Debra Dylan: A Thumpin' Good Tribute to Cas Walker
Orton Caswell “Cas” Walker (1903-1998) was a controversial politician, business and entertainment figure in East Tennessee. Well known in these parts for launching the career of Dolly Parton, he also featured Bill Monroe, the Osborne Brothers, Chet Atkins, the Everly Brothers, and hundreds of other musicians on his “Farm and Home Hour” televised musical variety show.
In Carroll Van West’s obituary of Walker, she says that Cas “glorified in his image as a hick, redneck, or just plain idiot.” Sure, he engaged in a public fist-fight with a fellow Knoxville City Councilman, he tried to close the Highland Center when it was located in Knoxville, and his “thumpin’ good” watermelon commercials for his chain of grocery stores might be considered racist, but this scrappy laborer turned flamboyant politician (Knoxville City Council, 1941, 1947; Knoxville Mayor, 1946), successful grocer, and radio, television and newspaper man (“Watchdog”), is “finally getting his due” this Friday at the East Tennessee Historical Society.
According to the East Tennessee Historical Society, “recently discovered film clips and rare video from Walker’s long-unavailable local television program give testimony as to why his legacy endures almost a decade after his death.” Also featured will be “vintage commercials and musical guest spots.”
Prior to attending this special event, you might want to mosey over to the Knoxville Visitor’s Center gift shop, on the corner of Gay Street and Summit Hill, to purchase a Cas Walker t-shirt, or to spend time touring the “Living On: Portraits of Tennessee Survivors & Liberators” exhibit, as well as the permanent historic Knoxville exhibit at the East Tennessee Historical Society.
This just in: Due to limited seating, the venue is requesting that reservations be made by calling (865) 215-8824. Reserved seats will be held until 5 minutes before the program begins.
Comments
I remember working for Cas Walker in 1955 and 1956. I made $5.00 a day, in those days...took a KTL bus home with $1.00 worth of chicken gizzards, and listened to blues music from WLAC in Nashville Tennesse and ate gizzrds and gravey...What a guy Cas was. Used to work at Main Street Store and feed his coons in the basement.
Posted by: Frank Black | November 25, 2006 08:16 AM
Bought a brindle pup from Cas in 1973. It became the best hunting dog that I have ever owned.
Louis Strickland in Oklahoma City, Ok
Posted by: louis strickland | January 24, 2007 05:18 PM
Our family lived in Alcoa between 1955-1964. I am 54 now. I'd sit there in front of the black and white TV, mesmerised by the entertainment which Cas provided to the TV world of east Tennessee. There were only two channels available to us then. I learned to love 'banjo' and bluegrass music from seeing regular ' live' brodcasts on the Cas Walker show. We loved his personality, as embarrassing as it sometimes was. To me, Cas Walker was 'East Tennessee'... or to put in modern terms, he 'ruled' . I'll never forget his promotion of 'live music' , and 'live' musicians. Without a doubt, this man changed my life by promoting and sponsoring free, live music shows. He is a legend.
Dan McElroy
Ashland, Nebraska
Posted by: Dan McElroy | March 30, 2007 10:03 AM