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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie (b. Luther Ossenbrink, March 2, 1906 - June 23, 1981) was an American country musician. He was born and is buried in Knob Noster, MO. He was born in Knob Noster, Missouri, to a family who owned a farm and a general store. He taught himself to play guitar and fiddle so he could play at local square dances, and his first job in music was performing on radio in Kansas City on KMBC in 1928. He started at WLS in 1930, performing on their National Barn Dance, and became one of the show's most popular performers,continuing there until 1959. | |||||||||
Youtube video link - Arkie
During this time he also released records for Columbia Records and Conqueror Records. Book of sheet music 'THE ARKANSAS WOODCHOPPER'S WORLD'S GREATEST COLLECTION OF COWBOY SONGS WITH YODEL ARRANGEMENT' copyright 1931 published by M.M. Cole Publishing House, Chicago contains 35 songs, 64 pages. He once performed with Al Trace's orchestra with the song "Why Go Home?" and although his recordings for Columbia, Gennett Records, American Record Corporation, Okeh Records sold well, he never established himself as a major musician.
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink |
The Arkansas Woodchopper or as he was called "Arkie" was one of the mainstays of WLS' National Barn Dance show. He was a native of the Ozark mountains, near Knob Noster, Missouri and was said to have actually chopped wood. He also worked on his father's farm and at a general store in town and was later a gas station attendant.
The story goes that he used to trap. So, once after selling some skins one day, bought a watch. At the time, he was already calling square dances at parties, but had an itch to play the fiddle at the dances, too. He pawned the watch, bought a fiddle and learned to play. His first job—was playing the guitar and fiddle at at square dance, for $4.00, for SIX hours! Later, when performing, it was usually with his guitar. When he did play the fiddle, it wasn't from the shoulder position, but from the hip, using a sort of cross-cut saw action.
Arkie's singing and radio career started in Kansas City. During the war years they said he had a good reputation as a weather prophet, but that it couldn't be talked about, for military reasons. He was said to be just like some of the fruit cake they made down in the hills: the older it got, the better it was.
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink |
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink |
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink |
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther and Vera B. Firth Ossenbrink |
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink Mary Ann McHugh (l) and Patricia Graham (r) Jan. 30, 1955  |
Timeline and Trivia Notes
Started on WLS around 1930
Real name was Luther Ossenbrink
Married the former Vera Firth, from Perry County, Illinois in December 1937
Had a dog named Chips, another named Laddie
Was expert trainer of dogs
Had a daily radio show called "Arkie's Coffee Time"
Was a skilled auctioneer
Co-starred with Joe Kelly on Chicago's PBS station WTTW on Totem Club, a children's show
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| Arkansas Woodchopper, or Arkie - Luther Ossenbrink |
Discography
| Cat. No. | Title | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | |||
| 45058 | I'm In the Jailhouse Now / Frankie and Johnny | 1929 | |
| 45192 | Old and Only In the Way / Little Green Valley | 1930 | |
| Columbia | |||
| 15463D | The Dying Cowboy / The Cowboy's Dream | 1928[1] | |
| 20444 | Arkansas Traveller / Mississippi Sawyer | 1941 | Also on Okeh 06296 |
| 20445 | Sallie Goodwin / Soldier’s Joy | 1941 | Also on Okeh 06297 |
| 20446 | Walking Up Town / Waggoner | 1941 | Also on Okeh 06298 |
| 20447 | My Love Is But A Lassie / Lightfoot Bill | 1941 | Also on Okeh 06299 |
| Conqueror | |||
| 7879 | Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder / Frankie and Albert | 1931 | Frankie and Albert originally by Charley Patton |
| 7880 | Sweet Sunny South / If I Could Only Blot Out The Past | 1931 | Sweet Sunny South originally by Charlie Poole |
| 7881 | Just Plain Folks / What Is Home Without Love? | 1931 | |
| 7882 | The Last Great Roundup / Cowboy Jack | 1931 | The Last Great Roundup originally by Cliff Carlisle |
| 7883 | I'm A Texas Cowboy / The Bronco That Wouldn’t Bust | 1931 | |
| 7884 | When It’s Harvest Time, My Sweet Angeline / Little Green Valley | 1931 | |
| 7885 | Old Pal / Daddy and Home | 1931 | |
| 7886 | Mary Dow / Little Blossom | 1931 | |
| 7887 | Little Ah-Sid / Dollar Down And A Dollar A Week With Chicken Pie | 1931 | |
Jones, Loyal (2008). Country Music Humorists and Comedians. University of Illinois Press. pp. 62–409. ISBN 0252033698. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
Sterling, Christopher H. (2004). Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set. Routledge. pp. 1664–1665. ISBN 1135456496. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
"The Arkansas Woodchopper". The Gettysburg Times. September 14, 1936. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
Goldsmith, Thomas. The Bluegrass Reader. University of Illinois Press. p. 41. ISBN 0252029143. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
"America Folk Tunes". Billboard. 58 (30): 128. July 27, 1946. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
"After 22 years, he's squeezing the last notes of Concertinnotes out". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. March 19, 2002. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. 2012. pp. 13–186. ISBN 0199920834. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
External links
Arkansas Woodchopper at Hillbilly-Music.com
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