South Carolina H 3903: The Legendary Briarhoppers, 91st anniversary

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3903 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 11, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3903

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THE LEGENDARY BRIARHOPPERS AT THE 
CELEBRATION OF THE GROUP'S NINETY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY AND TO WISH THIS STORIED 
BLUEGRASS BAND MANY MORE YEARS OF CONTINUED SUCCESS.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the Legendary 
Briarhoppers, now based in Clover, have been performing bluegrass music for 
ninety-one years, making this well-loved group the longest-lived bluegrass band 
ever and possibly the longest-continuing string band; and

Whereas, in 1934, a 
potential advertiser called WBT Radio'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. Bill yelled, "Look at that 
briarhopper!" At that moment, Crutch found the name for his hillbilly band; and

Whereas, the 
Briarhoppers became the house band for WBT, which featured country or string 
band music with folksy humor. From the first radio show in 1934, the band asked 
the crowd, "Do you know what hit is?" And the audience replied,"Hit's 
Briarhopper Time!"; and

Whereas, original band 
members were Johnny McAllister, Big Bill Davis, Don White, Thorpe Westerfield, 
Clarence Etters, and Jane Bartlett. Among the Briarhoppers' numerous fans have 
been 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; 
and

Whereas, during the 
summer of 1945, WBT originated Carolina Hayride, a Saturday afternoon 
barn dance broadcast coast to coast on the CBS radio network, featuring the 
Briarhoppers. In 1946, after World War II ended, the Briarhoppers were so 
popular that they were divided into Unit One and Unit Two for personal 
appearances; and

Whereas, the 
Briarhoppers' radio show ended in 1951, due to a change in public taste 
regarding country music, but the band continued to perform at small venues. The 
Charlotte Observer's Dot Jackson reported in 1970 on one of the band's 
informal concerts, and the band became popular again; and

Whereas, in 1985, the 
Briarhoppers started to perform once again at bluegrass festivals all over the 
Southeast. They also performed on NPR's Prairie Home Companion and were 
subjects of the PBS-Charlotte program Country in the Carolinas. Today, 
Tom Warlick heads the band with their stage show, which includes the old 
Briarhopper songs, new songs, and the original scripted commercials of Peruna, 
Kolor Bak, Zymole Trokeys, and Radio Girl Perfume; and

Whereas, an immensely 
popular group on WBT during the Golden Age of Radio, the Briarhoppers have been 
inducted into the WBT Radio Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Music Hall of 
Fame. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House 
of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate 
the Legendary Briarhoppers at the celebration of the group's ninety-first 
anniversary and wish this storied bluegrass band many more years of continued 
success.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution 
be presented to the Legendary Briarhoppers.

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This web page was last updated on February 11, 2025 at 01:46 PM