Chief Halftown Sings 45 LP Philadelphia Childrens Show Radio Host Seneca Vintage

$

30

Here is a rare vintage 45 EP record in original sleeve featuring Traynor Ora ('Chief') Halftown from the 1950s or 1960s.  He is singing Goldmine in the Sky, Sleepy Head, Lonely Wing, and Dream Time.  The record and sleeve are in good condition.   This was a production of Halftown's Seneca Records Company, one of his many enterprises.  
This talented man was a 100% Seneca Indian whose grandfather toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and whose father was a professional boxer. Born on the reservation near Buffalo NY in 1917 in upstate New York, Chief Halftown was an accomplished singer, bowler, and a popular radio show host in Philadelphia PA.  Halftown started his legendary channel 6 broadcasts a couple days after Labor Day of 1950. Upon "retiring" in 1999, he had spent 50 years on WFIL-TV that later became WPVI. It is the longest running local TV children's show in history. He always started his television broadcast with "Ees da sa sussaway" which was Seneca for "Let us begin" or "Let's get started." 
On his broadcasts and public appearances, Chief Halftown always dressed in full Indian costume. This included a full-feathered bonnet, beads, and buckskin. The show started out as an inexpensive cartoon vehicle and within weeks, Halftown was a star. Eventually, the Chief also included lessons dealing with tribal folklore, customs, language, crafts and chants.

Chief Halftown almost always worked in front of a live on-set audience of kids. However, Halftown early on wanted to be the next crooner like Frank Sinatra. While in high school, he was performing as "The Singing Seneca" in local nightspots earning ten or fifteen dollars a night. He did some big band singing with Buddy Wilson's Band at New York City's Glen Park shows and "had a fabulous voice" said friend Sally Starr, also a legend on channel 6. Sally said, "he was a successful nightclub singer and had a much in demand lounge act." He loved to visit nursing homes where he would lead group sing-alongs.

Halftown was also a top, professional bowler and was a spokesman for the Brunswick Bowling Manufacturing Corporation. While stationed in the Army at the base located in Carlisle, PA, he competed on a three-state championship team. During the 1957-58 season, his team won the city's major league title. 
Memorabilia from this popular and talented Native American is getting hard to find.  Shipping by First class mail in a protective record mailer, with tracking provided.