HDAS: _kicky_ "delightful; diverting; exciting." 1942, 1966; an undocumented interdating

[Wilson Gray]

In Saint Louis, from 1947 through at least 1960, "Spider" Burk of The
House of Joy Show, the first local black DJ or black-music program*,
was sponsored by Sol Hammer & Co., a men's clothing store, which
featured designs by "Ricky of Hollywood." Sol's ad featured a singing
commercial:

"Sol's Clothing!
"Fashions styled by Ricky!
"That's why they are _kicky_!
"S-O-L-S! S-O-L-S! S-O-L-S!"

*In places as diverse as Nashville, Shreveport, and Los Angeles, there
were radio shows featuring black music, but the DJ's were white. If a
black record "crossed over," then StL's white DJ's would play it, but
only under the rubric of "novelty tune." Records by, e.g. Spike Jones
carried no such editorial comment.

The local source of black music was a program from Nashville sponsored
by Randy's Record Shop. Hence, in StL, the program was known as
"Randy's" and the white DJ was referred to as "Randy," whatever his
real name may have been.

--
-Wilson
-----
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint
to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-Mark Twain

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