MEDICINE  SHOWS

Traveling shows were the means by which people in the rural areas of the country during
the 1800's were able to hear the music and entertainment that was originating in the cities
of the Northeast.  The MEDICINE SHOW  is the most common.  These "physick" wagon
with its shuck and jive "medicine man" or "doctor," if you will, was the order of the day.
The "carnie" types were a interesting lot themselves and became  some of the first
"promoters" of the business known as Entertainment.

The doctor usually sold a bottled liniment, which was called sometimes "snake oil."  Or, he
sold congo oils, liniments, home remedies and elixers.  The shows usually had a
"blackface" entertainer to sing and draw a crowd so that the "doc" could come out and do
his deed on the rural crowd.

Jimmie Rodgers, Gene Autry, Buck Page, Hank Williams, and other country singers
had their first gigs with Medicine Shows. Jimmie Rodgers ran off with a Medicine Show
when he was only 13.  Later on he would sign on as a "blackface" singer with the medicine
show circut.  Many of the singers would play a banjo, fiddle or a guitar and paint their face
back.

These traveling gypsy shows were cutting the trail that would years in the future be followed
by Willie Nelson singing "On The Road Again" in his Silver Eagle Bus, The Honeysuckle
Rose.

to be continued

© 1998-08 Benford E. Standley. All Rights Reserved.
This can in no way be copied or distributed.

We would love your help continuing this story...if you have any important dates or
information that helps us tell the story of the evolution of  the music and
entertainment business send them to us and we will add to KICKIN' UP DUST
 

KickinUpDust.com