Arkie The Arkansas Woodchopper

b. Luther William Ossenbrink, 2 March 1906, Knob Noster, Missouri, USA, d. 23 June 1981, Marshall, Missouri, USA. Ossenbrink performed acoustic guitar and fiddle and acted as the caller at regional square dances like a boy prior to making his radio debut on KMBC, Kansas Town, in 1928. The nickname was attracted from true to life; he had in fact caused an axe felling trees and shrubs and splitting rails, and later on required an axe on stage with him like a gimmick. His take action, which comprised humour and recitations (regularly attracted from his personal country young man upbringing), and also a mixture of well-known ballads, hill music and cowboy tunes, quickly endeared him towards the listeners. In 1929, he was employed by WLS Chicago as a normal for their Country wide Barn Dance. He remained with the display until it had been decreased by WLS in 1960, a stay just beaten by an added artist, contralto Elegance Wilson. When the program restarted on WGN in 1960, Arkie became a member of the solid and continued to be with it until it finally finished in 1970, when he retired to his indigenous Missouri. He documented several edges for ARC and Columbia Information but achieved small fame like a documenting musician. He was, nevertheless, always extremely popular being a rectangular dance caller, which resulted in the publication of the reserve of his phone calls in 1940 and the next year, he documented some for an record release. He frequently toured with theNational Barn Dance displays and on events caused Lulu Belle.