The
1941 WLS Family Album:
Arkie (photographed by Fons Ianelli)
| Curator's note: "Arkie" (Luther Ossenbrink" arrived at WLS in 1929 and stayed until the end of the Prairie Farmer days. This site features other pictures of Arkie dating from 1932 and 1934 and 1954. |
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The Arkansas Woodchopper, known more familiarly to his friends and fans as Arkie, will have been with WLS for 12 years next August. He really did chop wood for a long time, when living with his parents near Knobnoster, Missouri, where his father had a farm and a crossroads store. Arkie sometimes worked in the store, later was a gasoling station attendant. In his spare time, Arkie used to trap. After selling some skins one day, he bought a watch. He was already calling square dances at parties, but he wanted to play the fiddle for the dancers, too. So he pawned his new watch, bought a fiddle and learned to play. On the air now, though, Arkie accompanies himself only on the guitar. |
Return to the 1941 WLS Family Album Index page
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