W. Lee O'Daniel

Lee (Pappy) O'Daniel, 34th governor of Texas (1939–1941), United States senator (1941-1949), and music leader, was born in Malta, Ohio, on March 11, 1890 and died on May 11, 1969 in Dallas, Texas. Hired by flour producer Burrus Mills and Elevator Company in 1925, O'Daniel took over the company's radio advertising in 1928. He began writing songs and discussing religious subjects on the air. In 1931, he formed a band of musicians including Bob Wills and Milton Browne called "The Light Crust Doughboys" to promote Burrus Mills' Light Crust Flour on a Fort Worth radio station. After being fired by Burrus Mills in 1935, O'Daniel organized his own flour company, Hillbilly Flour. He again used music to promote his flour on the radio. He formed his own band, W. Lee O'Daniel And His Hillbilly Boys, that was led by his son, Pat O'Daniel. As one of the promotional shticks during the Hillbilly Flour show, someone would shout, "Pass the biscuits, Pappy!", and that's how O'Daniel became known as Pappy O'Daniel. One of the best-known songs O'Daniel composed is "Beautiful Texas".