Texas Polka News - February 2016 Volume 28 | Isssue 1 INSIDE Texas Polka News THIS ISSUE 2 Bohemian Princess Diary Theresa Cernoch Parker The PoLK of A needs you 3 Editor’s Log Gary E. McKee Salute to Steel Salute to the 3 From the TPN Archives March 2005: Remembering Bob Steel Guitar Wills - A Texas Legend featuring cotton patch 4-5 Featured Story picker David Simper Cotton Patch Picker By Gary E. McKee 6-9 More Real Steel Stories Story on Page 4 10-11 Valentine Concert, Mardi Gras Polka Fest, European Tour 12-14 Dances, Festivals, Events, Live Music 16 PoLK of A Report New President Kathy Cernosek 17 Dancehall Sounds Celebrates 10 Years 18-21 Festival/Dance Notes 22-23 Holiday Dancin' Photos 24 Polka Smiles Sponsored by Hruska's Page 2 Texas Polka News - February 2016 The day was almost perfect Bohemian Princess with a wonderful meal by Texas Polka News Staff Diary Koopman's Catering, tons Theresa Cernoch Parker, Publisher of desserts brought by Klub Gary E. McKee, Editor/Photo Journalist members, great dance music Jeff Brosch, Artist/Graphic Designer Contributors: provided by Fritz Hodde and Julie Ardery Mark Hiebert Alec Seegers the Fabulous 6, a tremendously Louise Barcak Julie Matus Will Seegers successful silent auction, Bill Bishop Earline Berger Okruhlik Karen Williams fellowship with others who share Lauren Haase John Roberts a love of polka and Texas. What would have made it perfect, was Contact By Theresa Cernoch Parker if three people out of the 150 who Theresa Parker, Texas Polka News had attended had stood up and P.O. Box 800183 • Houston, TX 77280 On Jan. 10, I attended the annual said, "I'd like to volunteer to serve 281-836-5362 meeting of the Polka Lovers Klub on the board." [email protected] | Gary: [email protected] of America Texas Chapter where After the meeting, Mary Lou the officers are installed for the Lawson, the Klub's Telephone Ads/Media year. What a great turnout! It was a Committee Chairperson for the Articles, ads, letters to the editor deadline: 1st of the month for the next month cold day, but it soon warmed up as past 11 years, did recruit one member to serve as a director. Ad Rates 1/3 page: $170 1/8: $55 enthusiastic polka lovers filled the Full page: $455 1/4 page: $115 1/16: $35 American Legion hall in Sealy. Thank you Bob Bourassa of Willis, 1/2 page: $255 3/16 page: $75 Congratulations to new for stepping up. I know Kathy and Discounts available for multiple runs. president Kathy Cernosek. I know the other officers appreciate it. Combo deals available for ads in TPN and polkabeat.com. she will do a great job in leading the I know we are all busy with Contact Theresa Parker for information. organization. And thanks to Clinton multiple responsibilities, but Ellebracht for serving the Klub as serving on the board is not that On The Cover president for the past three years. time consuming. It's not too late I was honored to receive an to volunteer. Kathy's contact Gary McKee captured this image of David Simper playing steel award of appreciation for serving as information is located on page 16. guitar with Charles and the Fabulous 4 on Fri., Jan. 8, 2016, at executive secretary for three years. Read her column and give her a Silver Center in Seguin. The board still has some positions call or email to let her know you're open - executive secretary, newsletter willing to help. About Texas Polka News editor, and director. The Klub has If you're not a member, The Texas Polka News was started by Julius resumed publishing in September 2014. over 500 members. In fact, it is consider joining. Come out to Tupa of Houston in 1987 with the mission In addition to polka, the paper covers to preserve and promote polka music and other dance hall music including Country, the largest the Klub dance. When Julius passed away in 2002, Western Swing, and Cajun, and celebrates chapter in the funraiser on his wife, Marie, continued as publisher, live music, such as Opry, across the state. nation, even Sun., Feb. and his friend, John Rivard, took the reins Theresa also founded polkabeat.com in 21, at the as volunteer editor. John stepped down as 2010 to honor the memory of her dad, larger than editor in June 2014, and Marie sold the Willie “Bill” Cernoch, to promote polka the "mother" American paper to Theresa Cernoch Parker, who music and heritage. Klub in Legion Hall Minnesota. in Wallis, Get/Give The Texas Polka News I would and find encourage out more Continue the polka tradition! Give your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews a subscription to Texas Polka News. We’ll extend your current TPN Klub about the subscription one month for each subscription you designate as a family gift. Published members to organization. monthly. One year (12 issues) for $25. Clip this out & mail check for $25 (outside U.S. $40) to The Texas Polka News volunteer It will be a P.O. Box 800183 Houston, TX 77280. Or click on the TPN link on polkabeat.com to their time great dance, subscribe or renew online with a credit card. too, with and talent Name ___________________________________________________________ to serve on music by the Street ___________________________________________________________ the board. The Klub needs people Red Ravens. City _________________________________ ST ________ Zip _____________ to step up and bring their ideas for As you finalize your resolutions how we can continue to grow and for 2016, make it a year to promote Ph _____________________ Email____________________________________ promote polka. your heritage and Polka On! ❏ New ❏ Renewal ❏ Gift ❏ Address change (include old address) Texas Polka News - February 2016 Page 3 Editor's Log Salute to Steel From the TPN Archives: March 2005 REMEMBERING BOB WILLS Swing.” - A TEXAS LEGEND How big was Bob’s contribution to the By Gary E. McKee development of western swing? Simply stated, Bob Wills put western swing onto Polka Date: February 2016. The editor By John Rivard the nationwide scene with his Texas has always been intrigued by the steel Playboys band, radio shows, movies, guitar ever since he saw Alvino Rey’s [As printed in March 2005] Editor’s note: dance hall performances, and great Bob Will’s 100th birthday is March 6 talking steel guitar on a black and Alvino Rey recordings, including the landmark hit (2005). Although Bob died in 1975, his white television in a burg in a far away “San Antonio Rose,” which helped vault the 1800s the Spanish guitar was music lives. The following article is in galaxy known as pre-Interstate 10 the music to nationwide recognition. introduced to the Hawaiians. Legend birthday tribute to the man who made Schulenburg. Yes folks, Bob Wills is a Texas legend, has it that around 1874, young Joseph western swing. with his fiddle, the jaunty cowboy hat, a Just to establish terminology: Kekuku attempted to lay his guitar flat cigar in the corner of his smiling mouth, and play it, but wasn’t satisfied with “Deep within my heart lies a melody…” originally a lap steel was a "normal" and his famous “hollers” that punctuated the sound. To improve it he fashioned Yes folks, it’s the familiar refrain from acoustic wooden guitar that is played the music that he created. His role is best a smooth steel bar and metal finger the great Bob Wills western swing hit on the musician's lap, however early summed up by lyric of Waylon Jennings’ picks to produce an entirely new “San Antonio Rose,” and it’s known to (1940ish) players such as Herb tribute song, which concludes, “Cause sound that swept the islands and soon fans of great music everywhere. It also Remington and Leon McAuliffe had once you’re down in Texas, Bob Wills is traveled to the United States. The graces the grave of the legendary Bob stands built and later electronics still the King.” Let’s learn a little more Wills as a fitting epitaph for this man and added. The strings are picked with sound stayed relatively obscure since about Bob and his music. musician known as “The King of Western finger picks and a polished steel bar recordings hadn’t been invented yet. Continued on page 9 slides along the guitar’s neck. The earliest record of the Hawaiian A pedal steel guitar is a solid guitar sound was when cowboy movie From Our Readers block of wood with pickups (tiny star Hoot Gibson brought Sol Hoopii, microphones) under the strings to Hawaiian steel star, to Los Angeles to A while back, I received copies of the online (polkabeat) weekly news are also capture and amplify the sound. The play with his band in the early 1920s. Texas Polka News from you that contained great. Please keep it going. bar slides back and forth along the the article about the Joe Patek Band Ed & Marlene Kadlecek, Hallettsville strings just as a lap steel. Alvino Rey, POCKETKNIVES, BEER and mentioned the death of my father, big band leader and lap steel player, BOTTLES AND DOUBLE Quentin Hoffman. I wish to extend a Keep up the good work. Really enjoy was frustrated with the musical NECKS sincere thank you for sending them to keeping up with the bands and news. restrictions of his instrument. He and The popularity of the lap steel sound me. I was able to give by brother and Barbara Sutton, Taylor a mechanic devised a system of foot spread and soon inventor/musicians two sisters each a copy.