Homer & Jethro - Theres Nothing Like an Old Hippie '1968

Tracks list

Guitarist Homer “Junior” Haynes and mandolinist Kenneth
“Dude” Burns met in 1932, when radio impresario Lowell Blanchard
pulled the youngsters from two separate bands auditioning for his Mid-Day
Merry-Go-Round on WNOX-Knoxville. As the String Dusters, Haynes and Burns
handled country tunes, hoedowns, and contemporary pop tunes with ease. For comic
relief, Junior and Dude satirized the deadly serious close-harmony duets of the
era by wailing hillbilly versions of sophisticated pop standards. When Blanchard
forgot their nicknames during a 1936 broadcast, he introduced the team as Homer
& Jethro. The amused teenagers quickly adopted the names they would use for the
rest of their careers.

When the String Dusters disbanded in 1938, Haynes and Burns continued as a duet,
eventually joining the Renfro Valley Barn Dance. After serving in World War II,
they resumed their act with a Saturday morning show on WLW-Cincinnati. Their
musicianship impressed King Records owner Syd Nathan, who recruited them for
label’s house band in early 1946. After playing on numerous sessions for
others, Homer & Jethro released a hillbilly version of Frank Sinatra’s
chart-topping “Five Minutes More” on King. The song’s
regional success prompted similar releases.

Veteran producer Steve Sholes signed the team to an RCA Victor contract in
spring 1949. Recognizing the limited potential of their act, Sholes encouraged
them to write song parodies. Their first two attempts—“Baby,
It’s Cold Outside” (with June Carter) and “Tennessee Border
No. 2”—became best sellers.

In 1950, Haynes and Burns joined WLS in Chicago; they frequently appeared on the
National Barn Dance and Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club. Their 1953 parody
“(How Much Is) That Hound Dog in the Window” was an enormous hit,
rising to No. 2 on Billboard‘s country charts. Their most successful
record was “The Battle of Kookamonga,” which transformed Jimmie
Driftwood’s lyrical account of the Battle of New Orleans into a rowdy
saga about Boy Scouts raiding a nearby Girl Scout camp. Landing on both country
and pop charts, it won a 1959 Grammy in the Best Comedy Performance, Musical
category.

Following the success of their classic 1960 live album Homer & Jethro at the
Country Club, the team largely abandoned single releases to concentrate on
albums. Their professional profile soared as on-air spokesmen for two highly
successful Kellogg’s Corn Flakes ad campaigns; they also made frequent
guest shots on network television variety shows.

When Haynes died suddenly while preparing for an August 1971 fair date,
Burns’s career took a different turn. Gifted young bluegrass mandolinists
sought him out for ideas, techniques, and inspiration, and Burns began playing
folk clubs and festivals as a jazz instrumentalist. He briefly revived his
comedy act with multi-instrumentalist Ken Eidson, then toured for five years
with Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Goodman. Despite a lengthy battle with
prostate cancer, Burns continued to perform until his death. — Dave
Samuelson

— Adapted from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s
Encyclopedia of Country Music, published by Oxford University Press.

Tracklist:
 01. Homer & Jethro - Hill Billy Hippie (02:20)
 02. Homer & Jethro - I Crept Into the Crypt and Cried (02:56)
 03. Homer & Jethro - Owed to Don Bowman (02:04)
 04. Homer & Jethro - Four Rooms and Path (02:25)
 05. Homer & Jethro - Worlds Oldest Teenager (01:50)
 06. Homer & Jethro - The Hootin Holler Hilton Bar and Grill (01:59)
 07. Homer & Jethro - Indian Trader (02:29)
 08. Homer & Jethro - That Little Boy of Mine (02:06)
 09. Homer & Jethro - I Taught Her Everything She Knows (02:18)
 10. Homer & Jethro - I Couldnt Spell Pffft (02:09)
 11. Homer & Jethro - It Aint No Fun to Be a Pigeon (02:13)
 12. Homer & Jethro - The Second Hundred Years (02:12)

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