Wendell Woods Hall was born in St. George, KS on August 23, 1896, the youngest son of George Franklin Hall and Laura Woods Hall; his brothers were Paul Lyman Hall (1887-1943) and George Barton Hall, Sr. (1891-1947).
Wendell's father was, by 1896, a well-known minister, author and lecturer in the Christian Church. The family had moved about during Dr. Hall's career, mainly in Kansas and Illinois. Wendell was born at St. George, KS at the home of Laura's mother, Amanda Gillespie Woods (1831-1923).
The family moved to Chicago, IL in 1900. Dr. Hall did not take a salary from his congregation, but rather made the bulk of his money from conducting weddings, writing and publishing books and articles and conducting meetings on a national scale. As a result, the family lived in a large house in the Ravenswood neighborhood, built originally by a wealthy industrialist, and was quite well off.
Wendell was very talented, both in music and athletics, but he was the quintessential "wild child" and was sent to at least one military school and, at some point between 1910 and 1917, ran away to the wilds of Glades County, Florida, to be with his older brother Bart (George Barton Hall). After his return to Chicago, Wendell was known to sneak out of the house and go to "black and tan" bars where he was known to perform as well as listen to music of various styles.
Wendell graduated from the University of Chicago High School in 1917. Soon thereafter he either enlisted or was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I. However, about the time Wendell reached Europe after his training he was stricken during the great influenza epidemic as were many other soldiers. After his release from the hospital, he toured American camps around Europe for a time entertaining troops until he sailed back for the States. Wendell worked some odd jobs, including driving trucks in Florida carrying oranges after his return, but his heart was in music and performing and he became a pioneer in the early days of radio.
After spending time on the vaudeville circuit, performing with a soon-to-be-famous Jack Benny, among others, Wendell began singing on a Chicago radio station, frequently performing songs of his own or traditional songs that he added humorous lyrics to, like "Ain't Gonna Rain No 'Mo", which became a national hit. While Wendell did not make much money from that particular song, his recordings and increasing popularity on radio made him famous.
Wendell was one of the first performers on radio to be sponsored (Eveready Batteries and later Dole Pineapple); he and his wife Marion were married on a live radio broadcast; he was on the radio coverage of the Democratic National Convention in 1924 and took a European tour, singing and performing distinctly American music. Wendell also became extremely well-known as a virtuoso on the ukelele, publishing a book of technique for the instrument and later putting his name to a line of ukes manufactured by the Martin Company that remain collector's items.
By the late 1930's, Wendell's star began to fade as different musical styles began to take over, but he maintained a presence on radio and later television in Chicago well into the 1950's. He continued to write and publish music, while also establishing his own company in Chicago that provided jingles for advertising agencies.
Wendell had traveled to the Mobile, AL area and enjoyed it greatly, eventually settling in Fairhope, AL, where he died in 1969. He and Marion had two sons, Wendell W. Hall, Jr. and Lowell Martin Hall.
Wendell's father was, by 1896, a well-known minister, author and lecturer in the Christian Church. The family had moved about during Dr. Hall's career, mainly in Kansas and Illinois. Wendell was born at St. George, KS at the home of Laura's mother, Amanda Gillespie Woods (1831-1923).
The family moved to Chicago, IL in 1900. Dr. Hall did not take a salary from his congregation, but rather made the bulk of his money from conducting weddings, writing and publishing books and articles and conducting meetings on a national scale. As a result, the family lived in a large house in the Ravenswood neighborhood, built originally by a wealthy industrialist, and was quite well off.
Wendell was very talented, both in music and athletics, but he was the quintessential "wild child" and was sent to at least one military school and, at some point between 1910 and 1917, ran away to the wilds of Glades County, Florida, to be with his older brother Bart (George Barton Hall). After his return to Chicago, Wendell was known to sneak out of the house and go to "black and tan" bars where he was known to perform as well as listen to music of various styles.
Wendell graduated from the University of Chicago High School in 1917. Soon thereafter he either enlisted or was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I. However, about the time Wendell reached Europe after his training he was stricken during the great influenza epidemic as were many other soldiers. After his release from the hospital, he toured American camps around Europe for a time entertaining troops until he sailed back for the States. Wendell worked some odd jobs, including driving trucks in Florida carrying oranges after his return, but his heart was in music and performing and he became a pioneer in the early days of radio.
After spending time on the vaudeville circuit, performing with a soon-to-be-famous Jack Benny, among others, Wendell began singing on a Chicago radio station, frequently performing songs of his own or traditional songs that he added humorous lyrics to, like "Ain't Gonna Rain No 'Mo", which became a national hit. While Wendell did not make much money from that particular song, his recordings and increasing popularity on radio made him famous.
Wendell was one of the first performers on radio to be sponsored (Eveready Batteries and later Dole Pineapple); he and his wife Marion were married on a live radio broadcast; he was on the radio coverage of the Democratic National Convention in 1924 and took a European tour, singing and performing distinctly American music. Wendell also became extremely well-known as a virtuoso on the ukelele, publishing a book of technique for the instrument and later putting his name to a line of ukes manufactured by the Martin Company that remain collector's items.
By the late 1930's, Wendell's star began to fade as different musical styles began to take over, but he maintained a presence on radio and later television in Chicago well into the 1950's. He continued to write and publish music, while also establishing his own company in Chicago that provided jingles for advertising agencies.
Wendell had traveled to the Mobile, AL area and enjoyed it greatly, eventually settling in Fairhope, AL, where he died in 1969. He and Marion had two sons, Wendell W. Hall, Jr. and Lowell Martin Hall.
Wendell Woods Hall was born in St. George, KS on August 23, 1896, the youngest son of George Franklin Hall and Laura Woods Hall; his brothers were Paul Lyman Hall (1887-1943) and George Barton Hall, Sr. (1891-1947).
Wendell's father was, by 1896, a well-known minister, author and lecturer in the Christian Church. The family had moved about during Dr. Hall's career, mainly in Kansas and Illinois. Wendell was born at St. George, KS at the home of Laura's mother, Amanda Gillespie Woods (1831-1923).
The family moved to Chicago, IL in 1900. Dr. Hall did not take a salary from his congregation, but rather made the bulk of his money from conducting weddings, writing and publishing books and articles and conducting meetings on a national scale. As a result, the family lived in a large house in the Ravenswood neighborhood, built originally by a wealthy industrialist, and was quite well off.
Wendell was very talented, both in music and athletics, but he was the quintessential "wild child" and was sent to at least one military school and, at some point between 1910 and 1917, ran away to the wilds of Glades County, Florida, to be with his older brother Bart (George Barton Hall). After his return to Chicago, Wendell was known to sneak out of the house and go to "black and tan" bars where he was known to perform as well as listen to music of various styles.
Wendell graduated from the University of Chicago High School in 1917. Soon thereafter he either enlisted or was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I. However, about the time Wendell reached Europe after his training he was stricken during the great influenza epidemic as were many other soldiers. After his release from the hospital, he toured American camps around Europe for a time entertaining troops until he sailed back for the States. Wendell worked some odd jobs, including driving trucks in Florida carrying oranges after his return, but his heart was in music and performing and he became a pioneer in the early days of radio.
After spending time on the vaudeville circuit, performing with a soon-to-be-famous Jack Benny, among others, Wendell began singing on a Chicago radio station, frequently performing songs of his own or traditional songs that he added humorous lyrics to, like "Ain't Gonna Rain No 'Mo", which became a national hit. While Wendell did not make much money from that particular song, his recordings and increasing popularity on radio made him famous.
Wendell was one of the first performers on radio to be sponsored (Eveready Batteries and later Dole Pineapple); he and his wife Marion were married on a live radio broadcast; he was on the radio coverage of the Democratic National Convention in 1924 and took a European tour, singing and performing distinctly American music. Wendell also became extremely well-known as a virtuoso on the ukelele, publishing a book of technique for the instrument and later putting his name to a line of ukes manufactured by the Martin Company that remain collector's items.
By the late 1930's, Wendell's star began to fade as different musical styles began to take over, but he maintained a presence on radio and later television in Chicago well into the 1950's. He continued to write and publish music, while also establishing his own company in Chicago that provided jingles for advertising agencies.
Wendell had traveled to the Mobile, AL area and enjoyed it greatly, eventually settling in Fairhope, AL, where he died in 1969. He and Marion had two sons, Wendell W. Hall, Jr. and Lowell Martin Hall.
Wendell's father was, by 1896, a well-known minister, author and lecturer in the Christian Church. The family had moved about during Dr. Hall's career, mainly in Kansas and Illinois. Wendell was born at St. George, KS at the home of Laura's mother, Amanda Gillespie Woods (1831-1923).
The family moved to Chicago, IL in 1900. Dr. Hall did not take a salary from his congregation, but rather made the bulk of his money from conducting weddings, writing and publishing books and articles and conducting meetings on a national scale. As a result, the family lived in a large house in the Ravenswood neighborhood, built originally by a wealthy industrialist, and was quite well off.
Wendell was very talented, both in music and athletics, but he was the quintessential "wild child" and was sent to at least one military school and, at some point between 1910 and 1917, ran away to the wilds of Glades County, Florida, to be with his older brother Bart (George Barton Hall). After his return to Chicago, Wendell was known to sneak out of the house and go to "black and tan" bars where he was known to perform as well as listen to music of various styles.
Wendell graduated from the University of Chicago High School in 1917. Soon thereafter he either enlisted or was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I. However, about the time Wendell reached Europe after his training he was stricken during the great influenza epidemic as were many other soldiers. After his release from the hospital, he toured American camps around Europe for a time entertaining troops until he sailed back for the States. Wendell worked some odd jobs, including driving trucks in Florida carrying oranges after his return, but his heart was in music and performing and he became a pioneer in the early days of radio.
After spending time on the vaudeville circuit, performing with a soon-to-be-famous Jack Benny, among others, Wendell began singing on a Chicago radio station, frequently performing songs of his own or traditional songs that he added humorous lyrics to, like "Ain't Gonna Rain No 'Mo", which became a national hit. While Wendell did not make much money from that particular song, his recordings and increasing popularity on radio made him famous.
Wendell was one of the first performers on radio to be sponsored (Eveready Batteries and later Dole Pineapple); he and his wife Marion were married on a live radio broadcast; he was on the radio coverage of the Democratic National Convention in 1924 and took a European tour, singing and performing distinctly American music. Wendell also became extremely well-known as a virtuoso on the ukelele, publishing a book of technique for the instrument and later putting his name to a line of ukes manufactured by the Martin Company that remain collector's items.
By the late 1930's, Wendell's star began to fade as different musical styles began to take over, but he maintained a presence on radio and later television in Chicago well into the 1950's. He continued to write and publish music, while also establishing his own company in Chicago that provided jingles for advertising agencies.
Wendell had traveled to the Mobile, AL area and enjoyed it greatly, eventually settling in Fairhope, AL, where he died in 1969. He and Marion had two sons, Wendell W. Hall, Jr. and Lowell Martin Hall.
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