WBT Briarhoppers' Great Sponsors!

Out of the "WBT Briarhopper Museum," here are the vaulted products advertised by Charles Crutchfield and the B'Hoppers! Back row, left to right: "old" Kolor-Back concoction; Peruna; "new" Kolor-Bak concoction. Front row, left to right: Zymole Trokeys; two bottles of Radio Girl Perfume; another Zymole Trokeys box (both full of old Zymole Trokeys which taste nasty now.

All were products of the Royal Consolidated Drug Trade Company out of Chicago. The company's goal was to purchase other companies going out of business and sell their products. Unfortunately, Royal Consolidated Drug Trade Company went out of business in 1950, eventually causing the end of the BHopper radio show in 1951...but not the end of the BHoppers!
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The Legendary Briarhoppers!

In 1934, a potential advertiser called WBT's Charles Crutchfield to ask if the station had a hillbilly band to help advertise its products. Telling a fib, Crutch said "Yes," which led to the birth of the Briarhoppers. The name comes from WBT announcer Bill Bivens who, during a hunting trip with Crutch, was startled by a rabbit jumping out of a thicket, and Bill yelled, "Look at that briarhopper!" At that moment, Crutch found the name for his hillbilly band.

The original band members were Johnny McAllister, Big Bill Davis, Don White, Thorpe Westerfield, Clarence Etters, and Jane Bartlett. The last original 1934 Briarhopper, Don White, died in 2003. Billie Burton Daniel, who joined the group in 1936, is happy and well in Wilmington, NC. Since that time, The Briarhoppers' fans are/were Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs (who filled in on banjo a few times), Curly Seckler, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and many other entertainment stars.

In keeping with the tradition, the band kept going through the years by adding new musicians to those who left the station or who died. Today, Alana Flowers and Tom Warlick head the band with their stage show including the old Briarhopper songs, new songs, and the original scripted commercials of Peruna, Kolor-Bak, Zymole Trokeys, and Radio Girl Perfume! Enjoy this site and learn about the Briarhoppers' storied past and the bright future that is ahead. Don't turn that dial...Hit's Briarhopper Time!