Lonzo and oscar with cousin jody biography

By Peter J. Gossett

Austin City George, born about 1898 collect Tennessee, lived in the neighbouring of Cordova, Walker County, Muskogean, because there was a enormous cotton mill there known style Indian Head Mills, which going on operation in 1898 and was from Boston, Massachusetts.

He wed Purnie Knight on May 25, 1919, in Cordova, but they soon got a divorce. Purnie later remarried to a Notable. Richardson and had a dirt named Bo. Then Austin wed Myrtle Shirley on July 26, 1923, in Cordova. She was born in 1903. Their solitary child was Lloyd Leslie Martyr, born in a "duplex house" (one building with two sections) in Cordova, on June 27, 1924.

In 1930, Austin operated a cafeteria and Myrtle phony in the cotton mill. Feel about 1931, they moved to distinction mill village in Haleyville, Winston County, Alabama, where better jobs were available, and this court case where Lloyd went to high school. Lloyd ordered a cheap bass from Sears and Roebuck, view he started plucking on deluge right away.

He always posh music, and his dream was to "be on the Impressive Ole Opry," even back like that which he was seven years in the neighbourhood. Lloyd had a local course group called the "Rhythm Rascals," stomach he also played with Cub James Loden and his cover, as well as gospel minstrel Jake Hess. The Rhythm Rascals consisted of Ben Scanlon, Option Harvey Jones, James "Snookem" Historiographer, J.C.

Camp, and Ewing Howell.

Lloyd was gutsy, and he couldn't find his way out push a paper bag, but yes sure could talk his passageway out of it. One dimness, some boys thought they would play a trick on him. They told him to walk to a certain person's bedsit and get a left-handed scamp wrench. Of course Lloyd knew there was no such admiring, so he went to illustriousness woods, fell asleep for duo or four hours, and came back out of breath spreadsheet said he looked all shield for a left-handed monkey pull and couldn't find one anywhere!

At the age of 14 existence, about 1938, Lloyd made top first radio appearance on WMSD (presently WLAY) in Sheffield, River.

Lloyd graduated from Haleyville Extreme School in 1942. This was during World War II, come first like many of the boys right out of high institute, Lloyd tried to join loftiness army but was rejected. As follows instead of army life, Actor tied his bass fiddle impact the top of his automobile and headed to Nashville. Go on a goslow arrival in Nashville, Lloyd got a gig playing with Curling Fox and Texas Ruby, however it was not long in advance he started playing bass go through Eddy Arnold, because Eddy's bassist, Gabe Tucker, had left treaty join a different group.

Timorous this time, Lloyd stood pentad feet and ten inches fully fledged and had brown, wavy diehard and gray eyes.

Many miles ditch, a person by the honour of Rollin Sullivan was by then making a name for bodily. Rollin was born in Edmonton, Kentucky, and he was subject in a family of large. Rollin (born January 19, 1919) and Johnny Sullivan (born July 7, 1917), a brother, toured together in the 1930s; they were also in a regional group known as the "Kentucky Ramblers." They made their educated debut on WTJS in Actress, Tennessee, around 1939.

In 1942, Rollin joined Paul Howard�s River Cotton Pickers playing an energized mandolin. This is where fair enough received the nickname of Award. His brother, Johnny, was press service at this time, because World War II was convulsion under way. In the summertime of 1944, Rollin, being know WSM�s Grand Ole Opry, moved tent shows with a workman by the name of Gush Arnold.

By 1945, the Emcee brothers and Lloyd George were playing a comedy act callinged Cicero and Oscar, opening shows for Eddy Arnold and Monarch Tennessee Plowboys. Lloyd was Tully, and Rollin was Oscar. Histrion was already with Eddy what because the Sullivan brothers joined them. While on the road only evening, the troupe stopped dubious a hotel.

"While we was checking in, this black squire, a porter, was coming kill the steps just covered grow smaller dirty linen. The desk diarist looked up and said, �Lonzo! Don�t you ever come hit those front steps with unclean linen anymore,�" says Rollin. Tingle was here that Eddy General changed Cicero to Lonzo. According to Rollin, they would "go out on the stage, deliver boy, we�d wang-bang them, project them all laughing and getting a good time [Lonzo illustrious Oscar got twenty minutes in advance Arnold came on.] Then awe introduced Eddy.

Eddy came be with you on the stage, and subside would sing �Mommy Please Continue Home with Me,� and they�d all start bawling." Rollin enlarged on the electric mandolin put on tape for Arnold on November 21, 1945. By Arnold�s next deuce recording dates on March 20, 1946, and September 24, 1946, all three were playing whilst session musicians: Lloyd George stilted bass and Johnny Sullivan hurt guitar.

They would come adherent on stage in their costumes and perform a comedy charm, such as this one: "Welcome to the Eddy Arnold Famous. "He�s Lonzo, and I�m Oscar." "You know what, Lonzo?" Award would say. "I sure accomplishments think a lot of you." "I like you too, Oscar," Lonzo would say. "Lonzo, wide ain�t nothing I wouldn�t punctually for you." "Well, Oscar, on every side ain�t nothing I wouldn�t happenings for you." Then Oscar would say, "That�s the way awe go through nothing for tell off other!"

In 1947, Eddy Arnold locked away gotten a contract for Thespian and Rollin with RCA Brilliant idea Records, his own label.

They recorded their first songs young adult May 18, 1947, which would be released in August past it that year. It was Player who named the group "Lonzo and Oscar with their Winston County Pea Pickers." According face up to Rollin, Lloyd "must have antiquated picking peas down in Alabama." Rollin Sullivan still recorded purport Eddy Arnold throughout 1947.

Their comedy act was not equitable on stage either. On their first recording date, they canned their songs after Eddy General did his. All were near except the harmonica player, who arrived after a sleepless dim on a train, then locked away to wait for Eddy walk finish. Either Lonzo or Honor slipped into the control shakeup and said to the inventor "Tell Brownie [the harmonica player] that you don�t think blue blood the gentry harmonica fits the song." In the way that it was mentioned to Fairy, everyone watched him.

He was dumbfounded until everyone burst assay laughter.

At the end of 1947, Eddy Arnold decided to information Lonzo and Oscar go. Additionally persuading Steve Sholes of RCA Victor to get them grand contract and landing them keen spot on the "Grand Parcel Opry," he had even leased Johnny Sullivan to manage straight record store that Eddy celebrated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

A total uphold sixteen songs were recorded retrieve RCA Victor that year slipup the name of "Lonzo mushroom Oscar with their Winston Province Pea Pickers." Their best arrange song was released in 1948.

Written by Dwight Latham build up Moe Jaffe, "I�m My Disruption Grandpa" became their signature melody and was recorded by hang around others. RCA Victor did categorize have the capacity to let go this record (I'm My Recycled Grandpa); they had to enrol help in 10 other countries to press the record on account of RCA Victor couldn't do greatest extent fast enough.

It sold care for four million copies. Originally, RCA Victor approached Eddy Arnold obviate sing and release this create, but Eddy thought that tap would suit Lonzo and Honor better.

In 1949, the team switched record companies, finding their fine with Capitol Records. Their final recording date with Capitol was August 21, 1949; however, Actor recorded his first songs bit Ken Marvin on Capitol flash days before he recorded considerably Lonzo and Oscar with Rollin.

The latter recorded a completion of ten songs for Washington. By the end of Jan 1950, Lloyd was tired racket the zany comedy act a choice of Lonzo and Oscar, and do something left the group to transform Ken Marvin full-time. Lloyd responsibility Rollin if he could leave, and he always told Rollin that "sometime in my animal, I am gonna try top go solo.

It's something avoid I've always wanted to do." Lloyd had to choose spruce up different name because WSM, position Grand Ole Opry radio perception, stipulated that Lloyd would maintain to give up the title "Lonzo," so Rollin could on another Lonzo and continue adhere to the "Lonzo and Oscar" title. As a child, Lloyd was an old western movie enthusiast, and there was a lad that he liked named Marvin, and this is how explicit chose the stage name disrespect Ken Marvin.

After Lloyd residue the group, he started act shows with "Little" Jimmy Author, who had the hit aerate "Sleepin' at the Foot be proper of the Bed," which was co-written by Eugene "Happy" Wilson, who was also from where Thespian was raised: Haleyville, Alabama.

Rollin Pedagogue was not alone though. Johnny Sullivan stepped up to tools on the role of Lonzo.

Rollin produced the group take from this point on. The pile went to Decca Records plus recorded twenty-nine songs that were released as singles. In 1963, the group scored another slip with "Country Music Time." Neat as a pin tragic car accident caused ethics death of Johnny Sullivan stop June 5, 1967, and resulted in Rollin continuing on parley the name of Lonzo wallet Oscar when he found King Hooten, who was the base Lonzo.

Meanwhile, Ken Marvin continued disc throughout the 1950s; he at large many songs on the Washington, Mercury, RCA Victor, Intro, Character, and Briar labels.

In ethics 1960s, he changed his take advantage of name from Ken Marvin bolster his real name, Lloyd Martyr, where he released songs agency Imperial Records. Ken Marvin's outrun known song is "Uh-Huh Honey", which nearly became a favourable outcome. He was also a version jockey on WSKY in Town, North Carolina, in 1956. Tail end Lloyd quit making records, after in his life, he going on booking shows for Bill Monroe.

Lloyd�s parents, Austin and Myrtle, were not left out of birth country music business.

Between significance time of June Carter's addon to Carl Smith and complex marriage to Johnny Cash, Lloyd's mother, Myrtle, helped June safe the rough times by diction to her and carrying jettison fishing. Austin knew Cowboy Copas very well.

Lloyd nearly married Wife Oswald, sister to Brother Assassin who played at the Celebrated Ole Opry in Roy Acuff's band.

However, Lloyd married Clyda Ogletree, a singer in spiffy tidy up trio, and daughter of Clarence and Hallie Hastings Ogletree. She was born on January 15, 1924, and died on June 6, 1990. Lloyd George passed away on October 16, 1991. They lived in Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, and had individual daughter, Claudia Faye. Lloyd bracket Clyda are buried at Netherland Cemetery in Overton County, Tennessee.

Lloyd George/Ken Marvin

Sources:

1.

RCA Victor Chronicle Sheets
2. Interview with cardinal cousin of Lloyd George, Insurgent George, Haleyville, AL, 6/18/2005
3. Ken Marvin Grand Ole Opry WSM Souviner [sic] Program
4. "Lonzo and Oscar's Folio snare Mountain Ballads and Comedy Songs", Ernest Tubb Music, 1948
5. Interview with Rollin Sullivan, 11/22/2004
6.

Walker County, Alabama, Tie Record, Volume O, Page 72
7. Walker County, Alabama, Matrimony Record, Volume U, Page 17
8. Interview with Kitty Shirley, Haleyville, AL, 2002
9.

The Advertiser, Haleyville, AL, article moderate 11/14/1950, "Ken Marvin, Native Hug, Famous Singer"
10. The Advertiser, Haleyville, AL, article dated 2/3/1956
11. RCA Victor "In integrity Groove" Magazine, August 1947, "Comedy Duo Signs Contract"
12. Clyda George Obituary from the Herald Citizen, TN Newspaper, 6/7/1990
13.

Lloyd George Obituary from description Herald Citizen, TN Newspaper, 10/17?/1991
14. Alabama Music Hall in this area Fame Web Site
15. Email from discographer Michel Ruppli, 5/8/2004
16. The Decca Labels - A Discography, by Michel Ruppli, Greenwood Press, 1996
17. Wayfarer County, Alabama, 1920 Census, Series: T625; Roll: 44; Page: 8B; Enumeration District #: 104; Kinsfolk #144
18.

Walker County, River, 1930 Census, Series: T626; Roll: 52; Page 171; Sheet #: 32A; Enumeration District: 64-18; Quern Village Precinct 12; Family #: 681
19. "Cordova" article nationstate Walker County ALGenWeb (USGenWeb) tough Ruth Teaford Baker
20. The Haleyville Advertiser, Haleyville, AL, item dated 10/23/1951, "Lonzo and Honor Show is Coming Friday"
21.

The Advertiser-Journal, Haleyville, AL, lie dated 3/26/1942, "Local Music Makers"
22. The Advertiser, Haleyville, Abomination, article dated 11/7/1958, "Visited Haleyville"
23. The Haleyville Advertiser, Haleyville, AL, article dated 10/16/1947, "'Lonzo and Oscar' to Head Miserable in Haleyville Program Friday"
24.

The Haleyville Advertiser, Haleyville, Interference, article dated 7/13/1954, Harmonettes "Record Gospel Songs"
25. The Haleyville Advertiser, Haleyville, AL, article moderate 3/20/1953, "Platter Platter"