Porky and The Travelers
ABS 144
1961
Al "Porky" Witherow was born to Bob and Pauline Witherow in York, Pennsylvania back in 1935. Music was a part of his family, for they would listen to the big country stations back then, WWVA out of Wheeling, West Virginia and WSM in Nashville, Tennessee.
When he was just four years old, he made his singing debut with his sister Betty, doing some gospel songs.
During the Korean war, Bob Hope wanted Mr. Witherow along to entertain the troops on his numerous USO tours. He worked with such famed Grand Ole Opry acts as Ernest Tubb, Minnie Pearl, Tex Ritter and Grandpa Jones.
He toured for over twenty years with his band the Travelers and the Country Mystery. He recorded in the seventies for Arctic Records, which was his own label, located in Vails Gate, New York.
Music was seemingly always a part of his life. He went back to York in 1977 to care for his parents. He later enjoyed a career as a training manager at the local chain of Denny's Restaurants in York for over 14 years. In 1997, he retired to Inverness, but kept entertaining the folks there as well and helping out where he could.
He died in 2004 in his home in Inverness, Florida.
Al "Porky" Witherow
The Pride of The Western Empire (1969)
