Martha White
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Martha White is a U.S. brand of flour, cornmeal, cornbread mixes, cake mixes, muffin mixes, and similar products.[1]
The Martha White brand was established as the premium brand of Nashville, Tennessee-based Royal Flour Mills in 1899.[2] At that time, Nashville businessman Richard Lindsey introduced a fine flour that he named for his daughter, Martha White Lindsey.[3]
The Martha White brand is probably most associated with its long-term sponsorship of the Grand Ole Opry, a radio program featuring country music.[2] The relationship began in 1948, and has existed continuously since then, making it one of the longest continually running radio show sponsorships known.[4]
A jingle for the flour, written by Nashville songwriter Pat Twitty in 1953, was first performed from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry by bluegrass music artists Flatt and Scruggs.[2] It is still in use today, having become a bluegrass standard and a signature number of Rhonda Vincent and the Rage.[citation needed] In 1972, Tennessee Ernie Ford became the spokesman for the flour, with the catchphrase, "Goodness gracious, it's pea-pickin' good!"
Packaging for Martha White ingredients (flour, cornmeal) feature the likeness of three-year-old Martha White. The commercials for the products stress the fact that they are "self-rising" due to the presence of leavening known by trademarks "Hot-Rize" or "Hot-Rize Plus". Martha White has expanded its product offering beyond ingredients to include baking mixes.[citation needed]
Martha White merged with Beatrice Foods in 1975. In 1986, Beatrice, newly acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, spun off its specialty foods and nonfood brands as E-II Holdings. E-II attempted to take over American Brands in 1988, but instead American Brands purchased E-II. Martha White was sold off in 1989.[citation needed]
Martha White was purchased by the Pillsbury Company in 1994; the baking products of Pillsbury were spun off in 2001 under the name International Multifoods. The J.M. Smucker Company acquired International Multifoods in 2005.[citation needed]
A band from Boulder, Colorado, named themselves "Hot Rize" in honor of Martha White's support of bluegrass music.[5]
Brad Paisley refers to Martha White in his song "Southern Comfort Zone".[6]
Claire Lynch refers to Martha White in her song "The Day That Lester Died."[7]
External links
References
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- ↑ https://www.bradpaisley.com/music/songs/southern-comfort-zone-0
- ↑ http://www.clairelynch.com/#!audio-video/czxq
