 In February 1954, while serving in Korea with the U.S. Army, Leroy Van Dyke performed a 15-minute opening for Marilyn Monroe. It was the first time he performed his future hit song “The Auctioneer” before such a large audience. Courtesy of Gladys Van Dyke Editor’s note: This is the final of two articles highlighting the military experiences of performing artist Leroy Van Dyke By Jeremy P. Ämick On July 30, 1953, three days after an armistice ended the hostilities of the Korean War, Leroy Van Dyke arrived in Seoul, South Korea. The 23-year-old enlisted soldier had recently been trained by the Army’s Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) and was embarking upon a military experience that would in the coming years lead to his becoming a celebrated country music artist. “I was assigned to the 308th CIC Detachment in Seoul for a few days until the Army figured out where they wanted to place me,” Van Dyke recalled. “Eventually, I was sent to the 40th CIC Detachment and assigned to support the 160th Regiment of the 40th Division located along the DMZ (demilitarized zone between North and South Korea).” He continued, “One of my primary responsibilities was working to eliminate the unauthorized acquisition of intelligence and other sensitive information by enemy forces. We had some South Koreans coming up to find work and North Koreans coming down into our area for other reasons, and I would interrogate them. If they seemed suspicious,” he added, “they were sent back to 8th Army for further processing.” To assist in his work, Van Dyke was assigned a South Korean interpreter, who had been a medical student at the University of Seoul before the war. This interpreter, he explained, spoke not only Korean and Japanese, but had learned English from Swedish missionaries years earlier. Having enjoyed singing and playing guitar prior to his deployment, Van Dyke had left his new electric guitar at home to ensure it was not damaged during his travels. Since he wanted to practice his music, he sent his mother a letter asking her to find him an inexpensive acoustic guitar in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue. “A short time later, I got a $34.00 Silvertone acoustic guitar that she mailed to me,” he explained. “I still have that guitar and it still sounds good,” he said with a beaming grin. Van Dyke had been given his own tent and often sang country music songs and strummed his guitar while in the company of his interpreter. Other times, when they were traveling the dusty roads along the DMZ in their Jeep, he and the interpreter passed the time by singing. “It was pretty humorous to hear my Korean interpreter singing those old country songs at the top of his lungs in English with a Swedish accent,” he laughed. While traveling to one of his destinations, Van Dyke began hearing in his mind both the lyrics and music for a song. Though not immediately recognizing the significance of the moment, the same situation continued to occur until he finally went to his tent and wrote down the music and lyrics resonating in his thoughts. “It turned out to be my song ‘The Auctioneer,’ which was acutally about my second cousin, Ray Sims, who is now in the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame,” Van Dyke explained. “It took me about two weeks to learn the song, because an auctioneer’s bid calling doesn’t repeat itself like a common chorus of a song,” he added. His skills and abilities as an entertainer were greatly appreciated by his fellow soldiers and he was often asked to help entertain at small group gatherings. But one day, a visitor came to his tent offering an opportunity to be part of a special performance. “It was the assistant regimental commander asking for a favor,” he said. “He explained that there would be a special guest coming to do a show for the troops and asked if I would be willing to do a 15-minute opener for them.” He added, “I said ‘sure,’ and then found out the guest was Marilyn Monroe. I asked him, ‘You want me to go out in front of 30,000 sex-starved GIs and open for Marilyn Monroe?” he mirthfully questioned. Van Dyke did the performance, not only becoming the only country music artist ever to open for Marilyn Monroe but performing for the first time “The Auctioneer” before such a large audience—and only with his $34.00 guitar! When his one-year overseas tour ended in mid-summer of 1954, he returned to Seattle aboard a troop ship. After completing some “paperwork,” he was then sent to Camp Carson, Colorado, receiving his honorable discharge from the Army and returning to Missouri. “The Auctioneer” was released almost two years after Van Dyke’s discharge and propelled him to widespread renown as a country artist, followed by his smash hit “Walk on By.” But it was a career that may not have been possible absent the inspiration received decades ago when traveling the dusty roads of the Korean countryside. With many fond memories and moments to reflect upon his golden years, Van Dyke’s face lights up when he discusses his experiences with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. It was an unexpected juncture in his fascinating life that has gifted him with many glorious benefits throughout the years. “If I hadn’t written “The Auctioneer” over there in Korea, I’d probably gone on to a career in agricultural journalism or auctioneering because that’s what I was doing before the war,” he said. “When I look back on it all, and some of the details elude me now, I can say for sure that I don’t have any complaints from my time in the military—I really enjoyed it.” Jeremy P. Ämick is the author of "Together as One," biography of Tuskegee Airman James Shipley  Van Dyke has gone on to earn several professional accolades during his career as a country performing artist. However, it was a career he recognizes may never have been possible if he had not served with the U.S. Army in the Korean War. Courtesy of Gladys Van Dyke
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 Leroy Van Dyke is pictured when graduating the eighth grade from a one-room country school in Pettis County in 1943. He went on to graduate with an agriculture degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia before being drafted into the U.S. Army. Courtesy of Gladys Van Dyke Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles highlighting the military experiences of performing artist Leroy Van Dyke By Jeremy P. Ämick The music career of Leroy Van Dyke might have never happened were it not for his service in the Korean War. While traveling along a dusty trail in a U.S. Army jeep sometime in late 1953, he began to hear in his mind the music and lyrics for a catchy tune. After this incident occurred a few more times, he paused to pen the tune that would launch his successful career in country music. Born on a farm in rural Pettis County in 1929, Van Dyke’s father operated 3,000 acres of farmland, which they either owned or leased, in addition to running a trucking operation. He and his four siblings, while working to assist their parents around the farm, began their formal education in local one-room schools. “I graduated the eighth grade from the Lone Star School in 1943 and was the valedictorian,” Van Dyke said. “But then again, there were only two of us in the graduating class,” he chuckled. When he was about thirteen years old, Van Dyke was helping his father haul corn on a 1934 International truck, at which time he was asked what he wanted to do for a living when he grew up. He initially remarked that he wanted to be a farmer and raise cattle, to which his father responded, “There might be something that you would like better that would be better for you.” Van Dyke said, “My father then asked me if I could do anything I wanted to for a living, what would it be. I told him that I wanted to sing for a living … and thought he would think that I was crazy. But he was supportive, because he was a good singer and appreciated those that could sing. He said that I had something special in my voice.” Their family belonged to the congregation of the local Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, which is one of the places where Van Dyke found his voice and interest in singing. He also found opportunities to perform while attending high school at Smith-Cotton in Sedalia. “Back at that time, they always kind of frowned upon those coming from the one-room schools,” Van Dyke recalled. “But three of us from my first-grade class took the first, third and fourth academic spots in our class when we graduated from Smith-Cotton in 1947 (with Van Dyke securing the third position)." Following his high school graduation, he remained on the farm for the next year, never really considering going on to college. Yet after visiting his older brother at the engineering school at the University of Missouri—Columbia, and hearing that one of his close friends, Eldon Leiter, planned to enroll there, his educational direction soon shifted. “I decided that if Eldon was going to college, I would also go but only planned on staying for two years to get an agricultural certificate,” he explained. “Plans change, of course, and I ended up staying for four years,” he grinned. The first two years came with the requirement that all male students participate in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, thus receiving their indoctrination to the military experience. “There was one time when they were teaching us to drive 2-1/2-ton trucks in ROTC, and I was riding with an ROTC instructor who was raking through the gears. He suggested that I drive and was surprised how quickly I picked it up, but he did not know that those 2-1/2-ton trucks had the same motor and transmission as the ones my dad used in his trucking business, and I had been driving them since I was 12 years old.” While in college, Van Dyke was an editor and contributor to the agriculture page for the Columbia Missourian. In the spring of 1952, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with dual majors in animal science and journalism. Within “about 20 minutes” of his graduation, Van Dyke jokingly remarked, he received his draft notice for military service. He soon boarded a bus along with other area inductees, and was sent to Camp Crowder in Neosho, Missouri, to receive uniforms, inoculations and undergo aptitude testing. A few days later, he was sent to Camp Chaffee in western Arkansas for several weeks of basic military training. “Back at Camp Crowder, I had taken a typing test and ended up typing about 60 words a minute because I had taught myself while in college,” he said. “Because of that, when our unit was out in the mud and nasty conditions doing training, I was often in the battery supply room working as a clerk.” During the latter part of their training cycle, Van Dyke followed the suggestion of one of the cadre that he consider the Army’s Counterintelligence Corps (CIC). At the time, several of the trainees had orders for Korea; however, he received instructions to report to CIC school at Fort Holabird—a former U.S. Army post in Baltimore, Maryland. Those accepted into the CIC program had to meet specific requirements, which included being at least 22 years of age, possessing no police record, achieving certain scores on their aptitude tests and having a college degree. Throughout the nearly seven months of training, Van Dyke and his classmates received instruction on writing reports, methods of interrogation and recognition of potential criminal activities, all of which helped instill them with the tools to combat subversive activities such as espionage and treason. “They also gave us a thirty-day immersion in the Japanese language and by July of 1953, I was on a plane and heading overseas,” he said. “We had a 10-day stay in Japan, then flew to my assignment in Korea.” Van Dyke would soon discover that the next year would not only be filled with opportunities to serve his country in a unique military role, but offered opportunities to develop and refine the performance skills that later elevated him to country music stardom. Jeremy P. Ämick writes on behalf of the Missouri National Guard Hall of Fame  After being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953, Van Dyke completed his initial training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, and was then sent to Fort Holabird, Maryland, for specialized training with the Army’s Counterintelligence Corps. Courtesy of Gladys Van Dyke  Shirley Nelson is pictured on June 19, 1976, describing the Brazito Bicentennial Quilt, which was donated to the Cole County Historical Society. Each of the 30 blocks on the quilt was embroidered with a picture of historical buildings from the Brazito area. Courtesy of Schellie Blochberger The year 1976 was an exciting time for many small communities planning celebrations for the nation’s bicentennial while also highlighting their own unique stories. Within the community of Brazito, one woman, who had only recently moved to the area, volunteered to chair the group that designed a bicentennial quilt featuring the area’s historical buildings and spearheaded an effort to erect a monument honoring Brazito’s founding families. “My mother, Shirley Nelson, served as chairman for the Brazito Bicentennial Commission in 1976, with the help of Esther Jungmeyer as her co-chair,” said Schellie Blochberger. “I believe the planning for this event began more than a year before the actual events took place,” she added. The kickoff occurred on March 14, 1976, when citizens of Brazito, Honey Creek and the surrounding areas gathered at the Brazito-Honey Creek Lion’s Club. It was here that the bicentennial flag and certificate were presented in a ceremony attended by State Sen. Ralph Uthlaut Jr. Receiving the certificate and flag on behalf of the community was Mrs. Marguerite Arnhold, whose late husband, Hugo, was the grandson of Christopher Arnhold—a charter member of Zion Lutheran Church near Jefferson City and the person credited with founding Brazito in 1854. “The committee will hold its next meeting April 20 at the Brazito church to continue plans for the ‘Brazito Relived’ celebration, which will be held June 19,” the Daily Capital News reported on March 11, 1976. In preparation for the early summer bicentennial festivities, Shirley Nelson helped coordinate the collection of photographs and the creation of drawings of historic buildings in the Brazito area to be used on a Bicentennial Quilt. Stanley Carrender and Curtis Engelbrecht, both descendants of original settlers to the Brazito area, assisted Mrs. Nelson in drawing pictures of homes, barns, businesses and other structures, many of which were no longer in existence. Oftentimes, they had only faded pictures or the memories of older residents to use when completing this task. “They had pictures of buildings like the old Arnhold Store, the telephone building and the gas station,” recalled Schellie Blochberger. “Once these drawings were finished, my mother transferred them onto quilt blocks and a group of ladies from the community did the embroidery.” She continued, “I can remember when all of the planning for this started, a lot of the people were a little hesitant to get involved but then it just exploded and then it seemed like they were all on board.” The local Cub Scouts also assumed an active role in preparing for the bicentennial activities by cleaning the Arnhold Cemetery. This small burial plot is where Brazito’s founding father, Christopher Arnhold, was laid to rest along with many of his close relatives. Under the guidance of adult volunteers, the Scouts also built a rustic log cabin on the property of Friedens Church. During the bicentennial celebration, the cabin was used to display antiques and crafts while also being used for historical presentations. Then came the big event on June 19, 1976. People came from far and wide for a medley of events celebrating that bicentennial and featuring exhibits, patriotic music, a log sawing contest, square dance contest, cake baking contest, street dance, fashion shows, horseshoe pitching and a mini museum inside Friedens Church. “It was quite a day with a great turnout,” said Shellie Blochberger. “There was a wooden Brazito bicentennial coin that my mother designed that was sold along with other crafts for a fundraiser.” This fundraising, along with several donations, helped fund the construction of a monument to share the story of Brazito for generations to come. On June 19, 1977, one year following the bicentennial celebration, crowds gathered in front of Friedens Church for the unveiling. “The monument was dedicated … with the Immanuel Lutheran—Honey Creek church choir, invited guests and most of Brazito in attendance,” explained “The Country Circuit” (monthly newsletter for Three Rivers Electric Cooperative) in its September 1977 issue. “The program included patriotic music by the church choir, the posting of colors and Pledge of Allegiance by Boy Scout Pack 16 and Girl Scouts Troop 471 Brazito-Eugene and the Invocation by the Rev. Robert Bauer, pastor of the Friedens United Church of Christ,” the newsletter added. With Shirley Nelson welcoming the guests and introducing the speakers, State Rep. Carol J. McCubbin shared a few remarks. This was followed by the monument being unveiled by Dr. William E. Parrish of Westminster College, who also served as historian for the Missouri State Bicentennial Commission. The monument remains on the grounds of Friedens Church and is dedicated to the original settlers of the Brazito area. Built from native stone, it contains a plaque sharing certain aspects of the community’s history. The legacy of Brazito’s founders has been etched in history by the late Shirely Nelson, a woman with a passion for history and whose spirited leadership brought a community together for a bicentennial celebration. The Bicentennial Quilt was donated to the Cole County Historical Society for preservation and display. “Mom passed away in 2002 and I never had the opportunity to ask what spawned her interest in preserving the history of Brazito, especially since she wasn’t from the area,” Schellie Blochberger explained. “She was always very involved in a number of events and organizations throughout her life, though.” She added, “My mother coordinated all the promotion for the bicentennial event and worked with the powers that be to make sure it was a success. I believe that she did a remarkable job at creating her own bit of history as well.” Jeremy P. Ämick is an author/historian and penned the book “Hidden History of Cole County.”  In June 1977, a year following the bicentennial activities, this monument was dedicated outside Friedens Church to celebrate the legacy of Brazito’s founders. Courtesy of Schellie Blochberger  The MO Blues Association, Inc., was established in 1998 by a group of individuals interested in preserving and promoting the legacy of American blues music. The association released an album last year in celebration of their 25th anniversary that features music by several local blues bands. Courtesy of MO Blues Association, Inc. The roots of blues music history run deep in America, dating back to southern plantations and field hollers, Chuck Renn explained. These utterances from slaves and sharecroppers took on a musical flavor that was later picked up by musicians, and after migrating up the Mississippi River and into cities like St. Louis, Chicago and New York, morphed into the essence of a unique musical experience known as the American blues.
The popularity of the musical genre has seemed to wane in recent decades, which is why organizations such as the MO Blues Association, Inc., have formed to not only preserve the music, but ensure it is passed on to a newer generation of performers and fans alike. “The MO Blues Association is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1998 by a handful of people interested in preserving this uniquely American legacy,” Renn explained. “They pulled together our mission statement—Promote, Support and Preserve the Blues—and then became involved in civic efforts such as ‘Blues in the School.’” Renn noted that “Blues in the School” is a civic effort to expose students in local elementary schools to the musical genre. Through assorted fundraising initiatives, the local association can bring in blues educators that share the history and impact of the musical genre. Prior to joining the MO Blues Association in the early 2000s, Renn recalls hearing for the first time an album by the Chicago blues band, The Shadows of Knight, while in high school in Jefferson City in the late 1960s. “That album had songs like ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’ and ‘Gloria,’ and I was hooked,” he said. “I was in some garage bands in school that played some rock songs, although we were probably playing some blues and didn’t even know it. After I graduated from Jefferson City Senior High in 1970, I married, had children, and went to work, but always kept a guitar and played music.” With the MO Blues Association, Renn engages others regarding his interest in blues music during monthly blues jams that the organization sponsors at various local venues. Additionally, they annually organize the Lorie Smith Blues Festival at McClung Park, bringing in a headliner while also showcasing the abilities and talents of other Missouri blues musicians. During the last four years, Becky Fredrickson has served as the organization’s president. She met Renn at an open mic night at the Mission in Jefferson City around 2016, which became the beginning of her involvement with the association. “Chuck remembered me from high school and convinced me to join the association,” Fredrickson recalled. “For years, I had been teaching ballroom dancing on the side and thought that by being part of the association, it would be a good way to connect the two communities.” She continued, “I started as the secretary and then I became the president. One of the things I really enjoyed was the way the association was participating in the ‘Blues in the Schools’ initiative, but then COVID hit, and we couldn’t get into the schools.” They have continued to work with local schools to promote the blues and have during the past couple of years worked with well-known blues guitarist Ron Roskowske and Big George Brock, Jr., from the St. Louis area. “The schools put together assemblies so that we can share with the students the history of the blues,” Renn said. “Before COVID, we had blues guitarist Fruteland Jackson come down and do the music education program, but he has recorded his education program on DVD and doesn’t really travel anymore.” Renn continued, “But Fruteland was great at blues education and would bring a couple of kids up to the front of the assembly, have them write some simple blues lyrics and then put it to music. We are glad to see the program continue because it really plants the seeds of the blues and helps keep the music alive.” The association also hosts a “Holiday Blues Blast,” consisting of a dinner and a performance by noted blues musicians. Additionally, the MO Blues Association belongs to the Blues Foundation in Memphis and sponsors a local competition as part of the International Blues Challenge. “This competition is very intense and if you win on the local level, we provide a stipend to offset some of their expenses to travel to the national competition in Memphis,” said Renn. “Then, if the band wins the national level competition, they go on a tour. You can’t enter the Memphis competition unless sponsored by a local blues organization,” he added. Since many of these local bands consist of individuals with careers not affording them the time off for such competitions, the MO Blues Association recently decided to invest their limited funds to make an album. Recorded at the Rock Box Studio in Hallsville, they sell a compilation disc that features eight local blues groups. “We figured it was a good project for our 25th anniversary and we sell the CDs to raise money for our programs and it provides exposure for many of our bands,” Fredrickson said. The album is for sale at any event sponsored by the MO Blues Association and locally at Will West Music and 60’s Spirit, both on the Missouri Boulevard. “Many of the blues players are getting older and don’t get out and play anymore, and several of them have passed away,” Renn remarked. “This is why we’d like to start doing more hands-on music education, on a more consistent basis, and raise money for scholarships for kids to pursue music.” For more information on the MO Blues Association, Inc., visit www.moblues.org or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mobluesmissouri. Jeremy P. Ämick is the author of “Movin’ On,” the biography of the classic rock band Missouri. |
AuthorJeremy P. Ämick is an award-winning author and historian dedicated to preserving music, military and local histories. Archives
July 2026
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