Leader Country US né Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, le 11 Mars 1890 à Malta (Ohio), installé au Texas à Fort Worth au début des années trente, réussit une étonnante double carrière de leader de plusieurs orchestres de Western Swing et de politicien. Il fut gouverneur du Texas en 1938 et 1940 et sénateur en 1942. Il est a l'origine des "Light Crust Doughboys" qui étaient composés de Bob Wills, Milton Brown et Herman Arnspiger. En 1935, il monte le groupe des "Hillbilly Boys". Etrange destin doublement réussi pour un homme qui n'était ni musicien, ni politicien, mais qui sut se servir du talent des autres pour se faire un nom et réussir dans la société. W. Lee O'Daniel est décédé à Dallas (Texas) le 11 Mai 1969.

W. Lee O'Daniel, aka "Pappy" O'Daniel, was a ubiquitous figure in the history of commercial country music, as it existed in Texas in the 1930s -- his musical significance lies more in the careers he fostered than anything he did himself, and as a leader of various performing and recording groups. He was born Wilbert Lee O'Daniel, in Malta, OH, in 1890, and his family later moved to Reno County, KS. He made his living in flour milling as a young man, and at 35 moved to Fort Worth, TX, to take a job with Burrus Mills. Radio was already on its way to becoming the dominant form of entertainment, and O'Daniel saw possibilities for its future that made him a natural to run the company's radio advertising. Soon he was writing songs and later started hiring musicians to play them on the air, all sponsored by (and promoting) his company's product, Light Crust Flour. The first band he put together, circa 1931, was christened the Light Crust Doughboys, led by Milton Brown and featuring Bob Wills and, later, Smokey Montgomery, among other future luminaries. The Doughboys' popularity endured until their split in the late '30s, after which O'Daniel, taking a more direct hand in the music, formed Pappy O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys, which took its name from O'Daniel's Hillbilly Flour Company.
In 1938, after over a decade working in radio, music, and marketing, O'Daniel turned to politics, running for governor of Texas as a Democrat (which, in those days, would have been what might have been called a "Tory Democrat" -- tied closely to the most conservative interests, though professing populist sympathies). He capitalized on his background, building his campaign around the popularity of his flour and professing a need for pensions and tax cuts, promising to block the imposition of a sales tax and to increase pensions. O'Daniel ran first in a field of 13, eking out a 51 percent majority. He won reelection in 1940, and then ran for the U.S. Senate in a special election, defeating a young up-and-coming Democrat named Lyndon Johnson (the only election Johnson ever lost). O'Daniel was notably ineffective as a senator and stepped aside in 1948. He attempted a comeback as governor twice in the 1950s, as a pro-segregation candidate, and died in 1969. Except as a footnote to the career of Bob Wills, he was mostly forgotten in the years since, even in Texas.
In 2000, however, the Joel and Ethan Coen film O Brother, Where Art Thou? offered actor Charles Durning in one of the movie's more prominent roles, portraying a flamboyant character named Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel, the governor of Mississippi and a man heavily wired into the worlds of radio and music -- all clearly based on aspects of the real-life "Pappy" O'Daniel. Although the music that the Light Crust Doughboys played wasn't quite Western swing in the manner that Bob Wills would later perfect with his own band, the essential ingredients were present, and it was not conventional country music as the latter was understood in the 1930s. As a result, some recordings crediting O'Daniel have been reissued on compact disc right into the 21st century. He remains one of the stranger and more interesting peripheral figures in the history of country music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Lee_O%27Daniel

Talents : Disc Jockey, Musicien, Leader, Songwriter

Style musical : Western Swing

YOURS AND MINE (1937)

CROSS PATCH (1938)

BEAUTIFUL TEXAS (1938)

LONESOME Road Blues (1938)

Please Pass The Biscuits, Pappy (1939)

Years in activity :

1910 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 10 20

DISCOGRAPHY

78 t.

01/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02604 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - On To Victory / In The Fall Of
01/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02605 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Memories Of Jimmy Rodgers / I Want Somebody To Cry Over
02/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02621 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Blue Bonnet Waltz / Beautiful Texas
03/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02633 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Texas Breakdown / Doughboy Rag
05/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02695 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Your Own Sweet Darling Wife / Please Come Back To Me
06/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02726 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - My Brown Eyed Texas Rose / She's Still That Old Sweetheart Of Mine
06/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02727 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Kelly Waltz / Rochester Schottische
07/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02731 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Put Me In Your Pocket / Gangster's Moll
08/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02769 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS- Heel And Toe Polka / Alamo Waltz
11/1934 78 t. VOCALION 02832 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - When We Reach Our Happy Home / When It's Roundup Time In Heaven
01/1935 78 t. VOCALION 02863 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - The Governor's Ball / Texas Centennial March
04/1935 78 t. VOCALION 02916 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - When They Baptised Sister Lucy / Thirty First Street Blues
05/1935 78 t. VOCALION 02929 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - When How Beautiful Heaven Must Be / That City For Shut-In
07/1935 78 t. VOCALION 02975 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - My Million Dollar Smile / Old Joe Clark DOUGHBOYS)
02/1936 78 t. VOCALION 03162 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Mother's Crazy Quilt / In That Vine Covered Chapel
04/1936 78 t. VOCALION 03196 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia / Our Little Dream House In Lullaby Lane
07/1936 78 t. VOCALION 03248 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Who's Sorry Now? / San Antonio
09/1936 78 t. VOCALION 03297 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - In An Old Log Cabin / Someone In Heaven Is Thinking Of You
01/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03412 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Everybody Kiss Your Partner / Rhythm And Romance
01/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03413 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - House At The End Of The Lane / My Cotton Pickin' Darling
02/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03442 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - An Old Watermill By A Waterfall / Old Spring Of Love
03/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03471 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Get Hot / Don't Let The Deal Go Down
04/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03494 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Yours And Mine / My Wishing Song
05/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03538 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Keep A Light In Your Window Tonight / We'll Rest At The End Of The Trail
06/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03568 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Back To Old Smoky Mountain / Smile For Me
08/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03633 (US)

Everyone's Out – So Let's Stay In Tonight (W. Lee O'Daniel Hillbilly Boys) / Confessin' (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
09/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03674 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Coquette / When You Hear Me Call
12/1937 78 t. VOCALION 03753 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - I Can’t Give You Anything But Love / Thank You Mr. Moon
02/1938 78 t. VOCALION 03902 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - There’ll Be Some Changes Made / Yes - Suh
02/1938 78 t. VOCALION 03950 (US)

Bear Cat Mama (W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys) / There's Evil In Ye Children (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
03/1938 78 t. VOCALION 03986 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - On A Chinese Honeymoon / Cross Patch
04/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04049 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Mellow Mountain Moon / Put Me In Your Pocket
05/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04102 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues / Devilish Mary
07/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04185 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Long Long Ago / Beautiful Texas
08/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04244 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - I’m Drifting Back To Dreamland / All I Do Is Dream Of You
09/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04311 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Lonesome Road Blues / Alabama Jubilee
1938 78 t. CONQUEROR 9087 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Lonesome Road Blues / Alabama Jubilee
09/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04353 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Baby Won’t You Please Come Home / I’ve Got The Blues
10/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04388 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Yodeling Ranger / Everything Is Lovely Down In Dixie Land
11/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04440 (US)

Dirty Hangover Blues (W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys) / Dear Evalina, Sweet Evalina (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
12/1938 78 t. VOCALION 04542 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Congratulate Me / I Don’t Mind
01/1939 78 t. CONQUEROR 9167 (US)

Dirty Hangover Blues (W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys) / Dear Evalina Sweet Evalina (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
02/1939 78 t. VOCALION 04588 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - High Falutin‘ Newton / Have You Ever Been Lonely? (Have You Even Been Blue)
03/1939 78 t. VOCALION 04656 (US)

Song Of Hawaii (W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys) / That Old Fashioned Way (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
04/1939 78 t. VOCALION 04727 (US)

W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Please Pass The Biscuits, Pappy / One Sweet Letter From You
1939 78 t. CONQUEROR 9229 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Please Pass The Biscuits, Pappy / One Sweet Letter From You
05/1939 78 t. VOCALION 04778 (US) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - So Tired Of Dreaming / Old Yazzoo
07/1939 78 t. VOCALION 04852 (US)

Someday, Sweetheart (W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys) / Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On (LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS)
1940 78 t. OKEH 03902 (US) (reissue) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - There’ll Be Some Changes Made / Yes - Suh
1940 78 t. OKEH 04185 (US) (reissue) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Long Long Ago / Beautiful Texas
1947 78 t. COLUMBIA 37630 / 20229 (US) (reissued) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - Long Long Ago / Beautiful Texas (alt. take)
06/1947 78 t. COLUMBIA 37730 / 20307 (US) (reissue) W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys - High Falutin‘ Newton / Have You Ever Been Lonely? (Have You Even Been Blue)



Albums

1982 LP 12" Texas Rose TXR-2702 (US)

W. Lee O’Daniel And His Hillbilly Boys 1935-1938 - Yes-Suh! / All I Do Is Dream Of You / Get Hot / Dirty Hangover Blues / Alabama Jubilee / Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home / Old Yazoo / Everybody Kiss Your Partner / Yodeling Ranger / Who’s Sorry Now? / High Falutin’Newton / So Tired Of Dreaming / San Antonio / Have You Ever Been Lonely
05/2005 CD Original Jazz Library OJL-1003 (US)

Western Swing Chronicles, vol. 4 - 1933-1938 - W. Lee O’Daniel With THE Hillbilly Boys & THE LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS - Blue Bonnet Governer (with The Bar-X Cowboys) / My Million Dollar Smile (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Beautiful Texas (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Please Pass The Biscuits, Pappy (with Hillbilly Boys) / Doughboy Rag (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Who's Sorry Now (with Hillbilly Boys) / Hillbilly Stomp (A.K.A. "Pickin' My Way") (with Hillbilly Boys) / Lonesome Road Blues (with Hillbilly Boys) / Old Yazoo (with Hillbilly Boys) / Roll On Mississippi Roll On (with Hillbilly Boys) / Rhythm And Romance (with Hillbilly Boys) / Don't Let The Deal Go Down (with Hillbilly Boys) / Everybody Kiss Your Partner (The Whistle Song) (with Hillbilly Boys) / Memories Of Jimmy Rodgers (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Dirty Hangover Blues (with Hillbilly Boys) / San Antonio (with Hillbilly Boys) / Saturday Night Rag (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Congratulate Me (with Hillbilly Boys) / When They Baptized Sister Lucy Lee (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Confessin' (That I Love You) (with Hillbilly Boys) / All I Do Is Dream Of You (with Hillbilly Boys) / Milenberg Joys (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / So Tired Of Dreaming (with Hillbilly Boys) / Cross Patch (with Hillbilly Boys) / Roll Up The Carpet (with LIGHT CRUST DOUGHBOYS) / Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (with Hillbilly Boys) / That Old Fashioned Way (with Hillbilly Boys) / Please Pass The Biscuits, Pappy (with Carroll Hubbard) / O'Daniel Radio Show Sign-Off
09/2014 CD BACM CD D 463 (UK)

Willy Lee O’ Daniel and The Hillbilly Boys 1935–1938 - Mother’s Crazy Quilt / Our Little Dream House In Lullaby Lane / Chinatown My Chinatown / In An Old Log Cabin / Peach Pickin’ Time In Georgia / Someone In Heaven Is Thinking Of You / Get Hot (instr.) / Yours And Mine / Keep A Light In Your Window Tonight / Old Spring Of Love / Back To Old Smokey Mountain / Coquette / On A Chinese Honeymoon / Thank You Mr Moon / Bearcat Mama / Mellow Mountain Moon / Put Me In Your Pocket / Devilism [sic] Mary / I’m Drifting Back To Dreamland / Alabama Jubilee / Dear Evalina, Sweet Evalina / High Falutin Newton / Have You Ever Been Lonely / One Sweet Letter

© Rocky Productions 26/07/2016