Well, WWII had something to do with that. I think the Mexican government joined the air-wave police, so to speak, and most of the stations, being required to cut their power, lost their raison d'arte and went out of business by 1941-42. The current system of "clear channel" stations is a little like those border stations (I said WXRA, but I find it was XERA and XET that featured the Carters, whose contracts were with the stations, not the sponsors -- I assume they sold advertising time like modern TV networks do, rather than having the sponsor find the program/talent).

It's interesting that Sara and A.P. were divorced most of the time they were recording and performing, particularly during this period. I think they divorced in 1936. I also read that they remarried in the '50s and divorced a second time before A.P.'s death in 1960. So they weren't a "family" in that sense at all, though, being cousins, they were a family, too. Sort of having your Kate and Edith, too.

Bob Clayton