Carter family -Magic Water crystals?

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 07:47 PM

Thank you!!!!

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: Stewie
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 06:39 PM

There is plenty of information on Crazy Water Crystal Company and Mexican border stations in chapter 4, 'Country music during the depression', of Bill C. Malone's 'Country Music USA' University of Texas Press.

The product was a white concentrate of mineral waters that had been discovered in 1877 near what is now Mineral Wells, Texas. The place became a focal point for 'medical pilgrimages'. The Crazy Water Crystal Company was based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It marketed the crystalline residue left upon evaporation of the Texan waters [it could have more simply been boiled away]. At first, the company claimed all manner of curative properties for its product, but eventually settled on its usefulness as a laxative [which was probably true]. The punter dissolved the crystals in tap water before consumption. The 'Crazy' appellation derived from the name of the original well.

The company sponsored various types of entertainment on radio stations all over USA, in Canada and on Mexican border stations. In 1933, it began to sponsor broadcasts featuring hillbilly musicians. It had sponsorships in 14 stations in the Carolinas and Georgia 3-state area. This became consolidated into huge barn dance program featuring as many as 30 groups. The performers were generally not paid, but grateful for the publicity and exposure. Many well-known groups were associated with the company at one time or another: Monroe Brothers, Dick Hartman's Tennessee Ramblers, J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers, Dixon Brothers, Fisher Hendley, Blue Sky Boys, Morris Brothers, Tobacco Tags, Snuffy Jenkins and Pappy Sherrill and many others. [Info from Bill C. Malone 'Country Music USA' and sleeve notes to Snuffy Jenkins and Pappy Sherrill 'Crazy Water Barn Dance' Rounder LP 0069.]

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:45 PM

to go a little further - the FCC was created in 1934, this brought a greater degree of regulation to the airwaves, forceing the 'quack' doctors and their 'cure-alls' off of commercial radio in the US. They went across the border and built huge transmitters, often 500000-1000000 watts, larger than any 'clear channel' station in the US at that time or since that time, and they could thus broadcast thier ads to the US market without interference from the US government. the huge stations lured many performers, Carter Family among them, who weren't selling as many records because of the growth in radio entertainment, to cross the border and do radio there. Woody Guthrie also worked for a Mexican station for a while, good salaries and great airplay. Carter family never really endorsed the products I don't think, but the good music ensured the listening audience for the quacks to pitch their products to. THe Crazy Water was started in Mineral Wells, Texas in the late 19th c., another of the 'spa craze' era towns that 'sprung' up. The product mentioned above became illegal to advertise in US, so they went across the border into Mexico.

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: GUEST,Songster Bob
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:40 PM

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

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:15 PM

The stations were in Mexico because Mexico's laws were essentially non-existent.

Many religious stations were also based in Mexico. There was a series on these stations on National Public Radio several years ago. These AM stations were very high wattage and, apparently, could reach most of the United States from a single station.

I don't recall why most of them went out of business.

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:06 PM

Thank you. Songbob. If the Carters didn't promote these crystals, why were they in mexico? Weren't there stations of comparable broacast power in the US?

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: GUEST,Songbob
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:03 PM

In answer to your question:

For Release in the MORNING PAPERS of Saturday, December 21, 1940
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington

ORDER

Crazy Water Company, Mineral Wells, Texas, and four of its executives, have been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to cease and desist from misrepresentations concerning their products, recommended as a treatment for certain ailments and sold under the trade designations "Crazy Mineral Water," "Crazy Water Crystals" and "Crazy Fiz."

...The Commission finds that in advertisements in newspapers, circulars, radio broadcasts and other media in commerce, the respondents have resented that the mineral waters and derivative thereof, which they sell, will cure or are beneficial in the treatment of many diseases of the alimentary tract, the urinary tract, kidneys and gall duct, and kindred diseases and ailments; that constipation and "faulty elimination" are the causes of and associated with, numerous ailments, afflictions, and conditions enumerated by them...

The Commission finds that the products possess no therapeutic value in excess of those of a cathartic or laxative, plus a tendency to temporarily neutralize excess gastric acidity.

The respondents are ordered to cease and desist from representing that their products are a cure or remedy for certain diseases, or symptoms of disease...

The Commission order also directs the respondents to cease representing that such products possess any therapeutic properties beyond those of a cathartic or laxative and as an antacid with a tendency to to temporarily neutralize excess gastric acidity; or as a cure, remedy, for, or possess any beneficial therapeutic properties in the treatment of , urticaria, cirrhosis of the liver, chronic metritis, parametritic exudations; diabetes mellitus, gravel and calculous concretion in the bladder and gall duct; fevers, toxic conditions, typhoid, influenza, anaphylaxis, nephritis, pyelitis, catarrhal jaundice, cholecystitis, Bright's disease, kidney trouble, obesity, irregularities of the liver, gall duct and bladder, rheumatism, arthritis, neuritis, high blood pressure, acidosis, lumbago, gout, poisonous system, affected vision, colds, scarlet fever, aching joints, and numbness of limbs, and that these ailments and conditions are caused by or generally associated with, excess gastric acidity or constipation.

(4314)

---o0o---


Excerpted from Federal Trade Commission press release received by the AMA Bureau of Investigation on December 23, 1940. From the American Medical Association Historical Health Fraud and Alternative Medicine Collection.

Subject: RE: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: GUEST,Songster Bob
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:00 PM

Actually, the "Crazy Water Crystals" weren't that bad, and I don't think they were the Carter's sponsors for those WXRA broadcasts. The prime mover for that station, if I recall, was a quack doctor and his monkey-gland treatments, though I'm likely wrong about that. But I don't remember the Crazy Water Crystals being sponsors of anyone but the Mainer band.

As for what the crystals were and did, I'm even less sure, though I suspect it was something like Alka-seltzer or some other bromide, intended for treatment of stomach ills. I'll see what I can find on the web.

More later, maybe.

Bob Clayton

Subject: Carter family -Magic Water crystals?
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 01:36 PM

I was reading somewhere about J.E. Mainer, who was a contemporary and competitor of the Carter Family. It is my understanding that the Carters and Mainer were sponsored by a product called "Magic Water Crystals," and this product was of such dubious value that they were not allowed to promote it in the US. That's why they broadcast out of the stations in Mexico. What were the "Magic Water Crystals."