ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAMBOREE

The Rocky Mountain Jamboree now operating in it's 3rd year, is the regular Saturday night presentation of radio station KLAK. The show is headlined by Buster Jenkins (the Ole Gravy Sopper) who is a master showman, disk jockey, MC, and manager of the jamboree, being held in highest esteem by all the entertainers as well as the listeners of KLAK.  Buster Jenkins has won seven fiddle championships and is also master of the five string banjo and lead guitar.

The top talent from the Rocky Mountain Empire gathers at 4th and Grant Street in downtown Denver, Colorado, every Saturday to pick and grin for two and a half hours where capacity crowds attend. The Jamboree first long play album is being presented to you now by some of the top entertainers of the Rocky Mountain Jamboree.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAMBOREE CAST

(From BANDBOX LP Cover)

 

THE GRAVY SOPPERS BAND

(Left to Right) 

GENE POOLE (Bass): BOB BURGAME (Lead Guitar)

BUSTER JENKINS (Fiddle); BETTY SHUBERT (Rhythm Guitar);

DON HENNINGSON (Steel Guitar).

ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAMBOREE CAST

(Country & Western Scrapbook -12th Edition)

BUSTER JENKINS

Additional Information supplied by 

Alexander Petrauskas

Born November 22, 1926, Buster Jenkins reportedly came to KLAK in 1960. If this is true, The Jamboree already for one year when Jenkins arrived. However, he became the host of the show then and later also married one of the show's artists, Betty Shubert, in 1963. By 1970, Jenkins closed down the Rocky Mountain Jamboree in order to go on tour with his new band, the High Country Travelers. He also had a record label called High Country as well as a publishing company. In 1978, he settled in Arkansas with his family and died June 29, 2006.

Charlie Waggoner was also a member of the show. Born around 1936 in Fayetteville, Tennessee, he recorded for Linco and then performed in Goosebay, Labrador, before moving to Denver.

Jim & Mike, the Country Boys, were a duo on the show. Jim Moore was possibly one part, he is also on the LP.

BILLY THOMPSON - BO-KAY LP

"BIG BALLS IN COWTOWN"

BO-KAY LPM 101

Billy Thompson is undoubtedly one of the finest men and musicians I have ever had the pleasure to know and work with.

As for his life, this I know, he learned to play the guitar by the time he was nine and entertained the soldiers at Camp Barkeley during the war. Like all good American boys he finished high school and then took a job with "The Miller Brothers Band" and recorded with them on Four Star Records. He was featured vocalist and guitarist on six numbers which achieved for him much fame.

Billy has worked very hard to become the vocalist and musician he is today. Leon Gibbs, manager of the Miller Brothers Band, instructed him in the art of being a successful bandleader. Billy attributes his success of today, to the training which he received from Leon and Sam Gibbs during the early years of his career.

Billy left The Miller Brothers Band to organize his own group, ·"The Melody Cowboy" After organizing this group he recorded four I numbers for Bo-Kay Records, one of these numbers, "Waltzing With Sin," which achieved greater recognition for him, is included in this album.

Billy and "The Melody Cowboys" appeared on such national shows as the Louisiana Hayride and Red Foley's "Ozark Jubilee." He and his band have also performed in nightspots like the Golden Nugget at Las Vegas, Nevada, and throughout the country. Billy also does a fine job as M.C., having trained as a D.J. on KOYL Radio in Odessa, Texas, under Ross Kelly and having made many, many personal appearances.

For his good work in the music business he has been recognized by such great magazines as these: Bill Board, Cash Box, Country Music Review, Country Music World Year Book, and Who's Who in Country Music.

In 1962, Billy joined the Hank Thompson Band, which is rated as the Number One Band of the nation. Hank has encouraged Billy to record again and believes in featuring all of his men on personal appearances. When you see them work, you can't help feeling the spirit of good musicians and true showmanship that radiates from this group.

Curtis Potter, a member of the band and top vocalist in his own right, sings all the harmony in this album.At the printing of this album, Billy is in Europe entertaining our service men. His love for Country Music and entertaining others, has prompted him to do and offer to you this album done in his own inimitable style. Billy is married to a lovely girl, Sue Thompson, and they have four wonderful boys: Tommy, Ricky, Charles and Terry. And I personally would like to say, for all the staff at the Bo-Kay Studios, it was a pleasure and a great honor to work with Billy Thompson and to have a part in presenting this great country Music Album to the public.

Above is a selection from the Sleeve Notes of BO-KAY LPM 101 written by  JESSE SMITH

CLYDE "BAREFOOT" CHESSER (4)

CENTRAL C-119 78rpm scans courtesy of Ronald Keppner