Radio varieties (Sept 1940-June 1941)

562 isical Glamour TEXAS COWGIRLS: Left to right: Bess, Sue, Sally, Marge and Bertie. Not even static can throw these Icvely talented lassies off the 570-ether trail. "Hear my song as I ride along, I'm just a happy Texas Cowgirl, Herdin' the dark clouds out of the sky — Keepin' the heavens blue!" CO SING the Texas Cowgirls every weekday morn at seven via Station KGKO, Fort Worth, smaller brother to that ether giant, WBAP. Figuratively speaking, and we ore writing about the Texas CowGIRLS, aren't we? — KGKO's gift to the glamour-ways, play something like 27 broadcasts monthly, travel 1,000 miles and make ten to twelve personal appearances before school groups, luncheon clubs and other gala occasions. Traveling with them as master of ceremonies we find Scooter Tonahill and his wife, known to Texas theatrical audiences as "Shorty." Whenever this musical Page 6 caravan rests at some roadside hamburger emporium while enroute to personal appearances the proprietor and customers sympathize with the great Phil Spitalny and his all-girl music making combo. It's Scooter who orders the hamburgers and woe be unto him if he forgets that "Marge" demands onions, "Sue" wants no onions, "Sally" wants no mustard, "Bess" wants hers on plain bread o'-id "Bertie" wants a steak sandwich. But all in all, taking the whims and appeals of the five instrumental and vocal damsels as a whole, they are at once overlooked when the downbeat signal is given and the 570-ether way is made happy with the solid sending of their rich music. But getting down to figures, er ah, statistics, we ."night as well divulge the information that the five Texas Cowgirls play ten different instruments with ease; they are all in their late teens and each one possesses a smooth sot of vocal pipes. More specifically, the Cowgirls aggregation consists of "Bess" (Ruth Mulkey); "Bertie," (Bertie Evelyn Keisel); "Sue," (Gail Whitney); "Marge," (Veda Mae Spoon) and "Sally," (Ruth Murphree). Yes, boys, all ore single! "BESS" violinist, sings in a Fort Worth Church Choir and plays fiddle with the Fort Worth Symphony when not singing "Home On the Range" with the Cowgirls or sawing out a mean square dance for the radio . . . her mother began teachmg her piano lessons at the age of three and now "Bess" teaches violin . . . made her radio debut on a stanza with the Hired Hand v/hen, according to that popular personality, she was "just the size of a dime" . . . chocolate pie is her favorite dish . . . is 5'6" tall, weighs 125 . . . black hair, snappy brown eyes. "MARGE," steel guitarist . . . began taking guitar lessons at the age of 13 and soon became a full time radio performer on a small local station . . . checks every Cowgirls musical list and although but five feet tall and weighing 100 pounds she is the live wire of the outfit . . . chili is her favorite food with horseback riding as her favorite sport . . . somewhat shy she prefers radio to personal crppearonces . . . pet dislike: hearing remorks like this one from the audience at stage shows: "Isn't she the cutest little trick?" . . . Black hair and brown eyes. "SUE," accordionist, began the study of piano at the age of five . . . learned to sing before she could talk . . . plays the Hammond Electric Organ and is taking voice lessons at the Fort Worth Conservatory . . . likes to go horseback riding in the rain and swim in the i^icoulight . . . tends a Boston Bull pup as ner hobby . . . Is 5'7" tall, weighs 120 pounds without her shoes and accordion . . . blond hair and blue eyes . . . enjoys ctage shows immensely — "especially when they don't throw things." Continued on Pa -^ 13 RADIO VARIETIES — FEBRUARY