2019.09.26 Throw Back Thursday
THROW BACK THURSDAY - BETTY FOWLER plus Class News
The word “Entertainer” seemed to have been invented for Betty Fowler.
Remember BETTY'S LITTLE RASCALS??????????????
LR Women Making History – Betty Fowler
Posted on March 24, 2018
photo courtesy of the Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation
Arkansas entertainer icon Betty Fowler died Saturday, April 15, 2017.
The information below is adapted from her obituary.
Betty was born on September 17, 1925 in Wynne, Arkansas to the late Harry Willis Hunter and Elizabeth Sands Hunter. Her love for music began at age 9, when she started taking piano lessons. Betty began her illustrious career at age 18 after winning a talent contest, which gave her the push she needed to pursue her life’s passion. Betty graduated from Little Rock Jr. College in 1944. She spent most of her life in Little Rock as a popular musician and television entertainer.
Betty began her musical career on a statewide radio show. She moved on to become a television performer in the early 1950’s in Little Rock with what is now known as Channel 7. She was best known for her children’s TV show, “Betty’s Little Rascals”, which began in 1955.
She went on to co-host the “Little Rock Today Show” on Channel 4 with Bud Campbell, where she did live commercials, played the piano and interviewed celebrities who came to town, such as Liberace, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Red Buttons and Robert Goulet.
Through the years, Betty maintained a vigorous schedule with her band, “The Betty Fowler Four”, which produced a record album of her music. She was also musical director for The Miss Arkansas Pageant (1960-84), Musical Director for Broadway musicals produced by the Community Theater, Musical Director for the Farkleberry Follies and The Gridiron.
For many years, Betty taught piano and had a recording studio in her home, where she gave voice coaching lessons and made accompany tapes for many aspiring performers.
Betty Fowler will forever be remembered and treasured for her lifetime love and devotion to the world of music, both in performing and in the teaching of music to others.
CLASS NEWS
Personal Note: Betty and her husband Bill and son "Little Bill" were family friends of ours. I spent many hours with Betty from the time that she first started "dressing up" to play for different functions and then started on TV. She was a wonderful, wonderful person who lived through many tragedies in her life, mainly losing her only son to suicide. Little Bill's death really took a toll on Betty, but although she "lost" a couple of years right after his death, finally she bounced back and was the vivacious, "give you the shirt off her back" Betty we all knew. Betty was the first person I called when I returned to Little Rock and got to spend some precious years with her. I still miss her!
Again another GOOD week. I didn't hear from anyone that they were "ailing"!!! I certainly wasn't. Let me first say a very HEART FELT THANK YOU to all of you who sent me such sweet birthday wishes. All the cards were wonderful! I especially want to thank Mary Jo Bryant who MAKES HER OWN CARDS!! And you just wouldn't believe how beautiful they are. She sent one to Igor a long time ago - with a Tiger on the front - and it still sits on our mantle.
Today is actually Julie Anne Hamilton's birthday, but she's not on FB. I bet Jane Brockman is calling her to wish her a happy birthday!
Iris Johnson did make it to Little Rock and a bunch of us got together last Saturday for lunch. Iris never changes! I don't know what her secret is, but I sure would like a little of it. She and her husband, Terry, are still traveling all around in their RV. She says they have "downsized" and now have a 30-foot RV instead of the beautiful monster they had.
I just emailed and talked with two of my "buds" that we don't see often in Little Rock and happily found that they are both doing well. Linda McGrew (well, she says she's slowed down a little, but still going) and DiAnn Powers. We all should make a "Resolution" to contact one Classmate a month that we haven't heard from in a long time. It's amazing. When talking to old friends it's just like you saw them yesterday.
One bit of sad news, I'm sure a lot of you remember Nedra Dodds ('55). Nedra lives in Memphis. She tragically and very unexpectedly lost her 26-year-old grandson last week. He was a perfectly healthy young man. They are performing an autopsy to try and figure out what in the world happened. Any of you who knew Nedra can only imagine had close she was to her grandson. My heart goes out to her.
It's almost October, so here's the first half of the month birthdays:
2 Carrol Forbush (I have no idea why this is double-spacing? Does anyone else know?)
4 Ed Stebbins
5 Nancy Newsom
6 Curtis Cook
7 Ray Alexander and Judy Stout
8 John Len Burnett
9 DiAnn Powers (Oops! I'll have to call her again!)
10 Paul Brower and Joe Crow
11 Bill Heath
12 Gwen Oakes
13 Sandra Snow
ML