John Stephen McSwain – known to his family and friends as “Steve” – was born back in March 1915 on a farm in the Central Valley town of Plainsburg, located pretty much in the heart of California.
Steve would grow up, change his stage name to Dude Martin, and became a Western Music entrepreneur, performing with his own show band, writing songs, making records, working as a radio (and later TV) host, promoting live shows and dances featuring his band, and doing just about anything to make a living in the business.
Dude’s extensive work on radio, hosting programs on KLX in Oakland and San Francisco’s KYA, KSFO and KGO in the 1940s and 1950s, led to his induction in the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2008.
He later became an early star of television in Los Angeles under an unlikely name, taking the name that most people he knew called him and pairing it with the last part of his stage name to become the first well-known Steve Martin in Hollywood.
(Source: Carolina Cotton Archive)
TOP PHOTO CREDIT: Author’s collection. All rights reserved.