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Topic: Night Clubs, Tonks, & Skull Orchards |
Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 6:52 pm |
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Here's some of the old Tonks in the Texas, New Mexico areas. Can you name them? And how 'bout posting some pics of those famous ones in your area:
These are the clubs in the condition they are today not in their heyday, with the possible exception of the first image.
phred
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There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 1:54 pm
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No takers huh? The first pic is of the famous Stampede here in Big Spring, TX. Notice the 'swamp air conditioners on the side of the building. Jody Nix is carrying on his pop's wishes. BTW Jr. Knight is now playing psg for Jody. A whale of a band.
The second pic is of the infamous "Ace of Clubs" here in Big Spring also. This is the place Lefty Frizzell got his start with a legitimate band, "The Westerners" headed up by Billy Madry and your's truly playing 6 string lap steel.
The last pic is where the "State Line Bar" was located in Hobbs, NM. Lots of the steelers on the forum played here; folks like Tommy Morrell, Bobbe Seymour, Reece Anderson, Tuttle, and many more including me. I don't remember the stone wall entries and I'm certain there were no double doors there.
phred
_________________
There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!
Think about it!! |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 9:25 pm
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Fred,would like to post some photos of some of the old clubs[in the 40's 50's 60's] on the outskirts of my hometown,But they are all covered by KUDZU. They are just big green blobs scattered along the road,sure miss them. DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 9:58 pm
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Charlie, several of us went together and tried to buy the old 'Ace Of Clubs', (the city owned it for back taxes---stored dog food in for Spca) but they wouldn't sell it. Politics you know. It was later 'given away' to some guys' grandson and he has done nothing with it. You can see how grown up it is around the old building. Too bad.
phred
_________________
There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!
Think about it!! |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 12:18 am
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Phred:
Here's a dandy; is it still around?
I made it into the Stampede on my only trip to Big Spring circa 1973. I remember speaking with some folks earlier in the day, telling them I was going to go see Hoyle Nix--they looked at me wide-eyed, finding it hard to believe anyone from out of state had heard of and would actually go see Hoyle. Then I made a bad move when I walked in the place--I sat down at a random table, not realizing it was reserved for the same family that had been using it weekly for decades. Felt like a Yankee. If I recall correctly, you had to bring your own bottle?? Probably was Dusty Stewart on steel.
Funny how your post reminded me of things--I spent a week in Big Spring going through Oscar's record shop--I think of it as a museum. I met John Minnick in there--he was on duty as a police officer and told me he played for Hoyle in the very early days. I just searched his name on Google and found his obituary from 2005--he died in Midland. The obit says he was with Hoyle from 1948 to 1958.
Was the State Line Bar in Hobbs also known as Al's State Line??? |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 8:10 am
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Alvin, the building in the pic is located at the fork in the highway just as the old building was, but I don't remember the two native rock entryways. You can't get in the building now, it was all locked up when we got there.
Mitch, Every steeler I know has played the Reo Palm Isle in Longview, TX. The wednesday afternoon matinee was a favorite of the players, all the girls were let in free and whatever else one can imagine. 
Folks in this town never were really cognizant of the inroads Hoyle cut in the Western Swing world in Texas. His son, Jody, is carrying on that tradition today. I started with Hoyle in 1948 as a leadman and switched to steel at Hoyle's request ("That's the only job I've got for you young man!") after the steel player walked off the bandstand.
The Record Shop is still open and being operated by Jake Glickman, Oscar's son. I worked in the basement of that store for about 6 months and never learned the location of the albums, but Oscar knew where every single one of them was located. Oscar operated a string of juke boxes in the area and when he ordered albums, he bought by the gross and what was left over from his distribution he sent them down to the basement and sold them retail. Hell of a profit.
BTW Oscar coordinarted with Lefty Frizzell and wrote the Tab for "Mom & Dad's Waltz" and a couple of more that I can't remember. He also chipped in some bucks for Lefty to go to Dallas and cut his first records.
John Minnick was a police officer here, just as Weldon Myric was at one time. Heck of a nice guy both of them. John played rhythm and Bass when I was there. I quit Hoyle in early '49 and went with The Westerners at the old Ace Of Clubs with Billy Madry and Charlie Stewart, etc.
The State Line Bar was known by several names and I think Al's State Line was one of them. Maybe Sizemore, Reece, Tuttle or some of the forumites can probably tell us for certain.
Some one needs to get Bobby Bowman to tell the story of his working with Tony Douglas and the Shrimpers at the Reo Palm Isle. Bowman worked a week for Douglas and had to pay Tony 20 bucks fine for cussing on the bandstand.  
phred
_________________
There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!
Think about it!! |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 2:20 pm
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Phred:
Were there any other Myricks operating as musicians in the Big Spring area in the 60s/70s other than Weldon? My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I seem to recall a Myrick in a lounge band there on my visit circa mid 70s. There used to be a rock band called "Gary Myrick and The Figures" and I always wondered if Gary was related to Weldon.
I spent a day or so in Oscar's basement as well. That's where he had the 78s stashed and I bought a bunch of them. Oscar got written up in Texas magazine (Texas Monthly?), maybe when he passed away? He was famed for never returning unsold records to distributors for credit, saying "why should I send them back--they would just send me more stuff I can't sell". So the store evolved into a museum. He was a character, as was his right hand man Sam, who I assume you knew from the store as well. I remember Oscar had all the 45s stored in low-level drawers, so you had to spend a lot of time on hands and knees. I would guess that store now bears little resemblance to what it was like on my visit. |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 4:51 pm
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Mitch there was an entire Myrick family that played around here. Gordon Myrick is still here and plays bass once in a while. The old man played fiddle and mandolin, momma played keys, and Durwood (who lives in Kansas I believe) was another tremendous steeler out of this area. They played every friday and saturday night in the big jamboree here in the city auditorium. There were not related to Weldon. But Weldon originally came from a little town of Jayton, just about 100 miles north of here.
Ah Yes, Sam the Man. One of the nicest of the nicest. He passed some time ago, I can't remember how long. Tremendous memory.
I'm not certain about a Gary Myrick, just don't know. But I've been in bands around here with Gordon for at least 20 years. He's a 'rockin' chair rhythm man'. Damned good. Plays a big ole Precision Bass that blows the walls out. Good man.
BTW the old Record Store looks almost as it did 50 years ago. It hasn't change one Iota. I'll try to get a pic of it and post it on this thread.
phred
_________________
There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI!!
Think about it!! |
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