Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet | Grand Ole Opry (11-12-49)

Summary

Old Time Radio Westerns Podcast: "Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet | Grand Ole Opry (11-12-49)"

Host: Andrew Rines
Release Date: July 17, 2025
Episode: Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet | Grand Ole Opry (11-12-49)

---

Introduction

Andrew Rines opens the episode by welcoming listeners to the "Old Time Radio Westerns" podcast, highlighting the show's commitment to digitally restoring classic Western radio dramas. He briefly mentions his sister podcast, "otnetcast," which focuses on mystery genre shows, before transitioning into the main content: a historic episode of the Grand Ole Opry originally aired on November 12, 1949, featuring the legendary Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet.

---

Main Performances and Highlights

1. Grand Ole Opry Musical Performances

The episode features a blend of musical performances and comedic interactions, faithfully recreating the vibrant atmosphere of the late 1940s radio show.

• Opening Number: "Stolen Skillet"

  The show kicks off with a lively musical piece performed by the cast, including Rodney Brassfield and Minnie Pearl. The song narrates a humorous tale involving broken strings, kitchen mishaps, and the beloved "shortening bread," capturing the lighthearted spirit of the era.

  Notable Quote:

  Rodney Brassfield: "My mammy's little baby loves shortening bread."
  [02:30]

• Red Foley's "Country Boy"

  Red Foley delivers a heartfelt and authentic performance of his signature song, "Country Boy." His rendition paints a vivid picture of rural life, embracing humility, hard work, and the joys of a simple existence.

  Notable Quote:

  Red Foley: "I'm a plain old country boy, a cornbread loving country boy. I raise clean on Saturday but I go to church on Sunday."
  [19:51]

• Oak Ridge Quartet's Spiritual Harmony

  The Oak Ridge Quartet presents a stirring spiritual piece, exemplifying the quartet's impeccable vocal harmonies and deep emotional resonance. Their rendition of "Joshua" underscores themes of faith and community.

  Notable Quote:

  Narrator: "Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, all the walls came tumbling down."
  [09:44]

2. Comedic Interludes with Rodney Brassfield and Minnie Pearl

Interspersed between musical performances are delightful comedic segments featuring Rodney Brassfield and the beloved Minnie Pearl, bringing humor and relatable storytelling to the program.

• Relationship Shenanigans

  Rodney shares a humorous anecdote about his tumultuous friendship with Susie, highlighting the playful banter and misunderstandings that add charm to their characters.

  Notable Quote:

  Rodney Brassfield: "She says, 'Rodney, I can't marry you but I'll always be your friend.' I said, 'Okay, friend, lend me $5.'"
  [04:20]

• Minnie Pearl's Bus Encounter

  Minnie recounts an amusing incident on a bus where she was mistaken for someone's mother-in-law, intertwining humor with her signature Southern wit.

  Notable Quote:

  Minnie Pearl: "A fella just grabbed me and kissed me. He looked at me and said, 'Excuse me, I thought you was my mother in law.'"
  [14:43]

• Goat Farming Tales

  The duo humorously debates the merits of goat farming versus cow milking, culminating in a playful exchange that showcases their chemistry and comedic timing.

  Notable Quote:

  Rodney Brassfield: "Many, it's much easier to milk a goat than it is to milk a cow."
  [17:32]

3. Guest Appearance: Little Jimmy Dickens

Adding to the episode's richness, folk singer Little Jimmy Dickens makes a guest appearance. He shares insights into his music and performs "Country Boy," further enhancing the program's musical diversity.

Notable Quote:

Rodney Brassfield: "One of the nation's leading folk singers, little Jimmy Dickens."
[19:39]

4. Interactive Music Session

The episode features an engaging segment where Red Foley collaborates with the hosts and other performers to create an impromptu musical number, blending spontaneity with structured performance.

Notable Quote:

Rodney Brassfield: "Now you tell me what you want me to say. Well, I want you to sing that in there, where you just beat the tar out of them mules, you know?"
[22:36]

---

Insights and Restoration Excellence

Old Time Radio Westerns has meticulously restored this 1949 episode, enhancing the original audio to deliver pristine sound quality. The restoration process ensures that every nuance—from the "thundering hooves of a pursuing posse" to the subtle "creak of a saloon door"—is vividly brought to life, offering listeners an immersive experience that surpasses the limitations of the original recordings.

Notable Restoration Highlight:

• Enhanced Audio Clarity:

  The restoration team has elevated the audio quality, making vintage classics like Gunsmoke and The Lone Ranger more accessible and enjoyable for modern audiences.

  Introduction by Andrew Rines: "We’ve meticulously enhanced every episode, elevating the audio quality to new heights."
  [00:13]

---

Conclusion

This episode of Old Time Radio Westerns masterfully blends nostalgic musical performances with timeless comedic storytelling, all while showcasing the technical prowess of digital restoration. Through the iconic voices of Red Foley and Minnie Pearl, listeners are transported back to the golden age of radio, experiencing the rich narratives and vibrant characters that defined the era.

Andrew Rines concludes the episode by inviting listeners to explore more shows on the Old Time Radio Westerns platform and his sister podcast, otnetcast, ensuring that the legacy of these classic radio dramas continues to thrive.

---

Notable Quotes Summary

• Rodney Brassfield: "My mammy's little baby loves shortening bread."
  [02:30]

• Red Foley: "I'm a plain old country boy, a cornbread loving country boy."
  [19:51]

• Minnie Pearl: "A fella just grabbed me and kissed me. He looked at me and said, 'Excuse me, I thought you was my mother in law.'"
  [14:43]

• Rodney Brassfield: "Many, it's much easier to milk a goat than it is to milk a cow."
  [17:32]

• Andrew Rines: "We’ve meticulously enhanced every episode, elevating the audio quality to new heights."
  [00:13]

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the "Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet | Grand Ole Opry (11-12-49)" episode, providing both new listeners and longtime fans with a vivid portrayal of the show's enduring charm and the meticulous restoration efforts that make these classic dramas accessible today.

Transcript

[Rodney Brassfield]

Foreign.

[Andrew Rines]

Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host Andrew Rines. And before we get into this episode, I wanted to do a little PSA and remind you that I put out multiple shows a week of Old Time Radio Westerns. You can check them out by going to otrwesterns.com or looking up OTR Westerns on your podcast application of choice. We're releasing over 10 episodes a week so far, about a hundred a month. So definitely want you to check that out again otrwesterns.com and check it out. I also wanted to invite you to check out my sister podcast site otnetcast and that's n e t c a s t so ot n e t c a s t netcast otnetcast.com we're currently releasing mystery genre shows and this is shows like the Shadow Escape, Suspense and the Whistler. And we have plans on bringing other shows to the network for you guys to listen to. So it's my non western old Time radio channel that I can kind of do other genres that not only I like, but hopefully you would like too. You can check us out by going to otnetcast.com or searching on your podcast app of choice. Now let's get into this episode. This episode's going to be the Grand Ole Opry Original air dates November 12, 1949. And we've got Red Foley and the Oak Ridge Quartet in the lead singing roles. Let's get into it.

[Rodney Brassfield]

It's Grand Old Opry time. As you fall Roll back the rock on the floor Light up your Everyone will have some fun at the Grand Old Op welcome to Grand Ole Opry with Rob Brassfield, Minnie Pearl, and starring Red Fol. Well, I broke a string, boy, so I'm gonna have to do something here. Bill slipped in the kitchen and slipped up the lid and I slipped my pockets full of shortening bread Stole the skillet and stole the lead Stole the gal to make shortening bread My mammy's little baby loves shortening, shortening Mammy's little baby loves shortening bread My mammy's little baby loves shortening, shortening Mammy's little baby loves shortening bread B Put on the skillet and put on the l M Gr to make a little shortening bread that ain't all that she want to do she buy to make a little coffee too Mama's little baby love softening, softening Mama's little baby love softening bread Mama's little baby love softening, softening Mama's Little baby love softening bre all three little babies lying in bed Two were sick and the other most dead I said for the doctor and the doctor said give them babies some shortening bread Mama said the baby loves shortening, shortening Mamma's little baby loves shortening bread A mamma's little baby loves shortening sharpening Mamma's little baby loves shortening bread Mammy's little baby loves sharpness Rod Bracefield. Where's he at? Thank you. Not your blood. Mr. Foley. Yes Brad? I'm so dead blame man I could just bite off the butt end of a banana. I'm telling you the truth. I didn't have me no plans for this Saturday. So when I come in here tonight I asked Wally Fowler what I could do with my weekend. Yeah, right. What did Wally say when you asked him what you could do with your weekend? Well Wally said rodney, the best thing you can do with your weekend is to put a hat on it. That just kills me to. Yeah. Howdy friend. It ain't so hot tonight, is it? Last week I learned all about friendship down there in Hornw. Yes sir. I learned that I ain't got an enemy in the world but all my friends hate me. Who done that? It all started when my gal friend Susie come to see me. Susie come to see me there and we had a little spat. We kind of get in a little argument there once in a while. She says to me, she says rodney. She said rodney, I can't marry you but I'll always be your friend. I'll be your friend till the end. I said okay friend, lend me $5. She says this is the end. Of course woman like Susie started sob in there and got mad and started sobbing and crying. A little dab dab and half, two dabs. And she said, she said rodney, how can you say such things about me when I have always told everybody that you are so sensible and level headed. I said susie, you ain't never told nobody I'm level headed. You always said I was flat headed. That made her so mad she could ate a banana she didn't dare say nothing cause I'd slept with I love that woman. Well after we got through arguing there we sort of made up and we was a kiss in there. We was.

[Minnie Pearl]

Yeah I kissed her.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Yeah I did. Yeah I kissed her. I just love that woman. I tell you the truth, I love to kiss that woman. It's so much fun. I just love to kiss that woman. Well we was a kiss in there when all of A sudden she rears back and she says, rodney Brassfield, I could never marry you. You're too much of a caveman. And so I just throws out my chest and I said, susie, you mean I'm a big, strong he man caveman? She says, nope. I mean, every time you kiss me, you cave man. Great feeling. To say howdy to that famous Montgomery, Alabama singing personality, Hank Williams. Thank you, sir. Bill. You wore out a brand new trunk packing and unpacking your junk. Your dad is mad, he's done got peace. You gonna change your amber gonna leave. You gonna change your way of living. Change the things you do. Stop doing all them things that you oughtn't do. Your daddy is mad, he done got peace. And you gonna change your amber go. Well, this ain't right and that is wrong. You just keep nagging all the day long. Now you gotta stop. I don't mean please. You gonna change your. I'm gonna leave. The way to keep a woman happy and make her do what's right is.

[Red Foley]

Love her every morning, ball her out of a night.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Your dad is mad, he's done got peace. You're gonna change your eyeballs. Only time you get mad, you pack your rags and you go home to dad. You tell him l you don't believe.

[Red Foley]

And you gonna change your eye gonna leave.

[Rodney Brassfield]

You gonna change your way of living. Change the things you do. Stop doing all them things that you oughtn't to. Your daddy is mad, he's done got peace. You're gonna change your armor. Go now. Friends, here's Wally Fowler in the Oak Ridge Quartet, showing us what is meant by real spiritual singing. As they give us Joshua fit the battle of Jericho Tumbling down All the walls came a tumbling down. Came a tumbling down the wall came a tumbling down. Joshua. And the wall came tumbling down. You can talk about your man of Gideon, Talk about your man of Saul. But there's none like good old Joshua. At the battle of Jericho I'll be telling just 50 battle round Jericho, Jericho, Jericho just 50 battle around Jericho. And the wall came tumbling down. Oh, the walls came a tumbling down. Came a tumbling down. The walls came a tumbling down. As the march around Joshua and Jerry bow. And the walls came a tumbling down. Well the lamb, ram sheep horn began to blow. The children began to shout. Oh, Joshua walked up to the wall and he led his people out. I'm a telling you Joshua picked van round Jericho, Jericho, Jericho. Oh, Josh picked and round Jericho and the wall came a tumbling down. Old Kim tumbling down, tumbling, tumbling down the walls Came topping well through. The Foley family is having a little gathering tomorrow, it being Sunday, and folks are coming in from Berea, Kentucky for a little get together. I know there'll be fried chicken and a lot of good talk. And I know too that when the sun goes down, Aunt Lucy will go quietly over to the old organ. And that'll be the signal for a few wonderful old hymns. One of the first we'll be singing will be this one here called Cleanse Me, Lord, Take my life and make it holy Thine fill my poor heart with thy great love divine Take all my wisdom, my patience, self and pride My will all be nearer God Search me, O God, and know my heart today Try me, O Savior Know my thoughts I pray See if there be some wicked wisdom me Cleanse me from every sin and set me free President Vinnie Pearl.

[Minnie Pearl]

To be here welter. I'm telling you, I never been so inserted in all my life. Coming over here on the bus, a fella just grabbed me and kissed me. I never have been so insulted. He looked at me and said, excuse me, I thought you was my mother in law. Well, while I was on that there bus, who do I see but that boy crazy Messalina Moss. She's from Grindy Squid. Messalina? Yeah. Messy for sure. Where did they come from? They. They call that girl the Draft Board in Grinder Switch. They call her Draft Board. Cause she'll take any feller from 18 to 45. I'm sure glad I'm not boy crazy like that. Well, to those seeing Messalina made me glad to have Hezzy. That there's my fellow's Hezzy. Well, it is. That there's his name. That's why I call him that. The other night. The other night, Hesse says to me, he says, minnie Pearl, when I try to kiss you, I can't figure out why you always yell stop. I says, what I can't figure out is why you always do. Well, I reckon y' all think. All I think about's just kissing. That's right. Well, sir, I remember one time at a Dane there at Grinder Switch. I asked Hezzy if he'd like to set out the next set on the porch. And he got mad and said, if you don't like the way I dance, just say so. I don't know about that feller. Did you? Glad you know he had us a shower for saline of Beetle Bob the ovary grinder switch this week. And Prunella Peabody, the local spinster lady, she's the only fencing lady nearly biting grounded switch. We got one more. Well, true Nellie was there and she nearly knocked everybody into a conniption fit at that shower. She told us she's got 14 kids. We all forgot she had a goat farm.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Hey, Minnie Pearl.

[Minnie Pearl]

Yes, right.

[Red Foley]

Did I ever tell you about that?

[Rodney Brassfield]

I used to run the go a goat farm?

[Red Foley]

Yeah, you had one.

[Minnie Pearl]

Yeah, yeah, I got wind of it. You got wind there, That's a good one.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Many, it's much easier to milk a goat than it is to milk a cow. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. You see, in milk and the goat, there's just two things you have to remember. First, you.

[Minnie Pearl]

That's all right then. Never mind, Rodney. What I want to know is how come you two bust into that shower last Tuesday?

[Rodney Brassfield]

Well, flitter minute Shalina's husband uni told me that Jelani was expecting a shower, so I come over with my umbrella. Oh, that was sure some hen party, wasn't it?

[Minnie Pearl]

Yeah.

[Rodney Brassfield]

I never heard so much cackling in my life. I'm telling you, I ain't heard so much cackling since Uncle Sipes old rooster laid that there egg.

[Minnie Pearl]

Now, Rodney, how can a rooster lay an egg?

[Red Foley]

Well, it ain't easy, Minnie.

[Rodney Brassfield]

You know who. You know something? I heard them women are talking and I just had to laugh when I heard what I'm saying that gals said they didn't like to kiss a feller with whiskers.

[Minnie Pearl]

Did they say that?

[Rodney Brassfield]

Yeah, they said that. They said when a gal makes up her mind to kiss a feller, they ain't gonna beat around the bush.

[Minnie Pearl]

Well, said some feller does. Some feller does crazy things. Now, Susie Smirch's feller took up a ride in his.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Susie Smirches.

[Minnie Pearl]

Yes, smirches I can stand right now. Just go ahead. And he mustn't have been keeping his mind on his driving, because all of a sudden he turned into a ditch and throwed them both out on a bank.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Did it hurt?

[Minnie Pearl]

A mini. Well, I guess Susie fella must have been not silly. Cause he grabbed hold of Susie and started kissing her.

[Rodney Brassfield]

He did?

[Minnie Pearl]

Yes.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Started kissing her?

[Minnie Pearl]

Yeah.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Must have been delirious or something. He started kissing Day, huh?

[Minnie Pearl]

Yeah. Susie says it seems to me it had been a whole lot simpler if you just run out of gas.

[Rodney Brassfield]

One of the nation's leading folk singers, little Jimmy Dickens.

[Red Foley]

Hello, Red.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Hi there, tiger. How you doing? What do you brought along with us besides you get tired of night?

[Red Foley]

Red, I. I'd like to do one of my latest recordings A little thing here called country boy if you don't mind.

[Rodney Brassfield]

That's what we all right.

[Minnie Pearl]

Now I'm.

[Red Foley]

Just a simple guy there's one thing.

[Minnie Pearl]

Sure to shoot I hate those folks.

[Red Foley]

Who think that they're sadat burned high polluting I'd be the same in Hollywood or right in my own kitchen I believe in fussing when you're mad and scratching when you're itching I'm a plain old country boy A cornbread loving country boy I raise clean on Saturday but I go to church on Sunday I'm a plain old country boy A tater eating country boy I'd be looking over that old gray mule when the sun comes up on Monday Where I come from opportunities they never were too good we never had much money but we done the best we could Ma doctored me from youngin hood on ips and sauce and iodine Made my diapers out of old feed sacks My spenders out of flour I'm a plain old country boy A cornbread loving country boy I raise cane on Saturday but I go to church on Sunday I I'm a plain old country boy A tater eating country boy I'll be looking over that old gray mute when the sun comes.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Up on Monday.

[Red Foley]

And every time that preacher came Ma always fixed a chicken if I'd reached for a drumstick I was bound to get a licking she always saved two parts for me but I had to shut my mouth Twas a gizzard down the north end of a chicken flying south I'm a plain old country boy A cornbread loving country boy I raised cane on Saturday but I go to church on Sunday I'm a plain old country boy A tater eating country boy I be looking over my old gray mute when the sun comes up on Monday.

[Rodney Brassfield]

Now you tell me what you want me to say. Well, I want you to sing that in there, where you just beat the tar out of them mules, you know? You mean meal train? Oh, yeah.

[Minnie Pearl]

All right.

[Rodney Brassfield]

You help me out, will you, Rob? I'll try it. Come on, Call. Hit on it. Get up there. Right there. Whoa, George. Get up there. Butane. Get out there. Ha. Ukraine. Clippity clopping over hill and plain Seems as how they never stop Clippity clop, clibberty clibberty clippity clibberty cliberty Climbing along There's a plug of churn tobacco fur a miner in Corona A get off for a cowboy way out in Arizona Address the calico for the pretty Navajo. Get along, you get along. Ah, get up there, Pete. Get over there. Okay, Jeep back. Butane liberty clapping on the mountain dream soon they're going to reach the top Clop clibbity, clop clibberty clibbity clopping alone there's some cotton thread and needles for the folks away out yonder A shovel for a miner who left his home to wonder Some rheumatism pills for the sufferers in the hill Get a of lot long you get along get up, get up. There's a letter full of sadness and it's black around the border A pair of boots for some deal diddle order Bible in the pack for the river, Mr. Black diddle get along, get along, get along. That's about all for now, but we'll be back again next week with another grand old Opry. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education. Sam it Sam Foreign.

[Andrew Rines]

This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate our shows in your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com and send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com you can call and leave us a voicemail. 707-986-8739. This episode is copyright under the Attribution non Commercial Share Like Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.

[Red Foley]

Sam.