Ernest and Clarence Iverson facts for kids
Ernest and Clarence Iverson were popular radio stars in the Twin Cities area. They were famous during the 1930s and 1940s. Ernest (1903–1958) was known as Slim Jim. His brother Clarence (1905-1990) was called the Vagabond Kid. They played many types of music. This included country western, old pop songs, gospel hymns, and Scandinavian folk songs.
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Who Were Slim Jim and the Vagabond Kid?
The Iverson brothers grew up near Binford, North Dakota. They came from a large Norwegian-American family. Their mother passed away in 1910. Their father then hired a housekeeper named Molly Rood. She taught the boys how to play the guitar. She also taught them many Norwegian songs.
Ernest Iverson left the Midwest when he was young. He got hurt working in Texas oil fields. This made heavy work impossible. So, he started working in radio. He became a radio singer in Wichita Falls and Omaha. Then he moved north to a radio station in Minneapolis.
By the early 1930s, Ernest and Clarence worked together. They formed their famous act, Slim Jim and the Vagabond Kid. In the 1930s and 1940s, they were very popular. They had a daily radio show. They also performed live with their own band. Their radio shows often ended with inspiring words. They would also sing a song of faith. Listeners might hear songs like It Is No Secret or The Old Rugged Cross.
One of Slim Jim's main sponsors was the Town Market Furniture Company. This company served working-class people. This fit well with Slim Jim's down-to-earth style. Some of his other sponsors were less good. Hamlin's Wizard Oil was a "patent medicine" company. It claimed to "Cure all pain in man or beast." Crazy Water Crystals was just an expensive laxative.
What Happened in Their Later Years?
The Iverson brothers were a big part of Twin Cities radio. This lasted until Clarence joined the army in 1943. He fought in France. After the war, he worked with Ernest again. But in 1948, Clarence left show business. He and his wife, Frances, ran a plant nursery in Blaine, Minnesota. In 1970, they moved back to their hometown of Binford, North Dakota.
Slim Jim continued performing alone in the 1950s. He had a daily radio show. He also hosted a TV show called "Slim Jim’s Westerners." Many people wanted him to perform live. He also made several records. His death in 1958 saddened thousands of fans. He was buried in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota. His wife, DeLoris, lived fifty years longer and never remarried.
Ernest Iverson was honored in 2003. He was added to the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame.
What Songs Did They Record?
In the 1940s and 1950s, Slim Jim and the Vagabond Kid released about thirty songs. Most were for FM Recording Co. They also recorded for the Soma and Twinco labels. One popular song was The Drifting, Whistling Snow. This was a fun version of a 1955 country hit.
After Slim Jim died in 1958, Soma Records released an album. It had Slim Jim's solo songs and songs he did with Clarence. The album included funny dialect songs. It also had a sad song called Jeg Er En Fattig Liten Dreng (I Am A Poor Little Boy). The song Nikolina was on it in both Norwegian and English. A gospel hymn, A Beautiful Life, was also included. This album was sold in Midwestern stores until the late 1970s.
In 1980, Howard Pine released an album. He had worked on Slim Jim's radio show. This album had recordings from Slim Jim's live radio performances. Pine released more albums later. In 2006, he released a CD called "Rocking Chair Radio." It had twelve more songs from the early 1950s. These were taken from special records made by Slim Jim's sound engineer. In 1980, Clarence Iverson came out of retirement. He recorded an album called "The Vagabond Kid sings Great Grand Dad." Howard Pine produced it.
What Kind of Music Did They Play?
The Iversons were important figures. They helped connect Scandinavian immigrants with their American-born children. Their 1939 songbook was mostly in English. But it had some Norwegian songs. These included Kom Til Den Hvitmalte Kirke (The Church In The Wildwood). It also had Det Døende Barn (The Dying Child), written by Hans Christian Andersen.
Slim Jim and the Kid wrote their own songs. Some titles were My Gal With The Pretty Red Hair and Can I Play My Guitar In Heaven. Their 1937 collection of cowboy and mountain songs had only a few original songs. It mostly had old favorites. These included Silver Threads Among the Gold and The Yellow Rose Of Texas. On the radio, the Iversons would even sing popular hits. Examples are When It's Lamp Lighting Time In The Valley and Mockin' Bird Hill. A show might also feature Play a Simple Melody by Irving Berlin.
Slim Jim supported working people. His first songbook had a song called The Popular Wobbly. This was an adapted version by T-Bone Slim. T-Bone Slim was a Finnish-American labor activist. The Popular Wobbly was a funny version of a 1917 song. The book also had songs recorded by country music pioneer Carson Robison.
The Iverson Brothers published songbooks in 1931, 1937, and 1939. All three are kept at the Minnesota Historical Society.
Ernest and Clarence honored their Norwegian background. They sang songs like Ungdoms Mynder (Memories Of Youth). They also sang Jeg Er Saa Glad Hver Julekveld (I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve). But they could also make fun of themselves and their heritage. They did this with songs like Scandinavian Hot Shot or John Johnson’s Wedding.
The Iversons were also inspired by older artists. Nikolina was a huge hit for Swedish immigrant singer Hjalmar Peterson. Slim Jim and the Kid recorded the song in English. Their version is still popular with Scandinavian-Americans today.
What Was The Snoose Boulevard Festival?
The Snoose Boulevard Festival took place in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis. It ran from 1972 to 1977. In the late 1800s, Cedar Avenue was called "Snoose Boulevard." This nickname was common for main streets in Scandinavian communities. It came from people's love for snus (snuff). This was a cheap form of tobacco. The festival celebrated the area's Scandinavian past. It featured music, food, and art from the immigrants who lived there. It also highlighted the careers of famous artists. These included Olle i Skratthult (Hjalmar Peterson) and Slim Jim and the Vagabond Kid. The Olson Sisters were also featured.
The main performer was Anne-Charlotte Harvey, a Swedish-born singer. For the festival, she recorded three albums. These had folk tunes, immigrant ballads, hymns, and comic songs. The Olle i Skratthult Project helped organize the festival and recordings. Harvey's albums included six songs from the Iverson Brothers.
Images for kids
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Hans Christian Andersen in 1836
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Hamlin's Wizard Oil in 1890
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They Go Wild Simply Wild Over Me 1917
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Zenith Radio in 1937
