- Bob Atcher
James Robert Owen "Bob" Atcher (
May 11 ,1914 –October 31 ,1993 ) was an Americancountry music ian.Atcher was born in
Hardin County ,Kentucky , and learned violin and guitar from his father, who was adept at fiddle. He started out onradio in Louisville on WHAS, and was offered spots on a number of other stations in theAmerican South and Midwest. In 1939 he was offered a regular gig onChicago stationWGBM which was broadcast nationally byCBS . The show made him a national star, and he signed with ARC just before CBS bought the company. After the purchase Atcher was transferred toOkeh Records and then toColumbia Records , both CBS subsidiaries.Between 1939 and 1942, he recorded many duets with Loretta Applegate, who went by the
stage name Bonnie Blue Eyes . His younger brotherRandy Atcher also appeared on some of his records. After 1942 Atcher fought in the Army inWorld War II and returned to performing in 1946, charting hits which included "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me" and "I Must Have Been Wrong".In 1948 Atcher signed on with WLS and became a performer on their "
National Barn Dance ". As one of their biggest stars, he continued to chart national hits, including "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes". He released twolong play s entitled "Early American Folk Songs" in 1948, which were among the earliest LPs Columbia Records issued. In 1950, he signed withCapitol Records , and later in the 1950s moved toKapp Records . He continued with the "Barn Dance" well into the 1960s, and re-signed to Columbia that decade, re-recording many of his songs in stereo.Atcher, like
Gene Autry , was a shrewd businessman, and bought several businesses and invested inbanking with the proceeds from his career. He was also themayor ofSchaumburg, Illinois from 1959 to 1979. He died in 1993.References
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hxfwxqygldke~T1 Bob Atcher] at
Allmusic
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