic Americana musical performances, all wrapped in a warm, communal Opry atmosphere. It’s a charming, nostalgia-laden listen for anyone fond of traditional country music, radio comedy, or the enduring spirit of rural America.