Highlights from a trip to Bob Wills Day (weekend) in Turkey, Texas.
I've posted a few of the photos I snapped as I drove through beautiful and desolate West Texas to towns such as Floydada, Plainview, Paducah and Matador, where I searched for railroad depots, theaters, downtowns, old railcars on farms and windmills.
At one point, I think around Tell, Texas, I drove 15 miles, then had to turn back because I came upon a "Road Closed" sign. My GPS didn't help me there.
Best of all was the chance to meet local residents who recall seeing Bob Wills perform in or near their town.
• Musical highlights were hearing Leon Rausch sing, Bobby Koefer play swinging steel guitar and Louise Rowe play great bass. All the musicians were stellar.
• Caught Dave Alexander's act at the Gem Theater in Turkey. Excellent trumpet player and quite a showman. He also plays guitar, but I think he said he suffered a hand injury in a roping accident.
He really knows how to rev up a song whether it's with his own band or sitting in on trumpet with the Texas Playboys. I noticed that his trumpet bag was signed by, among others, the legendary drummer Smokey Dacus.
Playing steel in Dave's band, to my surprise and delight, was Maurice Anderson, a Texas Playboy with Bob Wills in the 1960s. If you've ever seen footage of Billy Gray's Dallas-based TV show featuring Bob Wills (with Billy Jack, Luke and Joe Andrews among others) you saw 2 (!) steel players in the band.. Gene Crownover and Maurice Anderson... and wow, both were distinctive and jazzy and great.
I asked Maurice how it came to be — 2 steel players in one band.
It's just what Bob wanted, Anderson told me, adding that those days were a highlight of his life.
I happily gave Maurice a "Goodbye Liza Jane: Hello Western Swing!" CD!!! (Dave got one, too, and said he might play it on his radio show. Thanks.)
Also in Dave's band was a fabulous guitarist who comped chords like Freddie Green, threw in running bass lines a la Eldon Shamblin and was just plain solid as a rock.. flashy by being not flashy, but he was driving the band along with a swinging bass and drums (both excellent).
It was none other than Dick Gimble, son of the great Johnny Gimble. They said Johnny has suffered a stroke.. so I'm sure life isn't easy right now for the family. My best wishes to an ultra-talented and awesome musical family. Thanks, Dick.
Got a chance finally to visit the Church of Western Swing. This is a dream club, though technically it's not a club because they don't sell booze... but it's a terrific place to hear western swing ... it's got sofas and theater seats... and a perfect dance floor and stage.
Everything's just right...
Henry Baker, church co-founder and co-bandleader (with Bob Baker, steel player and unrelated to Henry) was gracious enough to let me sit in.
The band grumbled a bit (rightfully) when I asked them to play Milk Cow Blues in the key of G when it's almost always done in A.
Don't worry, assured one fiddler, you'll get there in A..
No, it's gotta be G, I pleaded.
My only regret was I was so nervous I didn't give solos all around.
At least I thought I was being funny.... I got on-stage after a well known western swing fan and musician who visits each year from Japan played a Right or Wrong.
If you think that's a foreign country, I said, how 'bout Massachusetts?
So-so reaction.
Anyway, next time maybe I'll sing a more obscure (but not too obscure) song such as Sick Sober and Sorry or Bluebonnet Lane. I hope there's a next time— soon.
All for now!