Curly Fox Grand Ole Opry Member

Posted on May 26, 2023Leave a comment

(Curly Fox Photo Courtesy of Cunnyngham Studio Archives)

Rhea County Resident Curly Fox Champion Fiddler

Curly Fox was once described as more than just another Grand Ole Opry old-timer; he was probably the most influential fiddler in country music history, and one of the most popular entertainers of his time.

The fiddler, who got his nickname from his long wavy hair, has played in the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Constitution Hall in Washington D.C., the Opry’s historic Ryman Auditorium and the present-day Grand Ole Opry House.

The most popular Curly Fox tunes have been “Listen to the Mockingbird,” “Black Mountain Rag,” and “Old Gray Mule”.

Famed violinist Fritz Kreisler, after hearing Fox’s fiddling during the “Mockingbird,” said, “What a waste of talent.”

The son of a barber, Armin L. Fox known as Curly Fox was born in Graysville, Tennessee, and with the help of his father he was playing in old time medicine shows by the time he was 13. He played with legendary old time string bands like the Skillet Lickers, The Roane County Ramblers, and the Carolina Tar Heels. During the Depression, Fox led his own band, the Tennessee Firecrackers, on WSB in Atlanta.

Curly met Texas Ruby Owens when he joined the Opry in the late 1930s. In 1939, they married, forming one of the most popular husband and wife teams in country music.

Fox and Texas Ruby had an NBC radio show from 1940 to 1944, which originated from WLW in Cincinnati. It was one of the first country music network shows.

In 1946, at the request of king and queen of Greece, President Harry S. Truman asked Curly and Texas Ruby to give a command performance.

In 1948, Curly and Ruby moved to Houston, Texas, where they remained for over a decade, working in radio and television.

In 1960, the pair returned to work on the Grand Ole Opry, but Ruby often fell ill, and Fox frequently performed solo.

An album was recorded together for Starday Records in 1963, but 72 hours after the recording session ended, while Fox was appearing on , a fire broke out in the couple’s home and Ruby was killed. It was grim month in Opry history, as Ruby was the fifth Grand Ole Opry star to die that month, following Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and Jack Anglin.

After her death, Fox played solo for several years, but eventually moved to Chicago to live with family. In his olden age, he sporadically performed live; he returned to Graysville in the mid-1970s, performing with a local bluegrass outfit before retiring.

Curly Fox died in November 1995, at the age of 85, he was laid to rest in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Graysville, Tennessee.

Curly Fox Find A Grave Cemetery Memorial

Ruby Agnes Owens Fox Find A Grave Cemetery Memorial

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Dr. Archie Morgan Dayton Dentist Clowns Around

Posted on April 25, 20231 Comment

When Dr. Archie Morgan wasn’t pulling teeth, he was known to pull your leg while clowning around. Dr. Morgan, shown in the feature photo above, began his career in dentistry around 1948. Beginning in 1979, he launched his clown act. During the 1984 Strawberry Festival Parade, the children voted Morgan as one of the top five clowns in the Best Children’s category. The second contest that Morgan participated in as a clown was in the white face category at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Clown Festival, where he took the first-place award. Morgan’s rise to clown dom began with an infatuation for Emmett Kelly, a former clown with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Morgan also had a penchant for stuffed clowns. He had between 15 and 20 of the stuffed variety hidden away in his office in a closet. He would often use them to entertain children who came into his dentist’s office for treatment and were showing signs of fear and anxiety. Once a little girl grasped one and wouldn’t let go. “I didn’t have the heart to ask for it back”, Morgan later said. Archie Morgan was a member of the Dayton Masonic Lodge #512 and the Scottish Rite, as well as a member of the clown unit with the Alhambra Shrine. Sadly, Archie passed away on December 4, 1992, and was laid to rest in the Buttram Cemetery.

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Indian Day at Dayton City School October 27, 1966

Posted on April 11, 20231 Comment

The 6th grade class of Walter Cheers at Dayton City School completed its studies of the American Indians by dressing the part. Chiefs seated from left to right are Kim Taylor of Chickasaws, Kenny Barnes of Cherokees, and Leon Suttles of Shawnees. Squaws standing from left to right are Charlena Abel, Debbie Forsten and Janit Barnes.

(Photo Courtesy of the Glass Family Collection)

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Charles Benton Signs With the University of Tennessee 1983

Posted on April 10, 2023

Rhea County’s Charles Benton Trades Green and Gold For the “Big Orange”

The week of February 9, 1983, was buzzing with the news that Rhea County Golden Eagle’s All-State defensive back Charles Benton had made the decision to further his education and football career by signing with the University of Tennessee Vols.

Benton had stated in an interview that ever since he was a little boy, he always wanted to play for the Tennessee Volunteers. Another reason for his selection of the Tennessee college was the proximity to his hometown of Spring City, Tennessee.

Rhea County football coach Bill Horton stated that during his coaching career, he had never tutored an athlete with the ability of Charles Benton. “He is one of those athletes that comes along only once or twice in a coach’s career”, Horton said.

Benton was credited with him being a big part of the Golden Eagles success in the previous two seasons. During Benton’s junior season in 1981, the Golden Eagles enjoyed a 12-2 record and finished as Class AAA state runner up. Rhea County closed the 1982 season with a 7-4 record and participated in the Tobacco Bowl held at Hartsfield.

By signing with the Vols early, Benton was given a chance to concentrate on his basketball campaign. He was in his fourth year as starting guard for the Golden Eagles.

Charles Benton graduated from Rhea County High School in 1983. After he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1989, Charles found his calling and dream job as Career Exploration teacher at the Rhea County High School. Charles coached football, baseball, and basketball previously. He was a “Vol for Life”, TN letterman from 1983-1986 and “Voice of the Eagles” for basketball.

Sadly, Charles passed away suddenly on October 11, 2019. Charles was laid to rest in Rhea Memory Gardens in Dayton, Tennessee. He is greatly missed by his family and friends.

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Greyhound Builds New Bus Depot in Dayton 1950

Posted on April 3, 2023

In January of 1950, officials from the Greyhound Bus Company was in town selecting a location to build their new bus depot. According to the tentative plans, the bus depot would need to provide an off street loading and unloading area for passengers, waiting room, short order lunch counter and restroom, all in conjunction with a modern automobile service center and filling station. The new building was to be patterned after the new Spring City bus depot with improvements being based on the experience there.

Erection of the building and operation of the bus depot would be in the hands of local people with the bus company granting a franchise to the owner and or operator of the station. It was not to be a company owned bus stop as the Peggy Ann Rest Stop. The site for the new bus depot was selected on Hwy 27 within a short walking distance from the main shopping district of Dayton. This was before the Hwy 27 bypass was constructed and this area is known today as Market Street. Hours of operation was 6 am to 9 pm as a minimum. Shelter from inclement weather was also proposed for when the regular waiting room was closed.

The F.R. Rogers Drug Store, at the corner of Main and Market Streets, had served as the local bus station for approx. twenty years, acting as agent for the Cherokee and Greyhound companies before the consolidation of the bus lines recently. During this time, Mr. Rogers stated he was reluctant to give up his connection as agent, however he realized that a growing Dayton needed expanded facilities especially to eliminate the traffic hazard caused by the large buses parking at the curb on Market Street to take on and discharge passengers.

Read About The End Of The Bus Depot On Market Street AT This Link

(Photo Courtesy of the Wallace Rice Collection)

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Freight Train Derailment Graysville Tennessee September 9, 1949

Posted on March 27, 2023

One man was killed, and four others were injured, two seriously, about 2:45am on Friday morning September 9, 1949, when the last 13 cars of a 57-car southbound Southern Railway freight train left the tracks and crashed into six section gang sleeping cars parked on a siding a quarter-mile south of Graysville, Tennessee. George Jones, age 45, of Pine Knot, Kentucky was killed. Ned Barber of Dayton, riding the caboose of the derailed train, was bruised but not seriously injured. United Nations delegates traveling to Chattanooga on a train following the freight had to be rerouted through Knoxville.

(Courtesy Glass Family Collection)

Visit George Jones Find A Grave Memorial AT This Link.

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Becky Welch Miss Dayton 1965

Posted on March 20, 2023

Miss Becky Welch, daughter of Mrs. Carol Welch was 16 years old when she was crowned as Miss Dayton 1965 in a contest sponsored by the Dayton Jaycettes. Miss Welch a junior at Rhea Central High School was a cheerleader for three years. She was active in the Pep Club, “R” Club, Bible Club and a member of the junior play cast.

First runner-up in the contest was ViElla Smith, 18 year old senior at Rhea Central High School, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Smith. Second runner-up was Ann Tallent, 17 year old junior at Rhea Central High School, and the daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Ralph Tallent.

Today, Becky is married to George Arnold of Dayton. George & Becky live in Dayton where they raised their family.

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Dayton Opera House Razed

Posted on March 13, 20231 Comment

Progress takes Old Dayton Opera House September 1937

In September 1937, the demands of progress claimed a landmark in downtown Dayton. The old Dayton Opera House, which began its career as a community center for the exhibition of dramatic art, was scheduled to be demolished to make way for the new post office building. The Opera House was erected in 1887 by W.C. Gardenhire, founder of the city, as we know it. The passing of the Opera House marks the passing of a mark not only in the progress of Dayton but in the field of historic entertainment as well. Oscar Seagle, one of the country’s greatest singers, once gave a performance in the old Opera House. It was also for many years the chosen scene of commencements of local educational institutions. The new Post Office was said to bring a distinct improvement to west Main Street. The old Post Office building still stands today being used as a utility collection point for the City of Dayton after the post office moved to a new location on 1St Ave.

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World War II Memorial Monument Dedicated May 1948

Posted on March 7, 2023

Monument Stands To Remember Those Fighting Men and Women From Rhea County

With World War II raging overseas, back at home the Dayton Junior Chamber of Commerce (DJCOC) was busy putting together a project that would memorialize or honor the fighting men and women from Rhea County who had been doing a wonderful job protecting our cherished American way of life.

It all began in July 1944 when the DJCOC announced that a beautiful and permanent memorial to those who were so gallantly serving would be erected on the lawn of the Rhea County Courthouse.

The monument would be in total approx. 14 x 6 ft in size and made of beautiful, polished marble. The two side plaques would be used to memorialize those who had not made it back home. It was estimated that the memorial would cost approx. $2500. The community was asked to pitch in and help with various planned fundraisers. The main fundraiser was asking for the family and friends of each person in uniform to raise and donate a minimum of $2 per soldier. That way, the funds would be quickly raised. In order for each serviceman and woman to feel they had a personal participation in the monument, with each completed $2 donation, a 9×12 print of the memorial, suitable for framing, with an inscription and a blank space for the inclusion of the person being honored, was to be provided.

In the end, all the fundraising and construction had taken approx. 33 months to complete. The monument was officially dedicated during the week of May 6, 1948. The headlines read “We Are Gathered—Lest We Forget.”

The Rhea County Memorial was erected In Honor of the Gallant Men and Women of Rhea County who participated in the struggle to keep America mighty and free. Highlighting the ceremony was the unveiling of the bronze plaques bearing the names of those who lost their lives in WWII.

General Fredrick McCabe, U.S. Army retired, and Col. William H.E. Holmes, Tennessee National Guard, both of Chattanooga took part in the program and unveiled the plaques.

Dr. James Fowle, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, was the principal speaker.

The ceremony was concluded with complete military honors with a firing squad and the playing of taps.

Today, the memorial also contains the names of those men and women who lost their lives in World War I, Korean and Vietnam Wars.

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Virginia Hutcheson of Red Bank buys Kaiser-Frazer in Dayton

Posted on March 3, 2023

Performance record of Kaiser prompts Repeat buyer JUne 24, 1948

Miss. Virginia Hutcheson of Red Bank gets the keys to her 1948 model Kaiser-Frazer from Earl Hicks, local Kaiser-Frazer distributor. Miss Hutcheson stated she was so pleased with the Kaiser, spending less than $30 for maintenance for 21,000 miles driving over 15 months, that she decided to “trade-up.” On her first trip in the new Frazer she averaged 25.8 miles per gallon of gas round trip to Knoxville, using the over drive, which is standard equipment on the Frazer. This was Mr. Hicks’ first repeat sale since opening the local Kaiser-Frazer dealership 18 months ago.

(Photo Courtesy of the Glass Family Collection)

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