The Avalon Time Program Log

The Avalon Time Radio Program Biographies

His name was Clyde Julian Foley, but no one ever knew him by any name other than "Red." He was a Hall of Famer all the way, born in a little log cabin in 1910 beside a blueberry patch, somewhere between Blue Lick and Berea, Ky., near the heart of the bluegrass country. Everyone had a patch of land in those days and, because of the economics of the rural life, virtually everyone also had a job somewhere. Foley's father was no exception. He was a storekeeper in Berea and, around the home at night, played fiddle.

The store was big news to Red. Everyone in the old stores used the barter-system, and the best trader won out. One customer traded in an old guitar, and although the senior Foley didn‘t consider it much of a bargain, Red did. He taught himself to play, with the thumb at first, later with all the fingers.

ln Kentucky, basketball has always been big. It was, too, with Red Foley. He practiced with primitive equipment, and it was enough to win him acclaim in high school as an outstanding athlete, a trait common to many in the country field.

Red has to be one of the few artists who ever took voice lessons but "not enough to hurt him," as the saying goes. 'l'hey lasted two weeks. The teacher did believe in Red, and entered him in singing contests. At 17 he won local, district and regional Atwater-Kent competitions, and competed for state honors, where he won third place. He also won the acclaim of judges who praised his poise when the young man three times forgot the words to the song he was singing. lt wouldn’t happen again often in his life.

Foley went on to Georgetown College in Kentucky, but a WLS talent scout found him there and hired him to perform at the Barn Dance in Chicago. He went to Chicago with $75 and an almost reverential awe of the big city. He carried the money in his shoes at first, later pinning it inside his shirt pocket. lt was then that Foley met his first wife, the former Pauline Cox, who died during the birth of his first daughter, Betty. Later he met Eva Overstake in Chicago, a member of the sister trio known as The Little Maids, who also were featured on WLS. They were married August 1933. Eva and Red Foley had three daughters, Shirley Lee (who married singer Pat Boone), Jennie Lou and Julie Ann.

Comedy Act

Foley tumed to comedy in the 1930`s, teaming with Lulu Belle before she met and married Scotty Wiseman, and teamed with him. He made records for thc Sears-Roebuck label, Conqueror, and then went into partnership to form the Renfro Valley Barn Dance in Eastern Kentucky. Three years later he resigned this and retumed to WLS. At one time he was part of the Chuck Wagon Gang, and then the Brown‘s Ferry Four.

He signed a recording contract with Decca, and this ultimately led to a lifetime arrangement. He co·starred with Red Skelton on a network show known as “Avalon 'I‘ime." And then Nashville and the "Grand Ole Opry" beckoned. He came south with his long-time friend and bass player, Emie Newton. At the "Opry" he was called the "bashful country boy." In no time, though, he had been placed in the prime time on Saturday night, that 9:30-10:00 (EST) spot carriedby more than 130 stations on NBC. The man he repaced was Roy Acuff, another member of the Hall of Fame.

Within six years, Red Foley’s show had the largest listening audience of any Saturday night radio program in the U.S. Some critics said only Bing Crosby was better known at the time. By the late 1940's, Foley had sold over 11 million records, and he was one of the first of the "names" to record in Nashville. His first smash was "Smoke on the Water." Then came "Alabama Jubilee" and scores of others, and his "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy" was the top country record in 1950, the year Billboard named him top folk artist.

Foley became the first to sell a million copies of a gospel hymn, "Peace in the Valley." He followed with others, and he was the No. 1 sacred song singer for five consecutive years. As late as 1958, his name was on top of the country charts, the pop charts, and the religious lists.

At the peak of his career, in 1951, Eva Foley died. Later he married the former Sally Sweet.

Straight Acting

After eight years with the Opry, Roley departed for the "Ozark Jubilee" in Springfield, Mo., where he had his own network show, and helped the career of Brenda
Lee and Jim Reeves. Foley also had a hand in the careers of Chet Atkins, Grady Martin and Porter Wagoner. For two years beginning in 1962, he played a straight acting role in the network television series called "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," with Fess Parker. (Years earlier he had sung briefly on a network radio show originating from Nashville called "Mr. Smith Goes to Town.") In 1968, Red Foley was still big enough to be the lead-off name when it added country music. He pioneered some of the big network TV shows.

Retuming to Nashville under the management of Dub Albritten (who also was manager of Brenda Lee), Foley was about to live his happiest moment—induction into the Hall of Fame, in October, 1967. He was one of the few who had been a vital factor in "The National Barn Dance," the "Grand Ole Opry" and the "Ozark Jubilee."

In September, 1968, Red Foley played a date at Fort Wayne, Ind., and was proclaimed an honorary Allen County deputy sheriff. He carried that commission when he died in his hotel room a few hours later. Death was attributed to excessive lung fluid. He was survived by his third wife, four daughters and 13 grandchildren.

From the September 20, 1968 edition of the Capital Times: