THE BAKERSFIELD SOUND

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

A lot of history in here, Also many good Steel Players
came out of this gang of Musicians

http://www.bakersfield.com/static/FP/baksound/beginning.htm

Herbie

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Hi Herbie, that appeared in our paper the Bakersfield Californian several years ago as a weekly installment and was a big hit. I was so happy to find it on the Internet later. Your right, there's a ton of info on so many people that helped shape the sound that's known world wide.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

ANDY
I was fortunant to be on the scene , Pickin with some of the freelancing musicians, All the way from Bakersfield, up through the San Jouaquine, Valley, Porterville, Visalia, Wasco, Farmersville, and to many to list here,
First met Norm Hamlet, and Roy Nichols, at Visalia,
These two was my favorite to play Fiddle with, as I had not switched to PSG then,
Anyhow, the Joints like The Black Board, could be found all over California at that time, ( The good old days )

Herbie

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Herbie, I was only a kid in the 50's and 60's but my folks used to frequent all those places when we'd come up to Bakersfield before finally moving here in 61' so I grew up listening to a lot of that great music on the radio and on TV. What a great time it was! Cousin Herb Henson had his "Tradin Post" show on the only channel in Bakersfield at the time and all the greats of the day appeared on his show at one time or another.

Carroll Hale · From: EastTexas, USA

I have never lived in that area but have visited several times....what a beautiful area.....and what a music history..
have always loved the socalled....."bakersfield sound" and all the great stars ....owens..haggard...etc........who made the area famous for its music......live in texas....not a bad place for music also...............hope to visit again someday.........maybe can look up some of the locals to show me the best music spots...... been playing guitar since 59.....but a steel..dobro..etc for a couple of years......just love it and SGF is a great forum to meet new people and learn from some of the best.......thanks for all the great posts...
ch
texas..

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Living in L.A. since the early 70s,I've gotten up there occasionally and met a lot of those guys,picked with a few.In 1975 I spent time in Bakersfield playing with Ferlin Husky at Goldies and more recently I've picked some with Red Simpson as well as handled the steel chores on his recent CD "The Bard Of Bakersfield". If you listen to vintage Red Simpson truck driving tunes like "I got a Beaver On My Lap(And A Bear On My Tail)", "Diesel Smoke And Dangerous Curves" with Gene Moles on guitar and Leo LeBlanc on steel,you'll hear where Junior Brown got his act. I'll be playing at Buck's Crystal Palace sometime in March with the Sacred Cowboys. Others may differ but to me,the country music out of 50s/60s Bakersfield is unique,pure,free from affectation - and more historically influential - than country music from any other geographical/cultural source or era.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

CARROLL
My first pickin with that bunch of musicians was in the mid 1940's , Just cotton pickin, farm, cannery working kids, playing the Joints on week ends, seems most musicians were acquainted, from Bakersfield, LA, and on up to the Bay Area, everyone knew where the rest was pickin, no organized bands, or I should say very few , if we was not pickin a gig, we would visit a dance, and was always asked to sit in , we had to work regular jobs as the Honky Tonk pay was not enough to get by on,

Herbie

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

MICHAEL J.
I have to agree, no other area had that much influence, historically, or any other way. bringing the music to the airways, I met, or picked, or sat in with most of the guys you mentioned, but my pickin started in 1944, around the San Jose area, then met the San Jouaquine Valley gang,
I was working with , Cal Smith, Lee Ross, Al Parker, and Jimmy Rice. Pee Wee Whitewing often sat in on my Lap Steel, and the San Jose Gang, Cal and I got drafted into the army, 1953, got discharged in 1955, Then is when I started pickin a lot in the San Joquine Valley, first with Chester Smith
at Modesto, Fair Ground's They had a huge dance Hall there,
always a gig to play some place on the week ends.

Herbie

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Wow, that web site is a great read.
Lots of good info, but best of all is how they convey the place and time.

Are there any recordings of Bill Woods playing steel?

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Michael, I agree with you also. The Bakersfield artists to me were culturally unique and apart from either Nashville or Texas although they were influenced by both so it seems. Thats why I specialize in west coast style steel when I can. Good observation.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Andy DePaule
Here you can find much about Bill Woods. and His pickin ,recording, etc in the Bakersfield hay day

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BillWoods1.html

Herbie

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

I met Bill Woods while I was with the Bakersfield City Fire Dept. when I responded several times to his home for medical reasons. I didn't realize who he was at first until I saw all the photos in his room of a lot of folks who I did recognize. Later I researched him on the Internet and realized what a legend he was. He helped so many artists careers and played with all the greats. He passed away a few years later but I'll never forget meeting him. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Red Simpson and his lovely wife. Red Simpson by the way still plays every Monday night at Trouts in Oildale and now and then some country greats drop by to sit in with him.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Reminiscing while reading you folks replys, reinforced my opinion "The Grapes Of Wrath " had a few scenes in the movie, Showing one of the old Saturday Night dance places in Bakersfield, that many of the early musicians could identafy with. That Dance scene, just about say's it all

The Maddox Brothers and Rose, really stand out in my memory, they started playing for dances all over that area. they put on a colorful show, along with their music,
last time I went to one of their shows, each member had parked their new Cadallacs, behind the dance hall.

Herbie

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

MICHAEL JOHNSTONE

Let us know when you will be at the ,Crystal Palace ?
I would like to make another trip to the Golden State, this spring , to visit old friends, and relatives,
You mentioned Red Simpson, I remember when He and Gene Breeden, recorded, " I'm A Truck" I got to hear that one before it was released. Gene Breeden was picking most of the instruments on that one,
I also hung out at Gene's Studio when He was in San Jose,
I'm A Truck, was recorded in Portland, the demo was sent to San Jose, to another Studio where we hung out, I remember listening to it there, Cant remember the San Jose Studio Name,
Bobby and Larry Black, Hoyet Henry, Sonny Throckmorton,
Don Cox, The " Cow Town " Band , and Gene was often there,
And my memory aint that good at remembering names that far back.
Herbie

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Herbie,
My wifes Mother and Dad were among some of the last owners of the Lucky Spot when it was still open. It was really sad when they tore it down a couple of yrs. ago.
We were in Bakersfield visiting some relatives and went by the Lucky Spot so my wife could remeinice a little, even in the dark with the neons off and cold you could still see in your mind all of the excitement of past times.

When we were leaving the next evening, we knew this would be my Dad-in-Laws next to last trip to Bakersfield so we took him by for a look, and some memories.
It was GONE!!! Nothing but a dirt lot with old lumber stacked on it!
Are the Good Times Really Over For Good?

Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

John Parker · From: Golden Valley, Az. USA

Herbie,

Did you know Johnny and Joni Mosby from Ventura, Ca.? They were part of that West Coast sound too. Back in 1977/1978 I worked as a bouncer in their night club, The Bandar Club, in Ventura. I don't know if they are even still around or performing anymore. I know that the Bandar Club is long gone.
_________________
John Parker
Zumsteel SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 400
Fender Steel King

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

JOHN
I only knew Johnny and joni through the Musicians Grapevine,back then, Johnny was another Arkansas Boy,
A few years back, Joni stopped by and joined in one of our Radio Shows, She brought her Picture Albums, and scrap books along , There was pictures of Her and Johnny playing at (" The Big D, Show in Texas,) and just a lot of their History, news clippings, etc,etc. I am not sure if Johnny had passed on, or they had split. as Joni was alone, and that was the only time I ever met Her. in person, we enjoyed Her visit,
I am stumped on what has happened to them,

Herbie

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Hi LARRY
Those were our Heydays, and many memories of those Clubs,and the musicians,
I know the feeling , seeing vacant lots, or a new building
where we enjoyed the good times.

I would like to take one more trip to visit friends and family
And visit The Crystal Palace, also on up to the Bay Area, where I still have my youngest Steel and Lead Guitar picking Brother ,Joe Meeks, picking a steady job at " The Three Flames" Club near Campbell, CA

Herbie

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

There was an attempt to revive the Ban Dar a few years back, but as I hear it the lot is now an office blocks or something along those lines after the Ban Dar was demolished in 2003.
As John wrote, it's long gone.

They split up as a couple, and as an act in the 70s.
Both seem to have retired after that, Joni married again and made the media in '92 due to her succesfully giving birth to an invitro child, at the time she was the old woman to do so, although technology has stretched that time limit even further.

Dean Batye · From: California, USA, R.I.P.

Hello Herbie,What a great subject,I play with Carl Robinson from Riverbank,Ca. He played with Chester Smith. I got to talk with Bobby Black at the Mesa steel guitar show ,was great to see and hear him play again.I miss all the good times we had in San Jose,I lived in Sunnyvale,Miss the 1440 club Cowtown ,Red barn, Jamaica Inn,Jaybird in sunnyvale.WE WILL have a Freeman-Songroth Co. reunion at the Three Flames on Feb.17. Do you still play the fiddle ? Don"t know if you remember me ,but I can still hear you play on the forum.
Your Friend
Dean Batye
Concord, Ca.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I played the Ban Dar a few times in the late 70s with The Jim Leslie Band and just like the Palomino and Trouts, it was one of those old time beer joints full of worn out red carpet,duct taped naugahide booths,neon signs,barstools and a lot of ghosts. Not too many of those left - anywhere really.

As Bob Dylan once said: "The old days are gone forever - and the new ones ain't far behind".

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Yep Dean, good to hear from you, I think you might have given me a ride home a couple times, when I overdid the sauce.
Wow, you named the Hot Spots, around there, I think you was at the 1440 club about the time Johnny Leggette, was fronting the band, I had a Home Made Electric Fiddle I played there with them some. of course Cal Smith was on hand, and I think Leroy Jones, was playing Steel, I carried the Fiddle along after I started playing PSG, My Bro. Joe Meeks is picking at the Three Flames, on Thursday Nights, I would like to slip in on you guys, some Thur. also for the Co.Party the 17th.
Hoyet Henry emailed me, when Larry Black passed on,I was sad to hear of that, He and Bobby were friends from way back, when they first came to San Jose, Those Joints do bring back a lot of good time memories.

Old time friend
Herbie

Dean Batye · From: California, USA, R.I.P.

Hey Herbie, I WAS not going to say any thing about the rides
home Ha! Ha! We had some good times,I was at the 1440 club when Rodger Miller tried to sell Bill Tester the owner of the club, to back his trip to LA,bILL SAID he would never be a star. Boy did that turn out to be wrong.I am going to try to get out to see Joe when I get down to San Jose.I miss Larry to Bobby and I GOT TO talk to Bobby at mesa. do you know Gus Head a Fiddle player? I miss Cotton Seed Clark he was a good
DJ. I WILL STAY IN THOUCH.Your Friend,
Dean Batye
Concord,Ca.

Steve Waltz · From: USA

Herbie,

I sent you a private message on the forum but I'm not sure if it worked. I haven't used that before. My blonde and green sho bud professional used to be your brother's guitar. I'm just curious about it's history. If your brother has an email could you forward it to me?

Thanks,
Steve Walz
Oakland Ca.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

STEVE
I did get your private message, also replyed
with the info you wanted,
That is the first time I have tried to use the PM
and I don't know if I did it right. let me know

Herbie

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