Eddie Wallace papers

Eddie Wallace, who was born in Atlanta on February 2, 1924, was a founding member of "The Sunshine Boys," a male vocal quartet specializing in spiritual music. The group was organized in 1943, and was originally comprised of Eddie Wallace, piano and accordion; M.H. "Ace" Richman, bass fiddle; A.L "Smitty" Smith, guitar; and J.O. "Tennessee" Smith, fiddle. Initially the group worked the WSB Radio "Barn Dance" at the Erlanger Theatre in Atlanta. In 1944 the group made the move to WAGA radio in Atlanta, where it transcribed two network shows, "The Sunshine Boys" for Colonial Stores and "The Light Crust Doughboys" for Burris Mill and Elevator Company.

In 1946 the Sunshine Boys went to Hollywood, California where they were signed to do a series of ten movies with Eddie Dean and Lash LaRue; they moved the next year to Columbia Studios to complete several more movies. After moving back to Atlanta and WSB Radio in 1948, they became involved with the introduction of television in the city, while continuing to work on movies for Columbia. In 1949 the group signed contracts with Decca records and Langworth Transcription Agency (Langworth was located in New York). In the course of the next ten years they recorded 860 songs for Langworth and had daily radio shows on over 600 radio stations throughout the world.

The group worked during the 1950s for General Foods, advertising Minute Rice, and the WWVA Jamboree USA from Wheeling, West Virginia; they also transferred to Dot records. Beginning in 1960 they began working the Nevada club circuit, and transferred to Starday records where they remained until the group semi-retired in 1968.

Further background information on the Sunshine Boys may be found in the "Historical Sketch" filed in the collection.