virtualubbock - Jerry Goolsby?

What's New? SHOP home Interviews Stories Links About Us buy the book Contact Us 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." buy the book "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

Every Spring, we get mail from students at Loyola University in New Orleans regarding professor Jerry Goolsby, who grew up in Lubbock and was deep into the Lubbock music scene. QUESTION Sent: Sun, 13 May 2007 6:47 PM Subject: Lubbock Musician Jerry Goolsby is one of my professors here at Loyola New Orleans. He is from Lubbock and was reportedly in a band there back in the late 60's while in college. They were signed to a major label (either RCA or MCA) and he says it's up to me to figure out the band. I know it may be a shot in the dark, but might you have any leads? He said he grew up with members of the Flatlanders so I think I can say it's not them. Goolsby played bass and later organ (Hammond? Rhodes?). To make it even more difficult, it seems he used a pseudonym. If you could offer any help to me and all my classmates, I'd be much obliged. Thanks, Woods Drinkwater ANSWER From: Curtis Cates Sent: Sunday, June 3 ,2007 Subject: Goolsby Goolsby is an old friend of mine. I grew up in played in band's in Lubbock during the same period he did. He was always in successful bands and later worked at lubbock music center. I think we knew each other all the way from elemetary school through high school. Mention the name Glen Bonds and you should get a good rise out of him. Better yet, just walk up to him and say "Cates, Yeatts, Morgan and Goolsby". That will really do the trick. His high school band was called the Lox. I don't believe they were signed. I believe he played with the Traveling Salesmen that were signed to RCA. He was in a later edition but I'm almost certain he was in the band. They were absolutely signed toRCA. Ask him about his kustom organ. One funny thing I remember about Goolsby (he was very adored by everyone, really good guy) was that he never missed a single day of school from elementary to high school. The Lox were great, really worked the West Texas circuit alot - they had a truck, not a van, but a truck by high school. He was also in the Blackouts in jr. high; seeing them change my life. You can tell him that! Hope this helps. Please tell him hello. We spoke a couple of years ago and I knew he was in NOLA. not so sure about the pseudonym. i think he's trying to throw you off the scent. traveling salesmen is definitely the band that got signed. CONFIRMATION Dr. Jerry Goolsby has confirmed. Here is what he told us: "I never played in the Blackouts. That was Steve Williams' band, who spent many years playing with Marsha Ball. Steve also played for a while in the Salesmen. In junior high I played with a band called the Shantelles, whose drummer was Glen Bonds, who lived across the street from Curtis Cates. Glen also played in the Salesmen. Curtis was a bass player, but we never played together. Gary Yeatts was a drummer who played with a rival band; I can't remember their name. I don't know or can't remember a "Morgan." The Traveling Salesmen were called the Velveteens, during the early 60s, until RCA changed the band name. I got into the band in 1969 after the name changed. By the way, the Lox had a step van (converted bread truck) we traveled in. The Salesman had a couple of vans. My stuff took up most of one all by itself." REPLY From: Curtis Cates Sent: Wednesday, June 6 ,2007 Subject: Goolsby Goolsby is right. I forgot it was Steve that played in the Blackouts. Ask him who else played in the Blackouts. Steve Williams was always a very very good guitar player. Played in some of the best bands in Lubbock. He now teaches guitar at (I believe) the South Plains Junior College and still plays out some. The Cates, Yeatts, Morgan and Goolsby reference comes from when we were in jr. high at O.L. Slaton and were called to the principals office for our "bangs". He might remember. I can't remember what band Gary Yeatts played in. He played with me, Phil Mitchell and David Haney in a band called Filth for awhile. Before that I can't remember the band he was in but they were very good and worked a lot. I wish I had some pictures from that era. I totally forgot he was in the Shantels. He must have played bass in that band. They were one of the hot bands when we were in jr. high. Eddie Weir, who was in that band, is Buddy Holly's nephew. There was alot of music going on in Lubbock before the 70's and Joe Ely. Tons!

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