Randy Atcher
Encyclopedia
Randall "Randy" Atcher was an American country music
ian.
Atcher was born in Tip Top, Kentucky, the fifth in a family of eight. Soon after his birth his family moved to North Dakota
, and then back to Kentucky
when he was twelve. As a high school
er, Atcher played guitar
and mandolin
on WHAS
radio in Louisville
. He intended to continue his education at Western Kentucky State College, but a flood
at the family home quashed the plan.
In 1938, he left Louisville for Chicago
and put a band together there. He won slots performing on WJJD
and WBBM
and became a local star; he also recorded occasionally with his older brother, Bob Atcher
. During World War II
he spent nearly four years in the Army Air Forces
, and married his wife Daphne, an Australia
n. Upon his discharge he returned to WHAS
, performing on their Old Kentucky Barn Dance, and signed a contract with MGM Records
. WHAS expanded into a television division in 1950, and the next year Atcher formed a new band, the Red River Ramblers, who performed on the WHAS children's show T-Bar-V Ranch every weekday at 4PM. Randy, the star of the show, and his sidekick
, Cactus (played by Tom Brooks, brother of actor and comedian Foster Brooks
), sang songs, performed skits, and gave parenting tips. In 1953, White Castle
began advertising its hamburgers through the show, the first of several companies who contracted product placement
.
The show ran until 1970, when it was abruptly cancelled. the Red River Ramblers, who included George Workman on bass, Shorty Chesser on guitar, Bernie Smith on guitar and banjo, Sleepy Marlin on fiddle, and Tiny Thomale on piano, also performed on the Hayloft Hoedown TV show (which ran to 1971) and live at local state fairs and events.
Atcher receded from fame after the show was cancelled, but remained a popular entertainer in Louisville. He died in 2002.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
ian.
Atcher was born in Tip Top, Kentucky, the fifth in a family of eight. Soon after his birth his family moved to North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, and then back to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
when he was twelve. As a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
er, Atcher played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
on WHAS
WHAS (AM)
WHAS, known by the on air branding as "84 WHAS", is an AM radio station broadcasting in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a 50,000 Watt clear channel radio station assigned to frequency 840 kHz. With clear channel status, its nighttime signal can be heard in most of the continental U.S...
radio in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He intended to continue his education at Western Kentucky State College, but a flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
at the family home quashed the plan.
In 1938, he left Louisville for Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and put a band together there. He won slots performing on WJJD
WYLL
WYLL 1160 is a "Christian Talk & Teaching" radio station located in Chicago and owned by Salem Communications. The station runs features, preaching, and other religious programs. Ministries may also buy time for programming. WYLL additionally produces a couple hours of local call-in shows every...
and WBBM
WBBM (AM)
WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV....
and became a local star; he also recorded occasionally with his older brother, Bob Atcher
Bob Atcher
James Robert Owen "Bob" Atcher was an American country musician.-Biography:Atcher was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, and learned violin and guitar from his father, who was adept at fiddle. He started out on radio in Louisville on WHAS, and was offered spots on a number of other stations in the...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he spent nearly four years in the Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, and married his wife Daphne, an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n. Upon his discharge he returned to WHAS
WHAS (AM)
WHAS, known by the on air branding as "84 WHAS", is an AM radio station broadcasting in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a 50,000 Watt clear channel radio station assigned to frequency 840 kHz. With clear channel status, its nighttime signal can be heard in most of the continental U.S...
, performing on their Old Kentucky Barn Dance, and signed a contract with MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
. WHAS expanded into a television division in 1950, and the next year Atcher formed a new band, the Red River Ramblers, who performed on the WHAS children's show T-Bar-V Ranch every weekday at 4PM. Randy, the star of the show, and his sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
, Cactus (played by Tom Brooks, brother of actor and comedian Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks was an American actor and comedian most famous for his portrayal of a lovable drunken man in nightclub performances and television programs.-Biography:...
), sang songs, performed skits, and gave parenting tips. In 1953, White Castle
White Castle
- Castles :* The White Castle, East Lothian, once a hill fort in the Lammermuir Hills, East Lothian, Scotland, a district today known as Nunraw* The White Castle , an 11th-century castle in Wales- Food and drink :* White Castle , a U.S...
began advertising its hamburgers through the show, the first of several companies who contracted product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
.
The show ran until 1970, when it was abruptly cancelled. the Red River Ramblers, who included George Workman on bass, Shorty Chesser on guitar, Bernie Smith on guitar and banjo, Sleepy Marlin on fiddle, and Tiny Thomale on piano, also performed on the Hayloft Hoedown TV show (which ran to 1971) and live at local state fairs and events.
Atcher receded from fame after the show was cancelled, but remained a popular entertainer in Louisville. He died in 2002.