From my little corner of the world in Lickskillet, Louisiana, I bring you tales of the Lickskillet Louisiana Haywire.
It wasn't so long ago that music filled the homes of this community every Saturday night with such great acts as The Swanky Sisters, The Lickskillet Arts & Crafts Showband and Bubba Dale Purcell and the Keatchie Warblers.
This weekly program of downhome music and entertainment was the brainchild of longtime Lickskillet impressario, Mordicai Mertze, who served as producer for over 47 shows.
The program got it's name from it's sponsor, a local hardware store which produced it's own haybaling wire.
Money was no object in the production of the radio show, because there wasn't any. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the program "on the air" Mordicai hit on a novel idea for broadcasting "The Lickskillet Louisiana Haywire": Play real loud...
So each Saturday night throughout Lickskillet, music, skits, and a word from the sponsors poured into the living rooms of local residents. It would not be long before somebody would hit upon the idea of recording the show.
-© 2005, Louisiana Dan
Garner. All rights reserved.
