Rex Cole's Mountaineers
Encyclopedia
Rex Cole's Mountaineers was an American country music
band.
The Mountaineers were actually the creation of two New York
ers, vaudeville
singer Arthur Fields
and songwriter/bandleader/manager Fred Hall
. Fields had had a recording contract with several high-profile labels but never had a hit; Hall played jazz in the vein of Jan Garber
. In 1928, Hall recorded a few country music tunes, and by 1929 he had united with Fields in a band that was playing big-band renditions of folk songs.
After a few sides on Columbia Records
and Okeh Records
, Hall reduced the size of his orchestra in order to back Fields with a small, more authentic-sounding hillbilly ensemble, which included violin, guitar, bass, accordion, harmonica, and trumpet. Hall and Fields then began recording with both the large and the small bands, with the small group recording under a plethora of names, such as Eddie Younger & his Mountaineers, Sam Cole & his Cornhuskers, the Gaunt Brothers, the Colt Brothers, and Jim Cole's Tennessee Mountaineers. Records appeared on Clarion, Diva
, and ARC
.
Early in 1930, a refrigerator
salesman and broadcaster named Rex Cole asked to sponsor the group for a show on New York radio station WEAF
. He was looking for something along the lines of the Beverly Hillbillies, another group who were put together in a big city (in their case, Los Angeles
) but made to sound as if they were plucked from the American South. Cole had Fields and Hall's group billed as "Rex Cole's Mountaineers", and their first broadcasts came in July of 1930. Most of their material was written by Fields and Hall themselves, who went by the stage name
s Long Tom and Joe Colt on the show. They quickly became one of WEAF's most popular acts, and by 1931 had signed to a lucrative new contract. They also appeared in one film short.
The Mountaineers' show differed from some other popular country radio broadcasts in being primarily parodic
in its intent; it made exaggerated references to stereotype
s about rural America for comic effect. As a show made by and for urban Northerners, it sought to lampoon
Southern life much in the way Li'l Abner
would some years later.
Around 1933, Fields and Hall had departed, and Cole had a new cast of Mountaineers which included Tex Fletcher
; this group made no recordings, and their last broadcasts came in mid-1934. They continued to play smaller venues in the city for another year or so, and then disappear from the record.
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...
band.
The Mountaineers were actually the creation of two New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
ers, vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
singer Arthur Fields
Arthur Fields
Arthur Fields was a United States singer and songwriter.He was born Abraham Finkelstein in Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, but grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a professional singer as a youngster...
and songwriter/bandleader/manager Fred Hall
Fred Hall (musician)
Fred Hall was an American pianist, bandleader and composer.-Life and career:Fred Hall was born in New York and began his musical career working as a song-plugger for various music publishers....
. Fields had had a recording contract with several high-profile labels but never had a hit; Hall played jazz in the vein of Jan Garber
Jan Garber
Jan Garber was an American jazz bandleader.-Biography:Garber was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had his own band by the time he was 21 . He became known as "The Idol of the Airwaves" in his heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, playing jazz in the vein of contemporaries such as Paul Whiteman and Guy...
. In 1928, Hall recorded a few country music tunes, and by 1929 he had united with Fields in a band that was playing big-band renditions of folk songs.
After a few sides on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and Okeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
, Hall reduced the size of his orchestra in order to back Fields with a small, more authentic-sounding hillbilly ensemble, which included violin, guitar, bass, accordion, harmonica, and trumpet. Hall and Fields then began recording with both the large and the small bands, with the small group recording under a plethora of names, such as Eddie Younger & his Mountaineers, Sam Cole & his Cornhuskers, the Gaunt Brothers, the Colt Brothers, and Jim Cole's Tennessee Mountaineers. Records appeared on Clarion, Diva
Diva Records
Diva Records was a United States based record label from 1925 to 1931. The label was a subsidiary of Columbia Records marketed by the W.T. Grant department store chain. Diva Records were acoustic through early 1929...
, and ARC
American Record Corporation
ARC, the American Record Company, also referred to as American Record Corporation, or as ARC Records, was a United States based record company...
.
Early in 1930, a refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
salesman and broadcaster named Rex Cole asked to sponsor the group for a show on New York radio station WEAF
WEAF (AM)
WEAF is a gospel music formatted radio station in Camden, South Carolina. The station is currently owned by Colonial Radio Group and is licensed to CRG president Jeff Andrulonis. Much of the programing is featured from the Rejoice! Musical Soul Food satellite feed.-History:At one time, this...
. He was looking for something along the lines of the Beverly Hillbillies, another group who were put together in a big city (in their case, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) but made to sound as if they were plucked from the American South. Cole had Fields and Hall's group billed as "Rex Cole's Mountaineers", and their first broadcasts came in July of 1930. Most of their material was written by Fields and Hall themselves, who went by the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s Long Tom and Joe Colt on the show. They quickly became one of WEAF's most popular acts, and by 1931 had signed to a lucrative new contract. They also appeared in one film short.
The Mountaineers' show differed from some other popular country radio broadcasts in being primarily parodic
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in its intent; it made exaggerated references to stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s about rural America for comic effect. As a show made by and for urban Northerners, it sought to lampoon
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
Southern life much in the way Li'l Abner
Li'l Abner
Li'l Abner is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe, featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished town of Dogpatch, Kentucky. Written and drawn by Al Capp , the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934 through...
would some years later.
Around 1933, Fields and Hall had departed, and Cole had a new cast of Mountaineers which included Tex Fletcher
Tex Fletcher
Geremino Bisceglia , better known as Tex Fletcher, was a singing cowboy with credits as a recording artist, Broadway and movie actor, night club performer, and radio and television personality.-Early life:Born in Harrison, New York, Fletcher was the fifth of eight children born to Italian immigrants...
; this group made no recordings, and their last broadcasts came in mid-1934. They continued to play smaller venues in the city for another year or so, and then disappear from the record.