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Abbie Neal passed away on
February 15, 2004. She was born Esther Amanda McKinnon April
4, 1918 in Brookville, Jefferson Country, Pennsylvania. She
died in Reno, Nevada, her last place of residence. I was
pleased to have had numerous telephone conversations with
Abbie this past two years, after losing track of her for over
45 years. We had worked together at the Wheeling Jamboree in
the 1950s. She was wonderfully talented, but more importantly,
a genuine, sweet person.
Abbie began her career with
her brothers, Gilbert and Walter, appearing on a local station
in her hometown. Then, she went on her own. She was hired as
a fiddle player by Cowboy Phil in the ‘40s, and later formed
Abbie Neal and her Ranch Girls. At some point in time she
earned the title, “National Champion Woman’s Fiddler.”
In the 1950s, Abbie and her
girls did a short stint in Des Moines, Iowa, on the Iowa Barn
Dance Frolic, before moving to Wheeling, West Virginia. There
she became a headliner on the Wheeling Jamboree. This is where
Abbie and I became good friends. She had married Gene Johnson,
who was head of the artist bureau at WWVA, and also my
personal manager. He saw to it that Abbie and Her Ranch Girls
and Dusty Owens and the Rodeo Boys stayed booked.
It was Gene Johnson who booked
Abbie’s act on the Wilkens Easy Credit Hour on WDTV in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was privileged to make a guest
appearance on her TV show. We did some other shows together,
and in 1956, I signed her to a recording contract with Admiral
Records, a company I started in 1956 while in Wheeling. Abbie
recorded “If Again,” written by Doug Kershaw, and an original
song written by one of the Ranch Girls, “Hillbilly Beat.”
Abbie and her band enjoyed
other great accomplishments in her long career. They won the
Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts show in New York City and
entertained our troops on USO tours overseas. Before moving
out west, Abbie starred on her own show on WJAC-TV in
Johnstown, PA.
Abbie Neal decided to move out
west in the early 1960s to play the “Nevada Circuit.” She and
her girls performed at Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget, where she
appeared with many super stars, including Johnny Cash, and
Reno’s Harrah’s Club. When Abbie retired, she chose Reno as
her residence, but she couldn’t stop entertaining. She and
several other retired musicians entertained senior citizens at
convalescent facilities, hospitals and senior centers around
Reno.
Abbie played several stringed
instruments and was known for her beautiful recitations. She
had a wonderful stage presence and really had a unique way of
winning the hearts of her audiences.
In 1983, Abbie was honored at
WWVA’s 50-year celebration. She was chosen as one of the fifty
outstanding entertainers who made valuable contributions to
the advancement of country music in this era by having a
bronze star with her name, placed on the Walkway of Stars in
front of the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, West Virginia. I was
privileged to be one of those fifty also.
Another admirer of Abbie Neal
was Lou Christie, who grew up in Pittsburgh and was a fan of
this fabulous lady. Lou, who has had an illustrious career of
his own, has vowed to make people aware of Abbie Neal’s part
in the development of country and rockabilly music.
In
Lou’s words: “I'll never forget the day Benny, our mailman,
delivered my membership card to the Abbie Neal Fan Club. Every
couple of months
I’d receive a newsletter
telling me when and where Abbie Neal and her Ranch Girls would
be appearing or on what radio station I could hear them. My
favorite was the World's Original WWVA Jamboree out of
Wheeling West Virginia where she starred with some of the
biggest country acts of all time. To this day I still have the
same AM radio (antenna and all) that brought me so many
memories every time I heard
‘Ridin’ Down To Santa Fe’ come
across the airways. Abbie Neal was a true pioneer in Country
Western Music: a woman who walked the path with the great
Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, & Rose Maddox.”
I agree with my friend, Lou
Christie.
Dusty Owens
TCM Radio News
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