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Moag and Campbell: The History of Early Bluegrass in Texas The History of Early The HistoryTexas ofEarly Bluegrass in Bluegrass in Texas1 Rod Moag, with assistance from Alta Campbell Bluegrass music in Texas has received even less recognition in completely separate from country music. I characterize the publications from within the state than without. Joe Carr and development of bluegrass music in Texas as a process rather Alan Munde’s Prairie Nights to Neon Lights: A History of than a binary switch from one stage to the other. This model Country Music in West Texas, includes a 20-page chapter on accounts for the varying pace of transition and the distinct bluegrass in West Texas.2 However, most books dealing with timelines found in the different regions of the state. To my Texas music have, at best, given bluegrass a passing mention knowledge, this has not been articulated before, though nation- and, at worst, given misleading information on the subject. al writers, such as Neil V. Rosenberg and Bill C. Malone have Larry Willoughby’s 1984 book, Texas Rhythm–Texas Rhyme, in previously identified many of the same trends and factors in a single mention of bluegrass lists four bands— bluegrass music’s development. Grassfire, Leon Valley Boys [actually Leon Valley Bluegrass], the Shady Grove Ramblers, A Brief Overview of Bluegrass Music in Texas and Tennessee Valley Authority—characterizing The story of bluegrass in Texas begins in 1950 with the them as “a part of the country music scene in Mayfield Brothers. Three members of a ranching family near Texas.”3 Singing Texas, edited by F. B. Abernathy, is Dimmitt, in West Texas, they modeled their music on that of a book of traditional Texas folk songs first published in Bill Monroe.6 Since many regarded Monroe’s style as simply a 1983 and reprinted in 1994. It contains photographs of both type of “country music,” those who played this music in Texas Texas and national bluegrass musicians, but it does not identi- generally regarded themselves as “country” musicians. The term fy them or even mention the genre of bluegrass.4 The Handbook “bluegrass,” derived from Monroe’s band name, The Blue Grass of Texas Music, published by the Texas State Historical Boys, first appeared in print in 1957.7 It gradually found cur- Association, in a single mention of bluegrass, reprints an erro- rency through the folk music revival of the 1960s, which recog- neous statement citing Homer “Bill” Callahan (d. September nized bluegrass as a valid folk music distinct from commercial 12, 2002) of the Callahan Brothers as a “Bluegrass, hillbilly, country music.8 and western musician.”5 The mid 1950s found one bluegrass group each in Houston 23 While books about Texas music have given minimal coverage and Dallas, where they played weekly radio shows and made to bluegrass music in the state, a number of bluegrass newslet- 45-rpm records. Both groups made their final recordings in ters published by regional bluegrass associations in the 1970s, 1964, by which time three other bluegrass bands had formed in as well as articles from local newspapers, provide important the Dallas area. However, Houston’s next bluegrass band did insight into the state’s bluegrass history. Because regional blue- not appear until 1966. Abilene was home to the Black grass association newsletters did not appear until the 1970s, our Mountain Boys, who toured with George Herbert Walker Bush understanding of the earliest days of Texas bluegrass relies large- in his unsuccessful 1964 senatorial campaign.9 By the late- ly on oral interviews. Fortunately, I was able to interview at 1960s, there was at least one serious bluegrass group in every least one surviving member of nearly every early band discussed region of the state. The literature on bluegrass music as a national phenomenon encompasses in this article. I also have included a “Roster of Early Texas The 1970s brought an increase in the number of bands, a brbroadoad spectrspectrumum of publications from sources as diverse as academia, the Bluegrass Bands” in order to provide additional information along with fans to support them. It also witnessed the spread of musicmusic industry,indus try, and the popular press. Coverage of bluegrass in Texas, how- about the bands. four trends (already operational in the eastern United States) Since Texas has a unique fiddling tradition that blended var- that moved Texas bluegrass music toward becoming an inde- ever,ever , is a differentdif ferent matter. Fleeting mentions of Texas bluegrass bands appear ious musical influences into Texas swing, one might wonder pendent musical genre in the state. These were 1) the introduc- in books treating bluegrass as an American phenomenon. Festival notices, whether there is also a unique character to Texas bluegrass. We tion of bluegrass festivals, which provided new venues for these albalbumum rereviews,views, and occasional stories on Texas bands have appeared in shall explore this question and look at the role of support mech- bands, 2) the emergence of bluegrass associations, most of national bluegrass magazines.magazines. anisms, such as recordings, radio and TV broadcasts, regional which published newsletters and held festivals, 3) the prolifera- bluegrass associations, and festivals, in the development of tion of bluegrass radio shows, and 4) a large wave of second- Texas bluegrass. We shall see how, despite regional variation, generation bluegrass players, who had come to the music as a bluegrass has come to be an independent and self-sustaining result of the folk revival of the 1960s. musical genre in nearly all parts of the state. Rosenberg has labeled the building of a constituency for this In looking at Texas bluegrass from the 1950s to the 1980s, I music as “the bluegrass consumer movement.”10 Whereas first- propose a two-stage model of the development of bluegrass as generation bluegrass fans drew their inspiration from commer- an independent musical genre, consisting of a “Subordinate cial country music of the 1940s and 1950s and avoided the Stage,” in which bluegrass is merely a particular style of coun- rock-and-roll craze of the 1950s, second-generation musicians try music, and an “Independent Stage,” in which a variety of and fans embraced newer forms of music. As we look at the Tom Uhr and Bill Parvin,1951, “Promo pics” at WOAI Radio Tower, San Antonio, Texas, courtesy of Tom Uhr support mechanisms and a distinct fan base give it an identity development of bluegrass in various parts of the state, we will Produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press, 2004 1 Journal of Texas Music History, Vol. 4 [2004], Iss. 2, Art. 4 The History of Early Bluegrass in Texas The HistoryTexas of Early Bluegrass in consider the ways in which younger musicians blended togeth- recalled that, “We opened up with the ‘Orange Blossom er traditional bluegrass with newer genres. Special,’ then into ‘Uncle Pen,’ finished with a quartet number.” Once again, the audience responded enthusiastically. A top artist Bluegrass by Region on the show, Webb Pierce, gave up his segment in order to sat- West Texas: There are several noteworthy aspects of bluegrass isfy the audience demand to “bring them cowboys back out in West Texas, including the fact that the first Monroe-styled band here.” Not only were they invited to return to the Hayride in two in the state formed there. Secondly, the vast distances between weeks, but Randy Woods, A&R man for Dot Records, promised communities and from other areas of the state helped isolate West them a recording session when they returned.16 West Texas became home to the only full-fledged college curriculum on bluegrass music in the nation. Texas bluegrass players and delayed the region’s entry into the Following their appearance on the Hayride, the Mayfield The Black Mountain Boys with George H.W. Bush in Coleman, Texas, 1964, courtesy of George H. W. Bush Library Independent Stage of development. Lastly, West Texas became Brothers were on the verge of a major breakthrough, with both home to the only full-fledged college curriculum on bluegrass a Saturday night radio show and an offer from a national record Other West Texans who left the state helped shape the One might wonder why the elder Bush chose a band that music in the nation. This program, begun by Dean Nathan Tubb label. However, their idol, Bill Monroe, soon squashed it all national bluegrass scene. Tex Logan from Big Spring had played played music more associated with Appalachia than with of South Plains College (now South Plains University) in with a telegram. Monroe needed a guitar player and made Edd fiddle with Hoyle Nix’s Western swing band but later formed Abilene. This decision seems to have been part of a larger pat- Levelland, has become very successful under the leadership of two an offer to become a Bluegrass Boy. Edd’s departure put an end the first bluegrass band in Boston while attending MIT. He tern of inept campaign strategies. Kevin Phillips’s recent book pioneering figures in bluegrass, Joe Carr and Alan Munde.11 to the group’s Hayride gig and recording contract. It would be worked with various country groups in the Northeast as well, on the Bush dynasty points out that some criticized George 24 In their book, Prairie Nights to Neon Lights, Carr and Munde nearly two decades before a Texas bluegrass group would again including Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper and the Lilly H.W. Bush for wearing Bermuda shorts in largely Baptist West 25 provide a fairly complete discussion of early bluegrass in West have an offer from an out-of-state label. 17 Brothers.

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