Californy folk please???

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Well some of you out there mat have noticed that I have a thing for Californian bands, pickers and singers.
And it would seem that no fame is too small for my interest, so my quest continues...

Whatever happened to singers like Glen Garrison, Marvin Blanton, Jack Tucker, Jim Smith, Bobby Griggs, Joanie Waco, Lloyd Emmanuel Jr, Marvin Caves, Johnny Blankenship, Wes Buchanan, Norm Forrest, Hank Ross, Tom Holbrooks, Dick Burns and Jack Reeves.

Does anyone know?

------------------

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Wow! I've lived in California for 32 years, and I've never heard of any of those folks.

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

I'm with you on this one bOb, can't say I've ever heard of any these guy's either.

Jason, what years were these guy's around and what part of Ca?

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Johnny Blankenship is still living in Glendora. He's not a full-time picker; in fact I think he was doing building and repair work for supermarkets last I asked. He still plays some gigs with J.B. Walker Band (with fiddler Harvey Walker.) Jay Dee Maness is usually their steel player.

Gregg Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn.,USA

Jason,
I'm pretty sure that Glen Garrison was killed in a car wreck years ago. He was a good singer and writer,and a permanent fixture at the Imperial Club in the Los Angeles area when Johnny Paycheck was living out there. (How about a little help here,Boomer or Herb?)

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

Wes Buchanan moved to Nashville in or around 1965 and went to work for Marty Robbins as his office manager. He signed to Columbia Records and had some mid-chart success there; unfortunately he passed away sometime thereafter, but I don't know exactly when. I had also heard Glen Garrison had died, but I didn't know how until now. Most of the performers mentioned in this post were contemporaries of Gib Gilbeau, Graham Parsons, Clarence White, and with the exception of Wes Buchanan helped carve out that "California Country Sound" that culminated in the popularity of such groups as "The International Submarine Band" and "The Flying Burrito Brothers". Best, Boomer

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Hi guys, we are mainly talking 1960's here, most of these people seem to have vanished over the years..say early 1970's onwards.

Jack Tucker used to play Cal's Corral and I think he used to be in the Long Beach area in the early 1960's.
I remember Herb Steiner mentioning that while he was Ronstadt & the Stone Poney's {1968-69},that Jack had an attitude about Herb's long hair and wouldn't let him on the bandstand.

I have seen some photo's from a Local 47 Country Music Jamboree from 1964 which included Norm Forrest, Hank Ross, Blackie Taylor & the Southlanders, Eddie Bond, Herman the Hermitt, Sammy Masters and his group {with Carl Walden on steel}, Bobby Wayne {not the dude who played with Hag}, Wynn Stewart, Fred Maddox among others.

The houseband for those who didn't have a band there was led by Hank Ross with Billy Tonnesson on steel.
Hank played with Gene Davis i the late 1950's,worked with a few bands, some his own,even worked a couple with Blackie Taylor in the mid 1960's.
I've heard he may have moved to Texas, but i don't know for sure.

Norm Forrest, well I heard that he was part of a Arco Records deal. Arco was owned by Filmways & Cinema Pictures of Hollywood Ca.
Sometime in 1967 Robert Hinkle and Wes Buchannan were working for Arco Records, they
auditioned material for a proposed television show called "Hollywood Jamboree"
its premise was to showcase new talent and songwriters.
There was a four song session

"Unbreakable Heart", Hinkle Music BMI 45-6603, Written by Ace Tipton,backed with "Brazos Quicksand" Central Songs Inc. BMI 45-6604, written by Wes Buchannan & Robert Hinkle.
Vocals by Wes Buchannan.

"Every Now And Then", Hinkle Music BMI 45-6602, Written by Norm Forrest,
backed with "I'm Beginning to lose" Hinkle Music BMI 45-6601, written by Norm Forrest.
Vocals by Norm Forrest.
the backing group included Jimmy Bryant and Jerry Wiggins.

I also seem to remember that Jay Dee Maness mentioned working with Norm in 1968 until feb '69 when he joined the Buckaroos.
So after that Norm seems to dissapear?
*Actually in my original question I mentioned Wes Buchanan, but that was a mistake, I don't really know anything about him, but I'm sure i heard he passed away in 1985.

Tom Holbrook as 'Tom Brooks' was in the '69 Palomino band, he played the North Hollywood clubs in the early 1970's, and some Vegas gigs. He was even one of the artists who recorded with Michael Nesmith's Countryside band in 1973 {nothing issued}..dunno anything after that?

Jack Reeves worked around the Palmdale scene in the late 1960's. He actually had Eric White on bass, who after he left Ronstadt's group in 1970, just before they turned into Swampwater and cut an album. I believe that Bob Warford also played lead guitar for him, just before Freddy Weller hired him away, circa '69 and Wayne Moore who had played bass with Nashville West with Clarence White, also did a stint in Jack's group around this time. Jack's biggest claim to fame was "being Glen Campbell's cousin" (I think second or some obscure thing like that!). He was quite a showman on stage, rather Elvis like. He apparently worked mainly out in the San Bernadino-Riverside area. He did have the house band at a new club that opened up
in the middle '70's called Dodge Saloon (I've been told it was located in Downey, CA-about 15 miles east of downtown LA).
After that??

Frank Arnett, a steel player who split LA in '67 told me about quite a few of the people I mentioned. but seeing he split town in '67 he kind of lostrack of most of them.

Frank used to play steel for Joanie Waco in Sacramento, who had once had Ralph Mooney as her steel player and ran off with her bands fiddle player Billy Jack Soccier?{Saucier}, who I believe did some work for Hank Thompson
in the 1950's..

Glen Garrsion also played at Millers cave in the 1960's, and hada couple of solo albums in 1967 and 1968.
Jack Tucker cut some material for Toppa Records.

Marvin Blanton used to play at Marion's Saddle Club on Sth Vermont, LA. in the 1960's

Marvin Caves was around when the Tony Booth Band played week nights at the Pal, and either the Marvin Cave Band or Garland Frady played on Sundays.

He was in the main Pal' band when Jerry inman came on board in late 1973, but was soon replaced on bass by Buck Felts..after that?

Uhh can't think anymore..will get back, thanks guys.

------------------

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Okay I was beaten to the punch by a few of you guys, thanks Boomer, Ernest and Gregg.

Boomer, Wes with Marty Robbins?, that's cool.
Y'know he was in Vegas around 1960-61 working with Marshall Lytle who used to be in the Jodimars and Bill Haley's Comets.

------------------

[This message was edited by Jason Odd on 07 March 2000 at 04:22 AM.]

Joe Casey · From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)

Hey heres a few names ,Jimmy Moore,Shorty Gibbs, Jack Vaughn.1960 Jason has anyone got any information on any of these three.Del Dark?

------------------
CJC

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Hey Jason,
I know about a few of these guys! Al Bruno told me at Scotty's in '98 that Jack Tucker had died. Johnny Blankenship was a friend of mine for a long time. He said he'd play music full time until he was 40 years old and then if he hadn't made it he'd quit. Johnny played lead guitar, harmonica, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, piano and just about everything else. The last I'd heard of Marvin Cave someone said he'd moved to Nashville. It's true Glen Garrison was killed in a car wreck. Someone you might want to talk to also is Robert Crigger who plays piano with Jean Shepard on the Opry. He used to play on the west coast under the name of Bobby Lee and played piano and fiddle. A couple of other guitar players you might like to know about who died are Don Lee (Not a well liked guy) and Jerry Walker who could sing an Elvis song as good as anyone. Jason have you any information on these guys. I haven't heard anything about them since I left California: Monte Paul, Buddy Banks, Al Brown, Tokyo Ernie Hiraga, Jerry Raney, and Judy Lee (all drummers). How about girl singers JoAnne Rinard or Cindy Carson? When is your book coming out? I'll be first on the list for a copy.

------------------
Have a good one! JH U-12

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Jerry
Wow!! Monte Paul... hadn't thought about him in decades. We played with Jimmy Lawton and the Lawmen at the Holiday #2 in El Monte.

Speaking of drummers, I recently got a phone call from Ted Lessler, with whom I played in the Reb Allen Trio, also Garland Frady and the Outlaws. And I am in constant touch with Eddie Ponder, who also played with Jimmy Lawton, Bobbie Gentry, Byron Berline and others.

Jack Tucker is definitely dead. I hope the mortician gave him a final haircut!!

Only kidding, Jack was a great part of the LA scene.

Bob Warford was a good buddy of mine who was a hell of a banjo player before Clarence got him into lead guitar... "show me the money!"

Boomer may remember that Wayne Moore was the bass player when he and I worked the house band at the Jack O' Diamonds Club in Palmdale in February of 1971. Wayne had left Swampwater and sort of came with the club if any band wanted the gig there.

Boomer might also remember the 1970 rehearsal we had at Mike Murphey's house where we were prospecting gigs. Our gig at the Big Oaks Lodge in Simi Valley had run out. Murph suggested the Jack O'Diamonds, and Boomer said that Gib Guilbeau had the gig. I said no, that Gib and John (Beland) and Thad (Maxwell) had just joined Ronstadt. So we called the Jack and got the weekend house gig!! That was the start of a band called "Tex" that was popular in SoCal in 1970. In fact, Tommy Allsup produced a record for us on Metromedia that year.

Marvin Cave had a band with Danny Holderat the Pal for a short while, maybe Sundays. Danny could play standard guitar closer to a steel than any musician I have ever heard. You would literally swear there was a steel onstage. Ask Jay Dee, he'll vouch for that!

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 08 March 2000 at 09:20 AM.]

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

It seems there are a lot of folks who lived and picked out here in the LA area and I wish I had been here then, not coming out until '74 and then not in the country scene much until about '78. Have a couple questions tho.

For Herb, do you recall about where the Big Oak Lodge was located here in Simi Valley? It's only a matter of curiousity as places change names like the weather and most places that had music even 10 years ago have fallen away or are auto parts stores etc.

For Jerry, do you know the Borkin family? Father Bill Borkin and son Bobby, who used to get up and sing now and then. He always did Truck Drivin Man and a couple songs written by Little Tyke. If so, I think we were at a party at their house one night jammin and such with Lee Bradley and some others who's names are lost in the fog.

This thread is great fun for me tho most names I don't know.
Ken

George Duncan Sypert · From: Colo Spgs, Co, USA

Jason, Norm Forest was in Colo Spgs for a short time during the early 70's. I played a show backing him up at the Broadmoor International Center when we were the opening act for a Marty Robbins Concert. I don't believe I ever saw him again after that night. A fellow by the name of Sid Ballows might have a clue on his location but I don't know where Sid is either. Sid was the promoter for the show. Owned a Western Store here and went broke shortly after or at least closed up.

George

[This message was edited by George Duncan Sypert on 07 March 2000 at 08:15 PM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Hiya guys, wow pretty cool info.

Joe Casey, I have heard of Jack Vaughn and Jimmy Moore, I'm not too sure about, i think there's a Flying Burrito Brothers '69 bootleg with a Jimmy Moore or Morse sitting in on vocals for a couple of songs.
Hey Joe I got sent an email with a 1963 clipping and picture of Bill Taggert who was a 'country comedian' outside the Pal'.
Did you know him?

Jerry, the book is coming pretty damn good, lost a lot of time though last year with the car crash, the computer virus crash and a few other things. Still kickin' and have really focused of late. I hope to have the sucker finished by the end of this year, and to hit the States to sell it off by next year at the latest.
By the way are you talking about the same Tokyo Ernie that played with Sammy Masters in the 1960's with Blackie Taylor, Cecil Bays and Al Bruno?
If so he'd been crippled in some sort of accident about 20 years ago and passed away in the first week of this year.

Herb you mentioned the Reb Allen Trio, was that Reb Allen ie. Robert Fogleman, who was an LA. Policeman who wore tailored Nudie suits, sung and played bass. Ace Tipton mentioned he lives near Knoxville TN.

Herb, did the Tex album come out, I haven't heard of that one, could it be like the first Swampwater LP {1970} and be a lost gem
of the SoCal scene?
Actually that's on CD now, so it's not so lost..
Love this post guys.

------------------

Dayna Wills · From: Sacramento, CA (deceased)

Herb Steiner was a "long hair"? I don't believe it!!
I met Judy Lee when I lived in Whittier. I heard she worked at the Blue Bayou until she had a run in with Al Bruno's idiot partner. Didn't we all? he had a real problem with females. I almost went to work with a guy named Jimmy Vee but Idiot Al told him he wouldn't hire his group if I was in it cause he didn't want women band members.
I really liked Sammy Masters. Nice guy. I also liked his guitar player. Looks-wise, he reminded me of Charlie Rich, but I can't think of his name. Anyone remember?
DW

------------------

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Herb, wasn't the Jack o' Diamonds the place where Clarence W. played when he got killed after the gig? Do you remember when he played at the Nashville West with Gib Gilbeau, & Gene Parsons? I don't remember the bass players name though. I used to go to the after hours at the Cimmeron Club (Nashville West) when Jimmy Bryant had the gig. Glad to hear you knew ol' Monte Paul, we worked the Swizzle STik in H.B. and Shire's in Stanton, and the Parrish House together. I've got some good war stories about him.
Dayna, Sammy's lead guitar player might have been Ray MaHaffey..if Carl Walden told me that Ray had passed away awhile back. I did a short stint with Sammy about 20 years ago between Foothill Club World Tours and Ray was the guitar player then. He had semi-long grey hair and was in his 40's then.

------------------
Have a good one! JH U-12

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

I was playing the Jack-O-Diamonds that night in July of 73. Clarence was down the street, and I can't remember the name of the club. Herb, were you working with me that night? Best, Boomer

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Hi Jerry, Boomer..that night July 14, 1973. Clarence was down the street, with Eric and Roland, Gib Guilbeau had convinced Clarence to come by B.J's to sit in with him, Roland came for the ride and apparently Eric was the bass player for the house band at B.J's.
Clarence and Roland sat in with the group that night.
This was of course in Palmdale, the Jack 'O Diamonds had 'Dub Beene & the Outcasts' playing there for a short residency.
I can't think what the name of Eric White's group was, although the Dub Beene group had Bill Hullett on guitar who is now a Nashville cat.
Any of these sound familiar Boomer?

Actually the driver that hit the White brothers, {dislocating Roland's shoulder and killing Clarence} was one Yoko Ito.
Apparently somewhat of a regular at the Jack 'O' and had been kicked out that night before she attempted to drive. Well we know the rest.

Jerry, the bass player with Gib, Clarence and Gene would have been Wayne Moore. this tasty quartet on captured on the 'Nashville West' CD put out by Sierra Records. Clarence is really up front in the mix.

I've also heard that After the Pal and Corral club {late 1960's}, Gene Davis went on to work at the Nashville West in El Monte, CA with The Star Routers for several years, before he moved down to San Diego in the mid 1970's.

------------------

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Boom
Nah, I had moved to TX in June of 1972. I was working at the Holiday #2 in El Monte... my second tenure with Jimmy Lawton... when Murphey came back through LA with Livingston/Nunn/Hillis and got me to play the Whisky A Go Go gig with them. Sneaky P. filled in for me at the Holiday 2 with Lawton. After that I worked for a brief time with Garland again, then Charlie Call. Then moved to TX.

Interesting juxtaposition of band names: Jimmy Lawton and the Lawmen, Garland Frady and the Outlaws, and Charlie Call and the Call Boys (featuring the amazing Ron Still on bass!)

Jerry
The Parrish House was the sight of a brawl between Boomer and a couple of thugs who were upset that "Tex" had gotten a gig away from their buddies. I recall Boomer kicking their asses, but he probably forgot to take their names down, forgetfull that he is.

Jason
That's the Reb Allen I knew and unsuccessfully tried to love

! He had an album out on Crown (Folsom Prison Blues) with a cover photo of him in a chain gang outfit... too bad it was only a staged photo! He was kind of an jerk about paying the band what he promised them before the gig, as I recall it.

"Tex" never cut a full album, just 4 songs. I had a copy of them years ago, but God knows where it is now. The stuff wasn't very good from a steel guitar point of view, truthfully, since I really couldn't play in those days. If my memory serves me, the songs, written by Boomer and Murphey, were "Fort Worth I Love You," "Lee Roy," "West Texas Highway," and... and... ? Boomer, help me here!

Jason, do you have any information on Ron Still? There was also a wonderful guitarist and great guy named Hoss Huffman who passed away a long time ago, but was a big part of the after-hours band at the Imperial Inn in Santa Fe Springs.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Herb,
Didn't know Reb had an LP on Crown. Lotsa people had albums on Crown, like Red Rhodes, Jerry Cole, Jimmy Lloyd, Eddie Dean, Foy Willing, Harold Hensley, Steve Alaimo, Jimmy Dean, the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, Whitey Pullen, Al Terry and Johnny Tyler, Tex Carmen, Sonny James, Kay Starr and Gerald Wiggins Trio ..and too many to list. Only the Scottville Sguirrel Barkers has been re-issued on CD.

Ron Still's name seems familiar, but can't place it. Hoss I haven't heard of. Might have to keep an eye out for him though.
Whatever happened to Jimmy Lawton?

One note, who would call their group the Call Boys now?..did this name/term have a different meaning in the early 1970's?

Regarding TEX, it's about time someone put together a comp of these artists!

------------------

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Hey Jason,
Jimmy Lawton moved to Belgium years ago, sometime in the very early 70's I believe.

Herb,
I'm glad you remember Bill "Hoss" Huffman. One of the truly good guys in the music scene. I've never heard one bad word about him from anyone. I really admire Al Bruno for what he did with Hoss. Al was at the hospital almost everyday until Hoss died. He was his best friend in the world. Hoss gave Al a T-bird and when he died I think his wife took it back. The last time I saw Al he said he'd found another one just like it and bought it. I sure miss the way we all used to look out for each other. It's sure not like that anymore.

------------------
Have a good one! JH U-12

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

I just charged people to watch Herb. Made a lot of money, cause it was only a couple of minutes each time

Best, Boomer

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Guys, seems like everyone was bailing, Norm Forrest and Jimmy Lawton split in the early 1970's.
Al Bruno and Jay Dee tried to do the Nashville thing, Boomer did as did Peaches Price {1969}, Jim Pierce {1969}, Jackie Burnsin the mid to late 1960's, Buddy mize in '65. Dennis Payne in '76..
While Texas drew in Herb and Murph, and in the mid 1960's Curtis Leach, Vern Stoval and Janet McBride. Ralph Mooney moved there in '69 to join Wynn Stewart who'd moved there in 1968.
Phil Baugh resisted until the end of the decade, then later in the 1970's hit Nashville.
Texas is currently the home of the Booth brothers, the Cass brothers and Earl Ball.
And of course Herb, which reminds me, is your new album out yet Herb?

Oklahoma drew in Frank Arnett in '67 {now in Nashville}and Dale Bennett who split in 1970.
And the list goes on, no wonder no SoCal pickers of today know who I'm on about *sigh*

Jerry, what happened to Danny Michaels of the Rebel Playboys fame?

------------------

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

Jason - I don't believe it is a question of "bailing out on the California Country Scene" so much as "seeing the writing on the wall". When I left LA in '74 the California Country Rock scene had just suffered some immediate blows that were followed by a series of events I'll try to explain: two of the giants of that scene - Clarence White and Graham Parsons - had both suffered fatal accidents three months apart. It was as if the heart of that whole movement had stopped pumping. Then there was a big case in California where someone had been killed by a drunk driver, and the club where the drunk driver had spent most of the evening was held partially liable. Suddenly all clubs were open to potential law suits via their patrons walking out the door. Their insurance rates went soaring, and one by one all the clubs everyone you mentioned grew up in started closing, culminating in The Palomino, probably the flagship of Country nightclubs for southern California. I guess us players were kind of like migrant farm workers, in that we had to go with the season, i.e. eastward. The California Country Scene had run its course, and the last one out (The Palomino) turned out the lights.

Herb, sad to say, Ron Still passed away about six months ago. I haven't spoken to Peggy, but I received a note in the mail confirming this. If you know Peggy's number, please call
both her and me with it. Best, Boomer

Forum Index > Music	Goto page 1, 2, 3 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic