Below: The "WLS National Barn Dance" cast on the stage of Chicago's Eighth Street Theater. Given the resolution of the photo, it's difficult to identify the individual performers. But I believe "Captain Stubby" Fouts is eighth from the right. Eighth and ninth from the left (wearing business suits) are Homer and Jethro. Johnny Frigo is almost dead-center with his fiddle at his chin. And towering over everybody in the back is "Cousin Tilford".

• Bob Atcher. He sang and presided over the last days of the WLS National Barn dance before he served as Mayor of Schaumburg, Illinois.
• Lulu Belle and Scotty. Among the most durable of the WLS personalities (Lulu Belle also had a career in politics when ABC pulled the plug on the WLS country folk). Alas, they and their kids (whom you will see on this page) are all deceased.
• Homer and Jethro. Masters of parody (and Jethro was a master of the mandolin).
• Donald "Red" Blanchard. He was actually sort of funny.
• Dolph Hewitt. An easterner who sang western.
• Arkie. Outlasted just about everybody at the Prairie Farmer station.
• Pruth McFarlin. An African American who sang songs of faith.
• The Chore Boys. This versatile backup group featured the legendary Johnny Frigo on fiddle.
• The Rangers of the Air. They provided accompaniment for week-day programs on the Prairie Farmer station.
• Billy Lee Holmes and Don Stevens. You heard them on the "Barn Dance Preview".
• Skeeter Bonn. He picks, sings and aspires to be a recording star.
• Woody Mercer. An Arizona cowpuncher who found that radio was his true calling.
• Phyllis Brown. From Chicago's Southwest Side, she was noted for her diction.
• School Time. Back in a time when radio had an educational component.
• Jack Holden. The "Dean" of WLS staff announcers.
• The WLS News Department. It was more than "rip and read".
• The WLS Weather Department. The farmers of Mid-America depended on these gentlemen.
• Martha Crane. Survived more than three decades at WLS.
• The WLS Orchestra. Live from studio A.
• The WLS engineers. Busy at work in the 1230 West Washington studios and at the transmitter site near Tinley Park.
• Turntable Operator Max Thompson. If you wanted to spin records at WLS, you needed a musician's union card.
• WLS Alumni. Honored for their WLS roots are Pat Buttram, George Gobel, Rex Allen and Smiley Burnette.