Whitey and Hogan
Encyclopedia
Whitey and Hogan were an American
country music
duo active for sixty-six years.
and in Andrews, North Carolina
respectively. They met for the first time in 1935 when they were both employed at the Firestone Cotton Mill in Gastonia, North Carolina
. They began performing together as a duo, Whitey played the guitar and Hogan played the mandolin. Soon they were touring all over North and South Carolina and Georgia. Their debut on the radio took place at WSPA in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. They called themselves the Spindle City Boys. Sponsored by the Efird's Department Store, Whitey and Hogan received a radio spot at WGNC radio in Gastonia in 1939. They also appeared on the Rustin Radio Show in Gastonia, the show was sponsored by Rustin Furniture. In 1939, they recorded sixteen sides at their first session for Decca Records
, before moving to the Sonora and Deluxe labels.
They joined the WBT Briarhoppers in 1941 performing at radio station WBT in Charlotte
. When Whitey and Hogan was asked to join the Grand Ole Opry
they declined since the Opry required them to work on Saturdays and they didn't want to stay away from their families. Whitey and Hogan existed as a duo between 1935 and 2001. In 2003, Whitey and Hogan, along with Don White, as the only surviving former members of the Briarhoppers received the North Carolina Arts Council Folk Heritage Award.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
duo active for sixty-six years.
Biography
Whitey and Hogan grew up in RutherfordtonRutherfordton, North Carolina
Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,131 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rutherford County.-Geography:Rutherfordton is located at ....
and in Andrews, North Carolina
Andrews, North Carolina
Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,602 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Andrews is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
respectively. They met for the first time in 1935 when they were both employed at the Firestone Cotton Mill in Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
. They began performing together as a duo, Whitey played the guitar and Hogan played the mandolin. Soon they were touring all over North and South Carolina and Georgia. Their debut on the radio took place at WSPA in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. They called themselves the Spindle City Boys. Sponsored by the Efird's Department Store, Whitey and Hogan received a radio spot at WGNC radio in Gastonia in 1939. They also appeared on the Rustin Radio Show in Gastonia, the show was sponsored by Rustin Furniture. In 1939, they recorded sixteen sides at their first session for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, before moving to the Sonora and Deluxe labels.
They joined the WBT Briarhoppers in 1941 performing at radio station WBT in Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. When Whitey and Hogan was asked to join the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
they declined since the Opry required them to work on Saturdays and they didn't want to stay away from their families. Whitey and Hogan existed as a duo between 1935 and 2001. In 2003, Whitey and Hogan, along with Don White, as the only surviving former members of the Briarhoppers received the North Carolina Arts Council Folk Heritage Award.
Discography
With The WBT Briarhoppers- Early Radio - Old Homestead Records
- The Legendary WBT Briarhoppers