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Caption with photograph reads: "The show goes on the air. Variety calls it "the capitalistic Pins and Needles" after the Broadway show of the Ladies Garment Workers' Union (LIFE, Dec. 27). Steelworkers seem to enjoy this company show as much as the garment workers enjoy their union show."

1. Wheeling Musical Steelmakers Band Performing Behind Soloist Sara Rehm on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Caption for photograph reads: "The star of the show is Sara Rehm, 19 year old soprano soloist. Miss Rehm qualifies for the show because she works occasionally in the Wheeling office, stuffing envelopes, and has a cousin in the Yorkville Works."

2. Sara Rehm, Soprano Soloist on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Rough and ready war workers on week days, polished network musicians on Sundays are these "Musical Steelmakers", pictured here during an informal rehearsal. They are Russ Anderson at the bass, Tony Biacco with the accordion, Verdi Howells the goggled sax man, Jimmy Snodgrass on the drums, and Dayton Powell at the piano."

3. Musical Steelmakers Informal Rehearsal, Part of Band for 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

The Evans Sisters were three sisters who sang on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast. The three sisters are: Janet Jean, Betty Jane, and Margaret June.

4. Evans Sisters and Others Enjoying the Outdoors, Ohio River in Background

The Evans Sisters were three sisters who sang on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast. The three sisters are: Janet Jean, Betty Jane, and Margaret June.

5. Evans Sisters and Other Girls Posing for Photograph

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Man behind the "Musical Steelmakers" is J.L. Grimes, advertising manager of Wheeling Steel. He thought of the program in the first place, and is in active charge now, producing the show, choosing the music, and auditioning talent from the ranks of the employees and their families." It was a requirement to be an employee or immediate family member of Wheeling Steel Corporation in order to perform or work on the radio broadcast.

6. John L. Grimes, Man Behind 'Musical Steelmakers', Playing Piano

Part of a "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast.

7. Two Children Take Center Stage With Musical Steelmakers Orchestra

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Shown seated at the piano during a rehearsal of the "Musical Steelmakers", heard Sundays on the Blue network at 5:30 pm, e.w.t., is Margaret June Evans, eldest member of the three Evans Sisters, vocal trio heard during each broadcast of the program. Miss Evans, whose father has worked for the sponsoring company as a steel roller for 29 years, was recently crowned "Miss West Va." by Carl C. Wayman, Commander of the nation's first American Legion Post, located in Wheeling."

8. Margaret June Evans, Performer on 'It's Wheeling Steel', Seated at Piano

From left to right: Margaret June, Betty Jane, and Janet Jean.

9. The Evans Sisters, Singers on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Caption on back of photograph reads: "John Winchcoll, the "Old Timer", and Lois Mae Nolte, singing mistress of ceremonies, have been with the "Musical Steelmakers" series from the start. Winchcoll, an auditor with the company, is a veteran employee, who was chosen as representative of the typical Wheeling employee. Miss Nolte, though only 19, has been on the show in all its seven years, first as one of the Steel Sisters, later as a soloist."

10. 'The Old Timer' John Winchcoll and Lois Mae Nolte, Host and Performer on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

11. Navy Man Performing on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

12. Bass Player for Musical Steelmakers, Orchestra for 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Performance was part of a "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast.

13. Musical Steelmakers Orchestra Performing With The Millmen, The Steel Sisters, and The Evans Sisters

14. Audience for Radio Program 'It's Wheeling Steel'

15. Steel Sisters Perform on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast on NBC's Blue Network

"It's Wheeling Steel" was a radio broadcast used to advertise Wheeling Steel Corporation products and their talented employees. The entire operation was ran by employees or immediate family members of the company, the first all employee broadcast.

16. 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Show Producer Maury Longfellow

17. Steel Sisters and Other 'It's Wheeling Steel' Performers on Stage

18. Performers on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Dressed as Candy Stripers

Orchestra leader Tom Whitley is the man wearing glasses on far left pointing forward. The orchestra was the primary performer on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast. The show was eventually taken to the road, as evident by the "coast to coast" sign.

19. Wheeling Musical Steelmakers Riding in Truck During Parade, Wheeling, W. Va.

20. Parade Car Driving 'The Singing Millmen', Performers on 'It's Wheeling Steel', During Parade, Wheeling, W. Va.

21. Parade Car Driving 'The Singing Millmen', Performers on 'It's Wheeling Steel', During Parade, Wheeling, W. Va.

The Steel Sisters (Lois Mae Nolte, Harriet Drake, and Lucille Bell) were regular performers on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast. They eventually left the broadcast to tour with Horace Heidt and his orchestra.

22. Lois Mae Nolte of Steel Sisters With Unidentified Dance Partner

23. Parade Car Driving Dorothy Anne Crow and Ardenne White, Performers on 'It's Wheeling Steel', at Parade in Wheeling, W. Va.

24. Crowd Applauds Performance on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

25. Crowd Applauds 'The Wheeling Musical Steelmakers' Performance, Orchestra for 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

26. Tom Whitley, Band Director of the Musical Steelmakers Orchestra of the 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast, Playing Piano With Unidentified Woman

Notice the flag in the background with 13 stars, this was displayed commonly during World War 2 to show how many people who were serving. Gold stars would represent those who died in the war.

27. Wheeling Musical Steelmakers Backing Up Performer on Stage Holding Beat Up Horned Instrument

Lamonte O'Brien was a musician who played on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast. He was well known for his unique ability to mimic the sound of a trumpet using only his hands, which he would often use to solo.

28. Possibly Lamonte O'Brien Playing Trombone

She was referred to as the "Kate Smith" of the family broadcast. Kate Smith was best known for her rendition of "God Bless America".

29. Probably Eileen Metz Playing the Piano, a Performer on 'it's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Like all who perform or worked on the "It's Wheeling Steel" Radio Broadcast, Dave Kemp was employed by the company at the Steubenville Works. It was a requirement to be employed or to be an immediate family member of the Wheeling Steel Corporation in order to work on the radio broadcast. This way they could advertise both the company's products as well as it's employees talents, which created a family environment.

30. Dave Kemp Singing Bass on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Caption on back of photograph reads: "Lew Davies, conductor of the "Musical Steelmakers" orchestra and chorus, writes most of the musical arrangements himself. Helping him in this department are John Hahle, guitarist; Maury Longfellow of the production staff; and Gene Ahlers, trumpeter." The Musical Steelmakers were the orchestra who performed on Wheeling Steel Co.'s radio broadcast "It's Wheeling Steel", an all employee broadcast used to advertise both Wheeling Steel's product offerings as well as their large staff.

31. Lew Davies, Conductor and Composer of the Musical Steelmarkers Orchestra

Caption on back of photograph reads: "Regina Colbert is the program's "Singing Secretary", and she lives up to both halves of the title. Featured soloist on Sundays, she is part of the company's secretarial staff weekdays." It was a requirement set by Wheeling Steel Corporation advertising executive John L. Grimes, that the radio broadcast stay an exclusively all employee program. Therefore, Colbert who was not at the time an employee or immediate family member, was hired to work as secretary in the advertising department to maintain this rule.

32. 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast Performer, Regina Colbert, Singing at the Microphone

33. Wheeling Musical Steelmakers Orchestra Performing Live

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Verdi Howells is a machinist at Yorkville, is first saxophonist of The Musical Steelmakers Orchestra, has saved the money made while broadcasting for the corporation, and will go home to visit his mother in Wales this summer." He was an orchestra member since 1936 to November 1943. All participants on the "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast were required to be employees of Wheeling Steel Corporation or immediate family members.

34. Verdi Howells Operating Machinery in Yorkville, OH

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Verdi Gwynn Howell, machinist in Wheeling's tin mill at Yorkville, Ohio. Howell, born in Wales came to the U.S. in 1926. He was the first saxophonist in the Steelmaker's Orchestra. Howell played a solo on one "It's Wheeling Steel" broadcast which his mother in Wales listened to over a U.S. station."

35. Verdi Gwynn Howell, Machinist in Wheeling's Tin Mill, and Saxophonist in Steelmaker's Orchestra

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "The Croatian Tambouritza Orchestra numbers six youthful members, two of whom work for the corporation, the remaining four being children of mill employees." Like all who worked for the broadcast, it was required to be an employee of Wheeling Steel or an immediate family member of an employee.

36. Croatian Tambouritza Orchestra Playing on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Walter Schane was the baritone voice of the Singing Millmen and also worked in the office of the Benwood Works. Like all who participated on the radio broadcast, you needed to be an employee or immediate family member of Wheeling Steel.

37. Walter Schane, Member of 'Singing Millmen', at Microphone on 'It's Wheeling Steel'

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Walter Schane from the office of the Benwood Works has been a Wheeling Steelmaker for 18 years. His is the fine baritone voice of the Singing Millmen, who sing on the family broadcast every Sunday. On Show since 1936, now in Singing Millmen 1943." The Singing Millmen were performers on the "Wheeling Musical Steelmakers" radio broadcast.

38. Walter Schane, Member of 'Singing Millmen', on Phone in Benwood Works Office

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Val Konyha, a steelmaker from the Yorkville Works brings something unique and different to the family broadcast. Val plays the Hungarian cymbalum, or dulcimer, as we know it, and plays it as well as he handles tin plates."

39. Val Konyha Playing the Hungarian Cymbalum on Wheeling Steel's Family Broadcast

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Will Stevenson, top tenor of The Millmen Quartette is also employed at the Steubenville Works. Like Frank Nalepa, Will had never sung on a radio network before the family broadcast gave him the opportunity." The Millmen Quartette were regular performers on "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast from it's start in 1936.

40. Will Stevenson, Top Tenor of 'The Millmen Quartette', Working at Steubenville Works

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "The Yorkville High School Girls' Glee Club, 40 in all added to the enjoyment of the Easter broadcast. All 40 girls have at least one immediate family relationship with corporation employees. Many can claim as many as four immediate family relatives who are Wheeling Steelmakers." The entire broadcast was operated and performed by employees or family members of Wheeling Steel throughout the program's entire duration.

41. Yorkville High School Girls' Glee Club Preparing for Easter Performance on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

42. Several Young Men With Their Guitars Waiting to Audition for Spot on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Show at Steubenville Works

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Something unique for any broadcast is an accordion quartet of young ladies. The first is Nancy Row, granddaughter of a founder of Wheeling Corrugating, next is a young lady who, together with her brother is employed at Yorkville. Third's father was employed by the corporation. Fourth is a teacher."

43. Four Ladies Playing Accordion on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "John Wisvari is a pipe-threader from the Benwood Works, plays violin, and directs his "family" orchestra which he calls "The Polka Kings"." They would perform on the "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast.

44. John Wisvari Playing Violin With a Pianist

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Frank Nalepa deep bass of the Millmen Quartette works every day with coal and scales at the Steubenville Works, rushes to the studio four times a week to rehearse, and found time to regularly visit Pittsburgh for voice lessons to improve his broadcast. Quit for Mit Show." The Millmen Quartette were regulars on the "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast.

45. Frank Nalepa, Deep Bass of the Millmen Quartette Working With Coal at Steubenville Works

John Wincholl, Wheeling Steel Co. auditor played the role of the "Old Timer" who became a popular character on the "It's Wheeling Steel" broadcast. He would introduce acts and provide small talk.

46. 'Old Timer' John Wincholl and Nicky Conti With Accordion

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "Bud Dicarlo's father is a steelmaker from the Benwood Works and Bud worked hard on his accordion solo to please his dad and Wheeling Steel's Nation Wide Family."

47. Bud Dicarlo Warming Up on Accordion With Wheeling Steelmakers Band

Caption accompanying photograph reads: "The Yorkville Works Brass Band has made several pleasing headliner appearances of the family broadcast. All in their snappy uniforms, thus adding color for the visible audience of "It's Wheeling Steel"."

48. Yorkville Works Brass Band Preparing to Perform on 'It's Wheeling Steel'