Lunch with Rick Feinblatt and Trip Savery!

Left to Right:
Curly Briarhopper; Tony Savery; Rick Feinblatt; Fiddlin' Dwight Briarhopper, Sunshine Briarhopper


WBT Briarhoppers Dwight Moody, Alana Flowers, and Tom Warlick met with WBT's new GM, Rick Feinblatt and Sales Director Trip Savery for lunch near the station.  We had a great time talking about the Briarhoppers' past, present, and future.  In the 1930s through the 1950s, the Briarhoppers and WBT were linked at the hip, serving and entertaining the community and state.  We hope to do the same in the future.  Thanks to Rick and Trip for a great lunch!
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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!