Tex Williams video "Talkin' Boogie", circa 1950?

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Here is a new video that just came up on youtube:

http://tinyurl.com/nndd7j

I had seen this 15 or 20 years ago on 16mm film.

This is the only footage I know of that shows Tex's guitar player who played a hollowbody laid down on his lap, like Thumbs Carlille. For the life of me, I can't recall the guy's name. I also recognize Deuce Spriggens and Ossie Godson.

Who's is on steel here? He is inaudible and doesn't take a ride, but you get a look at him during the guitar solo. Probably too early for Wayne Burdick?

I think this is about 1950. Tex recorded the song in 1948. However, my semi-eagle eye tells me that the knockout blonde at 21 seconds in is the late Sheree North, who later went on to considerable fame as an actress. She was born in January 1932 and I doubt if she would be working in the biz younger than 18. Her first official film credit is 1951.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Isn't that Dickie Phillips on guitar?
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Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

I think the steel player could be Wayne Burdick.

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Mike:

I think you are right; I can never remember his name.

I googled Dickie Phillips a bit and came up with this from a genealogy page:

JAMES RICHARD "DICKIE" PHILLIPS, b. August 30, 1920, Beamon, Pettis County, Missouri; d. April 23, 1991, Jackson County, Missouri; m. MARTHA KILLEBREW, Abt. 1940, St. Louis, Louis County, Missouri.

Notes for JAMES RICHARD "DICKIE" PHILLIPS:

James Richard Phillips was an accomplished musician, playing the fiddle and guitar with many well known bands, such as Spike Jones, Tex Williams and Bob Scobie. He played with Pat Boone's backup band and appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Show as a regular attraction for several months, both on radio and television.

When he was with the Tex Williams band, he played background music for a number of movies, including several of the Walt Disney animated films. During his youth, he played with a band which appeared in Hawaii and during this time he contracted tuberculosis.

The disease progressed to the point where he was near death in the late 1940s. He had a lung and nine ribs removed in an attempt to halt the progress of the disease; however, the other lung was also infected. At that time a new family of drugs, including streptomycin was being experimented with but had not yet been released for use by the general public. He was one of the first people to be given the drug as an experiment on human beings. The drug was successful and he was eventually cured of tuberculosis. However, with only one lung remaining, he would spend the remainder of his life with chest problems.

As with many in the show business world, he was afflicted with alcoholism, and as a result, he left the business and returned to his home in Missouri in the early 1970s. In Missouri he was able to spend the rest of his days as a recovered alcoholic. He played his music in the Sedalia area until just a few years before his death.

From the Sedalia Democrat:

James R. Phillips -- James R. (Dickie) Phillips, 70, of 849 Olsen Drive, died Tuesday, April 23, 1991, at Research Hospital, Kansas City. He was born August 30, 1920 in Sedalia, son of James B. and Carrie Ray Phillips. Mr. Phillips was a musician, and had played guitar and violin for popular entertainers including Arthur Godfrey, Tex Williams, Bob Scobie, Spike Jones and Pat Boone. He also played live music on KDRO radio. He was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church. Survivors include three sisters, Eva Fackler, Route 2; Chessie Hopkins, 857 Olsen; and Helen Bohon, 901 Olsen. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday at the Ewing Funeral Home with the Revs. Nothwehr and Hoehe officiating. Pallbears will be Leo Fackler, Junior Beck, Steve Phillips, Ronnie Phillips, Bobby Hopkins, Jerry Hopkins, Steve Futcher and Donnie Moon. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery.

Bobby Caldwell · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.

Great stuff. Thanks for the post. I saw Dickie on the Godfrey show when I was a little kid. I never remembered what he looked or souned like. Thanks so much.Wade Ray knew Dickie and told me many things about his playing the man. My best, Bobby

David Doggett · Posted 17 Jun 2009 2:18 pm

Sounds suspiciously like rap to me. Winking

Whoever the guy is playing horizontal guitar, notice he frets with his right hand. Is that the way Thumbs did it?

I love vibes. You don't hear them much in Western Swing, but that was some great vibes playing. Not much of a fan of accordion, but that was nice ride.

This whole video just shows you how conventional and conformist we have gotten compared to times in the past. Smile

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Got to play with Dickie one time. Les "Carrot Top" Anderson called me for a gig at an upstairs Dancehall somewhere in Los Angeles. Les was fronting the band and not playing Steel. When the band started "Dickie" was sitting cross legged on a table on the Bandstand playing both Guitar and Fiddle. He completely knocked us out with his playing and was so easy to play with. This was a throw together Band but it did not take long for us to sound like an organized Band. We had all "been there, done that". I remember "Peewee Adams" was on drums.

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