Offered is not just a piece of Elvis Presley history, or even rock and roll history, but a piece of American popular music history. This RCA Model 44B microphone was used at the legendary radio station KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana from 1942-1962 and during some performances of their signature live performance syndicated radio show, The Louisiana Hayride, that was broadcast from Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium. This was the radio station's primary studio microphone and was used by performers for their radio programs.
The microphone was also sometimes used during The Louisiana Hayride live shows, which ran from 1948 until 1960. The list of performers that graced that stage, and performed in the KWKH studio, is highlighted by some of the most seminal figures in country music and rock and roll. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Patsy Cline lead the ridiculous list. Others include Jimmy Davis, Patsy Montana, Harmie Smith, Red Sovine, Kitty Wells, Johnnie and Jack, Webb Pierce, Slim Whitman, Johnny Horton, Bob Shelton, Marty Robbins, Flatt and Scrugs, Grandpa Jones, Minnie Pearl, Roy Clark, Archie Campbell and countless others. In several newspapers ads from the 1940s and 1950s (shown here and at left, a microphone of this exact model can be seen with several stars including Hank Williams--it is unlikely the station had two such microphones adorned with the cast iron "KWKH" call letter topper. Several different microphones were employed on the live stage during the Hayride's run, with upgrades made throughout the 40s and 50s to benefit from the improvements in technology.
Incredibly, this microphone was used by Hank Williams to record the final song of his career, "The Long Train" on December 3, 1952. Slim Whitman recorded several of his early hits including "Indian Love Call" on the mic, and Jim Reeves recorded, "Bimbo", "Mexican Joe" and many of his early hits on the mix as well. Many artists including Johnny Horton, David Houston and Kitty Wells recorded after hours on the 44B, and it is said (apocryphal story alert!) that Elvis cut a demo one night, took it home to listen to and the record was never seen again!
The offered microphone was owned by the station until 1962 when it was sold to Dobber Johnson, a KWKH staff musician. Dobber had a minor music career of his own as head of "Dobber Johnson and The Sons of Dixie." Dobber Johnson kept the microphone for more than 30 years before selling it to noted Elvis Presley collector/dealer Chris Davidson. Davidson's letter accompanies. Associated with some of the most influential musicians of both country and western and rock and roll, this vintage studio microphone played an integral part in shaping over 20 years of American music history and is worth of inclusion in the finest collection of American Music artifacts. The microphone stands 14 inches high and weighs in at over 6 1/2 pounds. It exhibits many signs of heavy use in the studio and on the stage, with many dents in the metal screening covering the top of mic. Excellent condition.