[78-L] The Hayloft Gang Documentary

[Steve Ramm]

MikE: I'm sure I'm the one who posted info on this way back. I had the trailer and saw first 15 minutes about THREE years ago. I've been gerting updates on it.
 
I got an advance screener in August so I could in clude in my October In The Groove colum coming out this week. Here is what I wrote:
 
steve
 
Back in 2008 I reviewed a book titled The Hayloft Gang (Univ of Illinois) about the WLS radio show The National Barn Dance, the precursor to the Grand Ole Opry. One of the contributors to that book of essays was documentary producer Stephen Parry. At the time of the book’s release Parry was seeking funding to complete a companion film using archival footage and interviews with those involved in the show, which went on the air in 1924 and, by 1930, was up to 50,000 watts. In 1933 NBC acquired it and the show could be heard all over the country. It took nearly three years but Parry’s film is complete and aired on many PBS stations in September. It should be available on home DVD by year-end. The 56-minute program -titled the same as the book and narrated by Garrison Keillor – is a must-watch for country and old-time music fans. Gene Autry got his start on the NBD, as did comedian George Gobel and Homer & Jethro. There’s a segment on Patsy Montana containing interviews with her daughter. Country music historian Bill C. Malone provides commentary as well. Cylinder record collectors will be interested to know that pioneer artists Billy Murray and Henry Burr appeared on the NBD as beginning in the late 1930s – though this is never covered in Parry’s film. Check your local PBS station for airing or watch the trailer at: http://tinyurl.com/3vs7jxl. l