Literally, a Dog and Pony show. The expression once referred to acts held outside a carnival or sideshow. It now means to confuse a someone into thinking a product is necessary or improved, to bamboozle the client. There are more advertising executives than carnival acts these days, but both promise more for your money. (Though this young woman probably took more pride in her work than the folks on Madison Avenue) By the way, the term "dog trainer" (as any trainer will tell you) is a complete misnomer. Dog Trainers train dog OWNERS. Dogs are pretty much born knowing what to do.
"Dog Act and Trainer" Original snapshot c. 1958 Collection Jim Linderman
In 1906, William J. Seymour, the son of former slaves, was learning to preach in Houston when he met Neely Terry, an African-American woman from Los Angeles. She invited the preacher to her own church, an offer he accepted. Soon members of the church he visited were speaking in tongues for some reason, and several weeks later even Seymour was doing the same. Word of this miracle traveled fast among the Black, Latino, White and Asian residents of LA, who gathered in such crowds the porch of the church collapsed forcing them to regroup in a former stable on Azusa Street. Following near "round the clock" preaching, the church was criticized in a front page story in the LA Times titled "Weird Babel of Tongues" and strange happenings were reported far and wide. The members were called "tangled tonguers" and "holy jumpers". There were reports of the blind seeing and members of various languages being able to converse with each other as easily as brothers. One reporter even described the events as a "...disgraceful intermingling of the races...they cry and make howling noises all day...the people appear to be mad...they have a one-eyed preacher who stays on his knees with his head hidden behind wooden milk crates". That would be Rev. Seymour. Such is the "Azusa Street Revival" which is easy to look up, don't take MY word for it... and which eventually withered and splintered only to regroup later as the Pentecostal movement. Curious beginnings indeed for a church which now claims 500 million members, and who distribute bible publications still from Des Moines, Iowa where this bill originated in 1944. "Two Ways" Two Dollar Bill, Open Bible Publications 1944 Collection Jim Linderman
A real photo post card of Rem Wall and his Green Valley Boys. How my little sister found it for me, I have no idea. When I was a child growing up in Michigan, the Green Valley Jamboree was televised once a week and I never missed it. (There was only one station, and I vaguely remember the boys sandwiched between Sky King and some other moral play disguised as a cowboy story) They were great though, and while the show aired out of Kalamazoo for thirty years (yes, that's right, thirty years) It appears NO TAPE or FILM exists, at least none that I can find. It seems such a shame. Not only because I would love to re-evaluate the music imprinted on my tender brain, but because there is a dynamic at work here which you might find interesting. Note the microphone. ONE. As a soloist performed, he would maneuver his way towards the center. If harmony was called for, several would squeeze in. Emotional highs and lows were expertly created by the team leader moving close or further away. This is why you will see authentic musicians, who have earned their chops playing dives for decades, move their hand mike depending on their vocal skills, the message they would like to impart, the sound they hear in their own head and wish to share. Bass Solo? Get out of the way! Fiddle break? C'mon in Bob! (his real name) The stationary steel guitar was amplified, he's fine in the back. Remard and his boys had a single or two, they've been uploaded on youtube. But I sure wish we had the visuals. If someone finds some, I'll let y'all know.
Rembert Wall and his Green Valley Boys RPPC c. 1960 Collection Jim Linderman
Preacher Billy Sunday "ripped it up hot" speaking about vice in Springfield, Illinois in 1909. Sunday (his real name) preached for 1 hour and 35 minutes to a full house. He turned down a $3000 a month professional baseball contract to preach at the Chicago YMCA in 1891. He was against evolution, dancing, liquor, cards, eugenics, government regulation, sexual sin and child labor. He was also very much against the hi-jinks of his three unholy sons and had to pay blackmail more than once to shut up the women they "got straight" with. One other thing Sunday was against was theft...he earned nearly $1000 a day giving sermons at a time when that was roughly equal to a worker's yearly salary. His American Craftsman bungalow was furnished in the Arts and Crafts style, but more telling? It had two safes.
"Coming from a "Billy" Sunday Meeting Springfield, ILL real photo by B.W. Post Peoria, Ill. 1909 Collection Jim Linderman
