Louise Massey

Louise Massey (born Victoria Louise Massey; 10 August 1902 – 20 June 1983, in San Angelo, Texas), American singer and songwriter born in Midland, Texas. The Massey family left Texas while Louise Massey was very young and she grew up near Roswell in Lincoln County, New Mexico. In 1918, Louise's father, Henry Massey, started a band that featured himself and three of his eight children singing and playing musical instruments. Most of the children were able to play several instruments while dressed in “elaborate cowboy outfits as their stage attire,” Louise played piano and sang. The Massey’s music career began in 1920s, when they played and sang at local shows and church socials. At the age of 15, Louise married Milton Mabie, who also joined the group.

In 1930, the quintet known as "the Westerners" included Louise, Curt and Allen Massey, Milton Mabie, and Larry Wellington, who had replaced Henry Massey. Louise, with her flamboyant Spanish-style costumes, became the focal point of the act and received lead billing. The Westerners' first radio performance was on KMBC in Kansas City. They moved to WLS Radio in Chicago in 1933. In 1934, the song "When the White Azaleas Start Blooming" was released by the band and sold three million copies. In 1936, they moved to New York where they continued their radio work on NBC. In 1938, Louise Massey and the Westerners appeared in the Tex Ritter movie Where the Buffalo Roam. The group returned to WLS Radio in 1939 and did a morning broadcast on NBC called "Reveille Roundup."

In the early 1940s, the Westerners were "well known for numerous radio appearances" and were appearing on Plantation Party broadcasts three nights a week. Louise Massey recorded for several record labels including Vocalion Records, OKeh Records, and Conqueror Records.

Massey's house in Roswell is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 10, 1902 (Midland), Died June 20, 1983 (San Angelo)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, vocalist, harmony vocal, songwriter, guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7VB-0036 10-in. 1/7/1947 My adobe hacienda Pecos River Rogues ; Billy Williams [1913-2001] Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0740 10-in. 5/18/1947 My adobe hacienda Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers Male vocal duet, with string band songwriter  
Columbia C811 10-in. 11/8/1934 Honeysuckle schottische Westerners String band leader  
Columbia C842 10-in. 11/14/1934 Varsovienna Westerners String band leader  
Columbia WC2757 10-in. 9/25/1939 South of the border (down Mexico way) Louise Massey ; Westerners (Massey Family) String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia WC2758 10-in. 9/25/1939 A gay ranchero (las altenitas) Louise Massey ; Westerners (Massey Family) String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia WC2760 10-in. 9/25/1939 Bunkhouse jamboree Louise Massey ; Westerners (Massey Family) String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia WC2951 10-in. 2/22/1940 Rock and rye polka Louise Massey ; Westerners String band leader, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia WC2952 10-in. 2/22/1940 Little brown jug Louise Massey ; Westerners String band leader  
Columbia WC2953 10-in. 2/22/1940 Put your little foot right out Louise Massey ; Westerners String band, with mixed vocal trio leader, vocalist  
Columbia WC2954 10-in. 2/22/1940 Ye olde rye waltz Louise Massey ; Westerners String band leader, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia C3415 10-in. 10/11/1940 Beer and skittles Louise Massey ; Westerners (Massey Family) String band leader  
Columbia C3423 10-in. 10/12/1940 Tears on my pillow Louise Massey ; Westerners String band, with female vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia C3426 10-in. 10/12/1940 Mistakes Louise Massey ; Westerners String band, with female vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia C3579 10-in. 1/27/1941 My adobe hacienda Louise Massey ; Westerners String band, with female vocal solo vocalist, songwriter  
Columbia C3822 10-in. 5/29/1941 Mama Inez (Oh! Mom-e-nez) Louise Massey ; Westerners (Massey Family) String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia C4147 10-in. 1/22/1942 There'll come a day Louise Massey ; Westerners String band, with female vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia C4168 10-in. 1/26/1942 Squeeze box polka Westerners (Massey Family) String band leader  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Massey, Louise," accessed May 9, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/359237.

Massey, Louise. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 9, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/359237.

"Massey, Louise." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/359237

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