Ranch Party TV Shows----50's

Mike Dexter · From: Derbyshire, England

Does anybody know who the Steel player was in the resident House Band on the Ranch Party TV Shows of the 1950's? Did the Band make recordings? If so are they obtainable?

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

Marian Hall was the steel player. They were basically a Town Hall Party crew and did many sessions together backing many different artists in Hollywood. There is an old Columbia LP which pretty much is the Ranch Party Gang, can't remember the exact name of it right now, Town Hall Party-something, Bear Family has reissued it on cd. Marian is also on steel on Joe Maphis' Flying Fingers LP, also reissued by BF.

Steve Pacholl · From: Minneapolis

The name of the Columbia LP is Town Hall Party and it was recently reissued on Bear Family. I had never seen this LP before until recently when I found a copy that was from the estate of Texas Bill Strength. Bill wrote his name on the back of the LP cover. It's a fun LP with an interesting cover.

I ended up buying a large stack of LPs that were from Bill's estate. Most of the LPs were from artists who had played the Flame Cafe in Mpls. A lot of nice LPs were added to my collection when I stumbled onto this find.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Steve,
What was Texas Bill Strength's wife's name and is she still alive?
I remember them performing with Slim Jim and the KSTP Barn Dance gang.
My cousin wrote Texas Bill a letter and got a nice response plus an autographed 8 X 10 glossy.
Do you remember Billy Folger?

Steve Pacholl · From: Minneapolis

Erv
I don't know if Bill's wife is still alive. A couple years ago the HOF's Journal of Country Music did a nice feature article on Texas Bill and his son was quoted quite a bit. (Issue with Billy Joe Shaver on the cover). If I remember the article correctly, I believe his son still lives in the Twin Cities.

I've heard of Billy Folger, but those guys are all before my time. I missed out on the Flame Cafe days.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Steve,
I have an old KSTP Valley Barn Dance song book where some of the songs are written in Norwegian. Slim Jim had a brother who sang with him and he went by the name of the "Vagabond Kid". The girl singer was Lou Skarning (sp). I think Texas Bill's wife went by the name of Princess something.
Erv

Mike Cass · Posted 8 Feb 2007 6:08 am

Was her stage name "Princess Inez" ?

Mike Cass · Posted 8 Feb 2007 6:08 am

Was her stage name "Princess Inez" ?

Ed Javner · From: Mt. View Arkansas, USA

Man, you're going back. I think Inez was married to texas Bill. I see her about every year, I'll have to ask her. And the Flam....... That was the place. Two bands working the front room and Terry bethel on steel Leon (I can't remember his last name) on fiddle. Big stake for $2.50. Nashville stars, the whole works and no cover charge. How about Cactus Slim Erv.

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Ed, that was Leon Boulanger on fiddle. The band at the Flame Cafe broke up in June of 1969. Terry Bethel went with Mel Tillis and Leon later played fiddlle for Ernest Tubb.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Princess Inez doesn't sound quite right.
There was a good lead gutiar player on the show also.
I think his name was Andy Walsh.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Texas Bill Strength’s sons Bob and Dale played drums and guitar respectively in the South Minneapolis/Richfield rock band Pepper Fog in the late ‘60s - early ‘70s. Dale would also play a few tunes on his single-neck blonde Sho-Bud. Dale worked with Olivia Newton-John for a time, and is still semi-active in the Twin Cities music scene.

Sorry to have gone off topic here, but it had strayed a bit already.

Love Marion Hall's steel playing on a Ranch Party DVD that I have, along with the Collins Kids, Joe Maphis, and the gang.

Al Udeen · From: Hendersonville Tn

I played the Flame Cafe in late 61 after returning from
the west coast, Jimmy Colvard got me the gig, Jimmy & Terry Bethel were playing the main room with Leon Boulanger & I was playing the front bar with Sherwin Linton, I also worked several gigs with Texas Bill Strength, Hal Rugg along with Jimmy Colvard played the Flame for Dave Dudley 59-60-61, Great Old Memories! au

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Al, you should write a book about the Twin Cities music scene and your experiences. Your reminisces are fascinating to all of us here in the frozen tundra.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

I'll second Al's writing his history down before it's lost to time, as way too much already has.
Everybody has a story, especially 'the greatest generation' and it'll never be repeated.

Prior to THP's television day's they spent a few on radio, the steel player for that era was another lady, her name was Beryl Harrel. She has finally been getting some recognition after decades of being virtually forgotten, but there's little to document her life and even less during her tenure in Compton, so Marian's talents and greater exposure easily eclipsed that of Beryl, but she deserves every mention.

Al Udeen · From: Hendersonville Tn

Jack: Cal Hand has been after me for years to do a Bio on myself, I have had some unbelievable small
world connections, But I have held off because some
might sound like "Oh Really" I am however going to
get together with Cal and cover what I remember,It's a lot & I'll probably have to weed out some of the too hard to believe stories! au

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Al, how are you and Cal doing on that book?

Dennis Atkins · From: St. Paul, Minnesota

I was never able to go to the Flames Cafe, either too young, or living in another part of the country.

As for Princess Inez, from what I know of her, she was married to a guitar player named Jerry Green. She played keyboards on our first steel guitar show in Minneapolis. I believe that she is Native American, but not sure about that. I have had the pleasure of playing in jam sessions with her and Jerry, but have not seen her for a couple of years.

Hope this clarifies some information about her.

Al Udeen probably knows more about her.

Dennis

Al Udeen · From: Hendersonville Tn

Princess Inez was not married to Bill Strength, I'm sure that she started out as a steel player, A friend of
mine bought a single neck Emmons in the early 70s
that had been owned by her, Several yrs ago, I played
a gig or benefit with her playing keyboard, Jack! one
of these days I'll get together with Cal.

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