Backforty Bunkhouse Newsletter Distributed by BACKFORTY BUNKHOUSE PRODUCTIONS 106 Roswell St., Ruidoso, NM 88345 (575) 808-4111 Home of Backforty Roundup and CD Chorale Backforty Bunkhouse Publishing BMI Venue / Show Productions Western Music Radio Marketing www.Backforty Bunkhouse.com [email protected] www.MySpace.com/BackfortyBunkhouse Twitter.com/backfortyBH Cowtown Society of Western Music ‘2009 Publication of the Year’

Joe Baker, Publisher

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Published by Joe Baker 8. Rich Flanders, Ride Away 9. Chuck Woller/Deborah Liv Johnson, Desert Moon Cowtown Society of Western Music Heroes 10. Wylie & Wild West, Christmas For Cowboys Academy of Western Artists Disc Jockey of the Y ear Cowtown Society of Western Music Disc Jockey of the Year 11. Joe Herrington, Shalako Western Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame 12. Gil Prather, Last Of The Border Cowboys Membership Director—Cowtown Society of Western Music 13. The Buckarettes, Cowgirl Serenade Board of Directors—Cowtown Society of Western Music Seattle Western Swing Music Society POWS Hall of Fame 14. Prescott/Masterson/Hollenbeck, Ranchlife101 Backforty Newsletter—CSWM‟s Publication of the Year 2009 15. Bob & Johnny Boatright, Lost Trails The Western Swing Society Sacramento CA Hall of Fame 16. Belinda Gail/Curly Musgrave, Forever West 17. Gary McMahan, Goin‟ My Way Totsie Slover, Editor 18. The Texas Gypsies, Texas Gypsies Joe Baker's Top 20 – November, 2009 19. Chuck Cusimano, Wind Blow My Away Western Swing 20. Backforty Roundup, Vol.#43

1. Rebecca Linda Smith, Jesus Grace GENE AUTRY-AMERICAN 2. Darrell McCall, Keeping With Tradition HERO 3. Johnny Rodriguez/, Texas Legends Born: Orvin Gene Autry 4. Wendell Sollis, The Sidekicks Born Sep 29, 1907 in 5. Cornell Hurd, American Shadows Tioga, TX 6. The Desperados, Lucky Seven Died Oct 2, 1998 7. Jerry Webb, There‟s A Song In That 8. Saddle Cats, Herdin‟ Cats What a great American success story. 9. Johnny Lyon, Wynn Stewart Favorites Vol.#2 Dugg Collins 10. Brady Bowen In My Spare Time, Vol.#5 11. Liz Talley, More Than Satisfied Gene Autry was more than a musician. His music, cou- 12. Hank Stone, Somewhere In Texas pled with his careers in movies and on radio and televi- 13. , Willie & The Wheel sion, made him a part of the mythos that has made up 14. Les Gilliam, Oklahoma-1955 the American identity for the past hundred years John 15. Ron Knuth/Chris Reeves, Things That Swing Wayne with a little bit of Sam Houston and Davy Crock- 16. Danny Edwards, Where‟s The Country ett all rolled into one, with a great singing voice and an 17. Stephanie Davis, Western Bling ear for music added on. He defined for 18. Billy Mata, This Is Tommy Duncan Vol.#1 two generations of listeners, and cowboy songs for 19. Dave Caley, It‟s A Long way Back much of this century, and American music for much of 20. Hot Club Of Cowtown, Wishful Thinking the world. He was country music's first genuine "multi- 21. Backforty Roundup Vol.# 43 media" star, the best known country & western singer on records, in movies, on radio, and television from the Western Music/Cowboy Poetry early-'30s until the mid-'50s. His 300 songs cut between Academy Western 1. Charming Billy, Frank Fara-Patty Parker 1929 and 1964 include nine gold-record awards and Artists 2. Ken Cook, Cowboys Are Like That (Poetry) one platinum record; his 93 movies saved one big 3. Bar D roundup, Vol.#4,Various Poets (Cowboy chunk of the movie industry, delighted millions, and Poetry.com) made millionaires of several producers (as well as Autry 4. Jeanne & Jerome, You Are The Rose Of My Heart himself); his radio and television shows were even more 5. Stardust Cowboys, Ridin‟ Back To You popular and successful; and a number of his songs out- 6. Flying J Wranglers, My Adobe Hacienda side of the country & western field have become Ameri- 7. Stephanie Davis, Western Bliss can pop-culture touchstones.

Joe Baker‟s Backforty Bunkhouse Show is broadcast on 100,000 watt KNMB, 96.7FM “New Mexico Bear” & 100,000 watt KWMW, 105.1FM, “Regional Radio W-105” every Saturday morning 6 am to 10 am in Ruidoso, New Mexico covering New Mexico & West Texas. Member: Western Music Broadcast- ers Association (WMBA). Also available „Streaming live‟ 24/7 on the internet at W-105 1 The biggest selling country & western singer cancer. Autry's father of the middle of the century was born Orvin began drifting away Gene Autry on September 29, 1907 in the soon afterward, and he tiny Texas town of Tioga, the son of Delbert became the head of and Elnora Ozmont Autry. He was first the family and the main

taught to sing at age five by his grandfather, supporter of himself, William T. Autry, a Baptist preacher and two sisters, and a descendant of some of the earliest settlers in younger brother. In Texas, contemporaries of the Houstons and early December of the Crocketts (an Autry had died at the 1929, Autry cut his first Alamo). The boy's interest in music was six sides for ARC. The encouraged by his mother, who taught him music was a mix of hymns and folk songs, and reading psalms hillbilly, blues, country, to him at night. Autry got his first guitar at yodel songs, and cow- age 12, bought from the Sears, Roebuck boy ballads. His break- catalog for eight dollars (saved from his work through record, "That as a hired hand on his uncle's farm baling Silver-Haired Daddy of and stacking hay). By the time he was 15, Mine," co-written by Autry and his friend Jimmy Long one night at he had played anyplace there was to per- the railroad depot, was released in 1931. The song had sold form in Tioga, including school plays and the 30,000 copies within a month, and by the end of a year 500,000 local cafe, but made most of his living work- had been sold, an occasion that American Records decided to mark with the public presentation of a gold-plated copy of the re- ing for the railroad as an apprentice at $35 a month. Later on, as cord. Autry received a second gold record when sales later broke a proper telegraph operator, he was making $150 a month which, one million. And that was where the notion of the Gold Record in those days, was a comfortable income in their part of Texas. Award was born. The record also led him into a new career on the radio as Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy on the National Barn He was working the four-to-midnight shift at the local telegraph Dance show sponsored by WLS out of Chicago. It was there that office in Chelsea, Oklahoma one summer night in 1927 when, to Autry became a major national star his record sales rose assisted break up the monotony, he began strumming a guitar and singing by his exposure on radio. quietly to himself. A customer came into the office; rather than insisting upon immediate service, he motioned for Autry to con- During the early years of his career, Autry took a number of impor- tinue singing, then sat down to watch and listen while he looked tant collaborators and musicians aboard. Among them were Fred over the pages he was preparing to send. At one point, the visitor Rose, the (later responsible for "Your Cheatin' Heart") asked him to sing another. Finally, after dropping his copy on the with whom he collaborated on many of his hits; and -player counter, the customer told Autry that with some hard work, he Carl Cotner (who also played sax, clarinet, and ), who be- might have a future on the radio, and should consider going to came his arranger. Autry had a knack for knowing a good song New York to pursue a singing career. The man, whom Autry had when he heard it (though he almost passed on the biggest hit of recognized instantly, was Will Rogers, the humorist, writer, movie his career), and for knowing when a song needed something extra actor, and one of the most popular figures in the entertainment in its arrangement, but it was Cotner who was able to translate his world of that era. sensibilities into musical notes and arrangements. Mary Ford, later of Les Paul fame, was in Autry's band at one time, and in Autry didn't immediately give up his job, but just over a year later, 1936, Autry signed up a 17-year-old guitar player named Merle he was in New York auditioning for a representative of RCA- Travis, the future country star and songwriter. Victor. The judgment was that he had a good voice, but should stay away from pop hits, find his own kind of songs and his own By the early '30s, Autry became one of the most beloved singers sound, and get some experience. He was back six months later, in country & western music. By 1933, he was getting fan letters by on October 9, 1929, cutting his first record, "My Dreaming of You" the hundreds every week, and his record sales were only going and “My Alabama Home," for Victor. Two weeks later, Autry was up. Autry's career might've been made right there, but fate inter- making a demo record for the Columbia label of Jimmie Rodgers' vened again that year, in the form of the movie business. The "Blue Yodel No. 5." Present that same day in the studio were two western especially the "B" western, the bottom-of-the-bill, low- up-and-coming singers, Rudy Vallee and Kate Smith. Autry found budget action oater had been hit very hard by the coming of himself being pressured to sign an exclusive contract with Victor, sound in the years 1927 to 1929. Audiences expected dialogue in but chose instead to sign with the American Record Corporation. their movies, and most western stars up to that time were a lot Their general manager, Arthur Sattherly (who would later record better at riding, roping, and shooting than reading lines. Not only Leadbelly, among many other acts), persuaded Autry that while did producers and directors need something to fill up the sound- Victor was a large company and could offer more money and a tracks of their movies, especially on the limited budgets of the B- better marketing apparatus, he would be lost at Victor amid its westerns, but something to substitute for violent action, which was existing stable of stars, whereas ARC would treat him as their being increasingly criticized by citizen groups. most important star. Additionally, Sattherly through a series of arrangements involving major retail and chain stores across the Cowboy star Ken Maynard, who was a great trick rider and stunt- country now had the means to get Autry's records into peoples' man but no singer, had tried singing songs in a few of his movies, hands as easily as Victor. and the producers noticed that the songs had gone over well de- spite his vocal limitations. Maynard was making another western, His first recordings had just been released when his mother, In Old Santa Fe (1934), for Mascot Pictures, and producer Nat who'd been ill for months, died at the age of 45, apparently of Levine decided to try an experiment, putting in a musical number

2 sung by a professional. By sheer chance, the American Record Cowboy, later re- Company and Mascot Pictures were locked together financially, titled Under Western though indirectly, and with the help from the president of ARC, Stars when it became Levine was steered toward Autry. the debut of Roy Rogers. A phone call brought the young singer and another ARC per- former multi-instrumentalist/comedian Smiley Burnette out to Hol- After eight months of lywood, where, after a quick meeting and screen test, the two legal sparring, Autry were put into In Old Santa Fe. Autry had only one scene, singing was left enjoined a song and calling a square dance, but that scene proved to be from making live ap- one of the most popular parts of the movie. pearances. Republic, however, found itself Levine next stuck Autry and Burnette into a Ken Maynard serial, with an uprising of Mystery Mountain, in minor supporting roles. But Autry's next ap- theater owners and pearance was much more important, as the star of the highly suc- chains on its hands cessful 12-chapter serial The Phantom Empire. Perhaps recog- without a guarantee nizing that Autry was no "actor," and that he had an audience of that they would have millions already, he, the writers and the producer agreed that he any Autry movies to should simply play "Gene Autry," a good-natured radio singer and release, the studio's sometime cowboy. The success of Autry's early films was not entire annual distribution plans were jeopardized. By the fall of enough to save Mascot Pictures, which collapsed under the 1938 the two sides had come to terms, with raises for Autry and weight of debts held by Consolidated Film Laboratories, which did freedom from the most onerous clauses in his old contract. De- Mascot's film processing. In 1935, Consolidated forced a merger spite his best efforts, however, he couldn't help the theater owners of Mascot and a handful of other small studios and formed Re- over the block-booking policy, for it was now entrenched in the public Pictures, with Consolidated's president Herbert J. Yates at industry and an integral part of Republic's business plan. the helm. Republic thrived in the B-movie market, ultimately domi- nating the entire field for the next 20 years. And central to Repub- Meanwhile, his recording career continued, often in tandem with lic's success were the westerns of Gene Autry. the movies. Whenever Republic could, they licensed the rights to whatever hit song Autry had most recently recorded to use it as His first starring western for the newly organized Republic Pic- the title of his newest picture when they did this, they always tures, Tumbling Tumbleweeds (released Sept. 5, 1935), which charged the theater owners somewhat more for the film, and they also included the singing group the Sons of the Pioneers, was a paid it, because the song had "pre-sold" the movie to the public. huge hit, and was followed by Melody Trail, The Sagebrush Trou- The songs kept coming, sometimes out of the movies themselves, badour, and The Singing Vagabond, all released during the final and not always his own: Autry's friend Ray Whitley had written three months of 1935. Autry settled into a schedule of one movie "Back in the Saddle Again" for a 1938 George O'Brien western every six weeks, or eight-per-year, at $5000 per movie, and a called Border G-Man, and when Autry was looking for a theme formula was quickly established. The production values on these song for his own radio show, he went back to Whitley's song, movies were modest, in keeping with their low budgets and tight made a few changes, and recorded it himself. Along with "That shooting schedules, but within the framework of B-westerns, and Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine," it was the song he would be most the context of their music, they were first-rate productions. By closely associated with. 1937, and for five years after a string that was only broken when he enlisted in the Army during World War II, Autry was rated in an Autry's career was interrupted by his service in the military during industry survey of theater owners as one of the top ten box-office World War II, but when he returned to the recording and movie attractions in the country, alongside the likes of James Cagney studios in 1945, he resumed both his singing and film careers and Clark Gable. Autry was the only cowboy star to make the list, without skipping a beat. He was still a name to be reckoned with and the only actor from B-movies on the list. at the box office, although he was never again ranked among the top-ten money-making stars of movies. The cultural dislocations For Republic Pictures, his movies were such a cash cow, and so caused by World War II and their effect upon rural and small-town popular in the southern, border, and western states, that the tiny America, and on the movie business, as well as the impending studio was able to use them as a way to force "block booking" on arrival of television, had shrunk the B-movie market to a shadow theater owners and chains; that is, theaters only got access to the of its 1930s glory. His movies still made money, however, and he Autry movies scheduled each season if they bought all of Repub- kept making them right into the beginning of the 1950s, after lic's titles for that season. It was Autry's discovery of this policy which he moved into television production. Autry had already be- (which, in fairness, was practiced by every major studio at the gun buying up radio stations before the war, and by the early '50s time, and led to the anti-trust suit by the government that ulti- he was owner of several television stations, a studio, and his own mately forced the studios to give up their theater chains) in early production company, where he made his own television program 1938 that led to his first break with Republic. The problems had as well as others that he owned. been brewing for some time, over Autry's unhappiness at never having gotten a raise from his original Mascot-era $5000-per- His singing career was bigger than ever, however. Even before movie deal, and contractual clauses which had never been exer- the war, Autry had occasionally moved away from country music cised, but worried him nonetheless, giving Republic a share of his and scored big, as with his 1940 hit version of "Blueberry Hill," radio, personal appearance, and endorsement earnings. After which predated Fats Domino's recording by 16 years. After the trying unsuccessfully to work out the problems with Yates, Autry war, he still did cowboy and country songs such as "Silver Spurs" walked out of the studio chief's office and thereafter refused to and "Sioux City Sue," sprinkled with occasional folk songs and report for the first day's shooting on a movie called Washington pop numbers. In 1949, however, Autry scored the biggest single

3 hit of his career and possibly the second or third biggest hit song "Swingin' West"- Mike Gross ever recorded up to that time with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rein- WVOF-FM deer," a song by Johnny Marks that Autry had recorded only re- November 1, 2009 luctantly, in a single take at the end of a session. That same year, he cut "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," a number by a former forest Songs ranger named Stan Jones, which became both a country and pop music standard, cut by everyone from Vaughan Monroe to 1. Over the Hill- River Road Boys . 2. Brownsville- John England & Western Swingers 3. California Mountains- The Stardust Cowboys By the mid-'50s, Autry's career had slowed. Rock & roll and 4. Are You Teasing Me- Bobby Flores rhythm & blues were attracting younger listeners, and a new gen- 5. Southern Hospitality- Cornell Hurd Band eration of country music stars, heralded by Johnny Cash and 6. Feelin‟ Blue for Texas- Marshall Ford Swing Band Marty Robbins, were beginning to attract serious sales. Autry, 7. Tacos, Enchiladas and Beans- Buck Pizzarelli & West Texas then in his forties, still had his audience, but he gradually receded Tumbleweeds from the limelight to attend to his burgeoning business interests. 8. I Can Almost Tell- Rich Lester He died October 2, 1998. 9. Night Coach Out of - Jake Hooker 10. Crystal Canyon- Patty Parker Bruce Eder duggcollins.com

Graham Lees Top 10 Songs and Albums 1. Houston- River Road Boys HWD Radio - United Kingdom 2. Western Bling- Stephanie Davis 3. This is Tommy Duncan- Billy Mata & Texas Tradition Top Ten CDs 4. Herdin‟ Cats- The Saddle Cats Time Jumpers - Jumpin‟ Time 5. Now Playing! Willie and the Wheel- Willie Nelson & Asleep at Bryan Ragsdale - Where Cowpokes Grow the Wheel Stephanie Davis - Western Bling 6. Last Call for Heartaches- Price Porter Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell - One To The 7. Diggin‟ Up Bones- Buck Pizzarelli & West Texas Tumble- Heart, One To The Head weeds Dave Stamey - Come Ride With Me 8. Open That Gate- John England & Western Swingers John England & Western Swingers - Open That Gate 9. Lost Along the Way- Jake Hooker Bobby Flores - Too Many Rivers 10. Legendary Western Swing- Pat Jacobs & the Over the Hilll Eli Barsi - Darn Hard To Tame Gang Bob & Johnny Boatright - Lost Trails swinginwest.com Janet McBride - Still Lovin‟ The Ride

Top Ten Songs Bill McCallie’s Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show Ray Sanders - My Special Angel Classical 90.5 WSMC-FM Chattanooga, TN Dave Stamey - Used Rough Well the leaves are changing here in South- Bobby Flores - My Life‟s Been A Pleasure east Tennessee and it resembles an artist pal- Palo Duro - Navajo Trail let of colors. I've been playing guitar on the The Stardust Cowboy - Ridin‟ Back To You Southern Belle Riverboat for a little over 18 Journey West - Call Of The Canyon years now and it's always enjoyable to travel TJ Casey - Corrine Corrina down the "Grand Canyon" of the Tennessee Dave Stamey - If I Had A Horse River and see all the trees changing col- Jeanne & Jerome - That‟s What I Like About The West ors...every color in the rainbow. Speaking of rainbow, we had a The Flying W Wranglers - Stampede rainbow of music on the Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show this month. We started off the month with the Beaumont Rag from the fiddle [email protected] of Natalie McMasters. Fiddlin' Barbara Lamb fiddled her way through "Tonight I feel Like Texas" and dobrologist Jerry Douglas picked the on "Passin‟ the Bar" to round out a nice set. Don Walser sang and Ole Tennessee Ernie Ford song called the "Shotgun Boogie" and I noticed he had the "Who's Who" of west- ern swing accompanying him.... on steel, Jason Roberts and Johnny Gimble doing the fiddle work with Floyd Domino on Keyboards.....talk about a million dollar band! Since Rich O'Brien will be entered into the Western Music Hall of Fame in November, we did a whole segment about Rich. We featured several of his tunes from several CD's...... "The Old Spin- ning Wheel," "Under the Double Eagle," "Wheels," "Waltz for Bridget" and "The Theme from Gunsmoke" were featured. I did a bunch of Red Steagall this month. You know Red is just so con- sistent in the quality and content of his work, it's easy to pick out things the listeners will enjoy. Red's "One Empty Cot in the Bunk- A-10 Etcheverry, Creative Achievement Award Winner house," "Dodge City," "The Lantern on the Wagon,” "Dear Mama,” Cowtown Society of Western Music 2009 - CrayolaCowboy.com 4 “I'm a Cowboy" and "Panhandle Wind" were all spotlighted on the On October 10th we had a blast doing a Wild West Show on show. Nashville songbird Carolyn Martin sang "When You're Wagon Wheel Weekend at The Rock Ranch in Barnesville, Geor- Smiling," Jody Nix did "Play Me Something I Can Swing To" and gia. The Rock Ranch is owned by S. Truett Cathy, founder of Bobby Flores did "My Life Has Been A Pleasure." Dave Stamey's Chick-Fil-A and their mission is to unite families with the land. Los "Somebody Needs To Go Back Home" has been one of our most Pistoleros and The Traveling Cowboy Band performed cowboy requested songs over the past several months while Curley Mus- songs, train robberies and gunfights for close to four thousand grave and Belinda Gail hit the spotlight with "Roly Poly” from their attendees. "Forever West" CD. Waddie Mitchell's cowboy poem "Harsh We‟re getting ready for The Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame Words'' was really a nice lead in to the inspirational of one show Awards which will be on November 28th. We will host a Cowboy and cowboy poet J B Allen's version of the ole public domain Showcase which will include many Cowboy Artists. More on that song converted into a poem, "I'd Like To Be In Texas For The next month. Round Up In The Spring" really was nice for a lead into Red's Until then, we want all you pards out there to stay warm, keep "Wagon Tongue." R W Hampton did the honors on one show with your powder dry and keep it cowboy. Just remember, there‟s the his "I Believe" and his "This Ole House" cut. I played several cuts right way, the wrong way and the...Cowboy Way!!!! from Suzy Bogus' "Swing." “Straighten Up and Fly Right" and "Jumpin‟ Into Spring" were taken from the "Swing" CD. I inter- As always, we continue to get CDs from many artists and groups spersed several cuts from the In Cahoots Band and from Fletcher and we welcome them all. If you want to send us your CD, we are Bright and the Dismembered Tennesseans this month so as to at: promote our 16th Annual Live Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show. Next month I'll do some songs about trains and try to work in some of The Cowboy Way Show Joni Harms songs as I really enjoy her, as do our listeners. 146 Hwy 139 #230 We broadcast The Cowboy Jubilee Radio Show each week from Monroe, Georgia 30565 WSMC 90.5 fm Public Radio and stream to the internet at www.wsmc.org. We are on from 6pm to 7pm each Sunday. We Our top ten playlist for November, 2009 is: are a 100,000 watt station and we're located in beautiful down- town Collegedale, Tennessee...where the air always smells like a 1. Remember Me…Liz Masterson big oatmeal cookie. 2. Just One More Night…Lamar Hunter That's about all the news that's fit to print...... remember, as Mark 3. In Old McGee Canyon…Dave Stamey Twain once said "It is noble to do good...but it is nobler to teach 4. The Farmer And The Lord…Cowboy Bill & Rhonda Carrier others to do good...and a lot less trouble"! Ride safe! 5. Cowpoke…Keeter Stuart 6. Be My Cowboy…Lynn Anderson [email protected] 7. Jesus And Roy…Marvin O‟Dell Sundays at 6:00 pm - wsmc.org/webstream.html 8. Cross The Brazos At Waco…Billy Walker 9. Doc Holiday Lives On…Frank Brannon 10. You Can‟t Put A Brand On Me…Curly Musgrave & Belinda Cowboy Bill’s Top 10 Playlist Gail Top 10 Most Requested Songs [email protected]

October is turning into my favorite month Cowboy Poetry of the year. Well, maybe second to De- at the BAR-D Ranch cember when we have Christmas. None by Margo Metegrano, Editor, the less, in October, there were cowboys CowboyPoetry.com everywhere at the 3rd Annual Georgia

Day of the Cowboy on October 3rd at Horsetown East in Snell- Some of the year's most popular ville, Georgia. There were gunfights by Los Pistoleros, trick events take place in December, including the Larry Chittenden horses (starring Albert Lloyd and his horse “Tiger”), special ap- Cowboy Celebration in Anson, Texas; 's pearance by Wild Bill Elliott look-a-like (Ronnie Aycoth), Native Cowboy Christmas Ball at the National Cowboy and Western Heri- Americans (including special guests “Deerhunter” & “Curly Bear”) tage Museum in Oklahoma City; the 21st Annual Cowboy Christ- and plenty of Cowboy music by The Atlanta Country Music Hall of mas Poetry Gathering in Wickenburg, Arizona; and California's Fame. There was plenty of vittles and good cheer and everything 11th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival. was cowboy. Check out the picture with the Cowboys and Indi- ans. Top cowgirl poet Doris Daley will be in Monterey (along with Don Edwards, Hot Club of Cowtown, Sons of the San Joaquin, the Gillette Brothers, Dennis Gaines, Pat Richardson, Jess Howard, Waddie Mitchell, Lacy J. Dalton and others; December 11- 13, www.montereycowboy.org).

Doris Daley's recent poem offers a fine way to bid farewell to the year:

Goodnight to the Trail

Come with me to a place out west Where all who trod are Nature's guest

5 We'll ride to the top of a piney crest Waynetta’s Roundup on LIVE365 And gaze at the valley below. Waynetta Ausmus KJIM, 1500AM Sherman/Dennison, TX Come with me where the cattle graze We'll tighten our cinches and gather the strays Oct. 4, 2009 Leather's creaking, the hills are a-blaze Open That Gate - John England and the And the night might bring some snow. Western Swingers The Chauffeur And The Professor - Jerry Ride with me as the sky turns gold Clower Hear the cattle bawl and the magpie scold. Hey Good Lookin! - Larry Wilder Pull up your collar 'cause the wind is cold, Wild West Is Going To Get Wilder - Michael Martin Murphy Coffee'll taste good tonight. Let My Pony Run - Due West Trio Purt Near! - Larry Maurice I wish my pen could find the wings Five Foot Two - Ken Overcast To soar with rhyme when the nightwind sings First Light - Audrey Hankins But words are often feeble things Night Birds - Royal Wade Kimes To get that job done right. Spellbound On The High Lonesome - Donna Hatton If I Hadn't Seen The West - Joyce Woodson But the rhymes won't come; my pen is dry No poem could capture this sweep of sky Oct. 11, 2009 Let's hit the trail and say goodbye Warmth of Mexico - Geronimo Trevino III & The Geronimo Band To this patch of God's good clay. Born To Be A Cowboy - RJ Vandygriff Revelation 22:16 - Doc Mayer So mount up, Joe, let's ride for home The Lone Ranger Way - Hank Cramer The range wants to sleep 'neath its starry dome Chipmunk & The Bear - Choogie Kingfisher The wind and sky can finish this poem, West Of Yesterday - Don Edwards We'll call it quits for today. Two Steppin' Texas Blue - Joni Harms My Box - Jerry Clower So ride with me as the light turns pale The Bear Paw Song - Ken Overcast See the moon come up, hear the coyotes wail Grandma's Homemade Aprons - Yvonne Hollenbeck Supper's waiting, and we say to the trail, Timber Trail - Larry Wilder Good night, Old Friend, good night. Yep - Rod Nichols Outlaw - David Comstock © 2009, Doris Daley, All rights reserved Tougher Horses - Geff Dawson Timber Trail - Larry Wilder Doris Daley returns to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Meet Jake - Doris Daley January, 2010, her eighth invited appearance there. Her latest CD, Beneath a Western Sky, includes the poem above. It's avail- Play List KJIM, 1500 AM, Sherman/Denison, Tx. able for $15 (US), $20 (CDN) plus postage from Doris The Inventory - Jerry Clower Daley, Fiddle DD Enterprises, Box 103 Turner Valley, AB Too Far Back To Texas - Ken Overcast TOL 2AO; www.dorisdaley.com. Brothers Stay Together - Ken Cook Find more about hundreds of cowboy poets and Western musi- There Ain't No Quit- Bill Barwick cians at CowboyPoetry.com. It's an on-going gathering, with con- Crackerbarrel Stories - Doc Mayer tinuous news, features, poetry, lyrics, gathering reports, and an Cowgirl Way - Terry Taylor extensive event calendar. Come on by and stay a while. Cowgirlography - Juni Fisher Ride On - Barry Ward [email protected] Stackin' Hay - Jerry Schleicher Old Town - John England & the Western Swingers

10-25-09 Charlie And The Boys - Sons of the San Joaquin Down the Trail to San Antoine - Billy Cate Fred Berry Jimal Bible Back Riding In Fall - Mason Tibbs Tom Burgess Joyce Collins Dallas And Ft. Worth - Texas Gypsies Mary Corley Jim Cox and Family Goodbye Cowboy - Monty Teel Mark Giles Paige Haas I Leave My Troubles At The Old Corral - Vince Crofts & Mindi Briggs Hill and his family Howe‟s twin grandbabies Marian Howell Mary Hunter Reid Dennis Ivey Bill Lister Texas In Your Swing - Liz Talley Mel McDaniel Bob Nible Mustang - Rusty Feathers Joe Paul Nichols Rich O‟Brien The Gift - Belinda Gail Walter Pate Lyall and Donna Paulson Jingle Jangle Jingle - RW Hampton & Don Edwards Jim Quisenberry Louise Rowe 2nd Babylonians 3:8 - Bob Upchurch Connie Stom Mike Ward Pancho Villa Slept Here - Way Out West Ed White

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6

7 UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF primitive cultures, in the 1980s he returned to the western swing scene with The Texas Playboys. OKLAHOMA - CHICKASHA

Bass player Louise Rowe, whose experience with country and Former Texas Playboys Join western swing spans six decades and intersects with top artists, For USAO Scholarship Event Dec. 18 will be featured. She too is a member of The Former Texas Play-

boys. The only female musician ever hired also is the CHICKASHA – Seven accomplished musicians with serious youngest and only female sibling of the famous Seven Rowe country music chops and dozens of albums between them have Brothers. At 18, she was hired as a singer, but has built her long joined as The Former Texas Playboys. Together they will perform and illustrious career playing bass and writing songs. Her most for charity here in the first-ever Black Tie & Boots Ball, staged by recent was the 2008 release, I Still Cry.

Performer Chuck Hays, who now is a leader in the western swing movement, is a former member of The Texas Playboys. Born in Braggs, Okla., Hays worked in the aeronautics industry until his love for western music overtook his career.

Hays served the Air Force in Korea then settled in California, per- forming with Jim Reeves, Patsy Kline, Lefty Frazell, Tex Ritter and other high profile entertainers in the 1950s. He played for years with the Pee Wee Whitewing Gold Coast Playboy Band and later for the legendary Tommy Duncan Band. Eventually he was hon- ored to join the Bob Wills Band in 1969. He was named to the Western Swing Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Pioneers of Western Swng Music Hall of Fame in 1999. He was named to the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in 2000. the USAO Foundation to raise money for scholarships at the Uni- The youngest surviving member of The Texas Playboys is Okla- versity of Science and Arts. homa guitarist Joe Settlemires, who performs with The Former Texas Playboys but maintains a regular job teaching music at the Featured are country music legends Bobby Koefer, Louise Rowe, University of Science and Arts, where he leads the popular USAO Chuck Hays and Joe Settlemires, along with Monte Gaylord, Showband. A noted musician in his own right, Settlemires has Wayne Gasson and Chad Maines, each with impressive album been inducted into four musical halls of fame, including three and performing credentials. western swing organizations. Settlemires arranges all the music and directs the Showband with the assistance of his wife, Donna. Tickets for the Dec. 18 premiere event are $75. Tickets may be purchased online at www.usao.edu or by phone with credit card Settlemires began playing professionally at 14. He toured for at 405-574-1213. years with Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, Red Foley, Tex Ritter, and many others. He has played behind Bob Hope, Della Reese, “We hope to stage a spectacular and fun musical event,” said , Harold Bradley, Howard Roberts, Pat Martino, and musician-educator Joe Settlemires of USAO, “but it‟s also a ball, his band was featured with the Oklahoma City Symphony. Set- where guests will be invited to take the dance floor and enjoy the tlemires‟ students are associated with some of the biggest names music with their feet.” in music. He has taught at Oklahoma Christian University and has been teaching since 2001 at the University of Science and Arts of The ball begins at 7 p.m. in the USAO Student Center Ballroom. Oklahoma. In 2006, the Oklahoma Legislature recognized Joe for 50 years of leadership and service in the Oklahoma music indus- All-star members of the Former Texas Playboys include Bobby try and education. He has two recent albums out, “Canadian Koefer on , Louise Rowe on bass, Wayne Gasson on Sunset” and “Sugarfoot Rag,” which features and Har- keyboard and Joe Settlemires on guitar. old Bradley.

Bobby Koefer is called one of America‟s most unique steel guitar- Settlemires‟ newest album, Joe Settlemires and Northfield Swing, ists. He plays a 1953 stand-up, Fender, triple neck steel gui- will be released later this year. It features Chickasha vocalist Kris- tar. Being self-taught has resulted in a very versatile singular ten Killion and singer Hank Adam Locklin. Settlemires plays every sound and an unorthodox technique. Musician friends say he year with The Former Texas Playboys at Bob Wills Days in Tur- prefers old, rusty strings. Rumor was that he buried his steel for key, Texas. several years in his backyard in Alaska. Fiddle player Monte Gaylord is no stranger to Chickasha. A star Koefer toured for years with Bob Wills and his Texas Play- performer with Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn and others celeb- boys. There he worked for two years with musicians like Eldon rities, Gaylord performed with the USAO Showband during its Shamblin. He played for shows that featured Milton Berle, Perry 2006 spring concert. Video of the concert is available at usao.edu/ Como, the and more. He has worked with such news in USAO TV under "Showband Spring Concert." legends as Marty Robbins, George Morgan, Patti Page, Lefty Frizzell, Ferlin Husky, Rex Allen, Tex Ritter and Jim Reeves. Gaylord's musical career started at age 18, but he started playing While he moved to Alaska and spent 20 years learning about at 4. Gaylord has played for three U.S. presidents, toured with the

8 band, , and was with Clint Black for seven Ken Bass - KALH - Variety 95.1 years. More recently, Gaylord has traveled the world playing with Serving the Franklin Graham Festivals in South America, Japan, China Alamogordo - La Luz - Holloman AFB & and Korea. In Oklahoma, he was named the Oklahoma State Tularosa, NM Fiddle Champion 15 times.

Pianist Wayne Glasson started playing piano by ear at age 7. Liz Talley - You Can't Take The Texas Out Of Me During his school years, he played for various school and com- Red River Mudcats - Texas Eagle munity events along with his dad and other area musicians. He Rhonda Vincent - Last Time Lovin' You was playing professionally at 18. Johnny Lyon - Big City Gringo Kings - Did I Go Crazy Marcia Ball - Louella JB & Moonshine Band - I'm Broke Zona Jones - Day Off Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan - Shadows Of The Leaves Josh Turner - Why Don't We Just Dance Rio Grand - Painted Pony Rex Foster - Slow Down (Texas Style) J D Newbury - Beer Makes You Lean Albert & Gage - Hell Or High Water Curtis Potter - When The Neon Lights Come On Manning-Dixon - Cold As Her Heart Patty Parker - She Rode A Horse Called Buttermilk Pat Jacobs & OTH Gang with PJ Babcock - I Can't Give You Anything But Love Dave Caley - Let's Chase Each Other Around The Room Tonight. [email protected]

Jacques Dufour Rockin' Boy Saloon Glasson played the Longhorn Ballroom for Dewey Groom in the Every Sunday on www.lyonpremiere.com 1970s and became friends with many of the great western swing musicians. Next he played for 20 years with the Texas Rhythm /John Anderson - Life Has Sure Band. He has played for Steve Wariner, Louise Mandrel, Leon Changed Us Around Rausch, Frenchie Burk, Jeanne Pruitt, Gene Watson, the late Paul Evans - It's All Or Nothin' Gary Van, Gary Stewart, , Freddie Fender, Del Stephanie Davis - Soon Reeves and Boxcar Willie. Poker Alice - Switzerland-The Sun In 1996, Glasson joined a group of former Texas Playboys called Vince Gill - Little Brother the Texas Playboy Reunion Band. Since April, 2000, Wayne has Michael O‟Neill - Hello Neighbor been playing with the Former Texas Playboys at the Bob Wills Stephanie Raymond - Take My Hand Days celebration in Turkey, Texas. Glasson has played for audi- Lee Dinwoodie - Paycheck To Paycheck ences from the Cain‟s Ballroom in Tulsa to the Lincoln Center in - She's All Lady New York to the 2008 Presidential Ball in Washington DC. Glas- Dayna Lane - I'll Keep Believing son has been named to five different halls of fame for his musical Perley Curtis - Just Another Trucker accomplishments. Steve Holy - Might Have Been Frank Fara - Charming Billy The youngest member performer at the big Chickasha event is 26 Kata Hay - Along The Navajo Trail -year-old drummer Chad Maines from Lubbock. He also plays Deborah Liv Johnson/Chuck Woller - Cold Blue Steel guitar, bass, and sings. Currently touring with three dif- Whiskey Jack - Tumblin' Tumbleweeds ferent groups -- the Texas Country Band, Brian Milson and the Kelly Pickler - Best Days Of Your Life Short Road Band, and a blues band, 108 E Broadway – Maines Deanne Moore - How You Say Goodbye travels constantly. His wildlife management degree will be used Nicki Gillis - Remember Me “someday” he says, but for now music is his passion. Point Of Grace - I Wish All-star musicians known together as The Former Texas Play- Kevin Bickley - France-Respect Your Elders boys will perform on Dec. 18 to raise money for scholarships at Tennessee Stud-France-I'll Stay Me the University of Science and Arts. The band features country- Dagousket Ramblers-France-Si Si Si Senorita swing-jazz legends, clockwise from top left, Bobby Koefer, Monte Miss Lauren Marie-Cheaters Cheat Gaylord, Wayne Glasson, Joe Settlemires, Chuck Hays, Louise Rhythm Train-Switzerland-My Little Black Book Rowe and Chad Maines. Tickets are $75 to benefit the USAO Dustbowl-Greece-Moonshine Jack Foundation Scholarship Fund. Jason Roos-Country Way Of Life CONTACT ERIC FEUERBORN, News Bureau, 405-574- Jamie O'Neal-Soldier Coming Home 1362, [email protected] RANDY TALLEY, Public Relations, 405-574- Merci pour l'écoute - Thanks for listening 1337, [email protected] [email protected]

9 LEESWINGS TOP CDs News From BobWills.com Kountry Korral Magazine, Bennerstigen 120, Sala Sweden Hello again from down in Austin.

CDs It makes me very pleased to say the recent 01 - Bill Dessens - I´ve Waited A Lifetime benefit for Louise Rowe was a roaring suc- 02 - Bonebrake Syncopators - That Da Da cess. Strain The big event was held in the legendary 03 - Deborah Liv Johnson & Chuck Woller - Desert Moon Broken Spoke dance hall in South Austin on 04 - Gaylynn Robinson - Love & Heartache November 3rd. Al Dressen did a great job of 05 - Heybale - The Last Country Album organizing the show and Linda Branson took care of the silent 06 - Jake Hooker - Lost Along The Way auction. Wow, what a lineup of talent graced the stage in the 4 07 - Kelli Grant - Swings & Sings hour show. Al did the first set with folks like Alvin Crow, Rick 08 - Louise Rowe - My Time With Bob McCrae, Danny Levin and Kaz Kazanoff in the band. The great 09 - Seven Rowe Brothers Band - 70 Years Celebration Herb Remington was there as well as my favorite piano player, 10 - Stardust Cowboys - Ridin´ Back To You Floyd Domino. The talented Dick Gimble played a set with his 11 - Stephanie Davis - Western Bling very talented daugh- 12 - Texas Swing Band - Welcome To Texas ter, Emily on the piano and it was followed up SONGS by a fine set with the 01 - Grits And Gravy Blues - Brady Bowen & Swing Country Billy Mata band. I was 02 - Hang Your Head In Shame - Texas Swing Band w/Jerome the MC for the final set Stubbs with a great bunch to 03 - Honeysuckle Rose - Joaquin Murphey w/The Plainsmen back me up. Louise 04 - I Still Cry - Louise Rowe didn‟t want to be left 05 - Keeper Of The Flame - Gaylynn Robinson out, so she played her 06 - Mr. Record Man - Heybale w/Redd Volkaert unique stand-up bass 07 - Seven Come Eleven - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys for that show. We had 08 - Silver Lake Blues - Bill Dessens a who‟s who of fiddle 09 - Stranger - Elizabeth McQueen & Jason Roberts players show up and 10 - Talkin´`Bout You - Jake Hooker play…Alvin Crow, Rick 11 - Talkin´`Bout You - Stephanie Davis McCrae, Elana James, 12 - Three Little Words - Bonebrake Syncopators Howard Kalish and the incredible youngster, Ruby Jane. Lots of Around The Campfire good singers…Justin

Trevino, Bobby Flores, Rather than list CD's this month, I thought I Jim Gough would list what I feel are 10 of the best single Jerry Lightsey, Janet Lynn songs released in recent months. I hope you and Louise‟s daughter, Marcy to name a few. enjoy this list which is in no particular order: All in all, it was a great evening, for a great cause. Be sure and include Louise in your prayers, she‟s a real trooper and will most 1. Bronc To Breakfast - Tom Hiatt certainly beat these health problems. 2. There's A Rodeo Behind Us - Bill Barwick

3. The Adobe Walls - Gary S. Pratt 4. Never Come Again - Kerry Grombacher Bob Wills Radio recently featured an interview I did years ago with 5. Itty Bitty Outlaw - Cora Rose Wood Bob‟s first girl singer, Laura Lee McBride. We have some great 6. Used Rough - Dave Stamey guests scheduled in the weeks just ahead. Folks like Floyd Dom- 7. Drift Along, Lonely Cowboy - Don Edwards ino and Mary Ann Price. You‟ll also hear an interview with the 8. Calloused Hands And A Soft Heart - Prickly Pair young fiddler from north Texas, Brady Bowen. So log in often and 9. Cookie, Cowboy Fortuneteller - Jennifer Lind tell your friends about Bob Wills.com. Happy Trails, 10. Cold Blue Steel - Deborah Liv Johnson

Marvin O'Dell Jim Gough Around the Campfire [email protected] HeartlandPublicRadio.org

Real West from the Old West AM1230 KOTS Western Jazz – Tommy Thomsen & The Wills Point Playboys Top 20 CDs in no particular order One Life To Live – Linda Lee Filener More Than Satisfied – Liz Talley In My Spare Time Vol. 5 – Brady Bowen You Are The Rose Of My Heart – Call Of The West Gone For Colorado – Juni Fisher Willie & The Wheel – Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel Festival Favorites – Bobby Flores Ridin‟ Back To You – Stardust Cowboys Ranch Life 101 – Prescott, Masterson & Hollenbeck Timeless – The Quebe Sisters Band This Is Tommy Duncan Vol. 1 – Billy Mata Last Of The Troubadours – Don Edwards Appaloosa Moon – Tom Hiatt Somewhere In Texas – Hank Stone Songs Of Moon Mullican – Cornell Hurd Band The Sidekicks – Wendell Sollis & The Sidekicks Bar-D Roundup Vol. 4 Desert Moon – Chuck Woller & Deborah Liv Johnson Bar-D Roundup Vol. 3 [email protected]

10 Louise Rowe, Texas Playboy, Fundraiser The fantastic evening of extraordinary music made it impossible for Louise to remain passive. It was inevitable she would join in By Gaylynn Robinson on stand-up bass.

To those who In light of current events, it's not sur- know Louise, this prising some of us often reflect upon was predictable. A the America of the past; when a hand real highlight of the shake and your word meant some- night was when thing. Well, I am happy to report that Louise‟s daughter true American spirit was alive and well Marcy sang. She at Louise Rowe‟s Medical Fundraiser. made her mama On November 3, 2009, a gathering of proud and rightly musicians and music lovers gathered so. together under the roof of The Broken The evening‟s mu- Spoke in Austin Texas. Louise Rowe, sical bliss rose in a Texas Playboy, had a fundraiser and Louise and her stand-up bass crescendo with an friends, along with musicians came all-star lineup of top musicians. Justin Trevino sang his heart out Bob Wills & Louise Rowe together on her behalf. and eloquently reminded everyone about the power of prayer. He The evening commenced with a bang when Louise's good friend then followed up with an astounding rendition of "How Great Thou and former bandleader, Al Dressen revved up his Super Swing Art” Little Liz Talley entertained the crowd with her swinging ver- Review Band featuring Herb Remington, Paul Glasse, Floyd sion of “Roly Poly”. Gathered on stage was a powerhouse of top Domino, Janet Lynn, Danny Levin, Erik Hokkanen, Mark Kazan- gun players: Howard Kalish, Buddy Boehm, Elana James, Brent off, Brent Wilson, Neal Clausnitzer, Rick McRae and Alvin Crow. Wilson, Jim Gough, Doug Davis, Billy Curtis, West Starr, John The band provided some great music that set the tone for the rest Chandler, Terry Hale, Harold Pollard, Lonnie Atkinson, Jerome of the night. Stubbs, and Ruby Jayne. Marshall Ford Swing Band followed with a heaping portion of Then, like a bolt of lightening Bobby Flores transmuted the whole Gimble family genes. As bandleader Dick Gimble mused to the event into another heighten state of musical nirvana when he took crowd, "I grew up being known as Johnny Gimble's son and now I control of the stage. With his soulful vocals and fiddle chops that am known as Emily Gimble's dad". Well, either way, Dick Gimble are second to none, Bobby tore down the house. When you have is just about the smoothest bass player, fretless bass player that three exceptional fiddlers like Bobby Flores, Howard Kalish, and is, that I have ever heard. Dick's daughter, and Johnny's grand- Elana James on stage together the joint starts smokin‟ baby and daughter, Emily, exhibited her incredibly gifted music genes on that ain‟t no lie! the 88's. Both Dad and daughter have superb vocals. Lead gui- Thanks to everyone who made it out to support Louise. The audi- tar was more than adequately taken care of by guitar virtuoso ence yielded a who‟s who of leading Austin Talent with the likes of Rick McCrae. Herb Steiner added his steel licks to enhance the Redd Volkaert and Cornell Hurd. Artists that couldn't be at the brew. Fiddler and vocalist Elana James added even more stun- event such as Bobby Koefer, Dale Watson, Cindy Cashdollar and ning vocals and riffs to the incredible set of songs. The young Bad Bob Rohan donated their music and items for the silent auc- drummer with this group was equally impressive. I was fortunate tion. Most of the artists participating at the event donated auction enough to get to sing "Time Changes Everything" with them. It items also. Strait Music reciprocated in turn for Louise's longtime was like driving a Cadillac; smooth and luxurious. Jerry Lightsey patronage by donating a guitar which everyone signed. added his stupendous vocals rounding out the set. Linda Branson organized a successful silent auction and DJ, Ted At that point, the evening seemed unbeatable. We could have all Branson did his best to promote the event. Last but not least, big packed up and gone home completely satisfied. Then something thanks to James & Annetta White for graciously opening the leg- supernatural transpired. A cool Texas breeze meandered threw endary doors of The Broken Spoke for the event. the place materializing nice looking gentlemen in Stetson Hats, I guess with every fundraiser there's always a concern that you Western attire and cowboy boots. It was as if we had all been could have raised more money. But one thing is certain, the out- transported back in time to a Bob Wills & The Texas Playboy pouring of love and sup- show circa 1953. Billy Mata and The Texas Tradition captured port shown for Texas the stage and blew everyone's mind. These guys blessed the music legend, Louise evening with some of the most phenomenal music I have heard in Rowe, was priceless. It a long time. Dick Gimble was a stand-in for Billy's bass player kind of makes one be- who wasn‟t able to make the event. Billy and the boys exemplify lieve that real American what it means to be Texan and I can't think of a more appropriate values; real Texas val- name for those gentleman than, The Texas Tradition. They make ues, still exist. Did I Texas proud. Billy's a one-of-a-kind artist. He and his band are mention that true Ameri- in perfect synch. The artistry of this band is beyond belief. They can spirit was alive and don‟t just perform the songs they paint images with every note well at The Broken they play. By the time Billy finished, the crowd had pretty much Louise & Al Dressen Spoke on Tuesday, reached Western Swing nirvana. Louise remarked to me it was November 3, 2009? Well, it certainly was and if you missed it, like listening to Bob Wills & the boys when she was playing with you missed something very special. them. I don‟t think Billy and The Texas Tradition could receive a better compliment than that. Love from Texas, But the night had yet even more to offer. There is really no other way to explain it but to say it was pure magic. A magic achieved Gaylynn Robinson when the air is charged with positive and loving thoughts that give [email protected] way to an altruistic vibration that brings out the best in everyone. 11 A Prickly Situation 2008. By Julie Carter/ Cowgirl Juan Raul Davis Rodriguez was born December 10, 1951, in Sa- binal, Texas . Rodriguez grew up with a large family living in a Sass & Savvy shanty town 90 miles from the Mexican border. He was given a There he was, standing in all his guitar when he was seven and, as a teenager, he sang with a glory, and his underwear, with his beat group. His troubles with the law included goat rustling (he glow-in-the-dark white skin glaring in barbecued the goats). the late afternoon sun. His spindly A Texas ranger, who heard him singing in his cell, found him a job cowboy legs were still in his boots at the Alamo village and he drove stagecoaches, rode horses and and his hat and sunglasses were in entertained tourists. Tom T. Hall recognized his talent and em- their places. He was holding his ployed him as lead guitarist with his road band, the Storytellers. clothes in his right hand and a set of broken bridle reins in the Rodriguez was signed to , who particularly liked other. the way he could switch from English to Spanish. Rodriguez went His wife had been doing chores at home. That was the deal. With to number 9 in the US country chart with his first release, "Pass 23 head of horses on the place, give or take a few depending if Me By," in 1972 and he then had three consecutive number 1 anyone had hauled any off to the sale, or drug a few home, there records, "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)," "Riding My was never any shortage of work to be done - feeding or riding. Thumb To Mexico" and "That's The Way Love Goes." He wrote Each afternoon she takes on the feeding duty while he saddles up many of his songs and occasionally wrote with Hall. a young, green horse to put some miles on before sunset. In 1975, Rodriguez had more number 1 country records with "I It is a good life for them, but it also keeps any dull moments from Just Can't Get Her Out Of My Mind," "Just Get Up And Close The finding their way to the ranch. The wife looked up from her work Door" and "Love Put A Song In My Heart." In 1977, he had a Top when a pretty bay Hancock filly came in a high lope up the road, 10 country hit with a revival of the Eagles' "Desperado." He still wearing a saddle but without the reins on the headstall and moved to Epic Records in 1979 and found success with "I Hate worse yet, without her rider. Trying not to let fear overcome her, The Way I Love It," with newcomer Charly McClain. Rodriguez the wife ignored the alarms going off in her heart and in her head. moved to Capitol Records in 1988 and had a country hit with a She and the ever-present dog jumped on the Polaris Ranger and classy ballad, "I Didn't (Every Chance I Had)." He then had a fur- zoomed off to find the missing cowboy on the mountain. ther four minor hits with Capitol over a two-year period; "I Wanta Calling his name as she searched the hillsides, she soon heard Make Up With You," "You Might Want To Use Me Again," "No him holler back at her. As she drove up on the scene, her first Chance To Dance" and "Back To Stay." words were, "What in the hell are you doing?" This, by the way, is Rodriguez‟s 1994 album, “Run For The Border”, was filled with a phrase of standard dialogue if you are married to a cowboy and songs of desperation - a few new and some re workings of his one that both parties will use with wild abandon. There is no good former big hits. He was involved in a fatal shooting in August answer to that question in a situation like this, but the cowboy 1998, when Israel Borrego was shot by Rodriguez in South Texas. gave it his best effort. The shooting was declared as “self defense” and Rodriguez was "The filly spooked and when she jumped, I hung a spur in her acquitted. accidentally," he said "She really went to bucking, and was really Rodriguez is working on another comeback. He just recorded a getting with it. Then all of a sudden, a rein snapped. I tried to pull new album with Johnny Bush for Heart of Texas Records in her around with the other rein to get her stopped," he said. "But it Brady. The album titled “Texas Legends” puts the two legendary broke, too. Then she was really getting with it and well, she just Country Music entertainers together for the first time on a project. flat bucked me off." Willie‟s Place on XM Radio is currently using the project in heavy His wife was obviously concerned for him, as he wasn't a kid any- rotation due to the initial response that they have received from more and those hard landings take their toll. However, she was “Texas Legends.” somewhat more concerned about why he was standing there on “I am looking forward to coming back to Llano,” Rodriguez said. the hillside half naked. Asking about the obvious seemed called “This is actually my fourth appearance working for the Llano for. "So why are you walking home naked?" Country Opry. We always enjoy the great folks there...and the "She bucked me off in a prickly pear cactus," he said as he turned great bar-b-que!” to reveal millions of cactus spears sticking in the backside of his Other entertainers on the show will include Jade Cienega, Rance body. It took his wife and daughter the better part of six hours to Norton, Kimberley Murray, Allison Crowson Collins, Kelly Weier- tweeze the cactus spines out of his back, arm, leg, head and shausen, Justin Trevino, Bode Barker, Sammy Geistweidt, Shane other assorted assaulted spots. The pain finally did subside. Lively, Don Ricketson and Bucille Snotgrass. Tracy Pitcox will However, the humiliation of his plight over those broken bridle MC the shows. reins will last for as long as anyone remembers the story. I'm just For more information about the Llano, Marble Falls or Mason doing my part. Country Opry shows, log on to

Julie can be reached for comment at [email protected] www.heartoftexascountry.com.

Country Music Superstar Johnny Rodriguez All Things Country Top 10 CDs Rowena Muldavin The Llano Country Opry will be staged on Saturday, 1. Ron Williams - The Longer You're Gone November 14, at the Lantex 2. Teri Joyce - Kitchen Radio Theater in downtown Llano. 3. James Hand - Shadow On The Ground The show begins at 7:30 PM. 4. Starline Rhythm Boys - Masquerade For Tickets are $15.00 per per- Heartache son and are available at the 5. Liz Talley - More Than Satisfied Llano Chamber of Com- 6. - The Essential Tony Booth merce, Llano National Bank, 7. The Silver Screen Cowboy Project Lively Computers in Kings- 8. Vance Lane - Texas Two Step land or KNEL radio in Brady. 9. Cornell Hurd - Songs of Moon Mullican Call (325) 247-5354 for tick- 10. Dale Watson - Truckin' Sessions, Vol. 2 ets. Country Music Superstar [email protected] Johnny Rodriguez will headline the Llano Country Opry. Rodri- guez makes a return appearance after selling out the show in

12 Cade’s Cadence is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going (Watch yer step!) to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.” In the name of Fairness I guess for me it‟s a matter of simple math you can‟t multiply any-

thing by dividing it whether that be money, talent or “These United Earlier this year my 5 year daughter States.” attended cheerleading camp at the [email protected] Sealy High School. She had been looking forward to it for awhile but after the first day she was a little disheartened. “Did you not have fun?” I asked her. “Yes,” she replied, “but I didn‟t get a spirit stick.” The next day I picked her up and got there in time to watch Texas County Line TV and saw what the big deal was; at the end of the day all the kids show expands coverage in would sit down on the floor and the cheerleaders would announce East Texas who had showed them the most spirit that day and then would hand out spirit sticks. Everyone would clap and the child, beaming The weekly Country Music tele- with pride, would take their spirit stick and sit back down. Well vision show, Texas County once again my little girl didn‟t get a spirit stick and I could see it Line, today announced ex- was starting to get to her. I encouraged her though and said “You panded coverage in the East Texas area. Beginning on Novem- just have to try harder and show them that you have spirit.” Well ber 7th, the program will be aired each Saturday at 6pm on KYTX on day three I picked her up and still no spirit stick and on the ride TV, the CBS affiliate Channel 19. It will also continued to be aired home she broke out into tears, she tends to take things to heart a on MYTX TV Channel 18, but will move to 3:30pm Sundays. CBS trait my wife says she gets from me. “There‟s still tomorrow,” I told 19 is seen in more than 500,000 households in East Texas on her, “I‟m sure you will get one.” “No I won‟t,” she said “Everyone Cable, Dish Network and DirecTV. has gotten one but me and I was trying my hardest today!” “Well,” I told her, “I bet they are saving the best for last. Try hard again The show features Traditional Country, Western Swing and Cajun tomorrow and you will get one.” Now I didn‟t know for a fact if all Music performed at venues from throughout Texas. Nationally- the kids received one or not but I sure was hoping and on day known artists, including; , Willie Nelson, Gene Watson, four, the last day, she received one and boy was she proud. Bill Anderson, Bob Wills‟ Texas Playboys and others have been At what age do we allow our kids to taste failure? Should we shel- featured. Many locally-known singers and bands have also been ter them for the first four or five years of their life or should we included. expose them and let them begin to form calluses? I myself would like to shelter my kids as long as I can but I also know that the The program is hosted by actor Emmy-nominated actor Brad world can be a cruel and cold place and I want them to be thick Maule. Mr. Maule appeared as “Dr. Tony Jones” on General Hos- skinned and tough enough to be able to walk through the briar pital for 22 years. He was also featured for a number of years as patches of life when they have to. I‟m all for fairness and I think Ashley Simpson‟s father on Seventh Heaven. we should keep things pretty fair for our young ones. We certainly Mr. Maule is currently a member of the faculty at Stephen F. Aus- don‟t want them to get discouraged but I am sometimes con- tin University in Nacogdoches. “We‟re trying to do our part to keep cerned that we may be starting to lose our competitive edge “In this wonderful music alive. For the most-part, you don‟t hear or the Name of Fairness.” see what we call „Classic Country‟ on many radio or TV shows If the winner of the race receives a trophy does that also mean these days. Our audience response has been amazing, which the last place finisher should receive a trophy as well? Some may tells us that there are lots of folks out there who still want to hear say, “Well, we have to be fair to everyone.” But if we do that we and see what we‟re offering,” Maule said. are actually being unfair...unfair to the winner and unfair to the loser? Now I understand that some people are blessed with more Texas County Line is also carried on U.S. stations and cable sys- talent than others which gives them an advantage but talent alone tems in Nashville, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Waco, Temple won‟t take you to the winners circle. Anybody who has competed and Dallas-Fort Worth. in sports knows this. Take Tuff Hedeman for example. Tuff wasn‟t the most talented bull rider going down the road and he‟ll tell you Beginning in early 2010, the show will air overseas in; Germany, that himself. Tuff did however try harder than anybody else. In his Northern Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, career Tuff rode some of the rankest bulls that ever chewed cud Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, and has four world championship buckles to prove it, three PRCA Montenegro, Kosovo, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and one PBR. I think, “In the Name of Fairness,” everybody Spain, Italy and Poland should have their chance. That is the American dream is it not? We can‟t however constantly be stopping the game to read- For more information, please visit www.TexasCountyLine.tv or just the rules or the score “In the Name of Fairness.” phone the Nacogdoches headquarters for Texas County Line Pro- This also speaks to state this country is in right now. Do we take ductions, Inc., at 936.569.8650. the dollar from the feller who has worked hard to earn it and share with the one who has not? I think Adrian Rogers a prominent www.TexasCountyLine.tv Southern Baptist pastor, conservative and author said it best. “You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without work- We look forward to seeing you at the ing for, another person must work for without receiving. The gov- Western Music Association Showcase and Awards Show ernment cannot give to anybody anything that the government Albuquerque, NM, Nov. 11-22 does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half 13 News From the Back Porch 7. Kevin Davis - When they Call out my Name 8. Jimmy Permenter & The Burning Timbres - Bull Dressed as a INTERNET RADIO??? You've got to Cowboy be kidding! More fun than a fifty 9. The Stringbenders - Tonight We Ride gallon drum of drunken monkeys! 10. Allan Chapman - Gardens of Gethsemane

Howdy Buckaroos and Bucka- Thanks Y‟all and be sure to join us on the INTERNET for the rettes! Me and Tamara are comin‟ Ralphs Back Porch Radio Show! at ya LIVE from sparklin‟ downtown San Augustine, Texas each and [email protected] every week on Monday, Wednesday & Friday nights 7 til 9 pm CST and The messenger…Rhonda Craig we do it all through the magic wand of the INTER- from Enid, OK NET! Whoa....wait just a doggone minute there, Ralph! The November 09 INTERNET, you say? Yep, your computer. Your laptop. That box Why do I love to dance? you have in your home or haul around in your truck, you know? I love to dance…but why do I love to The computer you play solitaire on and keep track of the feed bills dance? with. Why do we want to get up and move to Well, now you can also listen to some of the finest WESTERN/ the music when we hear it? COWBOY, WESTERN SWING & TEXAS HONKY-TONK MUSIC Because our creator made us that way on the PLANET with the computer! How? Well, gosh, its as sim- folks! ple as a commode lid! The bible teaches that dancing is to wor- ship God, celebrate life, good fortune, and victories! Are those not Just LOG ON, go to, click on, browse this website and you will get terrific reasons to dance? (There are book chapter and verses for WESTERN music as if by magic! www.blogtalkradio.com/ these if you need them) And to think…I almost missed out on one ralphsbackporch of the biggest blessings God has provided for us…DANCING. How did I almost miss out on the blessing of dancing? It's like turning a dial on an old timey radio. We step back in time Well, I grew up in a small town in OK where we attended a tiny to where there are NO rules, no right and wrong way, we're live little church. We didn‟t have a preacher, couldn‟t afford to pay one, so...if we mess up, you hear it on the air, and best of all, WEST- so men of the congregation took turns teaching a bible lesson on ERN STARS sit down with us via the telephone and clue us in on Sunday mornings. all the good stuff happening in their lives just like we were all sit- Friday nights at the Hut tin‟ around on the back porch sippin‟ iced tea and playing music. But on Friday night in our little town everyone took their kids and went to the American Legion Hut where into the night Whoooo-eeeeeeeeeee, it don‟t get much better than that, does it? to a band, consisting of a fiddle, guitar and a stand up bass. The Western music, cowboy poetry, some joke tellin‟, and GOOD RA- older gentlemen danced with the little girls and patiently taught DIO! them how to dance while the women danced with the little boys So, pardners, come in from the cold and sit back, relax and LOG doing the same. Everyone danced with each other 2-stepping, ON to the....INTERNET for your weekly does of Western music waltzing and jitterbugging. At some point during the evening „a and talk! square‟ would be called to which my mother would be delighted. Thanks and we'll see y‟all on the net! She loved to square dance. When the kids got tired we went to sleep in the corner on all the Back Porch Picks in no particular order! piled up coats. 1. Paul Bogart - The Cowboy Way I loved Friday nights. It was so much fun for the whole family. 2. Kail Mantle - No Mares My mother loved Friday nights. It was her night to let the worries 3. Richard Lee Cody/Mary Kaye Knaphus - It's Been Awhile and cares that poverty creates melt away. 4. Tim Hus - Cattlerack Cowboy Friday night’s dancing condemned 5. Mack Abernathy - Pocket Rocket Ranger I remember well when the Revival Meeting was launched for our 6. AW Love - West Texas Dreams little church by a preacher in a near-by town. It was his mission to

[email protected] 14 set our feet on the straight and narrow path and away from of the ahead and bury me because I really am dead! American Legion Hut. First on the list, we needed to be taught the My wish for you EVILS of dancing. Most of the membership engaged in the Friday In this life, when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…I hope night community dance. There was no alcohol…at least none in you dance! sight, so the problem was not the place where we were dancing… Serving with joy, it was the DANCING itself. The messenger….Rhonda Tobe, my Sunday school teacher was particularly targeted be- cause he took the tickets at the door of the dance and helped run [email protected] it. Tobe refused to buy into the teaching about dancing being sin- ful…so after he had been inundated with much preaching, brow beating, and threatening (which did not deter him from his Friday Rick Huff’s - Best Of The West Reviews night dancing activities) the new preacher instructed the congre- gation that fellowship must be withdrawn from Tobe. No one was The Old West Trio to have anything to do with him. He was actually being thrown "Ridin' Back To Yesterday" out! And…they did it! On their ride back to yesterday, this group still Mother stopped...or did she? manages to take enough "today" with them to My mother was aghast but had no say in the matter. Seeing what keep it jazzy, frisky and smile-makin' !! happened to him, stopped the Friday night dance outings at our house…after all mother didn‟t want her children to be led astray The Old West Trio is made up of Steve ("SW") by this DANCING or ostracized as was Tobe. Mother stopped Johnson on vocals & lead guitar, Steve ("SK") Ide on vocals and dancing at the American Legion Hut but she never stopped danc- rhythm guitar and Leslie (no intials they've confessed to) Ide on ing. Her new dance hall was our kitchen, dancing to the music of vocals and upright bass. They are augmented on various tracks Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys who were broadcast daily at by Thom Bentley (guitar/mandolin), Carl Finnegan (guitar), Jim noon when we were home from school to eat lunch. I loved to Donnell (mandolin), Ronnie Elkan (fiddle) and Blackwood Tom watch my mother laugh and smile, doing her jig in the kitchen to Schmidt (clarinet). This latter artist's performance on the song “Take Me Back to Tulsa.” "He's A Cowboy" is reminiscent of Larry McWhorter's work on I stopped …or did I? R.W. Hampton's original "Travelin' Light." In fact much of the ar- Not surprising, I too bought into the „dancing is a sin‟ teaching for ranging and composing of the 14 original works here seem crafted many years. to instill a comfortable familiar feel. I slipped around, as kids will, in high school and danced because my friends did. I still loved to dance and missed it. I married a Picks include the title track man who didn‟t dance for the same reasons. We certainly didn‟t about giving up city battles for want our children to be led astray so never allowed them to dance boots and saddles, "Cowboy either. School" (on-the-job reining), I Saw the light "Coyote Serenade" (coyotes, Thirty years later, after extensive bible study and soul searching, I three part harmony, you get it), made a difficult decision to refute the teachings of the religious "Dance Hall Annie" (with a zealots who had put man made constraints on dancing, labeling it different outcome from the as sin. I came to believe their teaching to be contrary to what the bulk of the type) and "I Want bible actually had to say about dancing! To Live Out West" (obviously Mother’s Blessing inspired by the famous Roy Mother was in very ill health but still alive when I boldly pro- Rogers/Sons Of The Pioneers yodel treatment of "Texas Plains"). claimed that we were going to take dance lessons. She said There is one song here ("Quick Nick") that some may find a tad “Rhonda, if I had not stopped dancing I would not be sick today. indelicate, but lighten up! It's still fun! You go dance and don‟t stop. Don‟t worry about how well you dance. The folks on the dance floor don‟t care how you are danc- A good test of Western Music prowess is taking themes that have ing. The ones sitting down can‟t do that dance or they wouldn‟t be been written to death and giving them a fresh spin. These folks sitting down. So you go dance like no one is watching and have manage it throughout for a very enjoyable ride. fun”. Mother didn‟t know it but her words were my final emancipa- tion.. CDs: $10 plus $2 s/h through www.oldwesttrio.com or from Old Dancing... Again West Trio, 6281 Pikes Peak Circle, Garden Valley, CA 95633 It was like we were dating again when we started going dancing. Email [email protected] and phone (530) 642-2280 We had new life.

Free at last…free at last …Thank God almighty I‟m free at last… - Rick Huff My husband and I started dancing and have not stopped for al- most 20 years! I know my mother is pleased that I have been [email protected] reunited with the music, western swing, and the dancing, that brought her so much pleasure. What a blessing dancing has been… and I almost missed Join Joe Baker and the Backforty Bunkhouse Radio Show it. Saturday morning from 6:00 AM til 10:AM The elixir of life…that‟s dancing & Western Swing music (second KWMW 105.1 only to coffee)! Or on the net at BackfortyBunkhouse.com In fact, I have asked my husband to promise, if the Dr. tells him I With the best in Western Music! have died, to run get the recording of „Big Ball‟s in Cowtown‟ and play it immediately in my presence. If my feet don‟t twitch then go

15 Tri-Son News Biggest Little News Sheet In Country Music (Since 1963) • November 2009 Issue ______Loudilla and Kay Johnson • P.O. Box 40328 • Nashville, TN 37204 • Ph. 615-371-9596 ______

Tootsie Bess, Charlie Daniels, Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, and Kid Rock will be added to The Music City Walk of Fame Nov. 8 in downtown Nashville. The ceremony, sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public. The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar and sponsors GAC, the City of Nashville, and Metro Parks.

The lineup for The 43rd Annual CMA Awards grew even stronger with the addition this week of Martina McBride, Kid Rock, and Jamey John- son. The Judds, Kris Kristofferson, and Lee Ann Womack are in as presenters. and Carrie Underwood will host the show live from Nashville, Nov. 11 on ABC.

Toby Keith took America by storm with the No. 1 debut of his new CD, “American Ride,” on Billboard’s Chart . two weeks on Billboard's and Country Aircheck/Mediabase's single charts with the title track. Keith’s America's Toughest Tour presented by Ford F Series marked the ninth straight year the hard-touring artist crosses the one million ticket threshold. His recent performance at Lucas Oil Stadium (home field of the NFL's Colts) in Indianapolis to kick off the 82nd National FFA Con- vention sold out , smashing previous FFA attendance records by more than 7,000 tickets. Earlier this year Keith made his annual visit overseas to forward operating bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, performing for U.S. troops as part of his seventh consecutive USO Tour. So while Keith is no stranger to world travel, the tour this month is his first foray into Europe as a touring act. Promoted by Live Nation International, concerts kicked off Nov. 9 in Scotland, and continues through Northern Europe, ending Nov. 22 in Nor- way. On Dec. 11 Keith returns to the Spektrum arena in Oslo to join an elite group of artists performing at the 16th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Con- cert. The performances will be broadcast to a worldwide audience.

Kenny Rogers will launch his 28th annual Christmas & Hits Tour Nov. 27 in Bossier City, LA. The 20-city tour, with guest, Rebecca Lynn Howard, will wrap Dec. 23 in Westbury, NY and is sponsored by World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization working in nearly 100 countries to serve the poor and those in need.

News Briefs: Billy Currington will perform during the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in . The Today Show's Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, and Al Roker will co-host the NBC broadcast. ••• Thea Tippin‟s 14-song CD, My Way, will be available Nov. 12. The Nippit Records CD includes guest vocals from Billy Dean and Aaron Tippin. ••• Joe Diffie releases his first-ever live album, Live at Billy Bob‟s Texas Nov. 17. ••• Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary Oct. 31. ••• John Rich will serve as Grand Mar- shal for the annual Nashville Christmas Parade Dec. 4. The parade, sponsored by Piedmont Gas, benefits their Share the Warmth Round Up program. ••• 's new CD, "A Moment In Time" (released 10/27), is a collection of classics such as “If You’ve Got Leavin’ On Your Mind” and includes duets with Tracy Lawrence -“After The Fire is Gone” and Raul Malo -“Easy Lovin’. Morgan heads to Broadway in January to begin rehearsals for her starring role in the stage adaptation of “Pure Country.”

Brad Paisley‟s American Saturday Night tour wrapped its first leg of dates last month, having played to more than 1.2 million fans in over 75 markets with and 51 sell outs. Paisley presented the one millionth ticket holder with a 2009 Chevy Silverado a few weeks ago in Jacksonville, FL. Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne were guests on the tour. The final leg of the American Saturday Night tour kicks off Jan. 7 in San Antonio with Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore as special guests.

Rascal Flatts wrapped the first leg of their American Living Unstoppable Tour last weekend selling 550,000 tickets in 39 shows since it began in June. From January of this year, the band has sold over a million concert tickets, bringing their 4 year total to just over 4 million tickets sold. Next up for the group are nominations for Group of the Year at the CMA Awards (Nov.11) and Country Group of the Year and Country Album of the Year at the American Music Awards (Nov. 22 on ABC). Their newest CD Unstoppable has been certified platinum for sales in excess of 1 mil- lion.

Old Things New, the new CD from Joe Nichols, is scoring some very high marks with music critics and was this week's highest new CD debut on the country music charts. Additionally, Nichols just filmed his first ever live performance music video in San Antonio, TX in front of a packed house at Cowboys. (Expect to see the video by Thanksgiving.) "," the second single from is already one of the fastest moving singles in Nichols’ career. After only three weeks, it is in the 30's on the country music charts and also gave Nichols his best first week sales for a single of his career. Nichols will be featured in a documentary titled "Joe Nichols: My Military Diary," set to premiere on Great American Country (GAC) Sunday Nov. 8. The 30-minute special is an up close and behind the scenes look at his recent trip to Kuwait and Iraq, where he met and performed for thou- sands of American troops stationed in the countries.

Music industry veteran, Howard Fields, and veteran publisher, Everett Zinn, announce the launch of a new independent music company based in Nashville, McMurry Entertainment Group (MEG). MEG, a three-way partnership between Fields, Zinn and Wyoming businesswoman Doris McMurry, is comprised of a and management company. In the works are a distribution deal and artist signings to be announced in the coming weeks. Larry Shell, will head up MEG’s A & R efforts. Most recently, Shell was V.P./A&R at Broken Bow Records. Also a talented songwriter, Shell won the coveted CMA Song of the Year in 2001 for “Murder on Music Row,” co-written with Larry Cordle. Veteran music industry publicist, Claire Cook, will oversee publicity for the new company and consult on public relations and marketing efforts. Cook’s career includes stints at EMI America, Capitol Records, Magnatone Records and Dreamcatcher Entertainment.

Life Notes: Famed talent and booking agent Billy Deaton (74) passed away Oct. 31 after a lengthy illness. In 1969, following a brief career as a recording artist, "The Deacon" moved to Nashville at the urging of his friend, . He established The Deaton Agency, and struck a professional partnership with Young which continued for nearly three decades, until Young's death in 1996. Throughout his thirty years in busi- ness, Deaton worked in various capacities with Willie Nelson, , Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson and Tom T. Hall. He wrote or co-wrote a number of hit songs: with Doug Kershaw-"Louisiana Man", recorded by everyone from Kershaw, Buck Owens and Johnny Cash to Connie Smith and Bobbie Gentry. With Faron Young - the title track for Young’s 1970 release, "Wine Me Up", which Tanya Tucker also covered on her latest CD, My Turn. Deaton is survived by son, David Deaton and David's mother, Barbara Deaton Von-Haberstroh. Visitation/Funeral

16 services were held Friday, Nov. 6 in Nashville.

EVENTS Calendar 2009-2010:

• Nov. 10 - 57th BMI Country Awards (Invitation Only) - Nashville • Nov. 11 - 43rd Annual CMA Awards - Nashville (ABC TV) • Nov. 23 - Charlie Daniels' Christmas For Kids - Nashville • Jan 31 - 52nd Annual Grammy Awards - Los Angeles (CBS TV) • Feb. 24-26 - Country Radio Seminar 41 - Nashville • Jun. 10-13 - CMA Music Festival - Nashville

These events and more are listed on our LINKS page! www.ifco.org/

______

Tri-Son News • Annual Subscription $25 (U.S. Funds) • Distributed electronically to subscribers worldwide and updated on www.ifco.org (Online subscription form available.)

Publisher's Note... Thanks to Loudilla and Kay Johnson for allowing us to include this issue of the Tri-Son News. We at Backforty Bunkhouse Productions salute Loudilla and Kay and their late sister Loretta for 46 years of bringing country music news to the world. - Joe Baker

"Who are these outlaws?" Name the Boys and the Band. Circa 1983. The first correct answer wins a CD Six Pack. Email your answer to [email protected]

17 Andy and Jim Nelson’s C. O. W. Radio

4 -Week Playlist

10/31/09, Kids Show

Buck Howdy: Baa, Neigh, Cock a doodle doo Billy Deaton The Texas Trailhands: In The Moo Roy Rogers/Dale Evans: Happy Trails Ben Crane: Lucky Country Music Talent Cora Wood: Chester Booker and long time Cora Wood: Cowboy Sweetheart manager of Faron Young, Billy Deaton passed away 10/24/09, Joke Show last night after a lengthy illness.

The recipient of an AIRA (Academy of Independent Recording New West: Backing to Birmingham Dave Stamey: Used Rough Artists) Award as Booking Agent of the Decade, Deaton played an Homer & Jethro: I'm My Own Grandpa essential role in the success of late country singer Faron Young, Prickly Pair: The Big Food Chain with whom he worked for more than a quarter of a century. Yvonne Hollenbeck: What Would Martha Do Deaton was born in the outskirts of Ruleville, MS. Together with Gary McMahan: Beer Can Bob his parents, brothers, and sisters, he worked in the fields until securing a job as a janitor and projector operator for the Delta 10/17/09, Hunting Show Theater in Ruleville, at the age of 15. Despite working long hours,

Laughing Hyena Band: Manly Hunting Men he served as president of the class of 1953 at Ruleville High Laughing Hyena Band: Da Turdy Point Buck School. ABC Orchestra: The Rifleman Deaton's involvement with music began while serving in the U.S. Laughing Hyena Band: Second Week Of Deer Camp Air Force. After spending time at the Lackland Air Force base in Baxter Black: Wilderness Wall San Antonio, TX, he was transferred to a base in Iceland. The Laughing Hyena Band: Something To Shoot move turned out to be the turning point in his life. In addition to

10/10/09, What Would a Cowboy Do? becoming a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio Network, he formed a band to play at military clubs. Riders in the Sky: The Trail Tip Song After being discharged from the Air Force, Deaton remained ac- Terri Taylor: Cowgirl Attitude tive in radio, selling ads and hosting a show for KMAC. Returning Rex Allen: The Last Roundup to San Antonio in 1959, Deaton was introduced to country music Carin Mari and Pony Express: Cowboy And Rodeos by vocalist Charley Walker who later became a member of the Dick Morton: Cattleman's Prayer Grand Ole Opry. After recording several regional hits for the San Brenn Hill: What a Man's Got To Do Antonio-based TNT label, Deaton became the first country artist 10/3/09, Spanish Mustangs Book Review signed by Chicago-based Smash Records. Launching a career as a booking agent, Deaton found financial D.W. Groethe: Hard, Wild And Free success by securing appearances for numerous local bands while Western Underground: Think About Rain bringing many Nashville entertainers to Texas, including Loretta Hank Snow: Wayward Wind Cowboy Lynn, Kitty Wells, , Billy Walker, Ferlin Husky and Celtic: Custer Died A Runnin' Webb Pierce. Ray Owens: Tracks That Won't Blow Out Fred Wolking: A Couple More Years Moving to Nashville in 1969 to serve as manager for Faron Young, he worked with the country artist until Young's death in [email protected] 1996. He continued to operate his talent agency after that time primarily working with the more mature country music entertain- ers. His slogan was "One Call Gets Them All." Bowie TX: On a personal note. After conducting an interview with Billy at his Silver Strings Entertainment Center, a not-for-profit organiza- office in Nashville a few years ago, Justin Trevino and I were pre- tion has been hiring bands since the summer, and we are paring to leave. I remarked to Billy that I appreciated the opportu- booked every Saturday night through January, 2010. nity to book Justin Tubb through him for Justin's first appearance Additionally, we have had the same band on Monday night for in Brady, Texas. I relayed that from that initial booking, I was able the past sixteen years (Archie Fulton & The Texhoma Express), and plan to continue that dance. We are on the lookout for to secure many dates for Justin in Texas throughout the years and some good bands that can work very reasonably until we are that I appreciated that first booking date. He looked up at me and well established and get some money in the bank! So if you said in a voice that seemed to come from somewhere else, know of ones that need a boost and want to grow with us, or "Tracy, God put me on this earth to help people like you." simply want to help us out, please feel free to give them my con- tact information. He was right. He was also one of a kind. Silver Strings has the best dance floor…a nice old wood floor

that can accommodate 150-200 dancers. We happily extend everyone an invitation to visit us any time Tracy Pitcox you can. www.heartoftexascountry.com Silver Strings is located at 500 Smythe Street, Bowie, Texas.

Joye Thompson (940) 692-8699 (940) 631-5303

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