Developing Their Style in Chicago
In 1933 they moved to Chicago's WLS, the Prairie Farmer Station. Now Paul ("Hezzie", on his washboard), "Gabe" (on clarinet) and Ken (hot jazz chops on his tenor guitar) had the opportunity to develop the nutty style that would make them one of the nation's most popular acts.
In the late 1930s, the group had a five-minute radio show on NBC sponsored by Alka-Seltzer; they also had a radio program for one season (1949-1950) on the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Their music was characterized by novelty songs and arrangements – such as "I Like Bananas (Because They Have No Bones)" and "From the Indies to the Andes in His Undies" – hot jazz rhythms and the occasional sweet harmonies. They also played the pop songs of the day, like "Nobody's Sweetheart." Ken kicked off the band with "Are you ready, Hezzie?"—directed at his brother Paul—and it became one of the band's big taglines, even entering the common vernacular.
With the addition in 1934 of Frank Delaney Kettering on bass fiddle, the Hoosier Hot Shots became the quartet that they would remain until the 60s.
Read more about this topic: Hoosier Hot Shots
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