Designing the Story

The story of Bob and Dean McNett is one of those tales that belong to every small town in America. Two brothers with a musical dream, they were bound for Nashville and fame when they were sidetracked in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. McNett Country is the story of why they never left.

Originally produced as an award-winning interactive documentary and now available as a podcast series, McNett Country chronicles the McNetts' lives and musical careers with a blend of music and interviews that brings a bygone era to life and remembers a relationship between two men that stood the test of time.

EPISODES

Introduction
In the late 1940s, Brothers Bob and Dean McNett left their family’s farm in Northern Pennsylvania for Nashville, Tennessee to make their mark on country music.

Some say they never made it.
Others will never know their success.
This is their story.

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Part One - We Sure Had Some Times
Enroute to Nashville, Bob and Dean stop about an hour south of their farm, in the city of Williamsport Pennsylvania. They perform on the radio program of Jim and Jane Claar.

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Part Two - Fingers on Fire
In addition to their radio program, Jim and Jane produce an outdoor country music concert series called the Radio Corral.

There the McNett Brothers play with everyone from the Carter Family to Roy Acuff to Hank Williams to the Original Cowgirl, Patsy Montana.

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Part Three - Radio Corral
In 1950, Bob returns from his stint with the Drifting Cowboys. In 1952 Dean returns from service in Korea. Jim and Jane decide to retire, so the brothers take over the Radio Corral, producing shows until 1970.

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Part Four - The Legacy
Music is a constant in the all the McNett households. It is a legacy they passed on to their children and grandchildren. Bob has a daughter, Robin, an accomplished singer herself. And Dean has a daughter Deana, and two sons, Tim and Shawn, who continue to play under the McNett Country name to this day.

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Part Five - The Split
Bob and Dean continue to make music together playing fairs, carnivals, festivals and square dances throughout the mid-atlantic states.

In the 1970s, Bob returns to the road with Jerry Rivers, Bob Helms and the other orignial members of the Drifting Cowboys band. Dean comes along to play bass, but the demands of a young family bring him back to Pennsylvania. It is then that Dean starts his own band.

This will mark the first time since the early 1950s that the McNett brothers perform separately.

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Part Six - True Masters
Though the days of the Radio Corral and the McNett Brothers band have become distant memories, Bob and Dean’s reputation as beloved entertainers has remained intact.

Sadly Bob dies from prostate cancer in 1995.

Dean follows in 2004.

In their absence, Bob’s Daughter Robin and Dean’s sons Tim and Shawn and now, Robin’s daughter Ashley, all carry on the tradition of McNett Country.

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SHOW CREDITS
Produced by Ben Kaplan, Eric Ratinoff and Preston Sanders

Written, Edited and Directed by Ben Kaplan

Featuring:
Jane Claar
Dean McNett
Geri McNett
Robin McNett
Tim McNett

Special Thanks to:
Dot McNett
Robin Van Auken
Connie Rose Claycomb
Mary Alice Wood
Tuan Heidenreich
William Matlack, Jr.
Michelle Jewitt
Nancy Menasco
Marc Menasco
Clifford Reiders

Suzanne Metrick at Shaprio, Berstein & Co.
Mary Wallace and the Hank Williams Fan Club
Denny Adcock at the Country Music Hall of Fame
Dave Booth at the Showtime Music Archive

Colin Escott
Natalie Leone at ASCAP
Nathan Turner
Hillous Butrum
Sara Rider
Reggie Tidwell

"Dean's Song"
"Dean' Happy Polka"
Written and Performed by Dean McNett
Used by Permission of Dean McNett

"Stranger in My Arms"
"Imagination"
Written by Bob McNett
Performed by Dean McNett
Used by Permission of Geri McNett

"Somebody Gave Me This Day"
Written by Bob McNett
Performed by Bob and Dean McNett
Used by Permission of Be-Are Publishing (BMI)

"Family Reunion in Heaven"
Written by Bob McNett
Performed by Bob and Dean McNett
Used by Permission of Geri McNett

"Fingers on Fire"
Written by Arthur Smith
Performed by Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys
Used by Permission of Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.(ASCAP)

"Rindercella"
Written by Archie Campbell
Performed by Bob and Dean McNett
Used by Permission of Peer International (BMI)

All Photographs appear courtesy of:
Dean McNett
Geri McNett
Dot McNett
Robin McNett

Photograph of Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys
© Menasco, 1949