ozarkers

OZARKS ORIGINALS

May Kennedy McCord was a ballad singer, speaker, writer and radio personality who did much to preserve the heritage of the Ozarks. Her show "Hillbilly Heartbeats" on KWTO made her known to thousands of people.

Mrs. Emma Bissett, a member of the Board of Education from 1924-30, was a regular visitor to the elementary school named for her.

Springfield school children knew Johnnie Mullins as the friendly custodian at their school. But he was more. He was a nationally known writer of songs.

People all over the country recognized Shad Heller as the blacksmith and mayor at Silver Dollar City. Others would know him from the Shepherd of the Hills play. His appearances on The Beverly Hillbillys introduced the Ozarks to people all over the country.

Buck Nelson held a strange place in the history of the area. Buck, who claimed to have been taken on a ride by people from outer space, held a Spacecraft Convention each year at his farm near Mountain View. It was well attended by those from around the country claimed to have had a similar experience. Read more here.

In the 1960s, if you drove from Shepherd of the Hills to Silver Dollar City you passed Wash Gibbs Museum presided over by Chick Allen. He was a member of the Baldknobbers Band, (center above) the first permanent country music group in Branson. His instrument: the jawbone of an ass.

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