 | Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452. |
Nostalgia
2004-08-01 08:22:00
They were stars!
: Do you remember the live music and local broadcasts in the 40's and 50's?
ANSWER: With no TV or stereo, entertainment in Wichita was basically confined to movies, some still in black and white, and the oncoming of wide screens and 3-D was just hitting. During this era Sports Center offered some carnival rides, we had traveling carnivals coming to town, the opening of Joyland, Miniature golf, and of course baseball at Lawrence Stadium, Rodeo's, picnics, and neighboring made the radio one of the prime sources of entertainment. You could enjoy live music right from the radio station's studio. Ted Morris called me the other day, with follow-up information on one of my previous Q&A articles. I had mentioned one of Wichita's great musicians and personalities, Raymond Shelley. Many of you remember him from his organ concerts between films on the 5 Manual Pipe Organ at the old Miller Theater. Ted enlightened me that he also had a live radio show from the studio of KANS, and that Ted Morris's mother was the vocalist on that show. She used the name Judy Jordan when she sang on KANS. Of course she sang and Raymond accompanied her on the electronic organ at the studio. Judy Jordan later moved to California and became an MCA recording artist and changed her name to "Babs" Jordan. She also had a coast-to-coast radio show on the BLUE Network and NBC. And get this; her accompanist on that show was none other than a man named Lee Liberace. Ms Jordan eventually moved back to Wichita, married, and lives here still. The popular entertainment group featuring the Ark Valley Boys could be found at the big KFH studio performing in front of a live audience daily. All of the Ark Valley boys had nicknames. Many were called "Cousin" like Cousin Clarence Brown who was the comedian of the group, Bill "Foggy" Boggs, the fiddle player, Cousin Snazzy the bass fiddle player, and all the rest. I recently received an email from Gloria McGinley, who furnished me with further information about this group. She said that Roy "Oby" Victory was her father. He was part of the Victory Trio who sang with the Ark Valley Boys. In fact, she went on to say, her parents were married along with her aunt and uncle at a secret double wedding ceremony that occurred at the old Forum after one of the KFH programs. The Victory Trio went on to sing with Corky's Coral Gang, which was another live radio show put together by Corky Edminster and performed live daily on KANS. Oby Victory went on to the television era and performed live on Dusty's Jamboree, which aired on KAKE TV, with Dusty Herring, an old buddy of mine known affectionately to Wichita as Deputy Dusty. Radio in those days was what TV is to us now. We still enjoy listening and/or watching our favorite shows, featuring all the movie stars and recording artists of the time. The 40' and 50' were great times, but life is also great now.
