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• 2 • Action Magazine, April 2018 Screen wire steel by Blanton By Jim Chesnut Most of us think about our - Germany. He also played in a song, Blanton I have self-produced selves all the time. in a number of bands pressed a pedal and BAM! five albums in the last 10 Jerry claims to not be a while overseas. The whole thing came years, and Jerry Blanton planner but one who goes After his return, he en - apart. According to Cham - has played pedal steel on with the flow when things rolled in San Antonio Col - bers, “Springs and things every one of them. As we fall into place. For exam - lege where he got flew everywhere.” were finishing the most re - ple, when given a ukulele together with George Wonder if he used screen cent one, I Sure Do Miss as a seven-year-old, he Chambers, whom he had door strings? My Hai r, in early March, I played it until the strings known in high school, and Anyway, after that, interviewed him for this ar - broke. Then he took wires began his near 30-years Blanton’s good-hearted ticle. What a trip! he stripped from a screen tenure in Chamber’s band, mom bought him an 8- Blanton is an octoge - door and used them as re - The Country Gentlemen. string, 4-pedal Fender narian builder of things: placement strings. At first Blanton played steel guitar. Of course, songs, pedal steel guitars Took a little heat from his lead guitar, but sometime being a smart-ass kid, he and houses. For example, folks, too, I bet. early on Chambers gave added two more pedals, in addition to having built His dad gave him his him a lap steel guitar; and that was the begin - two houses in San Anto - first guitar when he was Blanton modified it by ning of the Blanton Pedal nio, he is working on com - nine years old. He took 12 adding legs and pedals Steel Guitar Company. He pleting his second one in lessons, and got his first that he fashioned out of eventually replaced Don Terlingua, Texas, of all paying gig at the age of 10 whatever parts he could Mischer on pedal steel in places. Apparently, he re - playing rhythm guitar in an manufacture. It was some - George’s band. Mischer ally likes it out there. old-time fiddlers band. thing to behold, I’m sure. left, went to Hollywood When I say build, I’m After saving up and buying The big day came and became a producer talking about actually cut - a new Gibson B25 guitar when Blanton was going for NBC Television. ting and nailing lumber, for $55, he was making to play it with the band, In 1964 he opened his laying bricks, pouring con - more money working and he set up his proto - own shop in San Antonio, crete, and, well, you get three days a week than type on Chambers’ front and for the next 20 years the picture. Blanton is an his mom was working six porch. I should explain he built and sold around enigma. days a week. that the purpose of the 300 instruments. His work With all that talent, I Smart-ass kids! pedals is to change the was favorably recognized asked him how he thinks Blanton graduated from pitch of certain strings by by several national music of himself. high school in 1955 and stretching them to enable trade magazines. In fact, Jerry Blanton “I try not to think of my - joined the U.S. Army the musician to play more despite his claim of driguez back in the day, in bus door. self too much,” he replied. where he “jumped out of effectively and efficiently. anonymity, on a European back of the stage, there Geez, that’s refreshing. airplanes for a living” in At an appropriate time tour with Johnny Ro - was a knock on the band Continued on pg. 10

• DEPARTMENTS • Sam Kindrick ...... 4 Editor & Publisher ...... Sam Kindrick Music Matters ...... 8 Advertising Sales ...... Action Staff Photography...... Action Staff Scatter Shots ...... 9 Distribution...... Ronnie Reed Composition...... Elise Taquino Volume 43 • Number 4

• FEATURE • Jerry Blanton ...... 3

Frank Rodarte ...... 6

Action Magazine, April 2018 • 3 • Listen carefully to this set of instructions: YOUR OFFICE WHO CAN SPEAK A WORD OF ENG - a living wage. Many foreigners work their asses off 12 Yas, Suflsi. Yo blasfick plabok yaflick... LISH?” and 14 hours per day to feed their families. This is the computer service tech from India ex - A little research on my part indicates that a vast These people you are talking with may be con - plaining the glitch in your PC. majority of the English language butchers come from versing from India or some other foreign port. I know If you don’t understand this gibberish, then you India, and that they are put to work by American corpo - that heavy foreign accents may be easier for some peo - might be categorized as an intolerant American fat cat rations that don’t bother to train them properly or even ple to decipher than others. I have hell with foreign ac - or, worse yet, an anti-foreigner redneck sonofabitch who see that candidates are vetted for the position. cents, and it is all but impossible for me to understand farts on crowded elevators and drowns baby cats. Gibbering insanity many young American women who chatter by phone For me, it’s a communications problem with Some of the customer service techs from India from doctor offices with speech so fast that it is unintel - tech support people who can’t speak decent English, have pushed me to the brink of gibbering insanity, but it ligible to the average human ear. and I will venture to guess that there are millions of is the greedy, chickenshit American CEOs who will not I plead guilty Americans who are fed up with the scuzzbag corpora - pay a decent wage who are to blame. Not the Indians. tions that outsource their work to the foreign work force. I have been guilty of exploding with profanity One of my dearest friends and a man I held in into the ear of some poor customer service slob whose Irksome encounters with foreign customer the highest of esteem was a man from India with cocoa- service reps are as common as pig tracks, but don’t only immediate sin was the inability to make himself un - colored skin who died a little more than a year ago. He derstood. hang the “racist” tag on me or anyone else who is fed was Vivian Paul, a former member of the India Army up trying to understand English so butchered that it Then I read something about accents by one who grew up a Christian Catholic in a land dominated Greg Levin, who wrote: “If you, too, have become irate comes out like a mixture of Chinese and outer Yugosla - by Hindus. After migrating to Chicago and attaining vian. over the huge injustice of having to endure an accent in American citizenship, Vivian even studied for the priest - order to get your computer or tablet glitch fixed over the What did you say, sir? hood before deciding on a non-ecclesiastical way of life. phone, please know that you are not alone. Also know It goes something like this: My friend from India turned me on to the teach - there is a solution that requires only a few steps. “What was that? What did you say? Would you ings and wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian activist “First, stay on the line. Hanging up will only please run that by me in English. What? Oh, no, I still and scholar whose quotes I could never forget: lengthen the time it takes to get your laptop or wireless don’t understand a WORD YOU ARE SAYING. Yes, Sir, To give pleasure to a single heart by a single router problem solved. I can hear you...I just can’t understand your message. act is better than a thousand heads bowed in prayer. “Secondly, be cordial. Even foreign people who Yes, Sir, I have a slight hearing problem, and the hear - An eye for an eye will only make the whole work their asses off expect some modicum of respect ing aids I wear are top-of-the-line $6,000 Phonaxes. world blind. and decency from the Americans who call them for help. When they are not gummed up with ear wax or dirt, I No human could recite Peter Wimbrow’s The And lastly, refrain from political and economic discus - can hear a mouse fart in a thunder storm, but these little Man In the Glass like Vivian Paul. He did the poem with sions with the poor techie you are hooked up with. Lay - boogers can’t translate shattered English into clear, verve and gusto and with a pronounced Indian accent ing such accountability on a technical support rep will concise, and unbroken English rhetoric.” that only made the reading better. only cause him or her to lose focus on your Flaaksome plattpazz moo yoo too... I loved Vivian Paul. I cried when he died and I software/hardware issue, thus driving up handle times “Yes, sir, I am still on the line. But I don’t get miss him today. But I never had Vivian on the other end and call costs.” what you are saying. My freakin’ software upgrade is of a telephone line trying to explain how we could un - So what is the answer to it all? Don’t I deserve spitting chicken scratch at me and I don’t know whether tangle a scrambled spell checker on an upgraded Dell a little respect, too? to shit or go blind. Let’s get this straight if we can. You or OS X Yosemite Mac. Moflick moo yoo hoo suh are the customer service techie with the knowledge. My In his own inimitable style, I can hear Vivian’s “I thought you would say something like that. computer is busted and you are the guy who is sup - booming India-accented solution to any communica - Nothing personal, and I love people from Slovenia and posed to help me. I’m just a poor, old ignorant redneck tions snafu that might arise... Well, fuck it! Czechoslovakia also, but I feel like I am being discrimi - from Junction, Texas. Moo yoo to you too , if you get Cheap labor is the name of this game. Young nated against by corporations that refuse to speak Eng - what I am saying. I need help. Is there ANYONE IN men and woman in India or Hong Kong sign on with lish. Maybe I am a victim of racism in reverse?” American companies because the job might pay them

• 4 • Action Magazine, April 2018 Support Tattooed Military

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Action Magazine, April 2018 • 5 • Wild Jalapeño says ‘Mild Jalapeño’ now pondering the book

By Sam Kindrick Blues. “I know I have the rera was the bass player The Wild Jalapeño material. I hung out with who recruited me. Our says he is now the Mild Don Rickles, Sinatra, lead vocalist and key - Jalapeño, but he has cov - Sammy Davis Jr., and board player was a black ered enough country to be Louie Prima. I even dude named Leonard seriously contemplating a scored weed for Redd Springs. Isidro Cortez was book. Foxx. I don’t know any - our drummer back then. It will be about a bunch thing about book publish - There was another horn - of “crazy Mexican musi - ing, but I am ready to player named Gilbert cians from San Antonio” learn.” something. We were just who made their mark on Rodarte recalls open - kids but we were playing the Las Vegas Strip when ing for Rickles and Prima the Town Lounge on Com - the headliners ranged during the rowdy, rollicking merce Streeet five nights from Elvis to Sinatra. 1960s when he spear - a week for a total of $450 “A great number of headed what can only be a week, and that meant friends have been urging described as the San An - that each of us was taking me to write it,” says 75- tonio musician invasion of home $90 apiece. We year-old saxophone great California and Las Vegas, were rich. We cried when Frank Rodarte, a surviving Nevada. Leonard Springs was member of the legendary “It all started in 1960 drafted into the army. And Dell-Kings Band of the when I was in Central it was at this time that I 1960s which was to Catholic High School,” took over as leader of the morph into the group Los said Rodarte. “Henry Car - group.” Frank Rodarte Continued on pg. 7 KITCHEN HAPPY HOUR Come check out OPEN MON-SAT DAILY 11A-7P & 11A-2P & 7P-1A the world’s most unique barbecue joint ALL DAY SUNDAY and entertainment venue We are now open 7am Monday-Saturday Karaoke Sun, Mon, & Wed Night Tuesday Nights WE NOW HAVE A DJ Texas Pride Bike Night Every Thursday Barbecue LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY & SATURDAY Bike Nights Thursdays APRIL MUSIC FEATURES: Fish fry on Fridays 4/6 Creed Fisher 4/20 Elora and Gasoline Alley 4/7 Evolution 4/21 Bad Boys LIve Music Schedule 4/13 Austin Forrest 4/27 Rock Castle April 6 Wrangler Country 4/14 Chuck Shaw 4/28 Texas Radio April 13 Rex Allen McNeil April 14 South Texas Radio 6 LARGE COLOR TV’S LARGE COVERED April 20 Whiskey 2 Step AND LARGE PROJECTION SCREENED IN PATIO April 21 Burgundy April 27 Bimbo 2 POOL TABLES SWEEPSTAKES April 28 Lone Star Pickerz 2 DART MACHINES POKER EVERY SUNDAY @ 3P Bring the kids We are family friendly See our giant Rainbo playground and game arcade 210-368-2264 Phone: 210-649-3730 Find us on Facebook @ tworiverstavern Address: 2980 E. Loop 1604 near Adkins

• 6 • Action Magazine, April 2018 Street,” Rodarte recalls. at the Flamingo in Lake Rodarte “We were really getting Tahoe, then progressed continued from pg 6 popular, playing stuff by on to The Sahara in Los Duke Ellington and Louie Vegas where they were to It was under Rodarte’s Prima. Little did we know play non-stop for 320 stewardship that the Dell- at the time that we would weeks. Kings would emerge with soon be sharing a stage in “At the Flamingo in a formidable force of mu - Las Vegas with Ellington Lake Tahoe we met Clif - sicians that included Ro - and actually opening for ford Scott and The Right - darte and Cleto Escobedo Prima and Don Rickles. A eous Brothers,” Rodarte Jr., both on saxophone, lot of crazy magic was recalls. “Our first gig in Randy Garibay on lead happening back then, and Vegas was at the Silver guitar, Jimmy Casas on we just happened to be in Dollar. Then it was on to bass, and Richard Garza the Sahara.” 13247 BANDERA RD, HELOTES, TX 78237 210-695-4941 the right place at the right Rodarte said the band on drums. time.” had what he called Mafia “We moved up to Those original Dell- bookings during the early going. Johnny Jowdy’s Tiffany Kings moved first to Cali - NOW FEATURING LIVE MUSIC! Lounge on Houston fornia where they broke in Continued on pg. 10 APRIL Join Us 651-4541 BAND SCHEDULE Every Wednesday 4810 FM 1518 N. Singer 1/4 MILE EAST SAT 7 MEYER/ANDERSON Songwriters Night OFF IH35 SAT 14 BONNIE LANG HOURS: hosted by 7 DAYS ACOUSTIC DUO Amy Hermes A SAT 21 BRYAN BROTHERS 6:30-8:30pm WEEK SAT 28 CHRIS SALINAS

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Action Magazine, April 2018 • 7 • FRIENDS Music Matters with RECORD Jim A DUET The passion to make music is probably inde - Chesnut scribable, at least fully. But, you know it when you see it when two lifelong friends get together to record a song. Such is the case when George Chambers and Johnny Bush recently got Recording studio lineup (left-right) are Bill Green, together and recorded a Harvey Kagan, Johnny Bush, George Chambers, Steve Earle song titled, “Drinkin’ Tequila and Sin - Larry Roberson, and Weyman McBride. gin’ Them Songs About Mexico”. Here’s the story. Several years ago, I produced “Fading Memo - MAKE MY DAY LOUNGE ries”, a video documen - Corner of Perrin-Beitel & Thousand Oaks tary covering George Across from HEB Chambers’ career and the We are always open at 7:00 a.m. for our night shift patrons changes in country music THANK YOU DISCOUNTS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS in South Texas since the N 367 early 1950s. In one of my We open Sundays at 12:00 (210) 655-6 interviews with Chambers, FREE POPCORN, POOL AND WI-FI he mentioned that Steve Earle, one of his former 3 high school biology stu - dents, had sent him a ALLH oSsTteAd bRy MJiAkeM El lis, Ja2ck7ieT HHud dYleEAR song to consider record - and the Fabulous Funtones ing. This was long before Every Sunday at 9:30pm Steve Earle rose to promi - nence in music. I checked with Steve KARAOKE WITH LARRY & MADONNA Earle, and he said, “I Every Friday and Saturday at 9:30pm wrote it in 1975, and it was on my first demo session KARAOKE WITH JOHN & KATHRYN for Sunbury-Dunbar, RCA’s Every Thursday at 8:00pm Continued on pg. 10

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Action Magazine with his chards not left standing. barbecue joint operated tattoo icon Honest Charlie varied enterprises. Out-of-business clo - by interests from Austin. Potter. In addition to the brew - sures are especially no - Majority of the old ery on South Alamo ticeable when longtime Texas 46 crowd have Street, which offers both survivors like Baker Street since migrated to Max’s food and drink, Villarreal Pub on Wurzbach Road Roadhouse on Highway owns Joey’s go down the tubes. 281 in the Spring Branch on St. Mary’s Street, a Other club and restau - area, a percolating night - neighborhood bar that has rant failures in the same club which offers some general area include been going non-stop for pretty good live music. Susan Dinn 30 years, and he is the Brewingz on Wurzbach Jumping joints force behind Joe Blues, a Road at IH 10, and out in Two of the hottest Susan Dinn has had live music hotspot which the Bulverde area, the ill- nightclubs on the San An - Winston’s for several fated Rusty Spur catches is adjacent to the brewery. tonio scene right now are years now, but Two Rivers cobwebs with for sale All are featured in this Two Rivers Tavern on O’ - opened in November of Snapper signs all over the property. month’s Action Magazine Connor Road and Sir Win - 2016, and the club’s back cover, along with Key ston’s Pub on growth has been robust. Honest Charlie Zombie Joe will be a Realty. Nacogdoches Road. Susie Dinn features live Potter is the best- special guest artist, tattoo - Thursdays at Joe Blues Both live music hang - bands on Saturdays with known tattooer in this part ing on both April 14 and are singer and songwrit - outs that feature a variety karaoke following, and of Texas, and his past 15, and Jim (Snapper) ers nights, while Will of music ranging from rock Owen Gage will be laying karaoke is held on every brushes with poor health Snapp has also started to country, Two Rivers and down the hot blues guitar have flummoxed many a Winston’s share a com - other night at 8 p.m. She working some at Perfec - licks on Mondays. broom rider who sought to mon denominator--On- books the live acts and is tion. Snapper’s presence Owen Gage can wring count him out of the hunt the-scene owners and helped with management along with Honest Charlie the crying tears out of an long ago. competent management by her brother, Trey Dinn. electric blues guitar. If you A personal friend of in - guarantees customers figures who enjoy a real have yet to see and hear With live music every ternational tattoo celebrity more years of experience rapport with their cus - him, now is the time to go. Friday and Saturday, Two Lyle Tuttle, Charlie has than any other shop in this tomers. Rivers has plenty happen - been a friend of ours area. since he operated his tat - Midnight Rodeo Dale Watson ing on other nights of the Another old schooler in week. too emporium on Rat - The longest running tlesnake Hill back in the the trade, Snapper oper - Big T Roadhouse, the Joseph Gearty of Bro - country music dance club early 1970s. ated his Phantasy Tattoo in San Antonio is back ad - failed Dale Watson ven - ken Arrowz and Chad An - emporium on Perrin Beitel vertising with Action. ture in St. Hedwig, is still derson of the Chad up for sale, while owner for a number of years, and The Midnight Rodeo Anderson Band host open has done things right with Dale Watson has pulled before that he was the mics on Mondays. Bar country tunes that we up his Texas stakes and face of tattooing at the Pong/DJ fills the Tuesday have always considered moved from Austin to Eisenhauer Flea Market. bill. Karaoke is on the real belly rubbing Memphis. Snapper has also tattooed music. Watson is a popular en - Wednesdays, and Thurs - in a mobile shop at the big Here is the monthly tertainer, and his chicken - days are bike nights with a motorcycle rally at Sturgis, special for ladies at Mid - shit bingo at Big T was a DJ. night Rodeo. popular Sunday pastime, South Dakota. Mike Harris Karaoke again on Sun - Flash the half-page Ac - but Watson couldn’t spend days, and happy hour free Maldonado is recog - tion Midnight Rodeo ad at enough time with the ven - nized as an incredible tat - Robert and wife Min roll poker starts at 3 p.m. the door and receive a ture to ensure its success. too artist, and Honest free margarita or hurri - Harris own Two Rivers with a $300 cash payout. Specht’s Store Restau - Nathan Maldonado Charlie Potter tattoos are cane. rant and Saloon is another Tavern, a steady growing The Monday open mics now being proudly dis - FREE DRINKS, Bulverde area conversa - hot spot which is man - are new. All skill levels and Potter joins Tattoo Per - LADIES! aged by Mike Harris’s son played in the San Antonio tion piece. The venerable genres are welcome to fection owner Nathan Just show them the ad. bistro and eating joint is Robert Harris and Star - (Nate) Maldonado at the area like badges of rare again open for business bara Wollenzin. join the fun. Adkins operation which is distinction. Action Magazine, April 2018 • 9 • Blanton in his music career, he turn the damn thing on. To this day I share his started with Web Pierce I’ll bet Isaacs never said, “The biggest frustra - Jerry Blanton is among frustration. when he recorded Slowly thought to use wires from continued from pg 3 tion is with myself and my the best musicians I have I asked him which and There Stands a a screen door for replace - limitations. I’m not very ever worked with. He pedal steel players have Glass . Bud Isaacs played ment strings like Jerry “Is Jerry Blanton here?” good. I always felt I was knows what to play, when influenced him. on those early 1950s ses - Blanton did! chirped a young American overpaid for what I did.” to play it, and, most impor - “Jimmy Day,” was his sions and is credited by I asked Blanton how it pedal steel enthusiast. He What a load of crap! In tantly, when not to play. He first response. “He played Fretboard Journal (Sep - made him feel knowing had apparently been my well-informed-not-so- has a great musical imag - with so much soul. He tember 2012) as being “. . that many of his local pals keeping up with the maes - humble opinion, the pedal ination, and he’s still got wasn’t particularly a fast . the driving force behind have died through the tro through a series of steel guitar is the hardest chops at 81 years-not-so- picker, but if speed were the development of the years . . . folks like Bubba published articles. instrument on earth to old. that important, rabbits way musicians play pedal Littrel, Don Pack and Slim Now you would think play. Depending on the He did say in the inter - would rule the world.” steel guitar today.” Roberts. that Blanton’s head would model, it has up to two view that he has been He continued with a list The article went on to “I remember them for be swollen from all of this, necks, each with a differ - frustrated by how hard it is of players that included state that Isaacs used the jokes they told me,” he but I’m here to tell you that ent tuning, up to six foot to get records played on Buddy Emmons, Hal simple equipment such as remarked. “It keeps me he is the most humble per - pedals, two knee levers, the radio, readily admitting Rugg and Buddy Charl - door hinges and wires that from dwelling on it. It’s a son I have ever known. and a volume control foot that stations back then ton. But, apparently Jimmy he bought at a hardware lot better than crying For example, when I pedal that works like the and now receive far more Day was his favorite. store to create the pitch- about it.” asked him to talk about accelerator on your car. records than they can According to Blanton, changing sound of a pedal I love this smart-ass the frustrations he has felt You need a Ph.D. just to possibly play. the use of the pedal steel steel guitar. kid. Rodarte than Victor Lopez of San He is still blowing and going he was 17 years of age, Ro - Rodarte doesn’t prosely - In addition to Texas Antonio’s Dell-Kings and with his band in San Fran - darte sees nothing morally, tize; he preaches in his own Roach, Rodarte had a band continued from pg 7 Los Blues. He was outra - cisco.” spiritually, or physicaly shameless way. And when he called The Alamo All- geous and a super talent.” A devout Catholic who wrong with smoking weed. asked if his fervent willing - Stars, and his current group “We didn’t really under - In subsequent years, was raised in the Catholic He recently had a lung X- ness to promote Jesus is a trio he calls Los Cho - stand it all at the time,” Ro - Lopez became the leader of Church, Rodarte continues ray with favorable results. sen Vatos. It is comprised of Los Blues. to carry his religious mes - “All clear,” he laughs. Christ in public has caused darte recalls, “but the him any trouble with musi - Rodarte on vocals and Randy Garibay, Victor sage to anyone who cares “Clear as a bell.” horns, Mark Robert on vo - so-called Rat Pack was ev - Immediately after return - cian friends or the public, ident. Louie Prima, Sammy Lopez, Richard Garza, and to listen. cals and guitar, and Danny Jimmy Casas have all “I don’t get out there as ing to San Antonio from Rodarte laughs: Davis Jr., Sinatra. They Vegas, Rodarte formed the Ornelas on keyboards. were all running together, passed. much as I once did,” he “I don’t get invited to They play Joe’s Ice Surviving are Dell-Kings said. “Remember the drive- popular group he called many jam sessions or back - and this was the influence Texas Roach. House on West Avenue and behind us later landing gigs founder Henry Carrera, by concerts we were doing yard barbecues anymore. The Well at IH 10 and who still gigs around with in 1990? I had this mobile “We were really smoking in Madison Square Gar - a lot of weed in those days,” And I know why. For some UTSA Boulevard. Rodarte den, Mexico City, and in various bands when not at stage we were pulling be - strange reason, the mere was playing the Texas Ice his Henry’s Here hair salon hind a truck, going all over Rodarte laughed. “The Hawaii.” band name said it all.” mention of Jesus Christ will House on Blanco Road The Dell-Kings became and barber shop on McCul - the city trying to counter the Frank’s immediate family lough Avenue; Rodarte, spate of drive-by shootings send a bunch of people run - when photos for this article Los Blues in 1972, and consists of wife Beatrice ning for the exits or blowing were taken. shortly thereafter band Cleto Escobedo Jr., and that were taking place then. and daughters Edna and José (Bennie) Cuellar, aka We were passing out pic - up the spouts. I don’t really Asked to comment on manager and leader Frank Barbara. A son, René, has the live music scene as it Rodarte replaced guitarist Doctor Loco, who played tures of Jesus and trying to a different mother, but stays know why this is, but Jesus sax with one of the early evangelize in all sectors of seems to spook a bunch of exists today in San Antonio, Randy Garibay with Victor in contact with his father. Rodarte answers with a Lopez. Dell-Kings versions. the city. Especially the Edna is an accom - people And all He did was Escobedo Jr.’s son Cleto areas where a shooting had plished vocalist in her own predictable question: “That was another goofy die on a cross to save all of “What music scene?” time,” Rodarte said. “Randy Escobedo III has the band just occurred. We laid right. Frank said she has us from ourselves. I can’t be Cleto and the Cletones wreaths and offered hope. been working some lately Then he answers him - dropped out of the band be - popular with all people, but self: cause his wife wanted him which is currently the We did a total of 28 con - with Patsy Torres. backup group for Jimmy certs before we were done.” Rodarte is a multi-tal - I will stick with The Lord “There is no live music at home. We added Victor Jesus Christ.” scene here. DJs and on vocals and guitar, and Kimmel’s ABC TV late night A member of St. Mary ented character who will try variety show, and Cleto Jr. Magdalen Church located just about anything whether A carpenter by trade, karaoke have killed what then Randy called up want - it be popular or not. ing his gig back. When of San Antonio is with his at 1710 Clower, Rodarte Frank still does a little car - there was. To pay a compe - son on the Kimmel show. arises at 6 o’clock almost For 10 years while he pentry work that doesn’t re - tent live band, most clubs Randy returned I had to do played Vegas, Rodarte pub - something with Victor. We Both are sax players. every morning and attends quire climbing on roofs. He need a cover, and San An - José Bennie (Doctor 7:30 a.m. mass with seldom lished an entertainment tonio people just won’t pay were playing an upstairs magazine called the Las draws a monthly social se - club in California called the Loco) Cuellar Ph.D has a a miss. curity check, and he plays a cover charge. They will group in San Francisco “There were a number of Vegas Star. Penthouse. There was a “We sold advertising to Catholic funerals for be - pay one in Austin without a lounge downstairs, so I called Dr. Loco’s Rockin’ years when I got away from whimper, but the notion of a Jalapeño Band. He is also a my faith,” Rodarte said. the hotels and casinos,” he tween $200 and $250 each. talked them into hiring Vic - recalls. “I wrote a lot of the $5 cover in San Antonio professor at San Francisco “About 20 years when I “I got started in music on spooks people even more tor to do a solo gig. You can articles.” the East Side,” Rodarte guess what happened. Vic - State University where he is wasn’t living the kind of life Frank and I have been than the mention of Jesus.” tor was a joke-telling bull - chair of La Raza Studies I know Jesus Christ had for friends since the early said. “My dad had a cabinet Frank laughs at his own shitter like no other, and in and director of the Caesar me. I was not meeting the 1980s when he wrote a shop at Gevers and observation. no time at all, he had the Chavez Institute for Public religious obligations I had controversial column for Ac - Hedges. I didn’t grow up on “We play for the soul of crowd downstairs eating out Policy. set for myself. Now I try to tion Magazine called The conjunto music. I grew up San Antonio, for the people of his hand and nobody was Rodarte said, “Doc Loco tow the line. I am as healthy Jalapeño Corner. It was on Fats Domino and Little and for the Lord. I love the coming upstairs to the Dell- stops by everytime he is in and happy as I can be, during these times that I Richard, and the soul of the San Antonio. We go out for serving the Lord and His people and I love the city Kings gig. There has never nicknamed him The Wild great black musicians still and, for me, the music must been a better front man coffee or dinner and remi - people.” Jalapeño, a monicker he nisce about the old days. A marijuana user since carries today. drives me today.” go on.” Friends Duet George and the duet was to those musicians, but if it’s music that often used string one day, often in only one but it seems as though they formed. In the included not a lost art, it sure seems sections comprised of sym - take. It was an audio picture have yielded to the influ - continued from pg 8 photo, Chambers and Bush to be disappearing quickly. phony players and complex of an event in one studio ences of hip-hop. are joined by BGM Studios The current crop of chord progressions. I think room captured in the con - I once complained to publishing company. I think owner Bill Green, bassist Nashville studio music mak - it was made possible by 1) trol room. Nothing was Red Steagall about it, and I sent a copy to George Harvey Kagan, drummer ers is not the first to deviate the technical advance of added or subtracted by the he said, “It’s not bad, Jim; back then or maybe just Larry Roberson, and gui - from traditional forms of multi-track recording, 2) the engineers. I was mighty im - it’s just different.” gave it to him on a visit tarist Weyman McBride. country music expression. migration of musically di - pressed. That was a mighty ma - home to San Antonio.” Fiddler Ron Knuth was By the time I moved to verse musicians to And, that seems to be ture thing for a true cowboy As I recall George said, scheduled to record with Nashville in 1977, the Nashville, and 3) the emer - the lost art of making coun - singer to say. But, I’m not “One of these days, I’ll get them but was delayed due Nashville Sound had been gence of FM radio stations try music. that mature. I like what I around to recording that to a brief hospital stay. fully established, thanks in in major markets that What I am really com - like. I feel like I’ve earned that right, and much of what song.” Well, folks, one of These guys are truly part to Chet Atkins. Some started playing country plaining about is the lack of musicality in much of I hear today sucks! these days is finally here . . raiders of a lost art. They traditionalists such as music. Not so, though, with . 43 years later! It’s not like make country music that Justin Tubb had no use for I’ve written in these today’s Nashville product. Many records I hear played George Chambers, Johnny Chambers to rush into any - seems to be unknown to that music, or so he told me pages before that I was Bush and Steve Earle. They thing. the folks in Nashville who one day. present when my mentor, on the radio have limited melody construction. Some continue the fine art of mak - When Johnny Bush make sound-alike records I can best describe the Roy Acuff, and his band, ing country music with pas - heard about the project, he that corporate radio will Nashville Sound as orches - the Smokey Mountain have clever lyrics and strong rhythmic grooves, sion. asked if he could sing with play. That might not be fair trated or arranged country Boys, recorded 17 songs in • 10 • Action Magazine, April 2018 Action Magazine, April 2018 • 11 • • 12 • Action Magazine, April 2018