THE HOOSIER SODBUSTERS Howard Black- Reggie Cross-Rusty Gill Eight years ago, Howard Black went accepted. Christened the "Hoosier Sod - Reggie Cross, a true harmonica vir- to town, literally. He needed some busters," this new duo made their tuoso, has one of the largest collections chicken wire for his farm; so he went radio debut playing the same number of mouth harps in the world. His 500 to the general store to get it. As he that had brought them together, "St. instruments are valued at over $1000, waited for the salesman to measure Louis Blues." vary in price from 50c to $300 and in off the wire, Howard wandered about size from one inch to over four feet. the store. Another young man wan- Today, the Hoosier Sodbusters, as a The giant $300 harmonica is four feet dered in to buy a harmonica. He looked trio, is one of the favorite acts on nine inches long and about four inches over the store's somewhat limited as- WLS and appear regularly on the WLS wide. When using it, both Howard and sortment and finally selected one for Barn Dance. The Sodbusters have had Reggie play on the same instrument. a tryout. He swung into "St. Louis several lucky third members of their It weighs over 16 pounds, and takes Blues." trio, with the third moving on up the both them A third young man was fooling of to handle it. around inexpertly with a guitar and ladder of success as a soloist. tried to accompany the harmonica. It was built by Reggie's uncle and is reported to be the largest in the Howard Black walked over and said: The present third part of the act, Reggie his harmonica "Let me try that guitar." Howard's Rusty Gill, has already found great fav- world. and were in Robert guitar and the stranger's harmonica or with the WLS audience as a soloist, once featured one of "Be- sounded fine together, and they fin- singing and playing hundreds of Amer- lieve It or Not" Ripley's cartoons. ican ballads. He also sings in a second ished the selection before introducing The Hoosier Sodbusters were the trio, with the DeZurik Sisters, on many themselves to each other. first television entertainers in Chicago. WLS and National Barn Dance pro- When the Zenith Radio and Television The harmonica customer was Reggie grams. Rusty isi just 20 years old, a Corporation staged their first experi- Cross. The pair grew to be good friends native of St. Louis. However, he moved mental television broadcasts in Chica- and spent several months prac- to Illinois when he was only four, and go last winter, it was the Sodbusters ticing up a repertoire of guitar and has lived at Marion and Bellwood ever who appeared before the iconoscope harmonica duets. Finally they ap- since. He has memorized about 200 cameras. Only a few weeks later, they proached the program d rector of WLS, songs and was written a few of quite were upon Chicago, for an audition. He listened, as them himself, including his theme called to perform before the cameras of the traveling Philco tele- he had to hundreds of other such acts. song, "Moonlight in the hills Old of vision uuit when it stopped in Chicago. "Not bad," he suggested. "But WLS Kentucky." Rusty accompanies himself can't use you; you need more practice." on the guitar, which he also plays with Since then. the Hoosier Sodbusters the Sodbusters act. Black plays the have made many television appear- So Howard Black and Reggie Cross guitar, also the harmonica, sometimes ances, doing dozens of shows daily at returned home and practiced hours playing both at the same time by using the Illinois and Indiana State Fairs, more. A month later they again audi- an ingenious harness about his neck where WLS demonstrated television tioned at WLS and were immediately to hold the harmonica up to his mouth. for Midwestern fair goers. RADIO VARIETIES - NOVEMBER Page 13 .