Old Time Radio Westerns – “Red Foley and Hank Snow | Grand Ole Opry (01-21-50)”

Host: Andrew Rhynes
Featured Performers: Red Foley, Hank Snow, Wally Fowler & the Oak Ridge Quartet, Rod Bradfield, Cousin Minnie Pearl, Old Hickory Singers
Original Air Date: January 21, 1950

Episode Overview

This classic episode transports listeners to a golden age of live radio with a 1950 broadcast of the legendary Grand Ole Opry. The show features timeless performances by Red Foley, a country music icon, and Canadian legend Hank Snow. Audiences are treated to a reverent mix of heartwarming ballads, upbeat numbers, comedic skits, and spiritually uplifting gospel, all presented in the jocular, familial tone of the Opry. Humorous banter, rural wisdom, and communal singing deliver the warmth and charm for which the Opry is celebrated.

Main Discussion Points and Program Segments

1. Opening and Welcome (01:28–02:23)

• Andrew Rhynes introduces the episode, featuring a Grand Ole Opry performance with Red Foley and Hank Snow.
• Transition to the sound and spirit of the live 1950 broadcast.

2. Musical Opener: “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy” (02:23–04:54)

• Red Foley opens the musical lineup with a spirited rendition of "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy."
• The performance is energetic, foregrounding Red’s warm vocals and playful delivery.
  • “He pops a boogie woogie rag, the Chattanoogie shoeshine boy…Here goes, now, don't that tickle you?” (03:42, Red Foley)
• The song sets a convivial, toe-tapping mood.

3. On-Air Banter & Comedy Sketches (04:54–07:41)

• Rod Bradfield, Red Foley, and others engage in jokes and light-hearted stories about painting, family, and cold weather.
• Bradfield jokes about his (dubious) skills as a painting artist and his comical interactions with girlfriend Susie:
  • “Susie took one look at my work and said, ‘Rodney, this would be a beautiful portrait—it’s got such soul, such expression.’ I says, ‘Oh Flitter Susie, that there ain’t no picture. That’s where I clean my brushes.’” (06:23, Rod Bradfield)
• The camaraderie underscores the show’s informal and inviting spirit.

4. Hank Snow: Biography and Introduction (07:41–08:35)

• Red Foley introduces Hank Snow, painting a vivid picture of his journey from a Canadian cabin boy to international recording star.
  • “He bought a guitar for $15 and went all through Halifax, picking and singing... Folks, give one of your biggest and heartiest welcomes to Hank Snow.” (08:16, Red Foley)

5. Hank Snow Performs “Nobody’s Child” (08:48–11:26)

• Hank Snow delivers a moving version of “Nobody’s Child,” a poignant ballad about a blind orphan seeking love and belonging.
  • “I’m like a flower just growing wild, no mommy’s kisses and no daddy’s smile. Nobody wants me, I’m nobody’s child.” (10:49, Hank Snow)
• This heartfelt performance stands out for its emotional depth.

6. Wally Fowler & The Oak Ridge Quartet: Gospel Time (11:26–13:17)

• Wally Fowler and his Oak Ridge Quartet sing “Lead Me to That Rock,” an uplifting gospel number echoing the spiritual traditions of the Opry.
  • Memorable harmonies and spirited ‘boom boom’ bass lines infuse joy into the segment.

7. Hymn Time with Red Foley & Ensemble (13:32–16:20)

• Red Foley invites listeners to a quieter moment of reflection, leading a hymn.
  • “Search me, O God and know my heart today. Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.” (15:25, Red Foley)
• The performance, with gentle accordion in the background, fosters a sense of church-like community.

8. Old Hickory Singers: "Are You From Dixie?" (16:20–18:11)

• Claude Sharp and the Old Hickory Singers perform "Are You From Dixie?", delivering nostalgia and southern pride.
• Banter afterwards highlights the warmth and inclusiveness of the Opry’s community.

9. Comic Interlude: Cousin Minnie Pearl (18:36–21:32)

• Cousin Minnie Pearl enters with her trademark rural humor and folksy tales.
  • “We play a little game…if I catch one of them, he’s supposed to kiss me. One day I caught Red Foley…he was so shy, he paid Jack Stapp $4 to kiss me in his place!” (19:07, Minnie Pearl)
• Anecdotes about family, cold weather, and small-town life offer gentle laughs.

10. Winter Tales & Small-Town Humor (21:32–23:56)

• Rod Bradfield and Minnie spin tall tales about the bitter cold, steaming tea kettles, and family mishaps with a medicine bottle.
  • “When my Poppy come home and found my twin brothers Pete and Repeat in front of a roaring fire…we didn’t have a fireplace!” (22:59, Rod Bradfield)
• Exchanges highlight rural wit and the classic Opry sense of fun.

11. Hank Snow: “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight” (23:56–25:55)

• Hank Snow returns with another bittersweet country ballad, “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight.”
  • “Tonight I’m sad, my heart is weary…That old rain is cold and slowly falling upon my windowpane tonight, and your love was even colder.” (24:20, Hank Snow)

12. Red Foley: “Careless Kisses” (25:55–27:11)

• Red Foley offers a new number, “Careless Kisses,” blending heartbreak with gentle irony in his delivery:
  • “Your careless kisses are causing me to care less for you…Makes me wonder if your heart is careless too.” (26:15, Red Foley)

13. Closing Announcements (27:11–28:30)

• Rod Bradfield notes the show’s broadcast history and its association with the Armed Forces Radio Service.
• Brief sign-off remarks from Andrew Rhynes wrap up the show.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Red Foley on Hank Snow’s journey:
  “He bought a guitar for $15 and went all through Halifax, picking and singing... Folks, give one of your biggest and heartiest welcomes to Hank Snow.” (08:16)

• Rod Bradfield's painting gag:
  “Oh Flitter Susie, that there ain’t no picture. That’s where I clean my brushes.” (06:23)

• Minnie Pearl on Opry romance:
  “He was so shy he paid Jack Stapp $4 to kiss me in his place.” (19:07)

• Hank Snow, “Nobody’s Child”:
  “I’m like a flower just growing wild, no mommy’s kisses and no daddy’s smile. Nobody wants me, I’m nobody’s child.” (10:49)

• Winter’s cold, Opry style:
  “We get the spring fever in Hornwall when it’s only 20 below in Hornwall. The tea kettle spout steam icicles.” (21:49, Rod Bradfield)

Segment Timestamps

• 01:28 – Show intro & Opry announcement
• 02:23 – “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy” by Red Foley
• 04:54 – On-air comic banter
• 07:41 – Hank Snow biography
• 08:48 – Hank Snow sings “Nobody’s Child”
• 11:26 – Oak Ridge Quartet: “Lead Me to That Rock”
• 13:32 – Hymn Time (“Search Me O God”)
• 16:20 – Old Hickory Singers: “Are You From Dixie?”
• 18:36 – Minnie Pearl comedy interlude
• 21:32 – Hornwall/Hometown humor
• 23:56 – Hank Snow: “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight”
• 25:55 – Red Foley: “Careless Kisses”
• 27:11 – Closing remarks & sign-off

Tone, Style, and Atmosphere

The episode is infused with warmth, gentle humor, and the communal spirit of a bygone radio era. The musical performances are heartfelt, and the comic segments brim with wholesome, small-town banter in classic Southern tones. Both the depth of emotion in the songs and the levity of the humor combine to make this Opry appearance a nostalgic time capsule—a must-hear for fans of classic American country, Gospel, and Western radio.