Irene Beasley

Elizabeth Irene Beasley (January 28, 1904 – January 7, 1980), known as the "long, tall gal from Dixie," was a singer and master of ceremonies best known for her work on old-time radio.

Early years Born Elizabeth Irene Beasley,

Beasley's family moved to Amarillo, Texas, when she was 6 years old, and she attended primary and secondary schools there. She went to Sweet Briar College, in Virginia.

Beasley taught music and mathematics During time off from teaching, "she sold records in a phonograph shop and sang the latest songs in a five-and-ten." Another says that her debut in radio came in 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee, The New Orleans Times-Picyaune on Oct 7, 1928, p 29 quotes her as saying in 1924 she approached radio artist Art Gillham, "The Whispering Pianist" asking him to sing her newly published song "If I Could Just Stop Dreaming." He told her "If you can carry a tune at all, you can do your own advertising and it will be an asset to the song. Just make 'em like it." She said that gave her the courage to sing on radio.In 1924 she sang it on WMC in Memphis, then Chicago stations. She became billed as a blues singer "the long tall gal from Dixie." She made records for Victor. By 1931 she had become "staff artist" at KMOX in St. Louis, Missouri.

In the early 1930s, she "costarred with Ted Husing every Thursday over CBS." She also had her own 15-minute program three nights a week on CBS. On July 15, 1934, she launched her own program on NBC. In 1935, she sang on the Monday and Friday editions of a program headlined by organist Jesse Crawford.

In 1938, she developed R.F.D. #1, Beasley was the writer, director, and sole actor for the program, which debuted July 4, 1938.

In the early 1940s, Beasley starred in Neighbors, a daytime program on the "Dixie Loop of CBS." She was also the writer, producer, and host of Grand Slam, a musical quiz program that was broadcast 1943-1953.

A national magazine named Beasley "Queen Of Radio" in 1934. Later, she "performed in nightclubs and vaudeville houses throughout the country and starred in the musical comedy Thumbs Up."