Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air: Legends
of West Texas Music
by Christopher Oglesby
Published by the University
of Texas Press:
"As a whole, the interviews create
a portrait not only of Lubbock's musicians and artists, but also
of the musical community that has sustained them, including venues
such as the legendary Cotton Club and the original Stubb's Barbecue.
This kaleidoscopic portrait of the West Texas music scene gets
to the heart of what it takes to create art in an isolated, often
inhospitable environment. As Oglesby says, "Necessity is
the mother of creation. Lubbock needed beauty, poetry, humor,
and it needed to get up and shake its communal ass a bit or go
mad from loneliness and boredom; so Lubbock created the amazing
likes of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Terry Allen, and
Joe Ely."
"Indeed, Oglesby's introduction of more
than two dozen musicians who called Lubbock home should be required
reading not only for music fans, but for Lubbock residents and
anyone thinking about moving here. On these pages, music becomes
a part of Lubbock's living history."
- William Kerns, Lubbock Avalanche Journal
|
From: Paul
Bullock
To: chris; tommyxhancock
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 3:54 PM
Tommy and Chris
I went to see a friend today who owns a diesel repair shop and
the shop is on the land that used to be the Original Cotton
Club. His name is Jerry Severe. I grew up with his family.
Jerry told me that they are finding stuff from what appears to
be the place where they dumped the trash. some old bottles and
stuff have been pushed back to the surface.
Jerry would like to perhaps try to rebuild the club on
the original spot and he needs pictures and information.
Jerry is also a friend of Jack Burk and he is a good guy. I think
he is sincere about reconstruction and said he has some people
interested in investing. Jerry's work # is 806 745-3455. home
794-9388.
Any help you can lend would be greatly appreciated.
Paul
From: Jamie Howell
Sent: Sat, 9 Dec 2006 4:54 PM
You missed me. I came to Lubbock in
the 6th grade from Brazil, played guitar with Jimmie Gilmore’s
first band, was likely the first Lubbock hippie, went to California
as the lead guitar player with Angela
Strehli’s band in 1967, was a
close friend of Tony Pearson, Butch Hancock, and
Jo Carol Pierce, produced Terry
Allen’s first album (Juarez Device),
and am Jo Harvey Allen’s cousin. But I married a girl from Santa
Barbara and after a long career in Music, I now sell houses to
rich folk. Oh, well. I also organized the first student demonstration
at Tech and was a founding member of SDS in Austin.
Jamie Howell
From:
Lynne Kelley
Subject: Lubbockite from 68-70
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2006 4:51 PM
I went to Tech in 68, 69, and 70. It
was really hip then! I moved to Austin in 72' with my then husband
Don Bennett,
who played with Jimmie Vaughan in Storm, and now
for 30 years, Marcia Ball. When I looked at your pics,
I became nostalgic! I remember, the Salt n' Pepper club,
the Student Union building, Tech, of course, Broadway, Speedy Perez' record
store, Heap Big Beef
on 50th, and The Hole in the Wall clothing Store on University
where I worked! Is it still there? I still love the Red Raiders
and the Raider horse! What about MacKenzie Park where we had
Gentle Sundays? Do you know Tom
Jones from
there? How to get in touch with him? I know Joe
Ely and Ponty very well. My daughter Christa was in 4th grade
class with Joes' daughter Elena Marie. We hung out before I had
my family. I saw Lloyd play at Soap Creek with Joe many times, the
Rollingwood location. We danced ourselves soaking wet!
If you want to see more about me, look at www.myspace.com/lynnarenae
Maybe you'll remember me.
Love and peace,
Lynne
P.S. Oh yeah, Randy Banks, Tanner, John Staton, Terry, and Vince
Hopkins...Street Theater,
did you know them?
From:
Stewart Cheak
Subject: Help Please
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:19 AM
I was born in
Slaton and lived in Lubbock for a while. I knew a few guys who
were local players back in the 80's but lost touch after moving
away. Could you let me know if they still ply around the Lubbock
area and how I could contact them? One mans name is Joey Bird, he played Bass and
Sax for Armadillo
Flats.
The other is Jerry
Jefferson,
he had a band called The
Jerry Jeff Jam Band
and also played with Vince
Hopkins
in the band Street
Theater.
I got to know those guys through my Dad. Joey and Armadillo Flats
billed themselves as "The National Band of Texas."
Other members of that group were Gallen Good, Jack
Bowden,
and Cecil
White.
I think they won a Battle of the Bands contest in Lubbock. They
played country music similar to The Maines Brothers and I think they even
played a few gigs with them.
Jerry Jefferson also had a band called Full Force, a Texas Boogie Band. They were more
rockin, and Jerry played lead guitar and sang while Pete was
on drums and Chris played Bass and sang.
I really enjoy reading the stories on your site. It brings back a lot of
good memories. Like a night I spent at the Cotton Club watching Alvin Crow and his Pleasant Valley
Boys play and Joe
Ely playing
the same night. After the show was over and because Joey Bird
knew Joe Ely and members of his band I got to shoot a game of
pool with him.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Stewart Cheak
[Note:
I am not familiar with these folks and bands, so I was not able
to help Stewart. If anyone out there knows about these musicians,
e-mail
me
and I will pass the information on to Stewart and post it here
on virtualubbock.com. - Chris Oglesby]
Subject: Former Lubbockite/Changes Over the Years
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 9:37 AM
From: Dan Atcheson
Hi folks.
I was born and
reared in Lubbock, TX. I moved to Venice, FL, in 1990. I've had
an interesting life, to say the least. I'm the most famous person
in his profession with over 51,000 books in print.
Go to http://www.bullybaby.com/dan_author.htm to see my story.
By the way, my
younger brother, Tim, gave Joey (Joe) Ely his first guitar lesson.
We had a band called the Velveteens that was later changed
to the Traveling
Salesmen.
I also knew Don Caldwell.
Also, one of the members of our rock band in the 60's sent me
this link:
http://www.pandora.com/music/song/29749375fe40c138
Click "Play Sample" for the song, "Days of My
Years." I was playing bass in the song. I'm grateful this
song is being re-released. This helps give our band (The Traveling
Salesmen) a place in Rock-'n-Roll history. Or, if you have Music
Match, you can hear the entire song by opening the attachment.
We were a famous
Lubbock band. It's just that we never made it big in the world.
We got close with a release on RCA Victor, but they dropped the
ball on the distribution. The song had a five-star rating in
Billboard, and there was an article that appeared in the AJ that
came out of NY City. It mentioned us, along with the Stones and
a few other groups to watch. My older brother Mike once said,
"It's probably a blessing we didn't get there; half of us
would probably already be dead by now." I think he was right.
But I did find fame in another area. [as a book author] Also,
I'm proud to boast owning one of the most famous dogs in the
world. You see this story at http://www.bullybaby.com/famous_baby.htm
I love and miss
Lubbock, but my move to FL changed my life and I wouldn't change
the experience for anything. As you can see, I saved the old
Velveteen drum head. I think the
old image  was taken in 1966. I've
changed a bit in the last 40 years. LOL I suppose we all have.
After the chances I have taken during my life, I'm just grateful
to still be here. I played music part-time, but professionally
for 23 years--too long. Now, you'd have to drag me into a dark
nightclub. And on New Year's Eve, I love to stay at home, safe
from drunk drivers. But I'm not a girly guy. LOL If I can ever
afford one, I'm going to buy what I think is called a gyrocopter
and learn how to fly it. Also, if given the opportunity, I'd
make another 174-foot dive into Warm Mineral Springs in a heartbeat.
Please say "hi"
to Dee
Purkeypile.
He played piano in the Traveling Salesman band, at one time.
Dee was a health food and vitamin nut, and knew a lot about nutrition.
But one day, one of our vehicles broke down in New Mexico, so
four of the guys piled into the back of my pickup and we hauled
to Texas. When we got there, everyone was in good shape, except
for Dee. We thought he was dying on us. LOL
Thanks.
Dan Atcheson
Our home page: http://bullybaby.com
Or 50's Rock-'n-Roll
page:
http://www.bullybaby.com/babysrocknroll50s.htm
Date:
8/17/2006 3:59 AM CDT 
From:
Mickey Burchfield
I know this is all about
Lubbock, but, I just could'nt help it....I'm an artist from Spade,
which is pretty damn close. I even remember, bigger than dallas,
which became cold water country, and lord knows what else. Drink
or drownd night, when it was 75 cents for lonestar longknecks
and the same for a shot of tequilia. Man, they had the best sound
system in Lubbock and probably all of West Texas.
Out here in Spade,,,,,,,my dear mom actually beat Waylon out
in a talent contest way back in the 50's,,,,,when his first wife,Maxine
Lawerence went to school at Spade. My grandmother was an artist,which
is probably where i got it. My aunt shows her work on a site
called, garden of praise...Mother said that they used to have
talent contest out at Spade High School a lot back then. Her
mainden name is Willie Griffin. Her and three of her girlfriends
from school did their own rendition of "Blue Skirt Waltz"
with her on piano. Ol Waylon ended up taking second place back
in 1954 or 55. She graduated in 55. I thought it was kind of
cool to know. I really enjoy your web site and all the great
history of the artists and musicians of Lubbock and this area.
Take care. Mickey Burchfield
Mickey Burchfield
Spade,Tx. 79369
Subject:
Big hello from Glasgow, Scotland
Date: 7/14/2006 5:50 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Peter Carroll
I seen your link on www.buddyholly.com
and just wanted to say hi, especially after reading the interview
with Lloyd Maines, in particular, the impact Buddy Holly &
The Crickets have had on the music modern world, especially here
in the UK. Without the music of Buddy Holly & The Crickets
and the crucial tour in 1958, musically, the UK would be stuck
in a timewarp.
I'm a contemporary songwriter, guitarist and aspiring Producer
here in Glasgow, Scotland and have been seriously influenced
by Buddy's/Crickets music, and still am, to the extent that I'm
currently putting together an albums worth of material of Buddys'
& The Crickets' songs, as a personal hmage to my heroes and
maybe I can get a younger audience into the music to keep it
alive.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets changed my life 21 years ago,
when I first really go into the music after watching historically
innacurate film, The Buddy Holly Story back in 1985 when I was
just a lad at 19 years of age - this film put me onto the real
songs and I've had a wonderful 21 years musically.
I now concentrate on writing, composing, recording and producing
my own material and producing local unsigned artists here in
Glasgow. Without Buddy and the guys, I wouldn't have learned
to play the guitar, been in umpteen bands for 10 years, had recording
studio experience with those bands, gone to college to study
Sound Engineering (1 yr course) then Music Technology (1yr course),
learned how to write songs and compose music (for songs and instrumentals),
learn to produce, got into other genres of music and meet some
talented people along the way
Buddy Holly and The Crickets, and of course, Lubbock, are very
much ingrained in my heart and soul and for that, I want to thank
you.
As well as concentrating on the Holly/crickets material and my
own songs, I'm also an aspiring Producer looking to work with
US Singer/Songwriters (who play guitar/piano) and have existing
demo's of their songs. I'm currently working with Pam Messick
(see http://www.petercarroll.biz/petercarroll_producer.htm),
a New York state based songwriter and producing her demo's, getting
them ready for her to send off to Publishers in New York, Nashville
and pretty much country wide. I'm adding additional instrumentation
to her guitar/vocal demo, so that it is fully complimented as
though it were a band on the tracks, as opposed to just acoustic
guitar & vocals.
I want to give something back to Lubbock, as you know has
a very special place in my heart and has been good to me and
hopefully I can help some up and coming singer/songwriters in
Lubbock and produce their demo's for them for free, before they
send them out to Record/Publishing Co's.
Best wishes
Peter
www.petercarroll.biz
http://www.myspace.com/petecarrollmusic
Glasgow, Scotland
Date:
Wed, 8 Nov 2006 8:50 AM
FROM: Peter Carroll
Hi Chris,
Hope all is well in Lubbock and hope the
book is doing great !?
Just thought I'd drop you a line to mention that I'm featured
on http://www.radiooneoldies.com/ as Artist of the Month, which is great Publicity
for me and adds to my conviction that the music has still got
mass appeal and folk out there love it.......the feedback I've
had for The Crickets Sound Project on my space is fantastic,
even from younger fans......some in their 20's.........
Recording continues
Best rgds
Pete
www.myspace.com/thecricketssoundproject
Subject:
David Box to be inducted to Buddy Holly Walk of Fame
Date: 5/29/2006 8:21 AM CDT
From: Jay Reichard
I wanted to pass on to you that
David
Box will finally be inducted to
the Walk of Fame after a long battle with the powers that be
in Lubbock. I remain convinced that we would all be listening
to a lot of David Box music still if he had survived. I heard
from Rita Peek, David's sister, that his induction is scheduled
for September 16, 2006. Wonderful news!
Take care and thanks again!
Best always,
--Jay Reichard
http://giantsideoftexas.com
http://hubstuff.com
Subject:
Stubbs Audio Cookbook Cassette
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 5:43:46 PM EST
From: Rob Pearlman
Hi! I worked
for Stubbs in Austin from 1983 to 1986…at Antone’s
and helped him open his first place (after that) on I-35. I became
great friends with him and of course have LOTS of stories about
him that I would love to share with you.
BUT I also have a cool document that I created (attached). You may be aware that
when Stubbs first started marketing his sauce (In Jack Daniel’s
bottles…labels steamed off and his put on) out of his house,
he included his Stubb’s Audio Cookbook Cassette, featuring
Jesse Taylor on guitar and Stubbs talking about BBQ and how
to make it. Well, at one point a while back I had too much time
on my hands and decided to transliterate the whole thing. I listened
carefully and typed every word or sound he uttered as I heard
it. I have so much fun reading it to this day that I thought
it might be something you could share with your readers!
It has occurred
to me more than once, especially after reading the words, that
this is not just a cook book but a guide to life. I mean, you
could apply any of the following quotes to your own existence:
- “try not
to get your fire out of order”
- “It’s
important to have everything you need right where you got it”
- “you have
to have feelings for what you doin’”
I could go on,
but it’s more fun to search yourself! In fact, the whole
thing could be symbolic of life for all I know.
Rob Pearlman
Smart Planet/ MM Global Brands
www.smartplanet.net
www.mmglobalbrands.com
www.skwish.net
Subject:
Joey Ely
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 10:44:06 PM EST
From: J. David Stephenson
Our "scooter" gang
was called The Outlaws. Joe owned a Mo-ped, me a Vespa, others had the
esteemed Cushman, the Cadillac of the brigade; thus, was our
introduction into a unique culture that was cut from the cloth
of a Steinbeck dust bowl novel. Lubbock was as close to being
a little Chicago in that the gangsters of the 20's and 30's would
have felt at home in our "get-it-while-you-can" existence.
My dad was the minister of the Broadway Church of Christ
and the parsonage was located at 3210 27th Street. I initially
attended Lubbock Christian School, but when I came home in the
afternoons I would see a group of carefree individuals gathering
on my block and I so wanted to become a part of this sociological
experiment of adolescent individualization. Jon
Igo lived on this block, the
Horn brothers were only a few blocks away and our neighbor
across the street was Pam Strong. The Atchison
brothers, who were musically inclined
during that era, lived on 26th, Joe lived in a house with his
mother and brother Tim on 28th and Boston and Hutchinson Jr. High
was the school we were all zoned for. After my 8th grade year
at LCS I persuaded my parents to let me attend Hutchinson in
order to play football and it was in this setting I met the first
people that would introduce me into the "live fast and die
young with a good looking corpse" genre.
This was the beginning of my introduction into being around people
who liked you for who you were and appearances be damned. The
honesty of their lifestyle began to mold me into who I would
become no matter how incongruent this was from my parents wishes.
Guys had nicknames like Fuzzy and Pee Wee and the adjectives
and adverbs of our vocabulary consisted of varies terms of endearment
such as motherfucker, cocksucker, shithead, etc. thus creating
a bond between the men of the 9th grade prior to our becoming
10th graders at Monterey .
We partied at Buffalo Lake and sometimes borrowed one of many
"week-end cottages" at the lake where conveniently
a keg of beer might be found. We once borrowed a keg by slicing
the plastic line that connected the keg to the spigot only to
bring it to a cotton field finding out the difficulty of trying
to suck out the beer that was held in an impenetrable vacuum
(Joe was a part of this foray and my dad's '58 Ford was our mode
of transportation.) There was also the time a grocery store "Green
Stamp" sign was mysteriously placed on the property of Broadway
church of Christ advertising that one could Green Stamps were
available there which did not appear to be humorous to the church
elders.
Our merry band of eclectic hell raisers rode our disparate two-wheelers
on ventures of conquests that would rival the crusades. Lance Copeland
and Joey shared a common loss and that was of losing their fathers
at the beginning of their adolescence. Lance became a true outlaw
in every sense of the word and Joe began to exercise his artistic
gifts. He had a draftsman easel in his bedroom where his early
drawings were more of hot rods and cars than of the expressionistic
art he developed over the years. Mid-way in our 10th grade year
at Monterey our family moved to Ft. Worth because the elders
of my church believed my chosen habits of drink, cigarettes and
experimentation with the wiles of the women of Lubbock were detrimental
to the agenda of their coveted church society. Therefore, I was
not privy to Joe's development into the music world. In that
I was unable to conform to the religious world of my parental
units, it was deemed prudent to join the military on the day
I turned 17. This decision was reinforced by my fathers eagerness
to sign the documents necessary for me to begin my military experience.
I did keep in touch with mutual acquaintances in Lubbock to hear
of Joe's adventures in the circus through the years and would
have much rather experienced "riding the rails" with
Joe than my two year vacation in the country of Vietnam.
I now live in Franklin, TN and will see Joe from time to time
when he performs in the Nashville area. The years have changed
us and the commonality we once knew as 13, 14 & 15 year olds
has faded into the past, but I am proud of this self-made man
and wish him many years of contentment as he continues to travel
the many roads of self-discovery and increased spirituality.
J. David
Stephenson
Franklin, TN
Subject:
Education of Shelby Knox
Date: 6/22/2005 6:19:01 PM EDT
From: Cari Weinberg
Last night while watching "The
Education of Shelby Knox" on PBS
I saw your name scroll by in the “thank yous” section
of the credits and I thought, “hey, that’s the Virtualubbock
guy!” It’s a great piece, I enjoyed it a lot and it
reminded me of all of the things that I miss and don’t miss
in the fair Hub City.
Maybe it’s all those hours I spent
playing records at KTXT while I was going to Tech, maybe it was
all of the live bands that I went to go see while I was in school—who
knows—but last year I learned to play an old 60’s keyboard
and joined an all-girl rock band.
Please stop by and check us out www.myspace.com/lovie If we ever go on tour and include Lubbock in
our plans (it would give us another chance to play with the Thrift
Store Cowboys!) I’ll let you know.
Cheers,
Cari Weinberg
Subject: Terrific Site
Date: 4/26/2005 5:10:54 PM EDT
From: M.H. Hill
Attachment: Poetry.rtf
Chris,
Just wanted to drop by and tell you how much I've enjoyed your
website. I'm an expatriated West Texan presently living in Georgia,
courtesy of my recently abandoned career. I was introduced to
your site by my sister, who was kind enough to forward a link
to your interview with Bruce Jaggers. I graduated
from Abernathy High School in 1978, and Tech in 1983, and spent
countless afternoons and nights at the Dawg, not to mention the
numerous other watering holes in Lubbock at that time. Memories
came flooding back as I read the interview, causing me to look
west for a couple of days afterward, pining for all things Lubbock.
Strangely enough, I had to move clear across the country before
having the opportunity to live in the same neighborhood with
a fellow Tech alum. Imagine the odds. She attended Tech about
the same time I did, so we naturally drift back to Lubbock whenever
we get together, talking about old days and the vibrant nightlife/music
scene that existed in the Hub City. Recently, over the course
of several martinis, I gave her my personal assessment of some
of the more popular/colorful establishments from that era and
thought I would share them with you: <Go
to "Letter & Poetry by M.H. Hill">
Sincerely,
M.H.Hill
P.S. I've attached a collection of my work
that I'm attempting to build on...hope you enjoy.
Subject:
New Link
Date: Fri,
1 Apr 2005 4:05:55 AM EST
From: David Hamilton
Hi Chris,
David Hamilton here. I played bass with Jesse Taylor and Tornado
Alley back in Lubbock in the early 80's and also played bass
for Jay Boy Adams, which was how I moved to Lubbock from Abilene.
It would be nice if I could get back in contact with some old
friends through your site.
I want to pass on a link for you to post on Virtualubbock; it's
the site for my entertainment lighting design business.The address
is: www.songliter.com Have a look....
Well done, and thanks again,
David
Hamilton
Subject: Maybe Eddie Dixon...
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 2:55 PM EST
From: Dale Somers
I love your virtualubbock site. Maybe
consider adding Eddie Dixon to your list.
He is a sculptor that is kind of a hidden jewel here in Lubbock.
They have had Eddie Dixon Day in both Washington DC and New York.
He is currently sculpting the Willie McCool statue
that will be placed near the veterans memorial.
Take a look at his awards on this web site:
www.eddiedixonartist.com
Thanks
Dale Somers
Subject: Sendin' ya some info
to be included
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 11:36:13 AM EST
From: heather hollingsworth
Chris,
Great website! I also hail from Lubbock and crisscrossed with
some of the ol' gang(s). I did a great deal of theatre in the
late 70's there before I moved out into the big ol' carnivorous
world. I'm sure ol' Bill Kerns still remembers. He was a great
fan (as a rule--there was one Hayloft Theater mishap).
I am back in the Austin area after living in the area of theatre
& academia: acting, directing, dialect coaching, teaching
and the like. My latest gig was dialect coaching William Hurt
on his film this summer here in Austin.
I got the lubbock sunsets in my soul and the cottonfields in
my blood (and some probably still on my ass if ya wanna know).
I guess what I am tryin' to convey without much humility a'tall,
(I wouldn't be an alpha-Leo actress if I didn't) . . . the virtualubbock
site just wouldn't be complete without--me.
There was somethin' about being raised in lubbock in the 50's
and 60's?? Somethin' about that atmospheric phenomenon of those
Lubbock lights? No offense to the talented generations to come,
there continue to be many, but those coupla' generations right
around there, it's undeniable: in all fields of the arts, a plethora
of gifted, driven, searching folks with a unprecedented yearning.
I notice you have lots of musicians and a few theatre/film folks
but my generation produced a majorly successful crop of actors.
I won't steal the spotlight so I am going to mention other successful
Lubbock performing artists whom are loved ones of mine:
Conan McCarty -- Law & Order, Stuart Little II
Brad Leland -- most recently Friday Night Lights
Freda Williams -- Dr. T and the Women (Freda is married to
Brad Leland)
Matt Posey
-- The Life of David Gale, Lonesome Dove
Lynn Mathis (posthumous) -- The Alamo
Mark Walters -- American Outlaws, A Texas Funeral
Suzanne Smith -- Law & Order, & most notably the lead
on 42nd street on Broadway some decades ago
Gosh, there's GW Bailey and Larry Randolph. I'll stop now. But they all should at least
me mentioned because they all are a part of us.
thanks chris,
Heather Hollingsworth
Subject:
Appreciate your site
Date: Thur, 2 Dec 2004 12:24:00 PM EST
From: Bob Williford
You have drawn a pretty good verbal expression of our hometown.
I, too, grew up in Lubbock and graduated from MHS in 67. Although
I have not been back but a few times since I left in December
of 69, Lubbock is still home, dust storms and all.
I am a Baptist preacher and lived in Peru for 13 years as a missionary
and have discovered that the truth of faith that I found in Lubbock
is just as true in Latin America. The crazy thing is that I live
in Hope, Arkansas now and in the shadow of Bill Clinton´s
birthplace. People in this town are the same as West Texas.....
Without guessing you know that I still cling to that Hellfire
and Damnation kind of preaching because I have read the Book
front to back many times and all of it seems to fit together
real good. This is a matter of faith.
Yes, Lubbock is a black and white kind of place, but the rest
of the world is just like that, too.
Have a great day
Bob Williford
Jesus said, "Follow
me."
Subject:
Lubbock and its Music
Date: 4/15/2004; 8:50:17 PM Central Daylight Time
From: "Marianne and Stan Smith"
I've just finished going through the
features in the web sight and re-living many old memories of
those days when the music was fresh and original.
Truly all of the ideas and styles of
that time were original and pioneered much of the roots of the
Lubbock sound.
I played guitar back in those days,
and I really had few people to listen to that were from that
area. We all seemed to be doing our own thing, and had little
time to listen to each other that much. I guess my biggest influences
were Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Clyde Perkins (worked at Harrod
Music, on avenue Q). I liked Buddy's rich chordal solos, Chuck's
uncanny string bending techniques, and Clyde, well, he taught
me how to use the right fingerings and how to feel the music
when I played it.
Music was my life. I ate, drank, and
lived it. My idea of a great time was to strap on my Strat and
go play somewhere.
Those were wonderful times for me
and you have helped me to remember some of them. Keep up the
good work and don't stop searching. There is much more out there
and the history of "That Sound" needs to be told.
Thanks again
Stan Smith
"The Sparkles"
Date:
Thu, 4 Dec 2003 12:01:25 AM EST
I have just now discovered this
site which I think is very cool. However, I do feel a little
left out of the picture. I had lived in Lubbock Texas for 14
years1976 - 89.
I even lived in Lubbock back in 1968 or 69 played in a club there
with a group called the Vicounts. My son was born there, I meet my wife in Lubbock.
I was a big part of the music family in Lubbock. To make this
short just go to my web site and read
all about it.
Us drummers always get left out. I am originally from Pampa Tx.
I have played drums for Jay Boy
Adams, and recorded with him.
Played drums on tour with Jimmie
Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock,
Joe Ely,
The Liquidators (x-Planet members ). Played at the original Stubbs Bar B Q,
West Texas Opry, Fat Dawgs, etc,...etc...recorded with a played live with
Jessie Guitar Taylor, Wally Moyers, Lloyd Maines, Don Caldwell
Studios, so on and so on...I
now live in Nashville, TN. Thanks for your time I hope I make
the cut..
Again Check out my site http://www.dannydarling.com
Thanks,
Danny Darling
Subject:
Downe Burns interview
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 22:38 EST
I'm Phil (http://homepage.mac.com/macdoc1)
and I am emailing you from Ontario, Canada - I live in a small
city called Peterborough. which seems to share similar values
to Lubbock. My first computer was a Texas Instruments 99/4A which
was manufactured in Lubbock. The Peterborough area is a tremendous
artist & musician's colony and hosts one of Ontario's biggest
annual art shows, the "Buckhorn Wildlife and Art Festival".
I discovered & enjoyed your Downe Burns interview on the Virtualubbock website. Downe
comes across as a straight up type of person in your interview
- I'm glad that he hung in there and stuck to what he believed
in. I admire his attitude.
I have just been introduced to Downe's
south western style of artwork which was displayed in a local
restaurant that we recently visited. That led my wife and I to
track down and purchase a print of the Three Amigos for our home
from Taos Design, a small shop in Toronto.
Yours truly,
Phil Townsend
(retired teacher)
Subject:
Billy Walker
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 17:15 EST
I believe Billy
Walker should be added to famous
artists from the Lubbock area. He was born in Ralls and lived
in Morton & other area towns growing up. He has been a member of the Grand Ol' Opry for more than
40 years. He has charted many
country hits including "Charlie's Shoes" and
"Cross the Brazos at Waco".
He was the first person to cut a Willie Nelson composition, "Funny
how time slips away" He has appeared in person with
such legends as Hank Williams (senior) Patsy Cline, and Elvis
Presley. Billy Walker is the most underlooked talent from this
area, although he is well known worldwide. I have submitted his
name to Civic Lubbock to be selected to the Buddy Holly Walk
of Fame. I have all sorts of bio info on Billy or you can search
the web. After reading his credentials, maybe you might help
me in getting Billy selected to the Holly Walk of Fame.
Larry Byers
websites:
Billy Walker Home Page
Grand Ol' Opry Bio of Billy Walker
CMT Biography: Billy Walker
Subject:
Magic Dust
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 7:40 EST
I've been groovin' on your
website for a while, and I'm a fan. I live in Shanghai, China
now, and it is unbeleivable how much Lubbock dust is in China!
From Beijing to Shanghai to Hong Kong, I have met Lubbock people,
or in the most strange circumstances, someone who has a Lubbock
connection.
Case in point, and the reason
for this email:
I was sitting in a bar in Hong Kong,
and an Aussie came up to the bar already drunk and said "give
me a fucking beer." Seeing as how he and me were the only
white guys in the place, I decided to say, "What's up?"
I asked him, in my stellar West Texas dialect, "Where ya'
from?" He said "fucking Austrailia, and you?"
I told him "Lubbock, Texas," and he said, "No
shit! I love Buddy Holly, Terry
Allen and The Flatlanders."
I was naturally shocked and asked him how the hell he knew those
guys.
He told me that he was a die hard Buddy
Holly fan and was searching the Internet on his back ground and
discovered this website called virtualubbock.com
and got into the idea of the "Magic
Dust." He told me that
I was from a land of magic dust. Well, we of course got drunk
together... No shit true story! Here is a good link for your
site, I was missing the flatlands and found this: http://www.atmo.ttu.edu/dust.html
Brent Holbert
Subject: virtualubbock
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 21:06 EST
Hi Chris,
I've been looking at the site for about a year now and finally
offering my congratulations. I grew up in Lubbock about the same
time as you did (Cooper High School, in Woodrow). I worked at
the Red Carpet Carwash on Quaker, between 19th and Brownfield
Highway with a bunch of Tech guys. They really turned me on to
Fat Dawgs and some other places. Hell, I'd been going to Stubb's
for years and never realized how fortunate we were. There aren't
many places that pulled talent like Stubb's. By the way, the
second Stubb's location by the Depot was a truck stop my dad
owned in the 60's and 70's.
I left town a few months after Fat
Dawgs became the Fast and Cool club.
I think that was at least the temporary death of live music in
Lubbock. I wandered the globe for a few years and finally settled
in Tennessee. Every year on September
7th (Buddy's
Birthday), I drive down Music
Row with the windows down, the CD turned way up, Terry Allen singing Flatland Farmer
as my symbolic protest of
the crap they put on records these days.
I told Lloyd
Maines about that and he loved
it. Please tell Terry that when you talk to him again.
Anyway, thanks for bringing back some great memories, and I'm
looking forward to the book.
Gary Johnson
Subject:
Another Hancock
Date: Thur, 3 Oct 2002 14:24 EST
Just wanted to send along my webpage....http://greyfax.home.texas.net.
I was just ahead of Butch, Jimmie Dale, and Joe Ely....Got drafted in 1966, and that was my exit
from Lubbock....via Viet Nam.....
My books went out of print around '93....but I have a new US
publisher, Tor Books.....the first of the Tor editions
will begin in July '03.....
One of the things that has kept me at it all these years, is
my training in missions behind enemy lines that I got by growing
up in that part of the country.....you can't keep us down.....and
we don't go away.....
all best,
Niel
Hancock
Subject: Texas girl
groups: The Heartbeats; Ever heard of these girls?
<A HREF="http://www.cicadelic.com/">Click here:
[left
side, Texas girl groups: "The Heartbeats"]
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 18:36:56 EST
The Heartbeats; Ever heard of these girls.?.....I
grew up around the corner from them, they had a brother my age
that I played baseball with. My brother and I
were good friends with all of them. We lived at 1318 26th and
they lived around
the corner from us on Ave L, then they moved to 1313 26th, right
across the street from us.
I am fascinated by your site. I live in Garland, the Lubbock
of the DFW metroplex, work for Southwest Airlines, went to Tech,
played in the Goin Band From Raiderland and hung out in the music
scene...
later,
Chris Cates
Date: Sun,
1 Apr 2001 2:59 EST
Subject: Alex Ross
Greetings,
I don't know an awful lot about Lubbock. I used to have a boyfriend
who was
raised there, and I once went with him to visit his parents there
for
Thanksgiving. We took a little bit of time to see the city and
the
university. My ex-boyfriend is a graduate of Lubbock High and
a former Tech
student. He told me that one of his old schoolmates was a guy
named Nelson
Ross, now known as Alex Ross.
If you're not familiar with modern comic books, that name
might not mean
anything to you, but having worked in the retail side of the
comics
industry, I know that name belongs to one of the best comic book
artists in
the world, in this age or any other. In fact, his art is more
than just
comic book art, it's fine art in the truest sense.
Anyway, here's a URL to the official Alex Ross website, just
in case y'all
want to check it out.
http://www.alexrossart.com/
Just thought y'all might be interested.
That's all,
Cecilia
Subject:
David Box and Virgil Johnson
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 10:19 EST
I'm amazed that your site lists such a luminary as Norman
Odam but misses David Box and Virgil Johnson.
Virgil Johnson is a terrific
guy; I visited him at his home here in Lubbock just last night.
He retired a few years ago as principal of Dunbar High School;
his son Patrick is presently assistant principal of the Jr. High
in Copperas Cove (he was there visiting last night too.)
I founded and built KDAV
three years ago and I got Virgil to come to work for me from
the first day as the 9AM to noon DJ; in fact, his was the first
show aired when we went on the air in September of 1998...just
in time for the Buddy Holly festival right there in the street
in front of the station. That was a great time; we had Bobby
Vee for a live interview, as well as Little Eva and Tommy James.
What you apparently don't know is that Virgil Johnson had
a very successful career
started as lead singer of The Velvets on Monument Records
(now a subsidiary
of Sony) and a couple of his songs charted nationally. He made
a responsible
decision to stay at home and raise his family instead of pursuing
the road
to stardom...a great loss for music, but I'm quite sure he made
the right
decision; he has a terrific family.
He is to this day extremely well known in doo-wop collector
circles. And I'm
not exaggerating when I say he is one of the most genuinely nice
guys that I
have ever known.
As to David Box, you can
be forgiven for not knowing of him, as he was
killed in a plane crash in Houston before his career really got
off the
ground. But what a talent! I had made it a goal when I ran the
radio station to see to it that everyone in Lubbock knew that
Buddy Holly
was not the only talented musician from here, and played a lot
of his stuff.
Visit http://www.hotshotdigital.com/tribute/DavidBox.html
for more
information.
Our own Bill Griggs is
a big Buddy Holly collector and authority and has a pretty neat website.
Best regards,
Travis Martin
Subject:
music box; "Some suggestions"
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 15:50 EST
i grew up in lubbock. have lived in nyc for the last 20 years.
musician for many years now own a production company - www.bbqproductions.com.
here are some things you might want to research...
charley's alley
oz (legendary stardust cowboy played there a million times! it
was where main street saloon is now.)
the swinger
the music box
united states of america
t. nichol house band
at&t blues band
the boys
the techniques
the shantells - (eddie weir/glen bonds)
13th phoenix blues band (glen bonds)
the lox (jerry goolsby)
street theater (vince hopkins /glen bonds)
the blackouts (steve williamson )
the shucks
all the city owned teen centers in the mid to late 60's
these are some people and places off the top of my head. oh,
there was actually
plenty to do in lubbock........
congrats on your site. it's great.
curtis cates
bbq-nyc
(NOTE: If anybody out there has any good
stories about any of these suggestions, I'm all ears! Please
e-mail me. - Chris
Oglesby)
Subject:
Tornado Jam Stories
Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 17:24 EST
Enjoyed the stories and especially my photos from the Tornado
Jam on your site. The photo
of the Cotton Club is also one of mine from a black and white
post card series that Sharon Ely and I put together on beautiful
Lubbock. The photo
of Ely on stage, he is singing his Snake Moan song.
Not sure of the name as the guy in the front row holds up this
giant snake, needless to say Joe loved it. What a day in the
mud.
I had the pleasure of photographing the unbelievable graduation
party at the Cotton Club. What a site with all those folks jammed
together on stage, nice photos but it was a crowd.. It was a
great party till the plug was pulled. Only in Lubbock.
Most of the Tornado Jam photos (negatives) are now in the
Texas Tech University Museum collection.
Enjoyed the site.
Milton Adams, Photo Editor
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Subject:
TORNADO JAM
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 22:04 EST
is there anyway to have a tornado jam again? why don't people
in lubbock try to get one going for the years following, it would
be good income for lubbock, and also get lubbock on the map,
they could get good bands in and let people of lubbock have a
good time, if they had kept this thing going who knows what it
would be like these days? it could one of the biggest jams in
texas! why dont we get one going, it would be great!!
brandon
Subject:
Greetings from the Great Lakes
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 7:25 EST
Dear Chris
I stumbled across VirtuaLubbock yesterday and got so engrossed
in the interviews,
I missed a 3 o'clock meeting!! I felt I should drop you a message
and let you know.
I am a transplanted Texan, now living in Twinsburg, Ohio (southeast
of Cleveland) for the last 11 years. I was born in Dallas and
went to the University of Texas in the mid 70's. I went to High
School (Bryan Adams) with Bruce Jaggers and later shared a house
with him at UT. He and John Kenyon
came up with this insane notion of moving to Lubbock and opening
a bar to take advantage of the new liquor laws there allowing
on site consumption. I think I gave em 6 months to survive!!
I graduated from UT in 1976 and worked in Houston and New
York for a year until Bruce and John made me an offer to move
to Lubbock and manage The Main Street Saloon. Now I was
insane, especially if you asked my parents!!! This freed them
up to get Fat Dawg's
re-opened under their management.
Time does not allow to recall all the adventures we had in
Lubbock, both in and out of the bars, but suffice it to say it
was a time I will never forget. Joe
Ely's unannounced gig at Main Street to celebrate
the 5th anniversary of his first appearance stands out....and ask
Bruce about our "Beer For A Year" promo...I still laugh
thinking about it!! We crowned "Miss Main Street",
had a recital by Willis Cooper, live music and a giant pie fight!!
Real pies from Furr's!! I'm sure we either won the "Most
Beers Consumed in 1 Night" OR "Biggest Mess Ever"
award... maybe both!!
I don't get back to Texas much, but I do get to see Joe when
he comes to town...he opened for the Dixie Chicks a week or so
ago...there's another great Lubbock music story!! Lloyd's daughter a superstar!!
By the way, I have (and have had for 23 years) a card in my
wallet given
to me by Stubbs
promoting the Sunday night jams..."no loud talk, no bad
talk"....
I wouldn't trade it for anything....
Roger Sikes
Highland Heights, Ohio
Subject:
Re: Don Dykes (aka Eddy Beethoven)
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 10:28 EST
Chris,
Yes, I was talking about Graham Warwick in my last email. I think
he told me he's living down here in the hill country somewhere,
but I'm not sure. If you ever get to the big folk festival at
Kerrville, he runs security there. I think it's security. He
runs something. He's there every year and everybody there knows
him and thinks well of him.
We played together with Don Dykes [a.k.a. Eddy Beethoven] for about six months
or a year before I got religion and quit playing music for several
years. I remember Don trying to talk me out of it, but how can
you argue with God?
Graham was living with a very nice lady with the longest,
prettiest blonde hair you ever saw. They lived in a little apartment
there just a couple of blocks down from Don and Marilyn. I can't
remember what street...somewhere in the student ghetto; seems
like it was 14th or 15th street. I remember we were practicing
one night at Don's house and it started snowing outside. While
we were standing in the front yard admiring the falling snowflakes,
my wedding ring just slid right off my skinny little finger and
fell into the snow. We all poked around for a good while, but
never did find it. The next spring Don was just messing around
in the front yard and thought to
look for it, and sure enough he found it.
We had lots of fun making music together. Don is a very special
man.
Well, so long.
Russell Clepper
Subject:
Enjoyed Lubbock!
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 14:53:26 +0200
Hi my name is Bo Henriksson. I'm from Sweden Europe and i
just wanted to say that i was visiting Lubbock TX in 1999 and
enjoyed my visit very much. The most great thing was to travel
around the city and see all historical places that have connections
to Buddy Holly and his music.
I have seen and met the members of Buddy's band, The Crickets here in Sweden three times,
last time Sonny Curtis, Jerry Allison and Joe
B Mauldin was here they were intervjued by a television
channel. I was also intervjued because i was sitting backstage
and talking with the band and pickin a little bit on Sonny's
guitar. I am a guitar picker, not in a band but i have picked
by myself for many years. But i have also played in a few bands.
I'm born in 1971, it maybe seems that i am young to have been
into the Rock and roll/Rockabilly music, but i started when i
was about 6 years old and since that my music interests only
have grown. I'm a big lover of Buddy Holly and his music. I think
that B. Holly was a genius in making songs and music, and i am
also thinkin´ of the other members in the Crickets in that
way. Just wanted to write you some lines. Here in Sweden the
music from Lubbock always will stay. God bless ya all.
[This
poem was forwarded from the lovely & talented Miz Ayn
of Levelland's Mean Woman Grill, one of virtualubbock's biggest supporters
- c.o]
Subject:
mean woman poem
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 :28 EST
GROWL
(for the Mean Woman Grill)
I saw the best minds of Hockley County unzipped parked by
the roadside,
racing packs of buggy college boys humming like the pavement,
watching working men with crusty boots sliding in on brittle
legs
on Fridays with a pack of smokes and cash in hand,
Aged Hipsters starving for a first date fix, burning for the
ancient heavenly
conversation,
dragging themselves like sleepy snakes into the den,
who knew someone in school with salvaged chairs and table,
who slept with her in a two-room ghetto rental with a screen
door like the
one in the back,
who swear the burgers taste just like the afternoon sunlight
tasted there,
who drove all night once busted up for the love of a woman,
who drove 250 yards last Wednesday morning but lost the match
to the yips, to
the stiffening joints, to a poor lie,
who slouch lop-headed late listening patiently for a word
for a halftime pep talk, for a song,
who fall between the burger and the brownie
back into love so merrily so puffy-hearted so long,
who fall between the burger and the brownie
never to be heard from again wrapped up in the unmade bed of
114,
who risk daily the track of tears the tracks of chili dripping
from the chin,
who crawl inside lured by the scent of cheesburgers and estrogen.
Doug Tow
June
2001
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