Classic Tracks: The Auctioneer (Leroy Van Dyke) Not Original Version

Single: The Auctioneer, Dot Records (1957)
Words and Music by Leroy Van Dyke and Buddy Black
Arranged by Kirby Shaw
Recorded: 1956, Dot Records. Chicago Universal Studios

Leroy Van Dyke, a real-life auctioneer, wrote and recorded The Auctioneer and in so doing scored a major hit on the country chart. The arrangement is deceptively simple, consisting only of Leroy on voice and acoustic guitar and a session player on electric guitar. Leroy recorded the song in 1957 for Dot Records. It was his debut single, which went to No. 9 and was his third biggest chart song. The flip side of the single, I Fell in Love with a Pony Tail, found Van Dyke balancing between country and teen-oriented music. His complete Dot recordings (1956-1958), included the aforementioned and fourteen teen-oriented songs.

Born (b. 10/4/1929) in Mora, Missouri, Van Dyke originally wanted to be a farmer. He earned a degree in agriculture and journalism at the University of Missouri, where he first began playing guitar. His uncle had been an auctioneer and Leroy himself studied livestock auctioneering and worked as an auctioneer for a time. In 1951, he was deployed to Korea where he served as a in the Army Counter-Intelligence Corps. During his military stint, Leroy began performing for his peers and wrote The Auctioneer.

In 1956, Leroy entered a talent contest on WGN Chicago radio, performing The Auctioneer. DJ Buddy Black signed up as Van Dyke's manager and slipped in a document giving himself co-writing credits and half the royalties for the song. During a radio interview with Paul Edward Joyce, Leroy said Black pocketed at least $500,000 from that bogus document. Released as a single on the Dot label, the song hit the pop charts in September 1956 and entered the country charts in early 1957, where it climbed to No. 9. It surpassed sales of a million just weeks after its release. In 1958, Leroy joined Red Foley's ABC-TV Network Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, as a regular cast member and continued in that position for three years until the show left the air.

In 1961, Van Dyke moved to Nashville and signed with Mercury Records (1961 ~ 1967). One of his early releases on the label was Walk on By, a multi-million selling record that stayed on the chart an astounding 42 weeks, including nineteen in the No. 1 position. The song was the biggest chart hit in country music that year and gained a Grammy nomination for Van Dyke. It was later named by Billboard Magazine as the most played record in the history of country music. Although uncertain as to exact numbers, Leroy estimates total sales of the song at more than 3,000,000 units.

Leroy followed up with another major crossover hit, If a Woman Answers (Hang Up the Phone) (No. 3, 1962) and the Top-20 Black Cloud (No. 16, 1962). In 1962, Van Dyke began appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. His next few Mercury releases gained only minor success. Those included, Happy To Be Unhappy (1964), Night People (1964) and Anne of A Thousand Days (No. 40, 1965). In 1965 he signed to Warner Brothers Records (1965 ~ 1966) and had Top-40 success with Roses From a Stranger (No. 34, 1966) and Louisville (No. 23, 1968).

In 1977, Leroy notched one final minor hit, Texas Tea. That year he also released two albums, Gospel Greats and Rock Relics, both produced by Shelby Singleton. He performed often in Branson, Missouri, after that town emerged as a country music tourist mecca. Leroy was a founding co-host of Country Crossroads, a popular syndicated radio program. Leroy hosted his own syndicated television series, The Leroy Van Dyke Show. He also hosted the 1965 Country Music Association Awards show at which Ernest Tubb was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Van Dyke continues a limited schedule, traveling from his office/home complex on his 1,000-acre ranch in west central Missouri near Sedalia. He is a member of the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame.

About Dot Records: Dot Records was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC (Nashville) and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen. In 1957, Wood sold ownership of the label to Paramount Pictures, but he remained the president of the company for another decade.

About Mercury Records: Mercury Record was founded in Chicago in 1945 by Irving Green, Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge. Mercury was a major force in jazz and blues, classical music, rock and roll, and country music recordings through the late-1970s.

About Warner Brothers Records: Warner was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures.

~RJB, Country Music Historian, Copyright RJB Chronicles NTN, USA 12/2010.

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[bangwhistle69]

It is so GREAT. I must point out that whoever added the ridiculous "string section" (which really detracts from the feeling of the song) should have been popped in the head with a 2X4.

[flashbell]

@bangwhistle69 , I agree. I tried to upload the oiginal version, but it was blocked. So, I was stuck with this remake. What I don't understand is what does YouTube have in place to detect the original recording?

[bcschmerker]

I understand that Van Dyke had a habit of ad-libbing the intro and coda on this Song, which would sound a little different from concert to concert as a result. Reckon that a backing trio along the lines of Johnny Cash's Tennessee Three (electric guitar, contrabass, drums) would have done it just fine on tour.

[1lenny]

I'm trying to find " I Fell In Love With A Pony tail" by Leroy.

If you have it could you please post it...Thanks :-)

[IBMeddling]

@flashbell, Youtube has a "big brother" sound recocnition that can detect certain songs immediately. I've seen people who just post up a song titled "What is the name of this song" Before anyone can comment the name of the song Youtube will list the name of the song and artist.

[ronmainemarine]

Great song , would like to hear the flip side,  "I fell in love with a ponytail" . thanks.

[barrygioportmorien1]

Great tune, I remember listening to this song on the Jukebox.

[FAUSTORICCARDO]

Divertente canzone , quasi jodel

[bangwhistle69]

@flashbell Rather than actual strings it sounds like some kind of primitive synthesizer that should have been thrown in a dumpster. Have no idea why You Tube would block the original. Wish they would "cut us some slack" and let us enjoy this great song and artist the way HE intended it to sound. Thanks for you efforts, flashbell. You obviously know good music!

[countrycajunfan1959]

Love this song; one of the best songs EVER! (If I tried to talk that fast, I'd end up in the ICU! LOL)