The ballroom of the Pioneer Hotel might seem an unlikely place for a Saturday night barn dance. But for most of the 1940s, Tucsonans in search of a good old-fashioned hoedown would don their best western duds, spurs and all, and head out to the KVOA Barn Dance.
The local radio station sponsored the square dances that would sometimes include live special broadcasts during the dance. One time it was “Senator Claghorn” from the Fred Allen Show. The cost of admission to the dance was 60 cents. The announcer was Jean “Ol’ Luke” Lely with elementary school principal George Clawson doing the calling. Larry and the Sunset Riders provided the music.
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File photo
Square dancing at the Pioneer Hotel ballroom in the 1940s
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How about dinner before the dance? In 1946, at Caruso’s on N. 4th Ave., $1.00 would buy you their special dinner which included antipasto, spaghetti, ravioli, meat balls, sauce with fresh mushrooms, spumoni and coffee. Or how about the specialty French Fried Gulf Shrimp at the Green Lantern on Oracle Rd. Paulos, located at 55 W. Congress St., invited you to stop in “For a snack, a sandwich or a full meal.”
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Gonzalo Martinez family photo
Couples dance in the basement of All Saints Church during World War II
Not in the mood for square dancing at the Pioneer; there were several other places to trip the light fantastic. How about dancing to the sounds of Johnnie Barringer and his orchestra. They played at the Blue Moon Ballroom with dancing was from 8:30 to 1. Then, from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m., the “Swing Shift Dances” took over the place. Admission to the Blue Moon was $1.50 plus tax.
As for the popular music, the Grabe Electric Co. ad provided the current top selling record guide. In July 1946, the top songs included “In the Moon Mist,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Day by Day,” “Love on a Greyhound Bus,” “Bell Bottom Trousers,” “Stone Cold Dead in the Market,” “Her Bathing Suit Never Got Wet” and “Star Dust.”
Let the dancing begin.
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