From the S&S archives: Carter Family swinging on GI club scene

FRANKFURT — The Carter Family, singers of country music, tellers of homespun humor and performers of Western style dances, have begun a two-week tour of European bases.

"We can mark up two firsts on this trip," remarked June Carter, comedienne of the family. "It's the first time the Carter Family will perform in Europe and it's the first time we've been booked and then auditioned. Even if the censors hadn't approved we would still get paid."

Mother Maybelle, Anita, Helen and June sang "Worried Man Blues," "Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" and two other  snappy tunes for the screening board but were at a loss as to what else they could do to win the censors' approval. Mrs. Carter said, "It would take days for us to go through our repertoire, besides we fit our show to suit the crowd."

June did expose her ruffled pantaloons for what she called the "eagle eyes." "This is the most risque act I do and have done it for years, even on TV with the 'Grand Ole Opry' program."

She also recited a bit of her most off-color verse that passed the censors:

I went out to milk the old cow one day,

With my stool and bucket, and fork full of hay;

I flung down my bucket, and I flopped on my stool

I said be still bossy, you stubborn old fool;

Be still now bossy, quit jumping around,

I've been out all night, just a slipping around,

She looked. sympathetic with her eyes big and brown,

And said, "Just hang on, and I'll jump up and down.

The original Carter Family was a pioneer group in the world of folk music. Maybelle was a member when they recorded "Wabash Cannon Ball" back in 1927. She still plays the same auto harp used in making the first disc.

Today's Carter Family, Maybelle and her three daughters, first appeared in 1943 and have remained popular in the country and Western song field since. Besides their fame as a group, each of the girls individually has made a name in show business.

"The only reason Dad isn't with us is that he can't carry a tune," Helen said.

Anita, the youngest of the group, hit the top ten with a recording of "Blue Doll." Jerry Haymes of AFN said, "I've had requests to play Anita's recordings from many European countries including Yugoslavia." Along with her singing she accompanies the group with the bass fiddle.

Helen is the song writer. She has penned such numbers as "Poor Old Heartsick Me," "You're Right" and "Loving You." She is the group's accordion player.

June has appeared on several nationwide TV shows. Besides singing, telling jokes and dancing, she plays the auto harp and banjo.

The family will appear at Laon, France, EM and NCO clubs Nov. 10; in Stuttgart, Germany, on Nov. 11 at the Patch and Robinson EM and Patch NCO clubs; at Hanau, Germany, NCO and Fulda EM and NCO clubs Nov. 12; Orly, France, NCO club Nov. 13; Dreux, France, NCO club Nov. 15; and Bamberg, Germany, EM and NCO clubs Nov. 18.

They have already performed at clubs in Baumholder, Zweibruecken, Kaiserslautern, Aschaffenburg, Rhine Main and Wiesbaden in Germany.