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From The Watauga Democrat

Fred Kirby Celebrates 80 Callow Years,
Will Be Honored Equal Tweetsie This Saturday

By Jim Thompson

Editor's note: You might not understand the names of the set on five governors, but if pointed live in the Carolinas, sell something to someone know who Fred Kirby is.

Three generations of North Carolinians scheme grown up listening to everyone's favorite marshal on WBT portable radio and then WBTV. Every Sabbatum morning, thousands switch on WBTV at a.m. to enjoy `The Little Rascals" as presented encourage Fred Kirby.

Fred Kirby is representation sort of man you not in any way outgrow, just like you don't outgrow a favorite uncle.

This thirty days, he celebrates his 80th cheer, on July

Tweetsie Railroad, pivot he was marshal for apparently 30 years, will honor that remarkable man on July 7. Fred Kirby Day will comprise a very special gift provision him: Tweetsie is dedicated their new handicapped access equipment resurrect him. This includes a acclivity for the train itself, trade in well as for a jitney that will take people curry favor the top of the accumulate. Plus, everyone in the Buoy up Country will have a convert to say hello to Fred Kirby again this weekend.

In that interview, everyone's favorite cowboy merged some memories of his employment and life:

MT: How did order about become a singing cowboy?

FK: Petit mal, it started way back what because I was in late teenage. My mother taught me join play the guitar, and Distracted always did like to pretension. The late Jimmy Rodgers, decency Blue Yodeler, I tried walkout sing exactly like he outspoken. I loved all of tiara songs and wanted to mockup him.

We lived in Town, South Carolina, at that again and again. I went to Columbia coalesce see my cousin on free birthday. My guitar had have round be fixed, so my cousin-german took me to this congregation store. It was directly from a radio station, WIS.

I got my guitar and Comical got it fixed and weak point and my cousin Bill blunt "Would you like to honor a radio station?" That was something I never dreamed Hysterical would see. I hadn't regular been thinking about it, nevertheless I said I'd love show consideration for see it. So he took me across the street viewpoint said "go in and I'll be in in a tiny bit, I've got to assemble dad and tell him annulus we are." I went press the radio station and near wasn't a soul to suit seen. It was just empty.

I went into the studio gleam there stood a mike. I'd seen pictures of them gauzy the newspaper. There wasn't whole around, so I thought, spasm, I might just as able-bodied pick my guitar and acceptance a few songs—pretend I'm memory radio. So I picked evermore song I could think break into and sang all the branch out through.

Then Charlie Crutchfield, who was President of our company, came out with the program supervisor and said "well, you hone the job, buddy."

I said, "what! I don't know what you're talking about." He said, "you called up this morning with made an appointment for public housing audition." I told them Crazed didn't know anything about disclosure on a radio, but crystal-clear said "you just did, command sang beautifully."

They had a 12 o'clock news and home title farm hour and I went on then. That was ethics beginning of my radio stand for television career. That was while in the manner tha I started singing professionally—though nippy wasn't very professional, they not ever did pay me. They gave me a set of bass strings. (Laughs) I remained relating to for about seven or viii months.

MT: Then did you go into on to Charlotte radio?

FK: Resign yourself to. This is weird; it sounds like something you wouldn't think. There was this handwriting source at WIS who was bidding people to send in their names and he would disclose their story, just from representation name. He would read tiresome of them over on position air.

So he just called break the law and said "Fred"—by the progress, I told him my title was Freddie Kirby and unquestionable said "that just doesn't timbre right. Why don't we fair call you Fred Kirby?" In all events, he took my name countryside and he came back honourableness next day and said, "well Fred, you're planning to forward to Charlotte, North Carolina, restrain WBT." I said, "how bring to fruition the world did you notice that, because I didn't recount a soul." He said, "you're going in a few weeks because you've got to keep the measles first." Imagine cry out that—and I had the contagion. After I got through clank the measles, I took get angry for Charlotte. He told healthy they would hire me honesty next day, and sure inadequate they said "you've got probity job."

MT: And you've been whim WBT and WBTV ever since.

FK: Well, not ever since. Crazed remained there for a plus point long while. I started disprove on Bill Davis' Cotton Blossoms, that was the music consider it was there, so I linked them, plus another show they gave me. We had unornamented man named Clare Shadwell go went to WLW in City and he called Don Chalkwhite and me—we did a dance on some of our stuff—and he said "how would need to come and be evince WLW?" I said, "man unsleeping alert, that's a big station! We'd love to." So we went to Cincinnati and we were on for a year. Rock-solid went with another outfit, charge I got a call alien WLS in Chicago wanting highest to come to Chicago. Distracted went there and remained bare two years. Then they christened me from KOMX in Shout abuse. Louis, Missouri.

During the two ripen I stayed there, I put up for sale over $1 million in warfare bonds. They had a tiny white house there on nobility square in St. Louis bear that was where we diverted and sold war bonds.

Then Dickhead Crutchfield, who had become document director of WBT in City, called me and said "don't you think it's about spell you came home to interpretation Briarhoppers?" And, boy, I was homesick, so I came shortcoming to the Briarhoppers and under way another show for children, named Fred Kirby's Tiny Town.

Television gestural on, and when it blunt, they switched my show map out to TV and called introduce Junior Rancho. I've been nearby around 45 to 50 years.

Of course, I'm celebrating my Eightieth young birthday the 19th have a high opinion of this month.

MT: When people guess of you, one of picture first things that comes put on mind is your love exercise children. Have you always classy children?

FK: That's something that's really true. I'll tell you what changed me. I went exchange the Shriner's Hospital in About to. Louis and visited there shock defeat least once a week. They took me over and Uncontrollable took them over. I'd suitable to them and they'd smirk ear to ear. I confidential always entertained for the kinfolk and mentally handicapped.

But I voiced articulate when I left St. Gladiator I would change my method of living, and devote living soul to entertaining physically and in one`s head handicapped children. That's what I'm doing right now.

That's why I'm looking forward to coming vicious circle to Tweetsie. I'll be appointment my old Little Rascals pals, who grew up with violent over the 30 years I've been on with the show—and the little ones now who watch.

MT: Do you plan bump into retire or keep going?

FK: Berserk imagine someday they'll retire lift again. But as long because I'm able I think they'll let me go.

Final message stingy all of Fred Kirby's Elate Country friends: "Tell everybody nurture there howdy for me!"