Duke of Paducah
Encyclopedia
This article is about the country comedian. For the Texas politician with the same nickname, see William S. Heatly
. For the city that awards the title, see Paducah, Kentucky
.
Benjamin Francis Ford (May 12, 1901–June 20, 1986), known professionally as The Duke of Paducah, was an American country
comedian, radio host and banjo player popular from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Ford was born in De Soto, Missouri
, and was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas
. He had only a third-grade education, so he joked that he came from the "university of hard knocks." He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1918. During his Navy service he learned to play the banjo and earned his nickname Whitey Ford because of his blonde hair. After his discharge in 1922, he joined McGinty's Oklahoma Cowboy Band, a Dixieland jazz group, as a banjo player. The group later changed its name to Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys
and appeared in a few Hollywood film shorts. In 1929, Ford made his debut on WLS-AM
in Chicago, Illinois.
In the early 1930s, while working at KWK-AM
in St. Louis, Ford took the stage name The Duke of Paducah. In 1937, he founded the Renfro Valley Barn Dance
with Red Foley
and John Lair. More radio work followed when he became a regular on Plantation Party, an NBC Radio
show in Cincinnati and Chicago
. From 1942–1959, Ford was a regular on the Grand Ole Opry
. He also hosted several popular radio shows broadcast nationally. In the mid 1950s, Ford toured with a troupe he called the Rock and Roll Revue. On several occasions, he shared a bill with Elvis Presley
. In 1958, he began hosting a television show, Country Junction, on WLAC-TV in Nashville which ran for a few years.
Ford ended his act with his tagline: "I'm goin' back to the wagon, boys, these shoes are killin' me." He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in February 1986.
William S. Heatly
William S. "Bill" Heatly was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1955-1983. Known as the "Duke of Paducah", a reference to his hometown of Paducah, the seat of Cottle County, Heatly wielded significant political power during his tenure in office.- Political career...
. For the city that awards the title, see Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
.
Benjamin Francis Ford (May 12, 1901–June 20, 1986), known professionally as The Duke of Paducah, was an American country
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...
comedian, radio host and banjo player popular from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Ford was born in De Soto, Missouri
De Soto, Missouri
De Soto is a city in Jefferson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 6,477 at the estimated 2008 census. The Van Metre family were first to settle in 1803 .The town was organized in 1857 and is named for the explorer Hernando De Soto, who claimed the Louisiana Territory for Spain. ...
, and was raised in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. He had only a third-grade education, so he joked that he came from the "university of hard knocks." He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1918. During his Navy service he learned to play the banjo and earned his nickname Whitey Ford because of his blonde hair. After his discharge in 1922, he joined McGinty's Oklahoma Cowboy Band, a Dixieland jazz group, as a banjo player. The group later changed its name to Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys
Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys
Otto Gray and his Oklahoma Cowboys were the first nationally-famous cowboy band in the United States, and the first cowboy band to appear on the cover of The Billboard ....
and appeared in a few Hollywood film shorts. In 1929, Ford made his debut on WLS-AM
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in Chicago, Illinois.
In the early 1930s, while working at KWK-AM
KSLG (AM)
KSLG is an all-sports radio station, operating from St. Louis, Missouri. The station has used this format since June 2004. Prior to switching to an all-sports format, KSLG was a religious broadcasting radio station...
in St. Louis, Ford took the stage name The Duke of Paducah. In 1937, he founded the Renfro Valley Barn Dance
Renfro Valley Barn Dance
Renfro Valley Barn Dance was an American country music stage and radio show originally carried by WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday nights. It debuted on October 9, 1937 from the Cincinnati Music Hall and moved to the Memorial Auditorium in Dayton, Ohio. It was hosted by John Lair, Red Foley,...
with Red Foley
Red Foley
Clyde Julian Foley , better known as Red Foley, was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II....
and John Lair. More radio work followed when he became a regular on Plantation Party, an NBC Radio
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
show in Cincinnati and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. From 1942–1959, Ford was a regular on 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...
. He also hosted several popular radio shows broadcast nationally. In the mid 1950s, Ford toured with a troupe he called the Rock and Roll Revue. On several occasions, he shared a bill with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. In 1958, he began hosting a television show, Country Junction, on WLAC-TV in Nashville which ran for a few years.
Ford ended his act with his tagline: "I'm goin' back to the wagon, boys, these shoes are killin' me." He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in February 1986.