Country Gold with Leroy Van Dyke, Dallas Wayne, Leona Williams, Darrell McCall & Narvel Felts - (November 14, 2019)

Leroy Van Dyke

Leroy Van Dyke, of "Auctioneer" and "Walk On By" fame, star of the movie, "What Am I Bid?" is known around the world as an entertainer, recording artist, radio and television star, actor, auctioneer and veteran of the Nevada circuit. He has recorded over 500 songs, and probably holds the record for most repeat-performance bookings of any working, name country music entertainer. He has worked 40 to 70 fairs and livestock events per year for over five decades, in addition to a great variety of other engagements.

He was born on a farm (not in a hospital) in rural Pettis County, Missouri, without the amenities of running water and electricity. He was reared on a 3,000-acre ranch southeast of Sedalia and became fully conversant in all aspects of farm/ranch operations. His father was also the pioneer truck line operator in central Missouri, and Leroy became an expert over-the-road driver, hauling furniture, livestock, freight and farm commodities. This early training developed in Leroy diverse occupational abilities and a work ethic that has served him well in every aspect of his life.

Elementary schooling for Leroy was in one-room country schools, then to high school at Sedalia, where he ranked third in a class of 180 graduates.

Leroy is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a dual major: Animal Husbandry and Journalism, with a minor in Speech. He received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, did one semester of graduate work, and was a member of both the junior and senior University of Missouri intercollegiate livestock judging teams. Between his junior and senior years at the University of Missouri, Leroy attended and graduated from Reppert's School of Auctioneering in Decatur, Indiana.

After serving as a special agent, U. S. Army Counter-Intelligence Corps, in Korea, Leroy was catapulted into show business while working as a fieldman in the purebred livestock advertising department of the Cornbelt Farm Dailies, a chain of livestock newspapers, when his self-penned "Auctioneer" recording went a million-plus just weeks after its release. He then joined Red Foley's ABC-TV Network "Ozark Jubilee" in Springfield, Missouri, as a regular member, and continued in that position for three years until the show left the air.

He again had a multi-million seller with "Walk On By," a record that stayed in the charts an incredible 42 weeks, nineteen in the number one position, and was later named by Billboard Magazine as the biggest country music record in history! In 1961, Leroy moved to Nashville, Tennessee, then, in 1962, became a regular member of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry.

Music industry experts named Leroy Van Dyke as the Country Music Entertainer of the Decade for the 1960s. He had the starring role in the 1967 movie "What Am I Bid?."

Leroy was a founding co-host of "Country Crossroads," the most widely syndicated show in radio history; he hosted his own syndicated television series, "The Leroy Van Dyke Show;" he hosted the 1965 Country Music Association Awards Show at which Ernest Tubb was inducted into the Hall of Fame; he was the first entertainer to receive the prestigious Country Music Association Founding President's Award for contributing to the advancement and improved image of country music; he served on the board of directors of the Country Music Association, and on the board of the International Entertainment Buyers Association.

He was selected by the Country Music Association to represent it in showcase situations at the Waldorf in New York, The Monteleone in New Orleans, The Edgewater Beach and the Conrad Hilton in Chicago, The Ambassador in Los Angeles and numerous Country Music Association functions in Nashville.

Van Dyke is considered by industry moguls and by his peers to be the entertainer who put professionalism in country music. He was the first to blaze a trail and take a staged, produced, choreographed, self-contained country music show to the "Strip" in Las Vegas. He was the first to take country music to Bourbon Street in New Orleans' famed French Quarter. He was the only country music performer ever to open a show for Marilyn Monroe.

Leroy is a 2001 inductee into the North American Country Music Association, International, Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2007, Leroy was the recipient of the Missouri Country Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011, Leroy was inducted into the International Entertainment Buyers Association's Hall of Fame.

Also, in 2008, Leroy was named the Alumnus of the Year by the University of Missouri (Columbia) College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

After more than five decades as an entertainer, Leroy has not missed a performance, and still travels in excess of a hundred thousand miles yearly around the world . . . he performs in all facets of show business, including fairs, festivals, concerts, rodeos, supper clubs, conventions, radio, television, recordings, the Nevada circuit, livestock events, agricultural shows and private functions.

On a personal note, should you ask, Leroy will tell you that there are only four things he ever wanted to do: sing, sell, write, and raise livestock. He is living his dream. His name is a household word in country music circles around the world. He is an auctioneering Hall of Fame member. He was a successful journalist, and is the author of "Auctioneering, Motivation, Success," a work that is rapidly becoming the textbook of the auction profession. His Arabian mules are developing a reputation from New England to California and from Canada to the Deep South.

Narvel Felts

Narvel was born November 11, 1938 in Keiser, Arkansas and raised in Bernie, Missouri. His first guitar, which was held together with wire was aquired by trading his BB-gun for it. Working the cotton fields he saved $15 to purchase his second guitar. He won a talent contest in his high school singing Carl Perkin's "Blue Suede Shoes". A local DJ was present and Narvel shortly thereafter heard his name on the radio as the DJ said, "If Narvel Felts is listening, please contact KDEX immediately.." Narvel ran into the house to tell his daddy and they drove to a phone 8 miles away to call the station where Narvel got his break. Roy Orbison, got Narvel his first recording deal with Sun Records. He's never stopped singing since and in 41 years has only missed four shows; three were due to a case of laryngitis and one for the funeral of his son, Bub. His hits are numerous, his fans are countless, his never ending talent priceless. Above all, Narvel is a man of faith and integrity. The man and his music are alive and well and still going strong. Call your favorite radio stations to request Narvel Felts!!

Darrell McCall

Darrell McCall actually began his recording career as a member of the Little Dippers in 1960. Darrell broke away from the group the following year, and by 1963 his sound had evolved into pure country. He sang both traditional country and honky tonk during the '60s, but eventually became devoted to the dance hall country that has remained popular for decades.

Born in and raised in New Jasper, OH, Darrell began his musical career by landing a slot as a Saturday morning DJ on a local radio station when he was 15 years old. Around the same time, he was playing local dances and events as a musician. Following his high school graduation, he joined the Army, where he was stationed in Kentucky. After his tour of duty was completed, he and his childhood friend Johnny Paychech moved to Nashville in 1958. Darrell and Johnny attempted to record as a duo, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually, Darrell became a studio harmony vocalist, singing on records by Faron Young, George Jones, and Ray Price among others. In a short time, the studio work metamorphosed into road work, as he played bass and sang harmony for several different touring bands, including those of Young, Price, and Hank Williams Jr. During a recording session in 1959, Darrell met Buddy Killen, a famous Nashville producer and publisher. Impressed with Darrell's abilities, Killen asked him to join a group he was assembling called the Little Dippers, which also featured Hurshel Wigintin, Delores Dinning, and Emily Gilmore. Darrell agreed, and the Little Dippers had one major pop hit, the Top Ten single "Forever," in 1960. The following year, he signed a solo contract with Capitol. During 1961, he released two pop singles for the label, "My Kind of Lovin'" and "Call the Zoo".

Darrell returned to country in 1962 and signed a contract with Phillips. In January of 1963, "A Stranger Was Here," his first-and, as it would turn out, his biggest-country hit, appeared. Peaking at number 17 on the charts, the single spent eight weeks on the charts and seemed to be a positive beginning to his country career. He also sang the theme to the Paul Newman film Hud that same year.

In 1965, Darrell appeared in the film Nashville Rebel, and the following year, he was in Road to Nashville and What Am I Bid. He didn't return to recording until 1968, when he joined the roster of the independent label Wayside Records. Over the next two years, he had four hits for the label-"I'd Love to Live With You Again," "Wall of Pictures," "Hurry Up," "The Arms of My Weakness"-and released one album, 1970's Meet Darrell McCall, which was distributed by Mercury. The contract with Wayside expired in 1971, and Darrell didn't immediately sign another recording contract. However, Hank Williams, Jr. took Darrell's "Eleven Roses" (which he co-wrote with Lamar Morris) to number one, which led to Tree International signing him as a professional songwriter.

Darrell reactivated his recording career in 1974, when he signed with Atlantic. His debut single for the label, "There's Still a Lot of Love in San Antone," nearly reached the country Top 50 that year. In 1975, he left Atlantic for Columbia, where he had his greatest period of chart success since the early '60s. His first single for the label was "Pins and Needles (In My Heart)." His second single, "Lily Dale," was a duet with Willie Nelson that cracked the country Top 40. Darrell's new success was partially due to the popularity of outlaw country, and how he neatly fit into its rough and ready musical style. "Lily Dale" was named Best Duet of 1977 by Cash Box magazine, and it was followed by "Dreams of a Dreamer," Darrell's first solo Top 40 hit since 1963. Darrell followed that with his singles "Down the Roads of Daddy's Dreams" and "The Weeds Outlived the Roses."

In 1980, he signed with Hillside Records, where he recorded a duet on "San Antonio Medley" with Curtis Potter. He switched labels to RCA, where he reached the charts with the single "Long Line of Empties." Darrell recorded only sporadically, most notably as the uncredited "friend" on Connie Hanson and Friend's 1982 hit, "There's Still a Lot of Love in San Antone." Two years later, he charted "Memphis in May," which was released on Indigo Records. In 1986, McCall cut two albums: a record with his old backing group the Tennessee Volunteers called Reunion (released on BGM) and Hot Texas Country, a duet record with Johnny Bush.

Darrell signed with Artap Records and released three successful projects in the 1990's. Two singles did well with traditional country music fans including "Set Me Down Where Country Music Plays".

In 2005, he joined Heart of Texas Records. His first full length album in over five years was released to rave reviews. "Old Memories and Wine" was the first time that Darrell was actually allowed to pick all the material and the musicians for an album. Darrell's daughter Guyanne wrote the title track and his son Cody did all the harmony work. Mona McCall, Darrell's wife, contributed two songs to the project "The French Song" and "The Deepening Snow."

"I am so happy being a part of the Heart of Texas Records family," Darrell said. "Justin Trevino is a fine producer and knows how to get the sound that I need and want. I am having so much fun now working the road and getting to see those fans all over the country. This is the only life that I know and I appreciate the opportunity to make a living doing what I love to do." Darrell joined his old friends Curtis Potter and Tony Booth to record the very popular trio project titled "The Survivors" in 2009. The album provided the three the opportunity to record some of their personal favorite classics as well as some new tunes.

Heart of Texas Records then released Darrell's first solo album in over three years with "Keeping With Tradition." The album has received rave reviews from all over the world while continuing to cement Darrell's legacy in Traditional Country Music.

Darrell and Mona own homes in Brady and Fredonia, Texas. He is still in high demand for personal appearances while making his own dreams come true every single day.

Leona Williams

Leona Williams was destined to become a Country Music Entertainer. She landed her first radio show at the age of 15, simply called "Leona Sings" in Jefferson City, Missouri. That journey would take her all over the world and allow her to sing before thousands and thousands of Country Music fans.

Leona moved to Nashville in the late 1960s from a small town in Missouri called Vienna, and was soon recording for Hickory Records with such hits as "Once More" and "Yes Ma'am, He Found Me In A Honky Tonk". Since then, Leona has traveled worldwide and opened shows for some of country music's top entertainers and made numerous personal appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

Leona later teamed up with Merle Haggard for a top ten duet called "The Bull and the Beaver" and a duet album followed called HEART TO HEART. During this time, she would write some of Merle's biggest hits including "You Take Me For Granted" and "Someday When Things Are Good." You can hear her harmony vocals on some of Merle's hits such as "The Way I Am" "The Roots Of My Raising" and "Big City." Leona has also teamed up with other artists on recordings such as Gene Watson's "Cold summer day in Georgia", Vince Gill's "Living the way I do", Jimmy Martin's "If teardrops were pennies", and George Jones' "Best Friends" among others. Leona recently released a "duets" album in 2009 which featured such artists as George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Bush, Frankie Miller, Floyd Tillman, Ferlin Husky and others.

While spending the better part of the last decade headlining some of Branson's most successful shows, Leona continues to wow her fans in concerts across the nation and abroad. She recently returned from her 5th consecutive annual tour, entertaining thousands of country music fans from all over Europe.

Leona has had her songs recorded by some of Country music's most popular artists including George Jones, Moe Bandy, Randy Travis, Hank Thompson, The Forester Sisters, Tammy Wynette, Gene Watson, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Willie Nelson, Connie Smith and many others.

Leona, a Missouri native, was inducted into the Country Music Association of Texas Hall of Fame in 1999. She was also honored with the prestigious George D. Hay Award in 2002 and was also inducted into the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, Leona was with the Entertainer of the Year award by R.O.P.E. (Reunion of Professional Entertainers).

Whether in a recording studio, dance or concert hall or on stage at the Grand Ole' Opry, Leona Williams always gives her very best to her fans and her music. She definitely presents a special class to the world of Country Music.