In response to requests for more up to date music, Lair sometimes came off as being quite hidebound:
"We don't like songs jest because they're old, but a song has to be a good song to begin with er else it wouldn't last long enough to git old."
An Ohio housewife is but one of many who strongly agreed.
Harrison, Ohio, March 18, 1941
" … (we like) the stories of inspiration of song writers... and your kind way of trying to get people to realize that the old farm home(,) old landmarks and old time Americans as Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln... should be appreciated more..."
Actually, Lair didn't hesitate to include decidedly pop numbers such as "Aloha," "Song of the Islands," "Deep Purple," and "Down Argentine Way" and wrote dialog for comedians, Homer and Jethro that poked fun at his traditionalism.
He also made room for gospel music with the singing of the Crusaders Quartet. They did such pieces as “Farther Along,” “Little White Church,” and “Old Time Religion.” They (the songs) git up an' move, an' if they do sound a little lively an' gay … it's jest because our folks feel happy an' free an' full of joy at the promises an' blessings of some of these songs..."
Listeners overall, seemed not to be hung up on the fine points of musical genres.
Lonedell, Missouri, January 13, 1941
“I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed your Stephen Foster program…on January 6th. I have only had my radio since…August.”
Haviland, Kansas, March 11, 1941
“We enjoyed the program last night. I like the histories of the songs very much. If anyone didn’t laugh at Homer & Jethro there is no hope for them ever laughing. What are shuck beans?”
Belton, Texas, February 12, 1941
"I am not so much interested in swing music. ...I like the type of songs such as have been sung for
so many years, and of course new songs as we get used to them."
Fort Wayne, Indiana, February 11, 1941
"May I commend your Monday evening programs... Your program on February 10 interested me immensely. I am asking my music classes (junior high school) to listen to your program in connection with our study of folk music."
What had impressed this Indiana teacher so strongly on February 10 were such songs as "John Henry," "May I Never Love Again," "Sally Goodin," "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" and "I'm Going From the Cotton Fields."
In his commentary, Lair contrasted the viewpoint of the latter song's composer, Thomas Westendorf, with Stephen Foster, Benjamin Hanby and others who wrote of slave life in the old South. He said that many of Foster and company's works "centered around the Negro race in chains," while Westendorf "wrote of the negro freed frum the chains of Slavery an' fightin' fer a place in the economic set-up." He credited African-American culture with having "given us, directly or indirectly, much of our native Folkmusic an' most of our Folktales and beliefs..."
“Farther Along,” “Little White Church,” and “Old Time Religion.” They (the songs) git up an' move, an' if they do sound a little lively an' gay … it's jest because our folks feel happy an' free an' full of joy at the promises an' blessings of some of these songs..." 