Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter - Backforty Bunkhouse Productions

Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter
Cowtown Society of Western Music ‗2009 Publication of the Year‘
Distributed by BACKFORTY BUNKHOUSE PRODUCTIONS
106 Roswell St., Ruidoso, NM 88345 (575) 808-4111
Home of Backforty Roundup and CD Chorale
Backforty Bunkhouse Publishing BMI
Venue / Show Productions Western Music Radio Marketing
www.Backforty Bunkhouse.com [email protected]
www.MySpace.com/BackfortyBunkhouse Twitter.com/backfortyBH
Joe Baker
Publisher
The Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter is sent to over 900 email subscribers periodically and is growing every day. There are
DJs, artists and fans whose interest are Western Swing, Cowboy Poetry, Cowboy Heritage and Texas Honky Tonk music genres. We solicit your comments, suggestions and ways we may better serve you. If you do not want to receive this newsletter
and want to be removed from our mailing list, reply to this email by entering ―UNSUBSCRIBE‖ in the subject box of the email.
Joe Baker's Top 20 – July, 2010
Est. January, 2007
Howard Higgins,
Co-Founder & Advisor
Western Swing
Joe Baker, Co-Founder
& Publisher
1.
Totsie Slover, Editor
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
mtdradio.com
backfortybunkhouse.com
nchacutting.com
mtdradio.com
backfortybunkhouse.com
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Asleep At The Wheel & Leon Rausch, It‘s A
Good Day
Tony Harrison & Hot Texas, Swingin‘ Big
Rebecca Linda Smith, True Love
Gayla Earlene, Traditional Sugar
Tom Houston, Tuxedo Country, Vol.#2
Lone Pine WS Band, Goodbye Liza Jane
Hello
Western Swing Gena Roberts, Shuffle Back
To Me
Amber Digby & Justin Trevino, Keeping Up
Appearances
Jerry D. Hobbs, Bakersfield
Carolyn Martin, Cookin‘ With Carolyn
Brady Bowen In My Spare Time, Vol.#5
Johnny Lyon, Wynn Stewart Fav, Vol.#2
Johnny Gimble, Celebrating With Friends
Cornell Hurd, A Bad Year For Love
Billy Mata, This Is Tommy Duncan Vol.#1
Willie Nelson, Willie & The Wheel
Rachael Hester, Only Time Will Tell
Chuck Cusimano, Swing me A Song
Steel Country, Country Hard As Steel
Jerry Webb, Live At Pearl‘s Dancehall CD/
DVD
Western Music/Cowboy Poetry
westernmusic.com
1.
2.
3.
wsmss.com
cowtown-swm.org
Yvonne Hollenbeck, Sorting Time
Bar-D Roundup, Vol.#5 CowboyPoetry.com
Larry McWhorter, Cowboy Poet (Prescott
Music)
4. Mark Compere, Cowboy Songs
5. Patty Parker, Southwest Serenade
6. Lynn Anderson, Cowgirl II
7. Fred Hargrove, My Sacred Ground
8. Ken Cook, Cowboys Are Like That
9. Stardust Cowboys, Ridin‘ Back To You
10. Chuck Woller, (D. Johnson Vocals) Desert
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Moon
Steve Anderson, Old Man Talking
Gil Prather, Last Of The Border Cowboys
Frank Fara, Songs Of The Untamed West
Horse Crazy, Daughters Of The West
Linda Lee Filener, One Life To Live
Backforty Roundup Vol. #45
Almeda Terry, Voices From The Range
Troy Bateson, Midnight Moon
Chuck Cusimano, Wind Blow My Blues Away
Brenn Hill, Equine
"Swingin' West"- Mike Gross
WVOF-FM
July 1, 2010
Songs
1. Oklahoma- 1955- Les Gilliam
2. That‘s What I Call Cookin‘- Carolyn
Martin
3. Lonestar Ladies- Ray Sanders
4. California Mountains- The Stardust Cowboys
5. What I Like About Texas- Marshall Ford Swing
Band
6. I Wouldn‘t Trade You for a Farm in GeorgiaRay Kayanek
7. Night Coach Out of Dallas- Jake Hooker
8. Don‘t Let the Devil Dance- The Captain‘s Crew
9. Over the Hill- River Road Boys
10. Tacos, Enchiladas and Beans- Buck Pizzarelli
& West Texas Tumbleweeds
Albums
1. Oklahoma- 1955- Les Gilliam
2. Cookin‘ With Carolyn- Carolyn Martin
3. Celebrating with Friends- Johnny Gimble
4. Goodbye Liza Jane Hello Western Swing- Lone
Pine Western Swing Band
5. Western Bling- Stephanie Davis
6. Houston- River Road Boys
7. Live at Pearls- Jerry Webb
8. Swing Me a Song- Chuck Cusimano
9. Lost Along the Way- Jake Hooker
10. Whatever You Want Me to Be- Eddie McAlvain
swinginwest.com
Joe Baker‟s Backforty Bunkhouse Show is broadcast on 100,000 watt KNMB, 96.7FM “New Mexico Bear” & 100,000 watt KWMW, 105.1FM, “Regional
Radio W-105” every Saturday morning 6 am to 10 am in Ruidoso, New Mexico covering New Mexico & West Texas. Member: Western Music Broadcasters Association (WMBA). Also available „Streaming live‟ 24/7 on the internet at W-105
1
awaawards.org
nwwsms.org
westernswingsociety.org
Hugh McLennan‘s
The Spirit of the West
Kamloops Country Radio 103
Kamloops, BC
LEESWING TOP 12 CDs &
SONGS
Lillies Ohlsson
Kountry Korral Magazine
Bennerstigen 120
SE-733 95 SALA * Sweden
June 26, 2010
1. Take Me Back to My Boots and
Saddle - Hayes County Gals
2. When The Rains Came - Jean Prescott
3. God Must Be A Cowboy At Heart - Chris Schauer
4. Hearts & Horses - Lorraine Rawls
5. Women Of The Wind - Journey West
6. Molly & The Kid - Mereline Griffith
CDs
Bill Snow Jr. - No Ryman, No Reason
Bobby Koefer – Thumbin´ It
Buck Pizzarelli – Diggin´ Up Bones
Carolina Cotton – Yodeling Blonde Bombshell Vol. 2
Chuck Cusimano – Swing Me A Song
Country Night Live – The Right Five – Vol.1
Eddie McAlvain – Whatever You Want Me To Be
Gaylynn Robinson – Love & Heartache
Hunter Erwin – Back To You
Retta – They Took The Stars Out Of Heaven
Shoot Low Sheriff – Mockingbird Sessions
Wayne Glasson & Friends – Dedicated to the Memory
of Bobby Boatright
July 2, 2010
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
July 10, 2010
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Songs
ifco.org
swinginwest.com
Blue Prairie - Old West Trio
Wild Horses - Fred Doberstein
The Cowboy Song - Hank Cramer
Mamma Cow Blues - Charlie Ewing
Right Back Down The Trail - Tony Reed
He Taught Me - Lloyd Dolen
Carolina Cotton Calls # 89 – Carolina Cotto
Diggin´ Up Bones – Buck Pizzarelli
Does My Baby Call Me Honey, Yes Sir – Retta & The
Smart Fellas
Over The Hill – River Road Boys
Shuffle Back To Me – Gena Roberts & Country Night
Live Band
Sing Faded Love Dayna Gayle – Dayna Wills
Southland – Bobby Koefer
Stampede – Bill Snow Jr.
Swing Me A Song – Chuck Cusimano
Talk Back Trembling Lips – Eddie McAlvain
Traditional Sugar – Gayla Earlene
Wabash Blues – Wayne Glasson & Friends
Mail Order Bride - Tony Glen
The Brazos - Cowboy Celtic
Roll On Cowboys - R.J. Vandygriff
Spell of the Cariboo - Alan Moberg
Twilight On The Trail - Nat King Cole
Ridin‘ Blind - Kelly Buelow
July 17, 2010
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cowpoke - Johnny Western
Itchin‘ For ABritchin‘ - Ben Crane
Jack Link - Ian Tyson
Red River Rose - Red Steagall
Melody of the Plains - Rex Allen
FireFighters - Doris Daley
www.hugh-mclennan.com
www.123minsida.se/scowswing
www.LeeSwing88.se
demingradio.com
realwestoldwest.com
Graham Lees Top Ten CDs & Songs
HWD Radio - United Kingdom
All Things Country Top 10 CDs
Rowena Muldavin
Top Ten CDs
cowboypoetry.com
1. Malpass Bros. – Hillbilly Fever
The Way It Was
2. Miss Leslie – Wrong Is What I Do
Best
3. Merle Haggard – I Am What I Am
4. Ron Williams – The Longer You‘re Gone
5. Cornell Hurd – A Bad Year For Love
6. Carolyn Martin – Cookin‘ With Carolyn
7. Quebe Sisters Band – Timeless
8. Lisa And Her Kin – Two Weeks In Texas
9. Juni Fisher – Let ‗Er Go, Let ‗Er Buck, Let ‗Er Fly
10. Brett Neal – Honky Tonk Roadmap
[email protected]
1. Marshall Ford Swing Band - It‘s
About Dam Time
2. Elana James - Elana James
3. Quebe Sisters Band - Timeless
4. Bobby Flores - Just For The Record
5. Cornel Hurd Band - A Bad Year For Love
6. Jennifer Lind - Cowboy State Of Mind
7. Jean Prescott - Ranch Life 101
8. Don Edwards - Goin‘ Back To Texas
9. Gary Allegretto - Harmonicowboy
10. Lynn Anderson - Cowgirl
[email protected]
cowboysymposium.org
Ruidoso, New Mexico
2
mountainannies.com
Andy and Jim Nelson
Top Ten Songs
radioksey.com
[email protected]
Quebe Sisters Band- Across The Ally
From The Alamo
2. Cornel Hurd Band - A Date With Her
Memory
3. Marshall Ford Swing Band - Marie
4. Jean Prescott - One Cowboy Left
5. Bobby Flores - I‘d Fight The World
6. Brenn Hill - Hell On Yer Women
7. Chuck Cusimano - That‘s Why There‘s
Honky Tonks In Texas
8. Jennifer Lind - Fair and Tender Ladies
9. Stu Davis - Land, Sky and Water
10. Gary Allegretto - Mind Your Own Business
[email protected]
C. O. W. Radio
1.
4 Week Playlist
6/26/10, If Cowboys Were Meant To...
Bar J Wranglers: Mama Don't Allow
Sourdough Slim: Ridin' Down The Canyon
Ken Maynard: Home On The Range
KG and the Ranger: Down The Trail To San Antone
Jerry Brooks: Badger Clark's "The Legend Of Boastful Bill"
TJ Casey: Get Along Little Dogies
6/19/10, Father's Day
Brenn Hill: Still Your Little Cowgirl
Dave Stamey: That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine
Rex Allen and Rex Allen Jr.: Last Of The Silver Screen Cowboys
David Anderson: It's Been A While
Ken
Bass
wswing.home.texas.net
Randy Rieman: Badger Clark's "The Married Man"
KALH - VARIETY 95.1
Sons and Brothers: Measure Of A Man
Serving
Alamogordo - La Luz 6/12/10, Top TV Western Series
Holloman AFB &
Johnny Western: TV Series Medley
Tularosa, NM
Frankie Lane: Rawhide
Roy Rogers: Happy Trails
TOP 20
Don Edwards/Rich O'Brien: Gunsmoke
01. Little Big Town– Little White Church
Rex Rideout: When Bob Got Throwed
02. Teea Goans - He'll Be Back
The Cincinnati Pops: Medley Of TV Western Themes
sblackwell18
03. Sebastian Roberts & Lorrie Morgan @comcast.net
Dress For The Rain
6/5/10, Top TV Western Movies/Mini-series
04. Georgette Jones - I Still Believe In Fairy
Cowboy Celtic: Ballad Of Nate Champion
Tales
Theme From Monte Walsh
05. Roys - Beautiful
Bill Hayes: The Ballad Of Davie Crockett
06. Du West - Bible And The Belt
Leon Littlebird: Sally In The Canyon
07. Kellie Pickler - Makin' Me Fall In Love
Red Steagall: The Fence That Me And Shorty Built
cdtex.com
Again
The Cincinnati Pops: Theme From Lonesome Dove
08. Robert Poe - Bad Reputation
cowboy [email protected]
09. Bellamy Brothers - Jalapenos
10. Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Put My Ring
The Big Fred Walker Show
Back On
WOES 91.3 FM
11. Darryl Worley - Keep The Change
Mid-Michigan
texascountyline.tv
12. Lowcash Cowboys - Here Comes SumTOP TEN SONGS
mer
01 Eddie McAlvain – Shame, Shame On
You
13. Billy Dean - Wave On Old Glory Wave
02 Chuck Cusimano – Let Me Off In
On
Texas
14.
Bridgett
Tatum
That's
Love
Y'all
gabeandtony.com
03 Rebecca Linda Smith – Yrue Love
15. Buck McCoy - Man Of The Law
04 Hermann Lammers Meyer – Do What
16. Bad Boy Leroy - I'm Playing This Song
You Do, Do Well
For You
05 Ray Sanders – Walk On By
06 T.J. Casey – (My Only) Turtle Dove
MineralWellsTX.com 17. LeVee Town - Hallabaloo
07 Ann Pascoe – Treat Me Like A Lady
18. Rebecca Linda Smith– Lady Warrior
08 Dayna Wills – It Was Just Like Taking Candy From A Baby
09 Glrn Lenderman – Here‘s To You
19. Billy Currington - Pretty Good At Drinkin' Bee
10 Liz Talley – Bump Bounce Boogie
20. Grascals - Last Train To Clarksville
TOP TEN CD
01 Eddie McAlvain – Whatever You Want Me To Be
[email protected]
02 Rebecca Linda Smith – True Love
03 Chuck Cusimano – Swing Me A Song
04 Frank Fara – Song‘s Of The West
05 Ann Pascoe – The Best Of Ann Pascoe
Listen to Joe Baker‘s
06 T.J. Casey – Blue Montana Skies
Backforty Bunkhouse Radio Show
07 Ray Sanders – Funny How Time Slips Away
www.backfortybunkhouse.com
08 Liz Talley – More Than Satisfied
Saturday 6:00 til 9:00 AM
09 Gunsmoks – Tradition
10 Leon Seiter – Nashville Memory
[email protected]
3
Waynetta‘s Roundup on LIVE 365
Waynetta Ausmus
KJIM, 1500AM
Sherman/Dennison TX
From Whence Came The Cowboy – Sons of
The San Juaquin
Cowboy Lessons – Teresa Burleson
Pioneertown Phantoms – Tom Hiatt
Joy Is A Choice – Ken Cook
My Life‘s Been A Pleasure – River Road Boys
The Wayward Wind – Due West Trio
Old Folks Rodeo – Yvonne Hollenbeck
Saturday Night in a Cowboy Town – David John And The
Comstock Cowboys
Good Dog – Doc Mayer
Damn Dog – Donnie Blanz
Cowboy Music Soothes My Soul – Jim Reeder
The Boots Her Daddy Wore – Jean Prescott
Beatitudes – Bob Upchurch
Adios to the Cowboy – Way Out West
Swing 42 – Rich O‘Brien
Arizona April – Way Out West
Deb‘s Café – Mike Puhallo
You‘re the Reason God Made Oklahoma – Barry Ward
I Saw the Light – Don Edwards
The Sick Mule – Jerry Clower
The Real West from the Old West
Totsie Slover
AM1230 KOTS
DemingRadio.com
Top 20 CDs
Cookin‘ With Carolyn - Carolyn Martin
Way Out West - Richard Lee Cody and Mary
Kaye
Route 66 On The Road - Oklahoma Stomp
Cross Halo - Paul Harris
It‘s A Good Day - Asleep At The Wheel & Leon Rausch
RNDNMUP - T. J. Casey And Jim Reader
Swing Me A Song - Chuck Cusimano
Sweethearts In Carhartts - Jean Prescott
Hank Did It This Way - Les Gilliam
Here, There And Anywhere - Rod Taylor
In My Spare Time Vol. 5 - Brady Bowen
Let ‗Er Go, Let ‗Er Buck, Let ‗Er Fly - Juni Fisher
This Is Tommy Duncan Vol. 1 - Billy Mata
Still Ridin‘ - Jim Jones
Swingtime In The Rockies - Open Range
Bar-D Roundup Vol. 5 - CowboyPoetry.com
Festival Favorites - Bobby Flores
Waltz Of The Rainbows - Eddy Harrison
Tuxedo Country Vol. 2 - Ton Houston Orchestra
A Bad Year For Love - Cornell Hurd Band
www.waynettaausmus.com
[email protected]
Bill McCAllie‘s Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show
Wyn Machon
Oamaru Heritage Radio 88.3 & 107 FM
5 Lowther St. Oamaru 9400
Whitestone City, New Zealand
The Browns, Everybody's Darlin' Plus Mine
Serenaders, I Wrote A Letter
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, My Prairie Home
Rockin' Sidney, Bayou Cruise
The Whites, There Ain't No Binds
The Johnson Mountain Boys, Blue Yodel
Mary Kaye, Love Has Come To Settle Down
Johnny Chester, My Sweet Janie
Robert Ellis Orrall, It's My Lucky Day
Kevin Collins, Long Gone Are The Days
Coldwater Canyon Band, Nobody Knows
Bobby Dean, Enough To Lease
Slim Dusty, Old Time Christmas
Ann Kirkpatrick, Old Sunlander Van
Grayson Crossno, Rodeo Queen
Tracy Killeen, Drivers Seat
Ann Brown, Beneath A Painted Sky
Judy Welden, Little Girls , Boys And Puppies
Lisa Mcttugh, Old Fashioned Girl
Sherry Kennedy, Don't Touch Me
Merle Haggard, Someday We'll Look Back
Pussycat, It's The Same Old Song
The Nashville Sessions Players, Day By Day
Peter Small, In My Arms
Mike Lane, Just Like Old Times
[email protected]
Classical 90.5 WSMC-FM
Chattanooga, TN
I got a nice start this month with a western swing CD from Chuck
Cusimano called "Swing Me A Song," which was the title cut from
the CD. I also played one called "Baby Buggy Boogie," and "Let
Me Off In Texas." I used to see Chuck at the National Cowboy
Symposium in Lubbock every year and he's a fine fellow along
with being a good musician and song smith. I put the "Old Night
Hawk" written by Bruce Kiskaddon and recited by master poet
Waddie Mitchell, into a segment with Don Edwards and "Deep
Water Ice And Snow," "Cattle Call" and "The Campfire Has Gone
Out." Father's Day special music was provided by Emmylou Harris with "Precious Memories," Lester Flatt's "Fathers Table Grace"
and Lynda Colosimo and Reese Hullander provided a live studio
production of a Father's Day song called "We Have This Light." I
did some traveling this past month up to Joelton, Tennessee,
which is north of Nashville, and had a great afternoon visiting
Carolyn Martin and her husband Dave. I got the "Cook‘s'' tour of
the studio. I had my old pal, fellow musician and barber Keith
Woods with me and he and I both were fascinated with the Martin's studio. Dave says the studio is "one heck of a commute
every morning"...it's all of 100 yards from the house. The studio is
equipped with all the latest and has a 54 channel board to get the
great sound on Carolyn's new CD "Cooking With Carolyn". I got a
nice, two-part interview with Carolyn and played cuts from her CD
after the interview played. "Cookin With Carolyn," "Straighten Up
And Fly Right" and "It's All About You." We motored on to Nashville and got interviews with the Time Jumpers Band and were
treated to a stellar performance by the group. Joe Spivey, fiddler
for the group, gave me a nice rundown of the players and talked
4
about the history of the group. After the interview with Joe I
played "Stompin‘ At The Station," "Sugar Moon" and "Fiddlin‘." I'll
play more interviews from the Station Inn gang next month. The
Time Jumpers are always consistent in their music and Vince Gill
has moved up from part-time Jumper to full Time Jumper and
guitarist/vocalist for the group, which makes the group even
"MOBETTER." The Quebe Sister's Band‘s new CD has been on
the play list for the past several months. This month we played
"Shame On You'', "Take The A Train" and "There's A Rainbow
Over The Range." California song bird Suzie Glaze added to the
mix this month with "Back Home," "Blue Eyed Darlin‘,‖ ―Albuquerque" and my favorite "Cody Brown"...I think we'll
be hearing more from Suzie in the months to come. We did some
patriotic pieces to celebrate the July 4th holiday. Jimmy Stewart
did some excerpts from the movie "Shenandoah," John Wayne
did John Mitchum's great poem "America Why I Love Her" and
Johnny Cash did "Ragged old Flag." I did some research on John
Mitchum and shared with my audience the fact that John Mitchum
was Robert Mitchum's brother. You remember Robert Mitchum
from all the great westerns he did and for his song and movie
"Thunder Road." Don Edwards rounded out the month with
songs from his "West Of Yesterday" CD, "Gypsy Davey" and the
title song "West Of Yesterday." We'll get the Time Jumpers on
the playlist for next month along with another interview and Jody
Nix and Bobby Flores are always in the wings for some western
air play next month. I‘m going to Round Rock, Texas and rent a
Harley Davidson and ride out across Texas Hill Country next
month and hopefully I'll get an interview with some interesting
characters for the show.
We're here at 90.5FM every Sunday evening at 6 pm EST
and stream to the internet @ www.wsmc.org with 100,000 watts
of boot kickin‘ power with a range of 90 miles for you area listeners. Broadcasting from beautiful downtown Collegedale, Tennessee..."where the air always smells like a big oatmeal cookie."
We'll see you next month and remember what Mark Twain
said over a hundred years ago..."Politicians and baby diapers
need to be changed often ...and for the same reasons." Think
about it, November's not that far away. Be safe and stay healthy.
weekly ―Meadow Muffins,‖ short poems, for three weekly newspapers, a dozen magazines and more blogs and websites than he
can count.
A few years ago, Mike sold his interest in the ranch he shared with
his brother, and now is doing what he says he always wanted to
do: just cowboy. While many of his poems draw on his ranching
and cowboying experience, this gem sparkles in its vision of poetry itself:
JUST WORDS
Words, are about as durable,
As campfire smoke,
Scattered by breezes
As quick as they‘re spoke.
Yet, when captured like dewdrops...
On cobweb of rhyme,
Some words,
Turn to diamonds,
Preserved for all time.
© 2010, Mike Puhallo, All Rights Reserved
One of Mike Puhallo‘s most famous poems is no doubt ―Man in
the Moon,‖ which he wrote in 1993, inspired by the 25th anniversary of the moon landing. Mike says, ―It got me thinking about
where I was when man first set foot on the moon and how surreal
it seemed, to be in a cow camp with no electricity or phone, listening on a radio to a man who was walking on the moon!‖ The poem
was recited at the NASA launch of the Clementine Mission in
January of 1994, a photographic mission that was the only lunar
project during the 25th anniversary year. The recording is also on
the first edition of The BAR-D Roundup from CowboyPoetry.com.
Mike Puhallo is the long-time president of the British Columbia
Cowboy Heritage Society (BCCHS), the home of the popular
Kamloops Cowboy Festival. That event celebrates its fifteenth
year, March 10th - 13th, 2011.
Find more about Mike, his poetry, books, and CDs
at mikepuhallo.com.
Bill McCallie
Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show
WSMC Public Radio 90.5
www.wsmc.org
Airs: Sunday @ 6 pm EST
Learn more about the gatherings mentioned above at CowboyPoetry.com, where you‘ll also find hundreds of cowboy poets and
Western musicians and their works. It's an on-going gathering,
with continual news, features, poetry, lyrics, gathering reports,
and an extensive event calendar. Come by and stay a while.
[email protected]
Cowboy Poetry
at the BAR-D Ranch
by Margo Metegrano, Editor
CowboyPoetry.com
Cowboy Jam Session:
Western Culture News & Reviews
- by Jeri L. Dobrowski
Summer is full of cowboy poetry and music events, and among
the August happenings are: Michael Martin Murphey‘s Westfest;
the 25th Annual Montana Cowboy Poetry in Lewistown; the 23rd
Annual Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering in Prescott; Nevada‘s
5th Annual Reno Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering; California‘s 11th Annual Big Bear Cowboy Gathering; Colorado‘s 13th
Annual Wet Mountain Western Days; Utah‘s 12th Annual Western
Legends Roundup; Wyoming‘s 4th Annual Ride A Horse Feed A
Cowboy event; and Alberta‘s 18th Annual Stony Plain Gathering.
British Columbia cowboy and poet Mike Puhallo—the Academy of
Western Artists' 2009 Cowboy Poet of the Year—is featured at
Alberta‘s 18th Annual Stony Plain Gathering, August 13-15, 2010
(stonyplaincowboypoetry.com). Since 1998, Mike‘s been writing
Haste Makes Waste
When folks give me a CD for consideration, I‘m up front with them. It‘s likely going to be several weeks before I give it a
listen. I like to play submissions from start
to finish, devoting my full attention to the
task at hand. It seems that I am invariably interrupted at
home. Turns out, the best place for serious listening is in
my car. A recent road trip provided the necessary quiet
to get through several items.
While in Elko at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, I
picked up Michael Martin Murphey‘s Buckaroo Blue
5
Grass and an advance copy of Buckaroo Blue Grass
II: Riding Song. Many associate Murphey with the pop
hits ―Wildfire‖ and ―Carolina in the Pines,‖ but he is the
#1 best-selling cowboy music singer in the world. Murphey‘s association with the cowboy genre began in 1990
with Cowboy Songs, which achieved Gold status. Not
since Marty Robbins had a western album seen such
popularity.
Buckaroo Blue Grass I and II (track lists at michaelmartinmurphey.com) include a good many of Murphey‘s
most recognizable compositions spanning the four decades he has toiled as a singer and songwriter. Mandolin,
fiddle, banjo, bass, and guitar meld the collection. It‘s
easy to see why Buckaroo Blue Grass was nominated
for a Grammy!
I gleaned several things from the liner notes: At 19 years
of age, Murphey wrote ―What Am I Doing Hangin‘
Around?,‖ which was recorded by the Monkees. He
penned ―Backslider‘s Wine,‖ made famous by Jerry Jeff
Walker. The station in ―Cherokee Fiddle‖ is the Durangoto-Silverton Narrow Gage Railroad Station, the starting
point for one of the most spectacular rail excursions you
can take.
Buckaroo Blue Grass and Buckaroo Blue Grass II: Riding Song are priced at $15.98 each + shipping. Order
online from murphsranchmarket.com; 877-734-2724;
Wildfire Productions, Inc., 2516 Cedar Elm Lane, Plano,
TX 75075.
A respected horseman, singer, and songwriter, Mike
Beck‘s latest album is entitled Feel. The clean lines of
the handsome cover are indicative of the 12 tracks, performed by Beck with solo acoustic guitar accompaniment. The cover illustration, ―A California Buckaroo,‖ is
by the late Jo Mora.
Beck wrote all but ―Poncho‖ (alternatively ―Chopo‖),
credited to Jack Thorp; co-writing ―In Old California‖ with
the legendary Ian Tyson. That song and ―Don‘t Tell
Me‖—also on the album—were included in a list of ―The
13 Best Cowboy Songs of All Time‖ appearing in the
April 2009 issue of Western Horseman. (Find lyrics to
both at cowboypoetry.com/mikebeck.htm.)
Born and raised in Monterey County, California, Beck worked on
the nearby Dorrance Ranch. ―Patrick,‖ written as a tribute to the
late Bill Dorrance, came from that experience. Today, Beck conducts horsemanship clinics across the West and abroad. He often
plays a concert in conjunction with a clinic. Be on the lookout for
him in Montana, as he has been known to spend time in the Big
Sky Country. If you have a chance to catch Mike solo or with his
band, The Bohemian Saints, don‘t pass up the opportunity. Either
way, you‘re in for a grand evening of entertainment. (Check tour
dates at mikebeck.com.)
Preview Feel and/or order the album or individual tracks at
www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikebeck4. The CD is priced at $12.97 +
shipping; the album download is $11. Individual tracks are 99
cents.
While I‘ve yet to see Paul Harris perform in person, I‘ve
heard a great deal about him from folks who have, and
it‘s all been good. At the urging of one of those individuals, Harris sent me a copy of his Cross Halo album. He
wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 11 musical selections; there
are also three original poems. I was surprised to see that
one of his collaborators is Randy Huston. Huston got
quite a bit of play on Willie‟s Cowboy Gathering when
Eddie Kilroy hosted the show on XM Radio Channel 13.
A native of Arkansas, Harris learned to play music in the
bluegrass style from his grandfather. Drawn by the lure
of cattle and horses, he made his way to the West as a
young adult. Since then, he has worked as a packer and
cowboy, most notably in Wyoming and New Mexico.
(More at cowboypoetry.com/paulharris.htm.)
Three songs stand out in my mind: the lively ―Kelly
Green,‖ ―El Mejor Vaquero‖ with its moral of the story,
and the celebratory ―It Took New Mexico.‖ They have a
rich and authentic flavor seasoned with originality and
creativity. Listen to a selection of full-length songs at
www.myspace.com/tmf3ph.
Cross Halo sells for $18; individual tracks are priced at
99 cents each. Order from paulharriscowboymusic.com/
home.cfm.
[email protected]
Headin' Down The Rodeo Road
Cowgirl Sass & Savvy
by Julie Carter
It's the Fourth of July holiday and all
roads lead to a rodeo arena somewhere. As we honor America, our
freedoms, and the price paid for
both, I find myself also giving some reverent honor to the cowboy
as well.
This particular holiday is his "Cowboy Christmas," the most lucrative run of rodeos for the season. Rodeo rigs are progressively
bigger, fancier, and technology has kicked rodeoing up a notch
from the days of standing in a pay phone booth to enter a rodeo
or find out when you drew up. While so much is different, much is
still the same.
Rodeo roots run deep in the heart and soul of the American cowboy. It began as a good-natured competition among the working
cowboys. During more than a century, it has evolved to be a major
league sport complete with television media coverage, sponsors
and big money. Today's rodeo, with the exception of the events
themselves, resembles little of its beginnings on the open range.
The cowboys have advanced to be defined athletes and fewer
have ranch cowboy roots. The addiction to the adrenalin remains
the same as does the dedication to the competition.
One of the differences in the sport lies in the technology used to
"phone home" reports from the rodeo (aka excuses, near death
experiences at the bucking chutes, requests for money, etc.). Instead of using a pay phone at the local honky tonk, the cowboy
now sends a text message to a loved one's cell phone or an email
from just about anywhere he is at the Advertisement time.
That's progress. And you will find that today's rodeo cowboy has
no idea how anybody managed to get it done without all the current gadgets. It has been said that rodeoing is an addiction and
the only cure for it is more rodeo.
In two ever-popular songs, it is referred to as that "damned old
rodeo." Back in the '60s, iconic Ian Tyson, a Canadian rodeo cowboy turned singer, penned a song called "Someday Soon."
6
The song lamented the love a rodeo cowboy has for the sport
and the pain it causes those that love him. "He loves his damned
old rodeo as much as he loves me." The song stayed popular for
decades with new recordings of it by Judy Collins, Lynn Anderson, Chrystal Gayle, Suzy Bogguss and Chris LeDoux.
Garth Brooks recorded a timeless song about the sport called
simply "Rodeo." The lyrics sum it up about as well as any written.
Well, it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
She knows his love's in Tulsa
And she know he's gonna go
Well it ain't no woman flesh and blood
It's that damned old rodeo
Fourth of July rodeoing is defined by road-weary cowboys, tired
horses, pickups filled with dirty clothes, fast-food wrappers and
muddy boots.
Howdy
again from
Austin.
It‘s been a busy and interesting
summer so far.
I just returned from being inducted
into the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest‘s Hall of Fame.
I was in good company with the impressive ‗Class of 2010!‘ We heard a lot of great western
swing at the
annual show
held in the little
town of Yukon,
OK, on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. My
good friend
Dayna Wills
introduced me
and my buddy
Joe Baker was
Jim Gough
responsible for nominating me in this impressive gathering.
I got some great interviews while there and you‘ll hear them
soon on Bob Wills Radio. I had the wonderful opportunity to
A dashboard full of rumpled rodeo programs, Copenhagen cans, visit with guitar ace, Joe Settlemires and his outstanding
empty coffee cups, dusty sunglasses, gas receipts, a ball cap or
pupil the awesome Clint Strong. These two with steel guitar
two and a road map paints the classic scene.
star Scotty Henderson from Missouri held a battle of the
guitars that you
For me, it wouldn't be the Fourth of July if I wasn't in the hot sun,
wouldn‘t believe.
beating rain or dusty wind waiting for the next rodeo event to
It was like going
move the entertainment along.
to Heaven singSo that's what I do. However, now I carry a camera and put what I
ing with these
know of rodeo in print.
guys!
I don't suppose I'll ever be anywhere else but at a rodeo grounds
somewhere on the Fourth of July. However, the option has crept
into the recesses of my mind, only to be banished by the sounds
of the National Anthem and the bucking horses kicking in the
chutes in unison.
I had a nice visit
and an interview
with Chuck
Hayes the president of the
Jim Gough and Joe Settlemires
WSMSS, after
Let's rodeo!
*************************************************************************** hearing him play fine steel guitar with the HOF show band.
Chuck is a very talented and interesting guy. He, like Joe
Julie can be reached for comment at [email protected].
Settlemires, got to play with Bob Wills toward the end of
Visit her website at www.julie-carter.com .
Bob‘s career, and had some great stories about those
days.
Congratulations to co-founders of
New Mexico's Western Swing Band
"The Desperados,"
Ted Scanlon and Jimmy Tomlinson!
Both will be inducted in October into the oldest
Western Swing Society, Sacramento, California.
Joe Baker
Coming up soon, we intend to bring you interviews with
folks like the great Bert Rivera, Red Volkert and hopefully
the fine guitar player, Rick McRae. We also are working on
an interview with my longtime friend the leader of the River
Road Boys, the versatile Clyde Brewer. This and many
more great moments will be posted on Bob Wills.com.
Coming in the near future. Hope you‘re having a great summer and be sure and log in to Bob Wills Radio every
7
chance you get. Dwight and I thank you for your support.
Best always, Jim Gough
[email protected]
Sponsored in part by:
shows. As a thank you to
Richard Boone, he immediately wrote ‗THE BALLAD OF PALADIN.‘ He
went to a studio, recorded
it with his own money and
delivered it to Boone. Mr.
Boone and the show‘s producer Sam Rolfe loved the
song and called Johnny to
report to the Columbia Recording Studio in Los Angeles and do a professional session to be used on the TV show. This led to a
recording contract with Columbia with Mitch Miller as producer.
‗EVERY ONES FAVORITE COWBOY,‘
That was the avenue that brought Johnny to national attenJOHNNY WESTERN
tion. When his contract ended with Mr. Autry, he formed his
By: Dugg Collins
own band and traveled all over the country while still makJohnny Western and I became fast
ing his home in California. He met Johnny Cash at a confriends in 1999 when Ol‘ Mike Oatman cert in Canada when he was with Mr. Autry. It was an inbrought me to KFDI Radio in Wichita,
stant mutual friendship that lasted until Cash‘s death.
Kansas. From that first meeting I knew he would be a lifetime friend. We soon became office buddies and started
sharing stories of our days in the Music Business. He of
In 1958, Johnny Cash
course had more experience in the business than I and
moved to Los Angeles and it
what a pleasure it was to hear his vivid stories of his days
was then he hired Johnny
on the road with the likes of Gene Autry (my favorite CowWestern to join his show as
boy when I was a kid) to his days with Johnny Cash from
a featured performer and
1958 to 1997.
MC on his road shows.
While that may sound like an
One of the first things we learned was that we shared a lot
ideal job, it was actually a lot
of the same musicians in our respective bands. That conof hard work. There were no
nection alone resulted in hundreds of stories and a lot of
fancy busses to travel in.
laughter as we remembered each one in detail. Johnny has
When you finished one
a memory that is unbelievable. He never forgets anything
venue, you crowded into
and if you mention just about any name in the glory days of
cars to start out for the next
Real Country Music, he can tell you when they were born, appearance. Western told me the hardest part of the job
who they married, how many kids they have, when he first was watching Cash go through his self destructive move
met them and how many tours he did with each one.
with all the pills he was consuming daily. Johnny said he
just knew one day he would knock on Cash‘s hotel room
I would say, when 99% of the air personalities try to tell
door and find him dead.
stories about the traditional artists, it‘s usually something
they are quoting from some book they have read or may
Johnny and friend Gordon Terry were room mates all those
have reference material in front of them. Johnny Western
years and had their share of fun. Both were excellent musionly has one reference book to draw from and that‘s his
cians as were all those associated with the show. Johnny
incredible memory. I can‘t count the times he would get
can tell you hundreds of stories from those years complete
calls from folks who were doing books on various Country with the dates and towns where they happened. He is just
Stars and they would call him to verify what they had alamazing. He doesn‘t forget anything.
ready learned from some other source.
For lack of space, I will end these stories here. When I first
Johnny signed on with our mutual hero Mr. Autry July 4,
saw the video ―Hurt‖ that Cash recorded, I watched it on my
1956 after Johnny Bond wanted to leave the post after be- computer at the radio station. I asked Johnny if he had
ing with Mr. Autry for seventeen years. That association led seen it. He said no. I said, ―All I can tell you, this is Johnny
to his acting career in 1957, appearing in 37 feature films
Cash saying goodbye.‖ His wife June had already passed
and western theme television shows. His big break came
away and I predicted to Western that Cash wouldn‘t last
when he landed a part on ‗HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL‘ with three months and I was pretty much right with that predicRichard Boone, one of the more popular western TV
tion. Johnny Cash called Western at the radio station on a
8
regular basis in the final days of his life. They were friends
to the end.
In 1996 I was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey
Hall of Fame in Nashville. The more I learned about
Johnny Western, I was certain he would qualify for that
honor. I asked him for a bio of his radio career so I could
write a presentation for the Hall of Fame. His response
was, ―Ol‘ Mike has already told me he didn‘t think I would
be qualified for that.‖ My response was, ―Well, Ol‘ Mike
doesn‘t know everything.‖ I was very active for the Hall of
Fame for a number of years and many of my submissions
are on the wall in Nashville. I wrote a profile on Johnny and
a co-worker Dave Donahue. They were both
inducted in the class of
2000. He could not believe it when I called him
at home to let him know
he was in. He was
speechless and for
John, that is a rare
thing. He still holds the
record for the longest
acceptance speech ever
given for the honor.
<Grin !> He was so happy about that and I am delighted I
could make it happen for him.
jockey and country singer. You are the best and I am honored to have spent almost ten years of my life by your side
in the radio studio and on stage.
duggcollins.com
Williams Family Benefit
at Wichita Falls, TX.
Where: Elks Lodge, Wichita Falls, TX.
When: Sunday August 1st, 9:00 am to ????
What: Bands, Auctions, Raffles and dancing
Why: Help with the enormous Medical Bills
BANDS
WSMSS Hall of Fame Bands
Greg Gibbs and the Red Door Band
Larry Lange and the Lone Star Troubadours
Kelly Spinks and Miles of Texas
Chuck Hayes and the former Texas Playboys
Special Guest
Bobby Flores
I‘m not sure just
how many Halls of
Fame he‘s in, but I
think it is about
fifteen. He retired
from his radio career April 10, 2010
and he wanted me
to be on his last
show with him,
which I was via the phone. I was also invited in September,
2009 to be a podium guest for his ―Roast and Toast‘ at the
Prairie Rose. With so many big names there, I requested
to be on first because I didn‘t want to follow any of those
movie and TV stars who were there. That was a night I will
never forget and Johnny Western made it possible for me
to be there. That‘s the kind of friend he is. I could write four
or five more pages, but the newsletter only has so much
room.
Band Performance Schedule
WSMSS #1 Band
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Greg Gibbs Band
12:45 pm to 2:15 pm
Kelly Spinks Band
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Chuck and FTP
4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
WSMSS #2 Band
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Lone Star Troubadours 7:45 pm to ????
For more information, contact Chuck Hayes at:
[email protected]
I can tell you I love Johnny Western like a brother and love
Ms. Jo as well. They spent the night in my home here in
Amarillo on their way to their new home in Mesa, Arizona.
He and I stayed up until midnight sharing stories, our favorite pastime. Jo said, ―I‘m going to bed. I‘ve heard all this
stuff before.‖ John turned 75 on his last birthday and is still
out there doing film festivals and concerts all over the
world, literally. He will never slow down and we are all
richer for his determination. God Bless you Johnny. Thanks
for your friendship. It means the world to this old disc
A-10 Etcheverry, Creative Achievement Award Winner
Cowtown Society of Western Music 2009 - CrayolaCowboy.com
9
4th Annual Historic Ritzville Days Western
Art Show
By Smoke Wade
Ritzville, WA: Sadly, the train doesn‘t stop in
Ritzville these days. It has been a number of
years since the passenger trains gave up on
Ritzville. Established in the 1880‘s, Ritzville,
Washington was once the largest wheat shipping point in the world. While the wheat industry is still booming, much of the grain is transported by trucks these days. Then the Interstate by-passed the
quaint farming town of gracious homes and graceful brick buildings that bear silent witness to the prosperity of times gone by.
Slowly, the historic downtown, rich in pioneer heritage, slipped
into a slumber brought about by a lack of business and tourism.
But, even though the trains no longer stop in Ritzville, that doesn‘t
mean She‘s not a train town. Over sixty trains a day blow through
the heart of town with whistles blowing, and the ground shaking,
as long freight trains hurry past to unknown destinations. And it is
these very trains and their endless clickety-clack that connects
the soul of Ritzville to it‘s prosperous past.
It was just a scant one hundred feet from the historic Ritzville train
depot that the outdoor main stage was set for the 4 th Annual Historic Ritzville Days Western Art Show held May 28 – 30, 2010. As
the trains rumbled by, the talented cast of western entertainers
that performed over the weekend quickly learned to adapt to the
deafening noise. The 2010 Historic Ritzville Days Western Art
Show was sponsored by the Ritzville Downtown Development
Association as a means to help revitalize the historic downtown
business district. The three-day event encompassed downtown
Ritzville as it featured inside and outside venues including a street
fair of over 60 renown artisans - western artists, sculptors and,
authors, along with food booths, youth activities and live entertainment.
The performing artists for the 2010 Art show included Cowboy
Celtic, Alberta, Canada; Dave Stamey and Sourdough Slim, California; The Rockin‘ HW and Nevada Slim & Cimarron Sue, Washington; Barbara Nelson, Oregon; and The Copper Mountain Band,
Montana. The performing cowboy poets included Jessica
Hedges, Del Gustafson, Orvil Sears, Robin Dale and Dick Warwick, all from Washington; Van & Kathy Criddle and Duane Nelson of Oregon; and JB Barber, Idaho. Smoke Wade, Nevada,
emceed the street festival event.
The festivities got under way on Friday night with an Artists‘ Reception at the C. J. Newland American Legion Memorial Hall with
musical entertainment provided by Barbara Nelson. Street fair art
exhibits, art auctions and cowboy entertainment ran throughout
the day and evening on Saturday and Sunday. Up on Main Street,
one could here the occasional sounds of gunfire as members of
the Ritzville Community Theater troupe staged old west gun battles on a regular schedule. The out-of-town visitors wandered
through the art booths sipping from a cold bottle of Sarsaparilla or
blowing the steam from a cup of cowboy coffee that was offered
for sale from an authentic chuck wagon.
And the music and poetry seemed to waft through the streets in a
non-stop fashion. Sourdough Slim was at his best delighting audiences throughout the weekend. Nevada Slim and Cimarron Sue
wandered the streets on occasions as western singing minstrels.
Cowboy Celtic brought their own unique music to the festival –
reminding us about the roots of cowboy music. Cowboy poet,
Mike Whitaker and musician, Alan Halvorson of the Rockin‘ HW
pulled double duty as sound crew and performers. The Copper
Mountain Band played country music for a wonderful street
dance, and Dave Stamey lived up to his Western Music Association 2009 Entertainer of the Year Award by dazzling the audi-
ences with his music, singing and naturally engaging personality.
Somewhere in the midst of it all some folks spent time at the classic car show up in the park, dining at the local restaurants or attending a special Memorial Day service at the Ritzville Memorial
Cemetery. Others scooped up collectable art from the many artists, or toured the museum at the historic Ritzville train depot.
It was perhaps ironic that even though the entire festival was free
of admission, the chilly and windy weather kept crowds lighter
than the organizers and entertainers would have expected. Still,
the event coordinators headed up by the energetic group of
Stephen McFadden, Jim Lisk, Lavonne Saunders, Jennifer Larsen
and many others, stormed through their duties in a tireless fashion. And the entertainers entertained – and the trains rolled by.
When western art and music festivals come to an end, the organizers, audience and entertainers alike all experience a deal of
bittersweet remorse. They are often relieved the event is over and
know they can soon journey home, yet they are saddened to part
company with new and old friends alike. In Ritzville, they left reluctantly. They left wanting more – more of Dave Stamey‘s ballads,
more of Van Criddle‘s poetry and more of the quick draw artist
competitions. They left with memories of a wonderful weekend, of
cold sarsaparilla and cowboy coffee – memories of the 4th annual
Historic Ritzville Days Western Art Show and Music Festival. But
mostly, they will remember the trains – those wonderful trains that
no longer stop in Ritzville.
Smoke Wade
10
[email protected]
Legends of Western Swing Show & Dance
Saturday - July 24, 2010 - 8:00p.m.
Grimes County Expo Center
FM 3455 - Navasota, Texas
featuring The River Road Boys
Special Guest, Hall-of-Fame DJ Joe Baker
from Ruidoso, New Mexico
Leon Rausch, The Voice of The Texas Playboys
Wayne Glasson on piano
Harlan Kubos on bass
Fiddle Showcase featuring:
Clyde Brewer, Bill Dessens,
Paul Bennett & Benny Bennett
Doors open at 6:30p.m.
Tickets: $18.00
To Order Tickets & Reserve Table
contact: Shirley Curtiss 936-825-7338
E-mail: [email protected]
BYOB Set Ups Available (Cold Drinks, Water, Ice)
Restaurants and Lodging in and around Navasota
RV Parking Available
Cade‘s Cadence
Watch Yer Step!
The Heart
Of A Cowboy
When I was younger I wasn't afraid of
much; I rode bulls, jumped off the back of
horses on to moving trains (broke my
arm for that one) and like "The Man from
Snowy River" my brother and I rode our horses off mountains as
steep as a cow's face not once even thinking what might happen
if they slipped and fell. The one thing I was afraid of though was
growing old but now that age has crept up on me I realize there is
nothing to fear. I put it all in God's hands and I believe. I do miss
my youth but as I watch my children I realize that as a father I get
to experience youth all over again. It gives me a sense of wonder
to be there for all of their "first" and to see things experienced
through their eyes. That's what this poem is kind of about.
Broomstick Cowboys
The TV Western reigned supreme in the Fifties and Sixties. There
were about 100 regular western shows on television from 1951 to
1963. In the early days of television, you could always tell the
good guys from the bad guys because of the color of the hats they
wore. Of course the good guys wore the white ones.
The earliest TV Westerns were half-hour shows starring Gene
Autry and Roy Rogers. In the mid 1950‘s, Gunsmoke began its
20-year run and was the first successful "adult" Western. By the
1960‘s, the westerns, led by Bonanza, began broadcasting in
color. The Virginian, High Chaparral, and Big Valley were typical
TV Westerns of the 1960‘s. By the end of the Sixties, TV Westerns had just about disappeared. With the exception of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne, the western had ―ridden off into the sunset.‖
The old gray hat on his head
Keeps fallin‘ down over his eyes
And the boots he wears are way too big
For they are his daddy‘s size
With a cocky little strut
He dreams he‘s the ranch hand boss
He climbs aboard his broomstick
And say‘s ―Getty up there hoss‖
He rides to the top of the highest peak
And then back down the stairs
Trails a herd through the living room
Rides the rodeo at the county fair
He makes a run for the border
And into the kitchen he rides
His mother looks down and says
―Cowboy won‘t you take that horse outside!‖
He spies the old yeller tom cat
Grabs his rope and heads out the door
But this pretend steer is a little too quick
‗Cause he‘s played that game before
Now his daddy watches from the window pane
And he just can‘t help but grin
For there was a day when he rode the same
But that was way back when
And don‘t we all from time to time
Miss our youth, our imagination and our toys
‗Cause you know life was a darn sight easier
Back when we were broomstick cowboys.
The author of this book, John Conley, was
born in Indiana as the eldest of six children. John, like so many
kids of the 1950‘s, played cowboys and Indians with other
neighborhood children. From his early beginnings, John showed
an interest in the cowboy life. Years later he would fulfill his childhood dreams when he moved west to the state of Arizona.
This is where John Conley began his one-man campaign to keep
the memory of the cowboy alive, with his cowboy exhibits and
lectures. John, who is also an author, has written a book called
The Heart Of A Cowboy. In this book he shares his thoughts and
memories of the great American legend, the cowboy. The book
includes countless stories that help support the cowboy legacy:
stories of the famous as well as the not so famous; from the movie
hero to the hard working rancher; from western singers to those
who wrote the music; and from rodeos to western festivals. John,
with his lectures and exhibits, has devoted his life to helping keep
the memory of the cowboy alive. The American cowboy and western movies have become part of American history. Now, due to
the efforts of men such as John Conley, their memory will live on
forever. So, settle down in a comfortable chair with The Heart Of
Cowboy, and return to that by-gone era where you can ride with
Monte Hale, Gene Autry, and with many other western stars from
the 1950‘s. These are the people who made us all want to become cowboys and gunfighters!!
John Conley
[email protected]
By
Cade Schalla
[email protected]
[email protected]
11
San Juan Western Heritage Festival &
National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo
The 13th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo returns to Montrose, Colorado, September 17-18, 2010. Held in conjunction with
the San Juan Western Heritage Festival
(www.sjwesternfestival.com), events take place at the historic
Turn of the Century Saloon , 117 North 4th Street. Along with the
National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, the Festival will feature live en- ―A Little Man with a Big Talent‖
tertainment—including a Saturday evening show by top singer
No. 2 – American Native Influence and songwriter Brenn Hill.
Western Swing
Spade Cooley
The purpose of the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo is
―Excellence through competition.‖ The announcer will, once
again, be the well-known cowboy poet and events organizer
Smoke Wade. The judging team will be led by 13-year National
Cowboy Poetry Rodeo veteran, the one and only ―Prairie Pastor,‖
Ed Nesselhuf and include Darrell Arnold, poet, author, photographer, and long-time editor and publisher of Cowboy magazine;
the notoriously funny and talented cowgirl poet, Sam
DeLeeuw; one of Western America‘s most admired cowgirl poets and author, artist, and teacher Jo Lynne Kirkwood; and the
man who started The Western Legends Roundup, one of Americas premier Western festivals, Dennis Judd.
This year the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo takes on an international flavor with cowboy poets from 12 states, Canada and Australia competing for approximately $6000.00 in prize money, silver
buckles, trophies and a year's worth of bragging rights. Poets
compete, on stage, in a stock rodeo format. With numbers on
their backs, judges, and a rodeo announcer, the poets spur their
"Rides," (their poems) as they compete in 9 different events, giving each constant a golden opportunity to see how
they really stack up against their peers. There will be a Friday
night show featuring cowboy poets and musical acts.
Saturday, September 18, the top 50 percent of the competing
cowboy poets advance to the final round. Following the finals, a
Cowboy Poetry Shoot-out will be held, as top ranked cowboy poets compete for the title, "Best in the West." Poets interested
in registering for the NCPR may contact Sam Jackson;
[email protected] (435) 644-5459 or (435) 899-1100.
A headliner and awards show will take place on Saturday evening
featuring the winners of the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo along
with popular western singer and songwriter, Brenn Hill.
While in Montrose, poets and families will enjoy the Western Colorado Experience, which includes Black Canyon; Ute Indian Museum; Western History Museum; Ouray – ―the Switzerland of America‖; and other attractions. Many will take home
memories and local products from historic downtown Montrose.
The San Juan Healthcare Foundation is the major sponsor and
the fundraiser proceeds will go to the Caring Friends Fund for
patients at the San Juan Cancer Center.
For more information go to www.sjwesternfestival.com, or contact
Francie Smiles at [email protected] (970-252-2814)
Find the complete roster of riders and more
at www.cowboypoetry.com/ncpr.htm
Donnell Clyde Cooley may
not have been the most beloved man involved in the western
swing explosion during the 1940‘s, but he probably was the best
salesman. He was good at selling himself as the ultimate showman on the West Coast.
He was born in Indian Territory on a dusty ranch close to
the Canadian River in western Oklahoma called Pack Saddle
Creek in February of 1910. He was a Choctaw Indian, which is
one of the Five Civilized Tribes. However, his adult life would be
later characterized as very uncivilized. He attended Indian school
as a child and by all accounts was a good student. Early on, he
became enthralled with the fiddle. Rightly so, as his father, John
was an amateur fiddle player who performed on weekends at local
dances and hoedowns. His father recognized Donnell‘s fiddling
talent and arranged for classical lessons on the violin and cello
with a teacher at the Indian School. This training proved to be a
great benefit to him on his life‘s journey.
After his family moved west during the Great Depression,
as did so many from Oklahoma, he found work as a laborer by
day and a fiddler by night - first in Oregon and then California. In
1931 at the age of 21, he ventured to Modesto, California. There,
according to music historian, Richard Kienzle, Donnell got his
nickname during a poker game. Reportedly, he drew a straight
flush three times in a row – each in spades.
Marrying young and with a wife and son, he decided to
move to Hollywood at the age of 25. His mastery of the fiddle
easily got him gigs shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles. He was
also able to sight-read music charts which made him popular with
various bands in the area. He soon became a regular performer
with the Sons of the Pioneers. Of course, the most famous member of this vocal harmony group was the cowboy actor, Roy
Rogers. Even though, Rogers had moved on to acting before
Spade joined the group, people couldn‘t help but remark on the
resemblance between Spade and
. After a mutual friend arranged a meeting with the two men, they
hit it off right away. Spade was hired by Republic Pictures to be
Rogers‘ stand-in and occasional stunt double. They developed a
fast friendship that lasted for years. Cooley went on to appear in
38 westerns and hosted a syndicated television show called The
Hoffman Hayride from 1949 to 1959.
Spade continued to play with western swing bands like
Walt Shrum and the Colorado Hillbillies and the Rhythm Rangers.
Western swing was cowboy music – a hybrid of southwestern folk,
bluegrass, hillbilly, swing and jazz. The most well-known western
swing founders, of course, being Bob Wills and Milton Brown, both
from Texas.
The popularity of western swing music grew fast in California due largely to the great influx of immigrants during the Depression from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas – where
the origins of western swing are deeply rooted.
With the arrival of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys
band in Los Angeles in 1940 to embark on a successful movie
acting career, western swing was peaking in popularity on the
12
West Coast. Residents of Southern California (mostly Okies)
donned cowboy hats, boots and vests and were two-stepping
across ballroom floors to western swing tunes.
During this time, Cooley obliged these music-hungry
fans with his quick fiddle licks and his remarkable showmanship
on stage. He was a smiling, backslapping good ol‘ homeboy who
liked to call every man he met ―son.‖ He was quickly recognized
as a colorful front man and musical entrepreneur. In 1943, after a
successful 18 month run at the Venice Pier ballroom, he set out to
gather the best western swing band in America. He hired many
of the top players from the LA music scene. Such notables as
Johnny Weis (a jazz-style guitarist) and Paul (Spike) Featherstone (a classically trained harpist) and Muddy Berry, known for
his tom-tom flourishes on the drums and an accordionist joined
Cooley‘s band.
Spade‘s band usually numbered around 12 musicians
and a girl singer. One of his earliest and most recognized girls
was Carolina Cotton, a petite blond bombshell, who later married
Deuce Spriggens and split off from Cooley‘s band. He dressed
them in custom-made western suits, hats and boots (rumored to
cost $500.00 per outfit – which at that time, was a lot of money).
He liked to give all his players Southwestern nicknames such as
Joaquin Murphy, Smokey Rogers, Cactus Soldi, Pedro DePaul
and Deuce Spriggens even if they hailed from Milwaukee or
Brooklyn.
Spade was an energetic showman and claimed the title
of ―King of Western Swing‖ fashioned from Benny Goodman who
was dubbed ―King of Swing.‖ Cooley‘s jazzy style, like Goodman‘s was more polished than Bob Wills and his arrangements
more complex with harmony among the fiddles and guitars.
Spade‘s first big hit was recorded in December of 1944
and was the single ―Shame On You‖ released on Columbia‘s
OKeh label. It was a chart #1 pick for 2 months, being the first of
six hit recordings over the next two years. You might remember
―Detour‖ and ―You Can‘t Break My Heart.‖
Cooley was a drinker with a fiery temper and often times
took his anger out on band members, firing them on the spot over
some perceived slight. He was prone to tantrums and some
times violent outbursts. Once after his girl singer at the time,
Ginny Jackson, gave her notice, he tried to throw her off the
Santa Monica Pier. He also announced to a packed house in a
San Diego ballroom that he was firing Tex Williams on the spot.
Eleven of the thirteen band members quit in support of Tex and
most went on to perform as Tex Williams and the Western Caravan whose hits included ―Smoke, Smoke, Smoke! (That Cigarette).‖
About this same time, the blond and beautiful Ella Mae
Evans entered on the scene, auditioning as a singer for the band.
Reportedly, she could not carry a tune, but Spade was enamored
and hired her for a short time. Ultimately, this lead to him divorcing his wife and leaving his eleven-year-old son, John, behind.
He married Ella Mae shortly afterward. He professed to love her
deeply and they had two children, Melody, born in 1946 and
Donnell, Jr. born in 1948. They lived in a mansion on Ventura
Boulevard for a while, but Spade decided the children needed to
be raised in the country. So, he bought a tract of land on the
edge of the Mojave Desert in Willow Springs – an hour‘s drive
North of LA and built a beautiful ranch style home.
He began spending more and more time in Los Angeles,
leaving Ella Mae and the kids somewhat isolated at the ranch.
He always had and eye for the ladies and he began having numerous affairs – returning home to his family for infrequent visits.
The charm of Cooley‘s band and his music faded during
the 50‘s as the music scene progressed to rock ‘n roll. His drink-
ing and womanizing increased during these years, along with his
surly nature and volatile temperament. He turned 50 and performed his final public concert on New Year‘s Eve in 1960. Along
the way, he had amassed a fortune – reportedly $15 million –
enough to walk away and lead a grand life for the rest of his days.
His ambition for success did not retire, however, and he
constantly contemplated new schemes to make more money.
One of his so-called ideas was to build a water theme park near
his ranch in Willow Springs to rival the likes of Disney World. If
other factors had not complicated his life, that venture would
probably have been successful too.
However, his jealous rages and drinking worsened after
retirement and climaxed one spring day in 1961 into an afternoon
long murderous, torturous rage against his wife, Ella Mae. For
years, he often accused her of having liaisons with other men
while he was away in Los Angeles. Perhaps, his own conscious
was getting the best of him and feeding his jealousy due to his
unfaithfulness. On this particular day, his maniacal imaginings
worsened to the point that he committed a terrible, violent act of
murder. In the past, he had even accused her of having an affair
with Roy Rogers – which was never proven and adamantly denied
by both Roy and his wife, Dale Evans. In fact, after Ella Mae‘s
tragic death and during the trial that followed, it was never confirmed that his 37 year-old wife had ever committed adultery.
He was convicted of murder after the prosecution called
24 witnesses, including his daughter, Melody, who bravely recounted the murder of her mother. The jury after one month and
nineteen days of deliberation found Cooley guilty on August 19,
1961. He was sentenced to life imprisonment at the California
State Prison in Vacaville. There, he was a model inmate, performing with an in house (jail) band and building fiddles. He found
religion there also and four years later finally admitted wrongdoing
for the death of his wife, saying, ―It‘s just not right to beat another
person.‖
In 1966, Ronald Reagan became governor of California
and Cooley‘s mutual friends began to lobby for his pardon or parole. Reagan, a fellow actor and acquaintance of Cooley‘s waved
his magic wand and made it happen. Spade was to be paroled on
February 22, 1970, on his birthday.
Four months before his actual release, he was granted a
furlough to perform in Oakland at a benefit concert for the Alameda County Sheriff‘s Department. He was greeted with applause from an audience of 3,000 on November 23, 1969. He
played three songs, including ―San Antonio Rose‖ which he dedicated to Bob Wills who had suffered a stroke. Afterwards, he
strode to the wings to chat with reporters and friends. He smiled,
and told them ―today is the first day of the rest of my life.‖ Then,
suddenly he clutched his chest, dropped his fiddle and fell dead at
the age of 59 from a heart attack.
From his meager beginnings in Oklahoma, as a small
Indian boy who could play the fiddle to a life filled with success,
wealth, fame and finally imprisonment could only be re-created in
the movies. He far exceeded the dreams and ambitions of that
young boy.
Even though his volatile personality, quick temper and
drinking led him down the wrong path toward the end of his life,
his influence and contribution to western swing music cannot be
denied. He was and is one of the ―founding fathers‖ of this genre.
He, along with Bob Wills, Milton and Durwood Brown, pioneered
the western swing movement.
His legacy, albeit tainted, will live on in his musical achievements
for generations to come.
By Joyce Miller
Cowtown Society of Western Music
[email protected]
13
Album- DVD & CD: Live at Pearls
Artist: Jerry Webb
By: Mike Gross
Jerry Webb and this wonderful 6 piece band
that entertains at Pearls Dancehall and Saloon at the Fort Worth Stockyards has taken
21st Annual Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium
a June 2009 live performance with 18 tunes
and made it available as both a CD and DVD.
Well folks it's just a little over two months and everyone from near
It is filled with pure western swing and Texas dance hall music
and far will be headed for the Cowboy Symposium at Ruidoso
with the musicians showing their musical talent and Jerry in the
Downs Racetrack & Billy The Kid Casino in Ruidoso
center stage vocal spotlight. The DVD is exactly the same as the
Downs, New Mexico October 7th, 8th, 9th &10th, 2010. For the
CD with the wonderful video to see these musicians on stage
folks who have attended previous Cowboy Symposiums, you
playing their instruments, singing and looking great.
know all about it but for the folks who have never been, we can
honestly say "Once you have been, you'll keep coming back!"
In addition to Jerry on vocal,
We will have 100s of western vendors, the world's richest chuckthe band is comprised of the
wagon cook-off, kid's rodeo sponsored by the Lincoln County
very talented album producer,
Sheriff's Posse, Craig Cameron the gentle horse trainer,
Ron Stafford, playing his Rains
educational activities for the kids, food fun and of course music.
steel guitar and acoustic guitar.
That‘s right folks, plenty of western swing and traditional country
The very popular Reggie Ruefmusic.
fer plays fiddle and does backKicking things off on Thursday night beginning at 7pm will be Bob
ground vocals. Also doing
Wills' Texas Playboys with 2 time Grammy award winner Tommy
background vocals is super
Allsup and official voice of The Texas Playboys, the legend himelectric guitarist, Billy Martin.
self, Mr. Leon Rausch. At 8:15pm The Texas Best Band with
Derrick Speigner is the drumJustin Trevino, Amber Digby, Darrell McCall, Curtis Potter, Tony
mer, Chad Rueffer plays bass
Booth and Bobby Flores will entertain the audience with good 'ol
guitar and Chip Bricker plays piano and is the engineer.
Texas Honky Tonk and traditional country music and at 9:15pm,
western swing ain‘t dead…, it's Asleep At The Wheel! Friday
The album also opens with one of Jerry's original Texas dance
Night, October 8th at 7pm kicks off with Floyd Domino, Billy Mata,
hall compositions Wall to Wall. Others in that style, written by
Ginny Mac and the All-Stars. At 8:15pm making his very first apJerry, are Red Lips, Party List, Turn to the Wine and Tonight I'm
pearance at the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium and celeDrinking it Over. From the Bob Wills book are Jesse Ashlock's
brating 50 years as a professional musician, Jody Nix and The
The Kind of Love and the Wills family classic Faded Love. The
Texas Cowboys. 9:30pm making their 21st appearance at the
Texas dance hall sound is also felt on Harlan Howard's Another
LCCS, The Texas Playboys with Tommy Allsup, and the official
Bridge to Burn, Faron Young and Billy Deaton's Wine Me Up, Mel
voice of Bob Wills‘ Texas Playboys, Leon Rausch. Saturday night,
Tillis' Heart Over Mind, Hank Cochran's Don't You Ever Get Tired,
October 9th, at 7pm Floyd Domino, Billy Mata, Ginny Mac & The
Cinderella. from the Tony Booth hit parade and three from Johnny
All-Stars then at 8:15pm, Larry Gatlin along with Steve & Rudy
Bush, Ben Peters' Green Snakes, Rain Making Baby from Dallas
(the Gatlin Brothers). 10pm, The Texas Playboys with Tommy
Frazier and Johnny's own classic composition, Whiskey River.
Allsup and Leon Rausch.
The three remaining tunes are top class Western Swing, Kokomo
Friday & Saturday at Billy‘s Sports Bar 10AM to Midnight with
Arnold's Milk Cow Blues from Johnnie Lee Wills, the Wade Ray
MTD Radio‘s Joe Baker as host to Brady Bowen & Swing Counmemory from the writing talents of Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins,
try, Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys, Bobby Flores Band and The
Heart of a Clown and an awesome instrumental of Sammy Fain
Sidekicks. Heart Of Texas recording artists will be hosted by Hall
and Paul Francis Webster's My Secret Love from the early 50s
Of Fame disc jockey and president of HOTR, Tracy Pitcox with
movie Calamity Jane. .
Justin Trevino, Amber Digby, Darrell McCall, Mona McCall,
This CD/DVD can be ordered for $16, postage paid in the USA,
Tony Booth and Curtis Potter. On Friday & Saturday starting at
from Jerry Webb Music, P.O. Box 129, Tolar, Texas 76476.
9AM you can hear Belinda Gail, Chuck Cusimano, Biscuits
www.jerrywebbmusic.com
O‘Brien, The Sidekicks, Luke Reed, The Flying J Wranglers,
Pete Laumbach, Acres Of Fiddles, Tommy Allsup & Friends, Jim
Mike Gross
& Jeanne Martin, Floyd Domino, Billy Mata, Ginny Mac, & The Allwww.swinginwest.com
Stars, Jody Nix, Jimmy Burson, Lucy Dean Record and some of
the world‘s best musicians.
Sunday, October 10th at 10am is the gospel music part of the
The Tommy Duncan Fan Club is here…
Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium in the big tent with Pastor
Charles Clary & The Good News Band along with Jimmy Burson,
That's right folks, Whitney, Texas' own Tommy Duncan has a
Lucy Dean Record, Jack & Deb Stone, Tommy Allsup, Justin
new fan club currently on Facebook and you can become a lifeTrevino, Mona McCall, Tony Booth, The Wright Family, Belinda
time charter member of the Tommy Duncan Fan Club and
Gail and more. My mentor and dear friend, Hall Of Famer Larry
Museum and own a numbered BRICK with your name.
Scott keeps all the stages running to perfection. Be sure to see
The bricks will be laid in downtown Whitney. All for the small
the August issue of the Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter for more cost of $50.
For more info please call the TDFC president, Pam Townley at
detailed stage times, locations and artists performances.
817-456-4601.
More information will be released in the Backforty
- Joe Baker
Bunkhouse Newsletter's future issues.
14
Welcome To An Evening Under Arizona Stars
Sept 25th 2010
With The Heart Of A Cowboy
Heart of Texas Country Music Museum's
10th Anniversary Celebration
Brady Civic Center
Brady, Texas
Saturday, August 28, 2010
2:00 PM Concert
8:00 PM-Midnight Dance
Tickets On Sale Thursday, July 1
9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
(325) 597-1895
Heart of Texas Country Music Museum
1701 South Bridge Street in Brady
John Conley
Guest Entertainment



The Heart of Texas Country Music Museum will celebrate its 10th
Anniversary on Saturday, August 28, at the Brady Civic Center in
Brady, Texas. The event will be highlighted with an afternoon
concert and an evening dance along with an open house at the
Heart of Texas Country Music Museum.



Entertainment will be provided by Heart of Texas Recording Artists including The Survivors: Darrell McCall, Tony Booth and
Curtis Potter with special guests including Georgette Jones,
Pretty Miss Norma Jean, Frankie Miller, Landon Dodd, Mona
McCall, Justin Trevino, Kimberly Murray and Rance Norton.
The afternoon matinee concert begins at 2:00 PM and the evening dance is from 8:00 PM until Midnight. The dance is BYOB.
Tickets will be limited to 800 and go on sale on Thursday, July 1,
at 9:00 AM at the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum at 1701
South Bridge Street in Brady, or by phoning (325) 597- 1895.
Tickets are $15.00 each per person for each performance.
The Heart of Texas Country Music Museum was established to
promote and preserve Traditional Country Music. Since its opening in August of 2000, the museum has grown to house one of the
largest collections of Country Music memorabilia in the nation
with literally thousands of items from hundreds of Country Music
entertainers from Jimmie Rodgers to Garth Brooks.
Thousands of Country Music fans have visited the museum including entertainers Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Thompson, Kitty
Wells, Jim Ed Brown, Jett Williams, Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard,
The Whites, Johnny Bush, Moe Bandy and Gene Watson.
The museum was built and continually financed by the 1,000
member Heart of Texas Country Music Association and has never
charged admission.
For more information about the museum or the association, log
on to www.heartoftexascountry.com.
Join Totsie Slover
For The Real West from the Old West
AM1230 - KOTS
Streamed continuously at:
www.demingradio.com
realwestoldwest.com
Host/Danny McGuire /Welcome
Joe Baker Master Of Ceremonies
Special Guest Cowboy Singer
Actor Artist Mike Miguel Burciaga
Guest cowboy artist Jeff Harrison
Host & Guest Speaker Carlos Hadaway
Guest Speaker Rodd Wolff/ Introducing
Author John Conley
His spurs are well earned, this Phoenix Arizona resident. For
the past 40 years John Conley, has been a friend to the
American Cowboy. Through his cowboy exhibits, lectures,
western shows, T.V. & Radio Programs, and now his writings,
John has kept the memory of the cowboy alive.
John’s latest book The Heart Of A Cowboy is an over view of
the life style of his American Cowboy. From the Ranch House,
to the Silver Screen Legend, John has captured The Heart Of
A Cowboy.
Bobbe‘s Tips
Hello fellow players,
So there I was at the New York State Fair in Lynn Anderson‘s
band backing up the great Bob Hope during his routine where he
sings Thanks For The Memories with the female star.
During the dance portion of their routine I jumped up from behind
my steel guitar and started dancing myself. Hope came over and
asked what I was doing. Trying to save myself and my job I replied, ―I‘m just trying to be like you old hoofers.‖
He replied, ―You wouldn‘t be a hoofer if I took you to a blacksmith
and had you shod.‖
So crushed, I sat back down. I tried to join the laughter of the
80,000 people in the audience. I truly expected to be chewed out
royally after the show, but I got a smile and a handshake. He was
a real star.
I‘d like to mention a couple of steel players that have attained the
status of steel guitar royalty. Ron Elliott what was just inducted
into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in St. Louis is number one. My
fondest memories of Ron are following him forty something years
15
ago on the Stonewall Jackson band called the Minute Men.
This band was one that I enjoyed working with as much as any
out of Nashville. We were four pieces and Stonewall stayed out
of our way, let us do all of the arrangements and use our taste in
making a four piece country band sound the way we thought it
should.
I think my favorite type of country band is just a simple straight
ahead four piece kind of group. Easier to travel, less expensive
for the star, the people in the audience really don‘t know the difference. I‘ll quit now before I start sounding like the star. That
was a fun group to work with.
But Ron Elliott‘s shoes were not easy to fill as he was very hilarious in his wit and personality. This man spent a lot of his youth
cultivating his talents and working his way from Salisbury, Maryland to Nashville, Tennessee. I salute Ron and his wonderful wife
Leslie that has had to put up with him and his crazy humor for fifty
something years. They are a wonderful couple.
Another player that deserves mention most of you know is the
great Russ Hicks. Russ did most of the steel guitar work on the
television show Hee-Haw along with Curly Chalker toward the
end.
When I came to Nashville, Russ was playing with Kitty Wells on
the road. He had replaced Stu Basore in that coveted position in
what we call the John and Kitty road show.
Russ had played with Ray Price a good while in the mid sixties. It
seems like Russ and Stu moved around between several of the
great road bands of that era. Russ is now working with the Barefoot Jerry Band. The Barefoot Jerry Band is an off-shoot from the
famous Nashville studio musicians band, Area Code 615.
The Area Code 615 Band is made up of some of Nashville‘s finer
musicians such as Charley McCoy, Wayne Moss on guitar and
Henry Strezecky on bass. Buddy Spicker did fiddle duties once in
a while. So as you can see, Russ was in good company.
Our new shirt we have out with the Sho-Bud Super Pro II in the
upper left breast is doing very well. It might be the colors, but this
seems to be the most appreciated shirt we‘ve had out in a
while. They are all black, but if any of you prefer white or tan, we
could order a few of them. Let me know by email.
In order to help young players or even old players get into a great
playing professional guitar for as little money as possible, we offer
a complete package deal for only $1799. It includes a professional single neck GFI Expo steel guitar, a small Peavey amplifier
with a headphone jack. It is 25 watts with a Blue Marvel speaker,
cords, bars, picks, a piano bench seat and an Ernie Ball volume
pedal. This deal would retail for almost three thousand dollars.
Call and place your order right now.
See our monthly specials at www.steelguitar.net/
monthlyspecials.html
Your buddy,
Bobbe
www.steelguitar.net
[email protected]
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Courtesy Bill Morrison
Back in the good ole days of ―singles‖ and ―albums,‖ (remember
those?) several album cuts became hit singles. And this usually
occurred because a disc jockey found an album track he liked,
started playing it and the rest is history.
Such was the case of Barbara Fairchild‘s 1973 number one,
―Teddy Bear.‖
The song was written by an unlikely duo of a former homicide
detective, Don Earl and singer Nick Nixon.
The song was recorded for an album titled ―A Sweeter Love,‖ and
an Atlanta, Georgia disc jockey named Jim Clemens began playing the song from the album which prompted the release as a
single and another hit was born. The single entered the country
music charts December 30th, 1972 and was at the top of the
charts the week of March 17th, 1973 where it stuck for two weeks.
The Columbia records single was Fairchild‘s 11 th charted song
and her only number one.
It was on the charts for 19 weeks.
================================
QUESTIONS
AND
ANSWERS
QUESTION: Do you remember a song about ―Walking On New
Grass?‖ Do you know who had that record?
ANSWER: ―Walking On New Grass‖ was a # 7 hit for Kenny
Price in 1966.
QUESTION: Have you heard of a singer named Dave Peel? My
cousin says he knew him in Nashville several years ago.
ANSWER:
Dave Peel was a Nashville singer who placed 5
songs on the country charts between 1969 and 1971. None of
them made the top 40.
QUESTION: Have you heard of a song titled ―Tell My Woman I
Miss Her?‖ My dad says it was on the radio a few times many
years ago.
ANSWER:
―Tell My Woman I Miss Her‖ was the flipside of
Tommy Overstreet‘s 1978 # 20 hit, ―Better Me.‖
QUESTION:
My dad says that Ralph Emery had hit records. Is
that true?
ANSWER:
Ralph scored a hit with an answer to ―Hello
Walls‖ titled ―Hello Fool.‖ The Liberty Records single peaked at #
4 in 1961.
QUESTION:
My uncle says that Buck Owens was a musician
in a band for a famous singer before he became famous. Is that
true?
ANSWER:
Buck played lead guitar for Tommy Collins in the
1950‘s.
====================================
NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:
1945
Smoke on the Water - Bob Wills
1953
Your Cheatin‘ Heart - Hank Williams
1961
Don‘t Worry - Marty Robbins
1969
Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone) - Loretta Lynn
1977
Lucille - Kenny Rogers
1985
Honor Bound - Earl Thomas Conley
=====================================
TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
by Bill Morrison
1900 - J.L. "Joe" Frank 1900~1952, promoter and talent manager,
born Limestone County, Alabama. Joe was Pee Wee King' s father-in-law. Posthumously inducted into the CMHF in 1967.
1933 - Roy Clark, Hee Haw co-host, was born in Meherrin, Virginia. Roy became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1987.
16
1937 - Bob Luman 1937~1978, was born "Bobby Glenn Luman"
in Nacogdoches, Texas. Bob was a member of the cast of the
KWKH Louisiana Hayride, moved to the west coast and filmed the
movie Carnival Rock, and then joined the cast of the TV show
Town Hall Party. Ricky Nelson heard Bob's band on Town Hall
Party and hired them away. Bob's band, which he brought with
him from Louisiana, included James Burton on guitar. Bob joined
the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1965, and created a little havoc
every time he performed. The younger audience members at the
Opry were crazy about him, however, Mr. Acuff had a different
opinion. While in Nashville between 1964 and his death in 1978
Bob charted approximately 40 hits on the country charts. His biggest hit was "Lonely Women Make Good Lovers." Bob left us
much too early at the age of 41, and many of us miss him a lot.
Bob's lovely daughter Melissa works as a home loan officer in one
of the Nashville suburbs. She recently told me that Bob was being
inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Good for
you Bob. you were always a winner.
1945 - Bob Wills topped the charts with "Smoke On The Water."
1951 - Junior Barnard, guitarist with The Texas Playboys, died as
the result of a car wreck.
1952 - Sam Bush vocals, fiddle, mandolin, and guitarist born in
Bowling Green, Kentucky. Sam is one of Music Cities most respected pickers, and was a founding member of New Grass Revival in 1972.
1961 - Marty Robbins' single "Don' t Worry" topped the charts.
1966 - The mayor of Lynchburg, Virginia proclaimed this as "Ray
Pillow Day."
1967 - Bill Nettles1907~1967, age 60, songwriter, recording artist,
and label owner died in Monroe, Louisiana. Bill and his brother
Norman were the talent behind the Dixie Blue Boys, and later
founded the Nettles Brothers. They became stars while playing
their music on KWKH radio in Shreveport, and recorded on Vocation and Bluebird, the low budget division of RCA from
1937~1945. Bill was a disabled veteran of World War I, having
served in the Navy. The Nettles penned tune "Have I Waited Too
Long?" was debuted at KWKH by Radio Dot and Smoky, and
eventually became Faron Young's theme song. Later in his career
Nettles recorded for Mercury Records, Bullet and Imperial. He
recorded for Starday in the mid`1950's and then formed his own
label, Nett Records in Monroe, Louisiana.
1970 - Johnny Cash's ABC-TV Show featured special guest Judy
Collins, and duets with June Carter Cash.
1971 - Wanda Jackson recorded "Half As Good A Girl" b/w "I' m
Mad At Me."
1971 - Buck Owens recorded "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby' s
Arms."
1971 - Tracy Nelson's Plantation single "The Battle Hymn of Lt.
Calley" was certified Gold.
1974 - Tom T. Hall recorded "That Song Is Driving Me Crazy."
1975 - Oscar Davis, artist management, promoter, died at age 72.
1977 - Kenny Rogers' single "Lucille" topped the charts.
1983 - Elvis received 5 Gold records today for 5 separate RCA
Victor singles. I'm not going to list them, everything he recorded
went to some kind of metal. On March 27, 1992 Elvis was posthumously awarded 123 Gold & Platinum records. No, I'm not going
to list the titles. Call Lisa Marie, she has them.
1988 - Wanda Jackson recorded "I'm Mad At Me."
1989 - Mary Chapin Carpenter debuted on the charts with her self
-penned Columbia single "How Do." The record made the Top 20,
and the future Grammy Award winner was named the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1992 &1993.
1993 - Trisha Yearwood's MCA album "Hearts in Armor" was certified Platinum.
1997 - Silver Eagle released "Silver Eagle Cross Country Pre-
sents Live: Vern Gosdin" 1997.
1998 - Rose Maddox 1925~1998, age 72, of "Maddox Brothers &
Rose" died in Oregon.
Courtesy Bill Morrison
Selectees for Induction into the
Western Swing Hall of Fame
Sacramento, CA
on Sunday, October 3, 2010
gary campbell
vicki campbell
don davis
"big Jim" denoon
joe (diamond) fischer
tommy hays
ray hunter
jimmy r. phillips
jason roberts
ted scanlon
haskell "hack" starbuck
jimmy r. tomlinson
Fred Berry Family
Lou Bischoff
John & Barbara Brutsche
Clyde Brewer
Jack Brown
Tom Burgess
Shelly Cook
Mary Corley
Truitt Cunningham
Ben Delay
Billie and James Dobbs
Jerry Emery
Glynn Fairburn
Mary Jo Glasson
Paige Haas
Tom and Donna Hatton
Briggs Hill and his family
Barbara Holman
Mary Hunter
Odis James
Norma Johnson
17
Bob Kelly Family
Charlie Louvin
Johnny Lyon
Emily Manning
Mike Miller
Bob Nible
Joe Paul Nichols
Christy Oehlschlager
Jeremy Parker
Walter Pate
Lyall Paulson
Tom Rose
Rebecca Linda Smith
Connie Stom
Cameron Stroup
Joye Thompson
Darlene Thornton
Ken Watkins
Mike Ward
Connie White
Bill Zucker
Tri-Son News
Biggest Little News Sheet In Country Music (Since 1963) • July 2010 Issue
_________________________________________________________________
Loudilla and Kay Johnson • P.O. Box 40328 • Nashville, TN 37204 • Ph. 615-371-9596
_________________________________________________________________
Brooks & Dunn's Last Rodeo Tour, currently on-hold as Ronnie continues on doctor-order vocal rest, will restart in Indianapolis on
July 16. Three additional concerts: Oklahoma City (8/20), Little Rock (8/21) and Holmdel, NJ (8/28) have been added. Merle Haggard, Gary Allan, Miranda Lambert and Sara Evans will appear on select concert dates. The final show is scheduled on September
2 in Nashville. See www.brooks-dunn.com
The Charlie Daniels Band released a pair of digital singles, “Iraq Blues” and “(What This World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks 2010,” on July 4 through Blue Hat Records/E1 Entertainment. Both tracks are featured on the CDB‘s forthcoming August 10
patriotic compilation, Land That I Love. Songs are newly recorded studio versions, and the 2010 update of “(What This World Needs
Is) A Few More Rednecks 2010” also includes a brand new verse. The singles are available at all major online retailers. “I wrote „Iraq
Blues‟ on three separate trips to entertain the troops over there in Iraq. It's about the troops and for the troops,” says Daniels. “(What
the World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks 2010‟ is an updated version of a song I recorded several years ago. The new lyrics reflect
life in America in the 21st century.” The CDB maintains a busy tour schedule through the end of 2010. For more information and tour
dates, visit www.CharlieDaniels.com
Known just as much for their talents as for wearing their signature cowboy hats, country music superstar Trace Adkins, and racing
legend and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, have begun a humorous "rivalry" of one-upmanship about who experiences the
toughest pain. BC Powder and Goody's Headache Powders, the brands Adkins and Petty represent, are going head-to-head in an
online contest with their respective brands leading the charge. The "Pick A Powder" campaign plays off the fierce and generational
loyalty users have to either product. Both Adkins and Petty will try to get their fans to pick their team online
at www.pickapowder.com to support either Team Richard for Goody's or Team Trace for BC. The man who gets the most fans to join
his team will get to see the other "perform" LIVE at the Goody's 500 in Martinsville, VA next spring. The campaign also features a
charity component with a donation being made to the Wounded Warrior Project on behalf of Adkins and BC, and Victory Junction
Camp for seriously ill children on behalf of Petty and Goody's. sometimes don't. Once registered, fans can win prizes and vote daily
through September 30; with winners announced in early October.
News Briefs: Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus and his wife, Allison, are abnticipating the birth of their first child in January 2011.••• Billy Ray Cyrus has seemingly departed Country Music and formed a rock band. Brother Clyde is a L.A. based
combo with Billy Ray, Samantha Maloney and Jamie Miller. Their self-titled debut album is due August 10. The first single, Lately, is
available on iTunes. ••• Magic Mustang has signed singer/songwriter Sherrie Austin to a publishing deal. ••• Emerging country
singer/songwriter Shane Wyatt will make a return appearance at Firefest July 31 in Cold Spring, MN, sharing the stage with Smok'n
Guns, Bombshell, Emerson Drive andLittle Big Town. Sponsored by Wild Country 99, Firefest raises money for the Cold Spring
Fire and Rescue. Tickets are $30 thru July 18 and go up to $35 on July 19. Available online at www.firefestmn.com or in person at
various local business locations. Wyatt will keep the party going at WeFest in Detroit Lakes, MN (Aug. 5), following Keith Urban's headline performance. ••• Tim McGraw makes his first Australian appearance in September, performing a series of shows in
Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Townseville.
Bluegrass sensation Rhonda Vincent, has added a record label division to her in-house, Upper Management company, which already boasts management and tour booking divisions and oversees her annual Bluegrass Cruise. Upper Management was founded
in 2006 by the artist‘s manager Herb Sandker. Vincent is currently recording a new project in her Adventure Studios with eight-time
Grammy Award winner, Bil VornDick. "Bil is the king at capturing great tones,” Vincent states. “With my band The Rage as the core
band of the album, we‟ll be able to duplicate the music in our live performances." The project will include several guest musicians and
vocalists, along with a few surprises. Album release details to be announced.
Lilith's 2010 return as a touring festival might not be quite as comprehensive as the event's organizers initially hoped as reports
trickle in about canceled dates on the festival's itinerary. The touring all-female festival, which had returned this year for the first time
since it's initial 3-year-run ended in 1999, had originally been scheduled for 35 dates around the U.S. but has been plagued by soft
ticket sales. Three other Lilith dates have been moved to smaller venues, including Vancouver, Edmonton and Montreal, though festival producer Terry McBride maintains that these dates were moved for reasons other than slow ticket sales. Ten cancelled dates:
Salt Lake City (7/12), Montreal (7/23), Raleigh (8/4), Charlotte (8/6), West Palm Beach (8/10), Tampa (8/11), Birmingham (8/12), Austin (8/14), Houston (8/15) and Dallas (8/16). Refunds are available at point of purchase. Performer Norah Jones announced that all
five of her scheduled Lilith dates have been cancelled. Scheduled performers on various tour stops include Martina McBride, Loretta
Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Sugarland, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Cheryl Crow, Carly Simon, Sarah McLachlan, Court
Yard Hounds, Heart and Queen Latifah.
Superstar couple Amy Grant and Vince Gill will kick off The Twelve Days of Christmas Tour December 8 in Sarasota, FL and wrap
(Dec. 22) with two shows in at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashvlle. Of their fifth Holiday tour, Grant explains “Christmas audiences are
special. They tend to involve the whole family, and their emotions are a wonderful mix of anticipation and reverence. It‟s a thrilling
experience for both of us.” “These holiday tours have become our favorites,” Gill agrees. In their two hour program, the Grammywinning team will present cherished standards and newer seasonal fare as well as some of their biggest hits.
The International Bluegrass Music Association‘s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass will be held September 27-Oct. 3 in Nashville. The
21st anniversary of the IBMAs is the high point of the week, when the music comes home to the historical Ryman Auditorium on
Thursday evening (Sept. 30). Featured acts already announced include Dailey & Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Michael
Cleveland & Flame Keeper, Dale Ann Bradley, Tony Rice, The SteelDrivers, Cherryholmes, Lonesome River Band, The
Isaacs, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Josh Williams Band, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, The Boxcars, The Claire
Lynch Band, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Grasstowne, G-2 and Barry Scott & Second Wind. More to be announced. Tickets for all events are available now at www.ibma.org or phone 1-888-GET-IBMA.
18
Renowned music producer, Paul Worley and his partners, Wally Wilson and Glen Morgan, have once again put their creative minds
to work with the formation of Nashville's newest label addition, Skyville Records. The imprint is the latest venture of the threesome
who formed Skyline Music Publishing six years ago. "This label is a natural extension of the artist development that we have always
done," Worley says. "It makes more sense now than ever as the music industry must create new ways of doing business." The first
signing on the label's roster is Stealing Angels. The trio of talented ladies will debut their first single, "He Better Be Dead" on July
12. They are currently on a national radio promotion tour, and are playing many fairs and festivals around the country this summer.
Loretta Lynn will be honored by The Recording Academy, the organization that presents the GRAMMY Awards, October 12 at the
Ryman Auditorium. The event promises to be a star-studded tribute featuring performances by some of Nashville's finest artists and
includes a special presentation of The Academy President's Merit Award to Lynn, a three-time GRAMMY® winner who already owns
the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ralph Emery has long reigned as a valued personality/friend of country music, country radio, and country fans. An author, TV host,
mentor to countless young broadcasters and show hosts, currently hosting the popular Ralph Emery Show on RFD-TV. He has now
been nominated for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame, in the Local or Regional Pioneer category. Register and vote
now through August 1 at www.radiohof.org. The induction ceremony and broadcast will take place on November 6 in Chicago.
Thanks to Marty Raybon, every kid in America will know what to ask for this Christmas: a “Daddy Phone,” the singer/songwriter‘s
poignant new song about kids with divorced parents keeping in touch with the father they see only ever so often. The song was written by GrandVista owner David Mastran, who penned the compelling tune from personal experience. GrandVista has released the
infectious track, the second single from Raybon's The Heat Is On album. Raybon wrote or co-wrote five songs for the project. “Still
My Little Man (Matty’s Song)” is especially personal to Raybon. “I wrote that about my boy,” he says of his son who is serving in
Iraq. “I remember when Matty told me he was going to join the service, honestly I was mad at him. I really was. I was angry and the
reason why is that fear as a parent. I‟ve always sheltered my children as much as I could because I love them. I thought „Lord he‟ll get
over there in some third world country and I can‟t help him.‟ Then all of a sudden, I realized I was thinking of him as a child and the
way he was when he was little but now he‟s made a man‟s decision.” Raybon‘s special interest in the U.S. military inspired him to
sign on with the USO, and he is currently booking dates to perform for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq; in the past, he has done
shows for the organization Halos and Heroes, which raises money for Air Compassion for Veterans (ACV). The singer is also getting involved with charities and organizations that fund and supply prosthetics for returning veterans who have lost limbs in battle. “We
hear all the time about the troops who lose their lives,” he says, “but not enough about those who come home maimed and missing
arms and legs. With the technology we have available, we should be able to ensure that they can at some point resume as normal a
life as possible with the help of these prosthetics.”
EVENTS Calendar 2010:
• July. 22-25 - Country Thunder USA - Twin Lakes, WI
• Oct. 3-5 - IEBA Conference - Nashville, TN
• Nov. 6 - National Radio Hall of Fame Inducuction - Chicago, IL
• Nov. 22 - Charlie Daniels' Christmas For Kids Concert - Nashville, TN
These events and more are listed on our LINKS page! www.ifco.org/
"Country Psych"
and "Techno Psych".
I don't know what any of that means.
It's become sort of a cult hit.
A cult I'm not sure I would willingly volunteer for.
52,000 intelligent good-looking readers.
I admit I think the song is funny, and the response to it is also
funny.
You can listen to it here:
BROADBAND: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?
id=8984128&q=hi
DIAL-UPS: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?
id=8984128&q=lo
MY CHICKEN FETISH.
What's the deal with me and birds?
Besides "Tennessee Bird Walk",
I've written "Legendary Chickenfairy", "If Eggs had Legs", "Big
Black Bird",
and birds show up in some of my other songs.
I have no idea.
And for you classic poetry lovers, here are the words:
"DANCE OF THE LIVING-DEAD CHICKENS."
I guess I think birds are fascinating,
being either funny, as in crossing the road,
or strange, as in Poe's Raven.
And they have such expressive eyes. Like little buttons.
The chicken that looked like Hitler;
Looked just like him, but littler.
Down at the henhouse they hated his guts.
He didn't know why. It was drivin' him nuts.
The most recent bird song I've coughed up is "Dance of the Living
-Dead Chickens".
I just sat down at the old electric piano and sang it into a cassette
recorder,
in the back room of our motorhome.
It was just a demo, but somehow it found it's way onto several CD
albums.
One of them is a various artists album on a Brooklyn New York
label.
The album title is "Halloween of Bloody Nightmares",
and the reviews place it in odd genres such as "Hardcore",
They called him the Chickenstein Monster.
He hung around down by the dumpster.
The Hunchduck and the Hitler found romance.
He looked into her eyes and began to dance.
Down at the hen house jealousy reigned.
The chickens realized that they all looked the same.
Being ordinary was bringing them down.
They started making weird faces and dragged their feet around.
19
Farmer Bob came out in the noonday heat,
saw the chickens makin' faces, and draggin' their feet.
His brain went out to lunch, and his body changed form,
and the Dance Of the Living Dead Chickens was born.
He combed his hair to one side, grew a little mustache,
scrunched his back up in a hump and let one foot drag.
He crossed one eye, and let his tongue hang out.
The neighbors gathered 'round and they all began to shout...
Comb your hair to one side, get a little mustache,
Scrunch up in a hump and let one foot drag.
Everybody's learnin' it's fun to be weird.
The Dance of the Living-dead Chickens is here.
(Repeat last line until somebody buys the record.)
Jack Blanchard
© 2010.
-Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan...
Grammy Nominees.
Billboard's Country Duet of the Year.
ASCAP and BMI Awards.
HOME PAGE: http://jackandmisty.com
The Heart of Texas Country Music Museum in Brady will
soon be showcasing some new Roy Rogers and the
Sons of the Pioneers memorabilia.
During the recent Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum auction
in New York, the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum was
able to obtain Roy Rogers Country Music Hall of Fame induction award along with the Sons of the Pioneers Country Music
Hall of Fame induction award.
The awards each give a brief biography of the honoree along
with their birthdates and the Country Music Hall of Fame
logo. Roy Rogers was inducted in 1988 and the Sons of the Pioneers were honored in 1980.
The Sons of the Pioneers award also lists Hugh and Karl Farr,
both being from Llano and Rochelle, Texas, making the award
coming back to our area even that more important to us.
"We actually had interest in 18 lots, but bidding was at a premium," Tracy Pitcox said. "We had purchased Roy's outfit from
the 25th Anniversary of the CMA Awards in an auction last December. These awards will be a nice addition to our upcoming
Roy Rogers/Dale Evans/Sons of the Pioneers display."
The awards were purchased by the museum for $2,000.00
www.heartoftexascountry.com
Thank you Joe! Your compilation CD's are a DJ's dream! By
providing us with new music to review for possible airplay. And
it's a great and efficient service for the artist as well by getting
their tunes to radio stations. Keep up the good work.....
"Toe Tappin" Tommy Tucker
KRLC Radio, Lewiston, Idaho
2003 AWA Radio Station of the Year
2004 AWA DJ of the Year
2005 WMA Radio Station of the Year
The Messenger…Rhonda
Ryan‘s Music Box Treasure:
From the time she was old enough to notice, Ryan loved the little porcelain Rabbit
Music Box. It had been my mother‘s and I
sat it in the downstairs bathroom after she
died so I would see it often. The figures
were a daddy rabbit sitting in a chair reading to the little girl bunny rabbit sitting at
his feet. When wound, the little figures turned as it played ―Here
comes Peter Cottontail.‖ It was Ryan‘s favorite thing and she was
always so careful with this fragile heirloom. When she was about
six she asked if she could have it. I knew that if she took it home
with her at that time it would lose its value and be discarded unintentionally because of her immaturity. So I told her I when I died it
would be hers. From that point on every time she came for a visit
she asked me when I was going to die!! Since I was not quite
ready to go… I told her I had changed my mind…when she
graduated from high school it would be hers…that satisfied her.
The music box became even more precious to me knowing that
my mother‘s music box would be passed on to my Ryan (The 7 th
of 9 grandchildren) who loved it so.
Shattered Treasure:
Time passed. The music box retained its special spot in my bathroom awaiting Ryan‘s visits. One day when I was vacuuming, the
cord that was plugged in right above the Music box caught on it
and sent it flying to the brick floor…shattering into hundreds of
pieces! I stood there and sobbed staring unbelievably at the broken pieces. What was I going to tell Ryan? I knew it would break
her heart. I carefully picked up every piece I could find …some so
tiny they were dust but others were fairly large and recognizable. I
looked at all those pieces and prayed, ―Please Dear God, help me
put this back together so Ryan will still have a treasure. I am so
sorry I didn‘t take good enough care of this treasure that You entrusted to me. Please forgive me and help Ryan to not be broken
hearted.‖
Patched-up Treasure:
I worked for days gluing those pieces
together. When I finished, it looked
pretty good, from a distance...not like
before but not bad for having been in
hundreds of pieces. It did have a large
piece still missing that left a gaping hole
right in front but at least it was almost all
together. I wound it …waited…but there
was no song! Apparently the musical
part had been damaged in the fall and
now it had lost its song. I wept again.
Life-Lesson Treasure:
Then it hit me. This treasured keepsake was like ones fragile
heart or spirit…easily broken or damaged. I decided when the
time was right I would use this broken patched up music box to
teach a life lesson to Ryan just as my mother would have done to
me.
Replicated Treasure:
In the meantime I found another music box just like it on EBay; at
least I thought it was the same. They looked the same in the picture. So I purchased it. When it arrived there were two. The lady
who owned it sent me another one to go with it because she said
they belonged together. The extra one was the mother rabbit
sharing a plate of cookies with her little boy bunny rabbit sitting at
her feet. These music boxes were slightly larger than the original
and not made of the delicate porcelain but they were very close
replicas. And I got an extra one that I didn‘t even ask for! Was that
20
a deal or what! It‘s a
God thing.
flected back to the lesson God had prompted me to teach Ryan
with that broken treasured Music Box. Today, before I typed this
story, I went into the bathroom where all three music boxes sit
Renewed Treasure:
together on the cabinet. I picked up the cracked and glued origiThe time finally came
nal…wound it up…and would you believe…. It played its song just
when Ryan inquired
as beautifully as it did the day I brought it home from my mother‘s
about the whereabouts house & it hasn‘t missed a note since. WOW!
of her music box. Before Master‘s Treasure:
I unveiled the patched
God taught me such a lesson today. Even broken hearts and
up broken box I told her wounded spirits whose song has been silenced… thought to be
the story about me
lost …are still not beyond repair. In the master‘s hand, all things
breaking it. I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. I told her are possible, even restoring a song to a broken music box. Music
how hard I had tried to fix it. When I brought it out I said ―Ryan, I
Box or heart…The master‘s touch creates a song.
want to tell you something very important. People‘s hearts and
Living Treasure:
spirits are as easily broken as was our music box. When we say
I see it every day on our prayer network (WSPN). So many
unkind words or do unkind things to people we shatter them just
‗songs‘ have been restored to those with physical health issues
as your music box was shattered. When you are sorry and try to
who have been healed. I see so many ‗songs‘ that have been
make it right with them it is like trying to put back all the pieces
restored to the broken hearted due to the loss of a loved one. We
like I did with the music box…but there are still cracks which are
all have seen in our Western Swing family an instance of God
visible when you get close. But more important Ryan…when we
sending another ‗treasure‘ to love when one of His beloved chilhurt someone with our words, even though the pieces are put
dren has lost theirs.
back together with acts of love and repentance…we might still
Unforgotten Treasure:
have caused them to lose their song.‖ At that point I wound the
Let us never forget who
box and sure enough …no song.
restores our soul (song)
Little eight year old Ryan had a soft heart and I felt she underfor His Name Sake. Let
stood what I was trying to teach.
us never forget to teach
Additional Treasure:
our children (and grand
Then I said ―Sometimes Ryan it will be your heart or spirit that
children) of His faithful
gets broken. But I always want you to remember that our wonderlove that abides with us.
ful God loves us so much that even though He can‘t magically
Let us never forget to
change the hurt or broken heart or spirit, He will give us someteach them to belt out
thing in its place that is even more than we had before. ―Then I
their ‗God–Given
brought out the two new replicas… and said ―God will always be
Song‘…and then their feet will dance!
there to heal a broken heart. Just remember He wants us to alThe messenger…Rhonda
ways be kind to others. He will always bless you richly when you
[email protected]
do‖. (The golden rule)
Buried Treasure:
Now I don‘t know if she will consciously remember all that I said
or did that day but somewhere deep into her tender little heart I
buried a seed…or perhaps I fertilized one that her parents had
already planted. At any rate I know that lesson sunk deeply and
grew. How do I know…well…
FRED CARTER, JR.
Golden Bell Treasure:
Yesterday Ryan was promoted
1933 – 2010
from elementary to middle
Born in the Louisiana delta,
school. The proud grandma
Fred Carter, Jr. was raised
(Nangy) attended her promotion
in an environment that faand awards program. Ryan
vored both hard work and
received lots of awards for
great music. Like all semischolastic achievement prenal musicians, artists, and
sented by her classroom
writers born to the pre-war
teacher. She received awards
American South, Carter cut
for her participation on the archhis teeth on country, blues, gospel, and jazz, combining them all
ery team from the PE teacher. She received drama awards from
the drama teacher. The music teacher presented awards for choir into the art form that would later become Rock and Roll. A conand Ryan received one of those too. But then…Mrs. Blakely, the summate musician, Carter held the guitar chair on recording sessions and live performances for artists of every musical genre.
music teacher said ―I have a very special award that I call the
Carter began his career as staff guitarist on the legendary LouisiGolden Bell Award. This one goes to the person that is always
kind, compassionate, and helps others, even if they don‘t ask for ana Hayride, working alongside Horace Logan and a revolving
cast of country hitmakers. After leaving the Hayride, Carter played
help. That person is always there for others…and that award
a significant role in the development of Rockabilly and Rock and
goes to… Ryan Craig.
Roll through his guitar work with Conway Twitty, Roy Orbison,
Restored Treasure:
Even as I type this story I have a lump in my throat as I did when Dale Hawkins, and Ronnie Hawkins & the Hawks.
Mrs. Blakely called Ryan‘s name. That was the best honor she
could have received as far as I am concerned. Immediately I re-
Settling in Nashville in the late 1950‘s, Carter quickly moved into
the ―A-Team,‖ first-call session work that defines the Nashville
21
recording industry. There, Carter worked with a steady stream of
legendary recording artists, including country greats such as Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson,
as well as contributions to the classics of Simon & Garfunkel, Bob
Dylan, and Muddy Waters. Throughout his career, Carter maintained a lifelong association with Levon Helm, including Helm‘s
RCO All-Stars, which included Steve Cropper, Donald ―Duck‖
Dunn, Booker T. and the MG‘s, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, and the
Saturday Night Live Horns. Carter was also a prolific songwriter,
writing alongside the likes of Harlan Howard, Willie Nelson, and
Hank Cochran. Carter‘s songs have been recorded by artists as
diverse as Dean Martin, Chet Atkins, and Burl Ives. Through his
varied associations, Carter played a critical role in broadening
Nashville‘s musical persona beyond its traditional country borders, serving to integrate Nashville into the larger musical acceptance in which it finds itself today.
HANK COCHRAN 1935-2010
Hank Cochran's last night filled with music from
friends
PUBLISHED BY CINDY WATTS ON JULY 15, 2010
Carter passed away on July 17th from stroke-related causes at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Carter was the third of seven children born to Fred and Hattie
―Tillie‖ Carter of Winnsboro, Louisiana. A loving husband and
father, Carter is survived by his wife of 49 years, Anna; his sons,
Ronnie and Jeff; his daughter, recording artist Deana Carter; and
his five grandchildren.
Hank Cochran spent his last night on earth surrounded with one of
the constant loves of his life: country music.
On Wednesday night, the songwriter who brought the world ―I Fall
to Pieces‖ and ―Make the World Go Away‖ got a visit at his Hendersonville home from country singer Jamey Johnson. Billy Ray
Cyrus and famed producer and songwriter Buddy Cannon showed
up soon after.
Bob Kelly, Western Swing Hall Of Fame
Bob Kelly, Western Swing
Hall of Fame steelman
formerly with Johnny
Bush, Jody Nix and others,
and songwriter notably for
Nix and George Strait,
passed away Sunday
night, July 18, 2010, from
an aneurysm on the aorta
of
his heart. He died peacefully with his wife Frances
and son Ken and family by
his side.
The viewing will be at
Frank W. Wilson
Furneral Home beginning at noon
Tuesday. The family will be there from 7 - 9 p.m. The memorial servicewill be Wednesday Afternoon at 2 p.m. at
Immanuel Church in Odessa. .There
will be a memorial service in Eldorado, Ark. at a later date.
If you wish to, a note or card can be mailed to the family at
2537 E. 10th,
Odessa, TX. 79761.
Notify your friends who knew Bob.
We've lost a fine friend and a true music great.
Barbara Martin
Western Swing Monthly
―We got there and Jamey was already sitting in his bedroom by
Hank and singing him songs,‖ said Cannon, Mr. Cochran‘s longtime friend and co-writer. ―Billy Ray got his guitar out and started
singing, and the next thing you know we were just passing the
guitar around Hank‘s bed just singing some songs, and Hank was
actually trying to sing a long a little bit.‖
Mr. Cochran died the next morning following a years-long battle
with cancer. He would have been 75 in August.
Mr. Cochran — whom Country Music Hall of Famer Merle Haggard claims as ―a great mentor‖ — wrote or co-wrote such classic
songs as Patsy Cline‘s ―I Fall to Pieces‖ and ―She‘s Got You,‖
George Strait‘s ―Ocean Front Property‖ and ―The Chair,‖ Eddy
Arnold‘s ―Make the World Go Away‖ and Ronnie Milsap‘s ―Don‘t
You Ever Get Tired (of Hurting Me).‖
Cannon, along with Cochran‘s family, was by Mr. Cochran‘s side
when he died. Cannon described the moment as ―peaceful,‖ and
said on Thursday that country music had lost one of the cornerstones of its foundation.
―If you pull Hank Cochran‘s catalog of songs out of the mix of the
Nashville music business, the whole business would be shaped
differently than it is now,‖ Cannon said. ―I had the pleasure of writing songs with him, and it was unlike any other co-writing experience I ever had. The guy was magic. Where it is that songwriters
plug into to get their stuff they get to write their songs, Hank had a
different connection than everybody else.‖
Haggard said in a statement, ―He was a great friend and a great
mentor. Hank was responsible for some of the music that inspired
me to do what I do.‖
'I don‘t know anybody that didn‘t like Hank'
Mr. Cochran was born Garland Perry Cochran on Aug. 2, 1935, in
22
Isola, Miss. His parents divorced when he was 9, and Mr. Cochran briefly moved in with his father in Memphis before being
placed in the St. Peter's Orphan‘s Home due to the economic
climate of the post-Depression era.
As a boy, Mr. Cochran ran away from the facility several times
before going to live with his grandparents. At 10, he was playing
guitar and singing in church, and at 12 he and his uncle hitched
from their home in Mississippi to New Mexico to work in the oil
fields.
World Go Away,‖ ―The Chair‖ and ―Set ‘Em Up Joe,‖ among them
— as Cyrus, Johnson and Cannon performed for him.
―Billy sung a Merle Haggard song and he sung his big hit ‗Achy
Breaky Heart‘ and Hank was singing along in the chorus,‖ Cannon
said. ―He was so weak you couldn‘t hear him, but he was joining
in anyway. It was a very emotional evening."
When the three performers stopped playing at one point, Mr.
Cochran asked them not to leave and they continued. Their visit
had come on the heels of a call from Haggard, so the men ended
the night with Haggard hit ―Going Where the Lonely Go.‖
By his mid-teen years, Mr. Cochran moved to California, got a job Cyrus was moved to drive with Cannon to Mr. Cochran‘s home
working at Sears & Roebuck in Los Angeles, and went back to
Wednesday night by the feeling that ―there ain‘t gonna be no toschool. It was then that he first looked at music as a career possi- morrow.‖
bility.
―You look at somebody like Hank‘s life and think, ‗Man, that‘s what
Mr. Cochran soon met guitar player Eddie Cochran (no relation)
it‘s all about, writing songs, that‘s what this town was built on,‘‖
and the pair formed The Cochran Brothers, then made friends
Cyrus said. ―What a great loss, and what a great, great man. He‘s
with other musicians on the scene like Bobby Bare and Harlan
at the very top of people who took their pen and paper and
Howard. After moderate success, the duo disbanded and Mr.
touched people‘s lives with it.‖
Cochran moved to Nashville.
Mr. Cochran is survived by his wife Suzi, daughter Booth Calder
and three sons, Garland Perry Cochran Jr., James Lee Cochran
That was January of 1960. Mr. Cochran got a job at Pamper Mu- and Daniel Cochran.
sic, which was co-owned by Ray Price. Price remembers his
friend and former employee fondly.
A private, family memorial will be held, and a public service will
follow. Details will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the family
―I hate it,‖ Price said of Mr. Cochran‘s passing. ―He was really a
requests those wishing to honor Hank make donations to the
good one. He had a great talent and he was there when he was
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation.
needed. Hank wasn‘t hid under any subterfuge. What you saw
with Hank is what you got, and it was all good. I don‘t know anybody that didn‘t like Hank.‖
Price said he spoke with Mr. Cochran on Monday. ―We got to say
goodbye,‖ Price said. ―I knew it was coming and he did, too, but
we didn‘t want it to happen.‖
Hello folks, this is Jerry Webb and I would like to say
a great big THANK YOU to my friend Joe Baker and
In 1961, Mr. Cochran scored his first No. 1 as a songwriter — ―I
Fall to Pieces,‖ which he co-wrote with Harlan Howard. By 1974, his staff for all the hard work they do at the Backforty
Bunkhouse. I look forward to getting their newsletter
Mr. Cochran had made such a name for himself as a songwriter
that he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association
each and every month and I sincerely appreciate their
International's Hall of Fame — the only writer to ever receive a
support of traditional country and western swing muunanimous vote.
sic.
Over the years, Cochran has also been the recipient of numerous Keep up the good work.
awards from performing rights organization BMI, including recog- Jerry Webb
nitions for 3 million plays on ―Make the World Go Away,‖ ―Ocean www.JerryWebbMusic.com
Front Property,‖ and ―I Fall to Pieces.‖
In June 2009, a private, surprise celebration of Mr. Cochran‘s
work at BMI in Nashville attracted Haggard, Elvis Costello, Bobby
Bare, Cowboy Jack Clement and Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie
Seely (Mr. Cochran‘s ex-wife) and others.
"He‘s a songwriting icon and everybody knows his songs,‖ said
longtime friend Bobby Bare on Thursday. ―Hank wrote from personal feelings, just the way he felt. Hank fell in love a lot and
broke up a lot, so he had a lot of feelings. And Hank, like all great
songwriters was very aware of all things going on around him,
and he was very bright. (Great songwriters) are not afraid to put
their feelings on the line. ‗You walk by and I fall to pieces,‘‖ Bare
quoted from the Patsy Cline hit, ―that says it all right there.‘‖
Joe Baker‘s Recognition and Honors
Cowtown Society of Western Music Heroes
Academy of Western Artists Disc Jockey of the Year
Cowtown Society of Western Music Disc Jockey of the Year
Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame
Membership Director—Cowtown Society of Western Music
Board of Directors—Cowtown Society of Western Music
Seattle Western Swing Music Society POWS Hall of Fame
Backforty Newsletter—CSWM‘s Publication of the Year 2009
The Western Swing Society Sacramento CA Hall of Fame
KNMB, Western Music Assn. 2006 Radio Station Of The Year
KWMW, Western Music Assn. 2007 Radio Station Of The Year
'Going Where the Lonely Go'
Mr. Cochran‘s last night was filled with his songs — ―Make the
23