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Topic: Jimmie Collins? |
Walter Stettner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 17 Jan 2006 12:13 pm |
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I noticed the name Jimmie Collins as steel player on several Capitol albums of Wynn Stewart (besides the Moon), mostly from the mid 60s - does anybody have more information about him?
Thanks, Walter
[This message was edited by Walter Stettner on 12 February 2006 at 09:56 AM.] |
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Les Pierce
From:
Shreveport, LA
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Posted 19 Jan 2006 4:00 pm
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This is one of the names that comes up, here, from time to time. I meet a steel player, around 1974 by that name, working in Moxee, Washington, at the Blue Moon Cafe. We had mutual friends, and they told me he had played on Some of Wynn's songs, as well as being nominated for a Grammy for Orange Blossom Special. He was very good, and played a white Fender pedal steel. He was working a trio, (bass, drums, and steel), when I heard him. He played a LOT of steel, (with wah-wah and distortion on Proud Mary!) He also had a guitar neck mounted on the back.
I have a tape somewhere of him playing with the friends I spoke of, earlier, at this same club.
Do a search for him on the Forum, and you can read what was said. I don't know if we ever determined whether he was the California JC or not.
Les
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Strat,Tele
Dekley S-10
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Al Udeen
From:
maple grove mn usa
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Posted 19 Jan 2006 4:19 pm
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| Jimmy Collins played on Wynns " Its Such a Pretty World Today" |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 19 Jan 2006 5:29 pm
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I have the feeling he is a west-coast based player. I know he did a great instrumental 45rpm pretty much in the Speedy West style when he was part of Big Jim DeNoone's band, circa late 50s or early 60s. That recording came out of Oregon.
I saw a post by his daughter somewhere on the Internet in the last year or so, asking for information about her father's activities on steel guitar.
She didn't say so explicitly, but reading between the lines, I inferred that he may be deceased or at the very least long out of touch with his daughter for whatever reason. She appeared to have little or no knowledge of his career. I am pretty sure she was located in Oklahoma. I sent her an email, but never heard back.
I haven't heard a word about him on steel since the 1960s, which is very odd if he is still alive and even semi-active.
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 21 Jan 2006 7:27 am
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Jimmy Collins (aka Jimmie Collins) played with the Smith Brothers (actually a bar band led by Dennis Hromek and Bobby Wayne), Freddie Hart's Heartbeats, Wynn Stewart’s Tourists, the band at the Brite Torch and split California in 1969.
While with the Tourists he not only recorded with Wynn through 1966-1967, but Dick Curless, as well. The Tourists appear on his 1967 LP "Ramblin' Country" (Tower DT-5089).
He passed away in the early 1990s, I know of twin sons from an earlier marriage.
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 21 Jan 2006 7:51 am
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Bob Hickish
From:
Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jan 2006 8:18 am
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jon
Do you know where that photo was taken ?
It look's just like the stage at the "Castaways"
in Port Angeles WA. down to the heat vent in the wall .
we play there once in a wile !
Hick |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 21 Jan 2006 8:23 am
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| Wish I could tell you but the photo was sent to me a few years ago when I was more active posting stuff on the forum for people and I don't even remember who sent it. |
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Bob Hickish
From:
Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jan 2006 9:21 am
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Thanks Jon
I will send your photo to some of the guys that
play there a lot and see if they think the same thing !
Every thing about that photo says "Castaways " even the
parquet dance floor !
Hick
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Bob Hickish
From:
Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 22 Jan 2006 3:17 pm
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Jon
The feed back I get from Mr. Western Swing
HOF'er Les Wamboldt is
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" Bob, that sure looks like the stage at Castaways,
could be. Les."
***************************************
So !
If its not ! we can always think it should have been !
Hick
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Michael Brewer
From:
Carrollton, Texas
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Posted 25 Jan 2006 1:33 pm
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I met Jimmie Collins in Stockton, CA in 1953. He was working in a club there called the "Top Hat". Prior to that he had been working some with the remaining members of Jack Thornhill's Royal Texans. This was before pedals began to appear. Some of the other musicians were Jimmie Jeffreys, a fabulous guitar man who spent some time with the Maddox Bros. and Rose, Ed Clark on acoustic bass, Little Jack Fleenor on guitar and Dale Stevens on rhythm guitar and vocals.
I was in the Air Force at the time and the union would not let me work in any of the major clubs operating then.
Jimmie was an outstanding player without pedals. I never heard him with pedals
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Mike Brewer
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 26 Jan 2006 2:25 pm
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OK--Charlie Owens emailed me to tell me that he was the one who sent me the pic. I suspected that--he's sent me a whole bunch of great photos. He also included this info which I quote directly:
quote:
my wife took the picture in about 1968. The place is in Fort Worth, Tx. It was called Panther Hall Annex. It was across the street from the Historic Panther Hall. That is where I met Bobby Wayne, Dennis Hromek, and Wynn Stewart along with Jimmie Collins. All of them chose to live in the area except Jimmie Collins. Bobby and Dennis spent several years in Merle's Strangers band. Bonny Wayne is still active in this area as a singer.
For those interested, Jimmie Collins played in the A 6th tuning. He started with the pedals down for the E 9th sound. He was playing a Fender 2000.
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 29 Jan 2006 12:26 am
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Writer Colin Escot seems to think that Bobby Austin replaced Hromek in the Tourists circa late '67.
I'd guess the pic would more likely be from '68, Bobby Wayne reckoned the band split around that time and he was with Norm Forrest's band in late '67.
(I think Forrest's drummer might have been future Buckaroos Jerry Wiggins, but I digress)
Bobby also noted that while touring 'Pretty World'in '67 they swung through Fort Worth, where they played the Panther Hall with Charlie Pride and across the street at the Panther Annex.
Interestingly enough Bobby and Dennis did reunite in Merle Haggard's band in 1970, however before that Hromek went to the Palomino Club and Red Rhodes band the Detours. He appears on Red & The Detours classic 1969 live at the Palomino record.
Bobby had split for Vegas, where he played the Nashville Nevada Club with his own band The Common People (aka Bobby T. Adams & the Common People), this group was active for two years with members like Mike Franklin (bass), Ronnie Black (piano), Paul Kaye (drums), Kay Adams (vocals), Candy Bee (vocals), steel players Paul Dobbs, Jimmy Anderson and Ralph Mooney.
Forumite Dayna Wills told me about seeing the band in 1968 with Ralph, Candy and Bobby. A top band apparently, Bobby seemed very proud of the group's sound as well.
Bobby rejoined Dennis in '69, when he replaced Jerry Cole as a Detour at the Palomino Club. When the band left, Bobby stayed and joined the first version of the Tony Booth band at the Pal. Meanwhile Dennis joined the Strangers, about six months later Bobby replaced Gene Price as a Stranger and Merle had a solid band for three years with Norm Hamlett, Dennis, Bobby, and Biff Adams.
(Bill Woods joined on piano for a year circa 1971-72)
Jimmy Collins is a bit of a mystery, Mike Brewer I'll have to send you a pic from 1969 and see if you think it's the same Mr. Collins, although with over a decade of age it might be hard to tell. I should have a 1966 shot of the Heartbeats as well, I'll see if I have that one too.
Charlie Collins, haven't heard his name in a while, now there's a man with a fabulous photo collection and a great fellow to boot.
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Michael Brewer
From:
Carrollton, Texas
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Posted 31 Jan 2006 8:49 am
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Jason Odd
I will be seeing Ed Clark this weekend and I will try to document some key elements of the Jimmie Collins story from the early days in Stockton. By the way, I seem to have lost your email address in this relocation to Texas. Drop me a note if you can.
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Mike Brewer
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 4 Feb 2006 11:54 pm
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Michael Brewer, some close-up pics of Mr. Collins are on your way, the earliest I have is one from 1966.
cheers
Jason
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