Uncle Ezra, a character created and played by Patrick Barrett, was a popular personality on the WLS National Barn Dance out of Chicago. Alka-Seltzer, a sponsor of the show, published this songbook—reproduced below in its entirety—in 1937.
In addition to Ezra, the songbook spotlights Henry Burr, Lulu Belle and Scotty, the Maple City Four, Sally Foster, Joe Kelly, the Hoosier Hot Shots, and Lucille Long. Uncle Ezra was a rustic humorist rather than a singer, but he nevertheless recorded one record with the Hoosier Hot Shots in 1935 and was the subject of a few songs, at least one of which he cowrote.
The songs in the songbook that are associated with Ezra don't appear to have been recorded commercially; "Give Me a Toot on the Tooter, Tommy," which Ezra cowrote, echoes one of Ezra's catchphrases, and "Uncle Ezra Please Slow Down" is about the Uncle Ezra character. A transcription recording of "Give Me a Toot on the Tooter, Tommy" can be heard below.
The booklet invites readers to write to Miles Laboratories (the maker of Alka-Seltzer at that time) in Elkhart, Indiana, to obtain free additional copies of the booklet "for social gatherings, church affairs, banquets, etc." Miles Laboratories was willing to give these away for free because of the heavy advertising content; the booklet contains an ad for a Miles Laboratories product on every other page.
Click on the images below to see larger versions.
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| Popular Songs of Henry Burr |
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| Favorite Songs of Lulu Belle and Scotty |
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| Favorite Songs of the Maple City Four |
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| Favorite Songs of Uncle Ezra |
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| Favorite Songs of Sally Foster |
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| Popular Songs of Joe Kelly |
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| Popular Songs of the Hoosier Hot Shots |
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| Favorite Songs of Lucille Long |
Hi, Greg! My great-aunt Nathalie Trow Whiting (1877-1937) had a guitar designed for her in 1933 by the Larson Brothers of Chicago. Nathalie got her start on radio in 1928 on WTMJ and WHAD in Wisconsin and moved to Chicago in the 1930's, where it is believed she was a performer on WLS-AM's "National Barn Dance." I can't find a single portrait or photo of Nathalie, and all I have been able to do is track down her "1933 Larson NTW Special" guitar at its current location in Philadelphia. The guitar is well known among collectors because of the iconic large "NTW" initials on the headstock and it is featured in a book about the Larson Brothers. These guitars were typically custom made for "National Barn Dance" regulars. I wish I could insert an image into this comment. Can you point me in the direction of a radio historian who can help me trace Nathalie's radio career in Chicago between 1933-1937 (when she died) and maybe locate a portrait of her? Many thanks for your time and consideration of this request!
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie,
DeleteThat's really interesting. My grandmother allegedly danced on the National Barn Dance around that time, and I collected several years' worth of WLS Family Albums but I was unable to find a photo or mention of her. You can buy the WLS Family Albums on eBay pretty cheaply, so if you haven't looked through those yet, that's my only suggestion. I don't know of any historian who would have more information about that period.