Louisiana Hayride

A lively free-hitting narrative . . . written with a proper appreciation of the grotesque humor of many of its episodes . . . but also with the proper appreciation of the political significance . . . for the rest of the United States. New York Times Book Review This book deserves to be widely read. Library Journal Nothing like the regime of Huey Long has ever been enacted on American soil before. Only a patriot of the staunchest character could stand up to the power of Huey and the threats and reprisals which he used so freely. Those who were willing to do so paralleled the acts of America's bravest patriots at any stage of American history. Nearly all the books on this subject end with the death of Huey Long. Louisiana Hayride continues through the years of scandals which ended in my election in 1940. Huey's prediction that his successors would never be able to wield his great power without going to jail was born out by events described in this book. This is the story of the sowing of the wind, but the major part of the book is devoted to the reaping of the whirlwind. In this telling, Louisiana Hayride is unsurpassed. It is a story for all Americans. From the forward by Sam Houston Jones Governor, 1940-1944

This image-laden, entertaining chronology of the Louisiana Hayride radio and stage show is written by the historian and archivist for the venue. The Hayride is credited with introducing the world to Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, George Jones, and so many others. The author's father ran the show in the 1970s and 1980s.

Provides an examination of northwest Louisiana's unique musical milieu, home to the Louisiana Hayride, a radio barn dance between 1948 and 1960. The region's history, geography, race relations, media, and other forces set the stage for the Hayride's critical role in both country music and rock-and-roll.

In 1948, Horace "Hoss" Logan, a young radio producer in Shreveport, Louisiana, started booking talent for a new weekly music show called the Louisiana Hayride. Performed for a live audience and broadcast nationally over the CBS Radio network, the show became known as the "Cradle of the Stars." In this affectionate memoir, Hoss Logan recalls the Hayride's heyday with behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the dozens of musicians he knew and nurtured, including Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Slim Whitman, Hank Williams, Faron Young, and many more. As producer, emcee, and friend to the Hayride performers, Logan gives us a personal look into musical history - from Hank Williams's ups and downs to the teenage Elvis's first performance on national radio to the ways the Hayride's many emerging stars expanded our idea about what country music could be.

To borrow words from Stan “The Record Man” Lewis, Shreveport, Louisiana, is one of this nation's most important “regional-sound cities.” Its musical distinctiveness has been shaped by individuals and ensembles, record label and radio station owners, announcers and disc jockeys, club owners and sound engineers, music journalists and musicians. The area's output cannot be described by a single genre or style. Rather, its music is a kaleidoscope of country, blues, R&B, rockabilly, and rock. Shreveport Sounds in Black and White presents that evolution in a collection of scholarly and popular writing that covers institutions and people who nurtured the musical life of the city and surroundings. The contributions of icons like Leadbelly and Hank Williams, and such lesser-known names as Taylor-Griggs Melody Makers and Eddie Giles come to light. New writing explores the famed Louisiana Hayride, musicians Jimmie Davis and Dale Hawkins, local disc jockey “Dandy Don” Logan, and KWKH studio sound engineer Bob Sullivan. With glimpses into the lives of original creators, Shreveport Sounds in Black and White reveals the mix that emerges from the ongoing interaction between the city's black and white musicians.

An in-depth history of rock and roll's Louisiana roots. Taking the position that rock and roll started in New Orleans in 1947 when Roy Brown recorded "Good Rockin' Tonight," Aswell provides an expansive history of this beloved American music form. By looking at the Louisianan influences of swamp pop, Cajun, zydeco, R&B, rockabilly, country, and blues music, the author explores the way these musical forms gave birth to rock and roll as we know it today.

The Big Elvis Quiz Volume One, from the author of Elvis Presley: Stories Behind the Songs, offers a variety of questions to test the knowledge of new and casual fans, as well as lifelong followers of The King. The quiz begins with questions from Elvis’ childhood and also tests the reader’s knowledge on Elvis’ parents, The King’s early recordings, Colonel Parker, Graceland as well as the big hits and early movies. Author Matt Shepherd says: “I hope this will provide fans with a quiz over the festive period about their favourite idol, the one and only Elvis. I had great fun putting the various quizzes together and I discovered things I didn’t know about Elvis. I hope this quiz book will also double up as a fact-finding mission for those wanting to learn more about one of the world’s greatest ever performers.” The Big Elvis Quiz Volume One features 250 questions. It is the first of a two-volume quiz book, which tackles questions on Elvis’ early life, first recordings, big hits from the 1950s, TV appearances and his earliest and some say best movies. The book ends in 1962 with two additional mixed quizzes tackling other highlights from Elvis’ career.