ele ▁of ▁a ▁high - class ▁New ▁York ▁restaurant ▁and ▁cl utch ing ▁his ▁guitar , ▁in ▁he ▁went . ▁ ▁Graham ▁Mc Name e , ▁an ▁N BC ▁announ cer , ▁introduced ▁" The ▁Sing ing ▁B um " ▁to ▁Rud y ▁Vall ée , ▁who ▁immediately ▁placed ▁Re e ves ▁on ▁his ▁network ▁radio ▁show . ▁Re e ves ▁was ▁a ▁great ▁success , ▁and ▁signed ▁an ▁N BC ▁contract ▁for ▁" three ▁and ▁a ▁half ." ▁Re e ves , ▁not ▁being ▁the ▁world ' s ▁greatest ▁account ant , ▁divided ▁several ▁me als ▁into ▁$ 3 . 5 0 . ▁But ▁when ▁he ▁got ▁his ▁pay check ▁he ▁was ▁shock ed ; ▁the ▁three ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁$ 3 5 0 . ▁Frank ▁Black ▁of ▁Brun sw ick ▁laid ▁out ▁the ▁red ▁car pet ▁and ▁allowed ▁Re e ves ▁to ▁make ▁some ▁trans cription ▁material ▁(" ▁Radio ▁Station ▁H . O . B . O ▁calling .... .. "). ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁around ▁ 1 9 3 2 - 3 4 ▁Re e ves ▁met ▁such ▁artists ▁as ▁Car son ▁Rob ison , ▁Vern on ▁Dal hart ▁and ▁Frank ▁Luther . ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁He avy ▁drink ing ▁and ▁sm oking ▁took ▁a ▁to ll ▁on ▁Re e ves ' ▁once ▁mel od ic ▁voice . ▁His ▁last ▁sessions ▁were ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁for ▁the ▁McG reg or ▁Trans cription ▁Rec ording ▁Co . ▁of ▁Hollywood , ▁California . ▁These ▁were ▁numerous ▁but