Joey Kent grew up backstage at The Louisiana Hayride—just not the version of the Hayride that you may be thinking of. His father, Shreveport media executive David Kent, launched a second installment of the Hayride after the original iteration of KWKH’s influential barn dance program fell silent in 1960. David Kent’s Louisiana Hayride, produced in partnership with emcee and radio personality Frank Page, moved the show from Shreveport Municipal Auditorium to a more modern venue on Benton Road and added an onsite restaurant and bar.
Joey Kent often corrects those who insist that the Hayride ended in 1960.
“There were so many talented musicians on my father’s show,” Kent said. “Most Hayride history books tend to end in 1960, but that doesn’t really do service to performers like (Nat Stuckey, Shoji Tabuchi, Micki Fuhrman, Linda Davis, and others).”
“KWKH created the show as a filler for advertising; that was their only objective. They never had any delusions of grandeur.”
-JOEY KENT
Kent authored Cradle of the Stars: KWKH & The Louisiana Hayride and co-authored Elvis Presley: The Hayride Years, 1954-56. He is also responsible for donating a large archive of recordings and materials related to The Louisiana Hayride to the Library of Congress. But perhaps his most unbelievable contribution to the story of The Louisiana Hayride came about completely by accident.
While clearing out an office at KWKH, Kent says that he happened upon a reel-to-reel recording wedged between a desk and a wall. That reel-to-reel turned out to contain a previously unknown recording of Elvis Presley’s Hayride debut on Oct. 16, 1954. Kent tells the jaw-dropping story of that discovery, along with many others, during his insightful conversation with All Y’all hosts Sara Hebert and Chris Jay.
Be sure to check out previous episodes in this series, including interviews with Hayride scholar Dr. Tracey Laird and retired newspaper publisher Robert Gentry. This series was produced by All Y’all in partnership with Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
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