Page 3 - lw3572

The horse may not like it, but Jerry Colonna serenades him anyway.
Lookin.g on and getting a kick out of it are, left to right, Johnny Mercer,
Lee Gillette, Don Otis, Jim Conklin, Brady Cole, Wes Tuttle, Jack Rivers,
Jerry, Cliffie·, and Merle Travis.

NOBODY KNOWS

Dick Hanes, left, must have told a
department for two years, took Ford to liked her so much he put her on his
dandy joke. Tennessee Ernie and
the record firm where he was signed regular shows. Joanie is now and has Cliffie, both seem to be enjoying it.
and made Mule Train, then I'll Never been a regular on The Bob Crosby
Be Free, a duet with Kay Starr. It was Show, CBS-TV, for the past two years.
after I'll Never Be Free that Ernie was Cliffie has, over the years, brought
offered two weeks in Las Vegas, and Capitol such names as Merle Travis,
it was at that time Ford asked Cliffie Tex Williams, Skeets MacDonald, Tom-
to manage him. Cliffie, told Ernie he'd ·my Collins, Perlin Huskey, Speedy
never managed anyone and wouldn't West, Jimmy Bryant, Dallas. Frazier,
know how or where to start. To this Bob Rubian and Stan Freberg.
Ernie replied he'd n~ver had a manager, Cliffie and Freberg had been friends
so they would start even. To this day for many years, and when Stan came to
the pair work together on only a hand- Stone with a routine called "John and
shake. Marsha," Cliffie thought it might make
Following the .finding of Ford, Cliflie a wonderful record. He persuaded Cap-
ran across a little 12-year-old named itol to record it, and . the response was
Molly Beachboard. She sang and Cliffie immediate for the young comedian.
got her to work on his shows and got Merle Travis was scheduled to make
her a recording contract. Miss Molly an album at Capitol with Cliffie as A
Bee, as she is now known, is at this & R man on the session. Not having
time 16 and developing into a wonderful enough material, Cliffie requested Merle
performer. · to write a couple of numbers to .fill
Cliffie is also responsible for the ap- out the album. Merle wrote a song
pearance of Joan O'Brien on the enter- called 16 Tons and another called John
tainment scene. At the age of 15, Miss Henry, which were put into the album. Here's the drummer's eye view of a
O'Brien came to audition for an ama- The rest is history. typical crowd at one of Cliffie Stone's
teur show Cliffie was doing. Cliffie (Continued on page 24) shows.
AUGUST9 1956 11