Enjoy this interview with Cary Ginell - a veteran radio broadcaster, folklorist, and author of ten books on American music. He is an award-winning writer and music historian who took a moment to sit down with host, Kelly Hurd, recently and discuss the beginnings of the western swing music genre.

Through Cary's reminiscing about the days of Milton Brown, Bob Wills, and the Light Crust Doughboys, you'll feel as if you stepped back into the 1930s!

Get to know Milton Brown and Bob Wills a little better through the insights of Cary Ginell.

It was Mother's Day at Joey and Sherry McKenzie's house down in Texas. Bob Wills' daughter, Carolyn, was there as well - when Joey McKenzie of The Western Flyers took time to sit down for a little one-on-one interview about how a fiddle-loving youth from Oregon stepped into his dream of Western Swing and found the love of his life as well!

The Western Flyers | Western Swing & Country Band

Bob Wills passed from this life on May 13, 1975, and almost 50 years to the day, I got to sit down with the daughter of the King of Western Swing - Carolyn Wills - to reminisce about her childhood, talk about what it was like at her house growing up, as well as celebrate her new success as an award-winning author with her children's book, "Glory Be! It's Punkin's Story!" about her father's horse, Punkin'.

Many thanks to the folks at the Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival and its founder, Mr. Michael Markwardt for sponsoring this Western Swing series on Calling to the Good!

For tickets to their annual Western Swing festival in Fort Worth, Texas each year check out their website at BirthplaceOfWesternSwing.com!

To order a copy of Carolyn's children's book visit BobWills.com

CallingToTheGood.com

I remember Monday nights on NBC and later rushing home from school to watch Charles Ingalls and the folks of Walnut Grove on Little House on the Prairie.

In this episode, we are visiting with the gal everyone just loved to hate on Little House - that notorious Nellie Oleson (aka actress Alison Arngrim)!

Listen in as Alison tells us about Willie (Jonathan Gilbert), Harriet (Katherine McGregor), Charles (Michael Landon), and more!

Here's your opportunity to get to know the actress behind Walnut Grove's spoiled brat and step onto the set with her way back in the day!

I hope you enjoy this interview!

CallingToTheGood.com

Morey Sullivan is a legend in his own time. He brought the band that Hank Thompson later dubbed The Brazos Valley Boys - and they are still playing good music today!

Join us down at Good Time Charlee's in Pawhuska, Oklahoma as Morey Sullivan and host, Kelly Hurd, talk about how it all began with Hank Thompson and where it's all headed today!

Also, Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys will be playing at the 2025 Pawhuska Western Swing Festival the weekend of November 14-15.

Find out more at PawhuskaWesternSwingFestival.com!

CallingToTheGood.com

If you haven't already tuned in to American Country Network (ACN), after listening to this episode you just might want to, because ACN is airing original country music content that you're gonna love!

We have two of the network's creatives on Calling to the Good today and they are also BOTH performing at the upcoming Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival in Fort Worth, Texas in November!

Steve Markwardt and Curt Ryle of Clarksville Creative Sound share about their new show, "Small Town Sound," on ACN, as well as give a little insight on Country Music and its roots in Western Swing!AND - we've even included a word from ⁠Tucker Carlson⁠ on this one!I'm Kelly Hurd, your host - and consider yourself invited to join us!

Thank you to the Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival for sponsoring our Western Swing series!

Find out more at:

BirthplaceOfWesternSwing.com

CallingToTheGood.com

ACNCountry.com

Hey y'all!

Let's do a little Calling to the Good!

Pull up a chair and join us around a table in the historic Guthrie Depot as the "boys" of Oklahoma Swing talk a little Bob Wills, limousines, Reba, barn fiddlin', dozens of dollars, and the journey that brought them together to revive Western Swing music north of the Red River!

May all your pastures be belly-deep, your cattle be tick-fat, and may the good Lord take a liking to ya!

Are you listening, Henry? ;)

Oklahoma Swing band members:

Greg Burgess

Henry Burgess

Bobby Baker

Joe Settlemires

Richard Sharp

Bo Posey

Steve Short

missing: John Blair

CallingToTheGood.com

BirthplaceOfWesternSwing.com

PawhuskaWesternSwingFestival.com

When you get five Kentucky gentlemen together, you just never know where the conversation might go...

I enjoyed every minute of visiting with The Honkytonk Wranglers as part of our Western Swing music series brought to you by the Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival!

Turn the volume up and get to know Sethro, Clayton, Scooter, Spencer, and Josh. You just might like a little Bone Stock Honkytonk music, as they call it - and you'll get the chance to listen to some because The Honkytonk Wranglers graciously allowed me to include their video of Crazy Arms in the video version of this episode.

I'm your host, Kelly Hurd, and I most definitely approve of this content! Enjoy!