Dr. John R. Brinkley was quite a peculiar character. Bringing the outrageous story of “the goat gland king” to life is Grammy-winning storyteller David Holt, presenting the “Goat Glands and Banjo Band,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 29th, at the Madison County Arts Council in Marshall.
The storytelling extravaganza focuses on the true tale of the “country’s most successful charlatan.” The press release continues: “Dr. John R. Brinkley [was] born into poverty in the mountain of Western North Carolina in 1885 [and] moved to Kansas where he purchased a questionable medical license and began implanting goat glands into impotent men.” No joke. And there’s more: “Before long, men were coming from all over the country, goats in tow, and Brinkley began making millions of dollars during the Great Depression. … Moving to Texas, he built the most powerful radio station in the world, the million-watt XERA, so powerful it covered the entire North American Continent. This station brought the nation the sounds of folk and country music for the first time and later raw blues [creating] a format for modern radio.”
Intrigued? Make sure to hear full story of “Dr. John R. Brinkley: The Greatest American Charlatan of the Age,” as told by Holt.
The Madison County Arts Center is located at 90 S. Main St. Tickets are $15. Info: 649-1301.
