The Hitching Post in Gardena, Ca.

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Someone mentioned the Hitching Post in Gardenia, Ca. Well it was located in Gardena, Ca. on the corner of Western Ave. and Redondo Beach Blvd. It was a good sized night club owned by Al Royer and was a jumping place during the 50's and 60's. A lot of So. Calif. musicians played there with differen't bands. I played there with Teddy Wilds and Herb Tucker. There were two other clubs also in the general area, the Nordondo Club and the Red Barn. At that time there were six legal poker clubs in the City of Gardena and they had fabulous restaurants open 24 hours a day. Afer the clubs closed, many musicians went to the poker casinos to meet and have breakfast. The food was very cheap because the Casinos did not want any of their poker players leaving to eat somewhere else. Sometime the Casinos would have price wars and you could get a whole meal for a Quarter.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Now were lucky to get a quarter-pounder!

Fred Jack · From: Bastrop, Texas 78602

Billy,
Was that Sherry's Red Barn? Do you remember Sils? 50's and 60's

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Rough timeline:

1956: Teddy Wilds led his own band at the Hitching Post in Gardenia in the mid 50s. Billy Tonnesson was the group’s steel player.
Open seven nites a week, Thursday and Sundays are guest nights.
1960 house band: Gene O' Quin, Johnny Davis (guitar), Blackie Taylor (steel), Hank Ross (bass), Shorty Bacon (lead guitar, vocals) and a drummer.
1962 House Band: Shorty Bacon Band with Ed Bacon (bass), and Billy Bacon.
Bill Bacon takes over the house band for four nights a week. Shorty moves to THE RANCH.

In 1962 the Sundays were special guest spots for the likes of Bob Regan Lucille Starr, the Golden State Boys, etc.
1962 House Band: Bill Bacon Band with Dave Knight and Johnny Davis.

1963 House Band: Billed as the Shorty Bacon Band with Bill Bacon. Band includes steel player Bo Pete.

1963 House Band: Danny Micheals Band with Danny Michaels and Bob Tuttle on steel. This group evolved into Danny Michaels & The Rebel Playboys with Bob Boydd (bass), Jerry Stephenson ‘aka Jerry Stevens’ on steel guitar and drummer Billy Jay Nixon. This group moved to George’s Roundup.

1964 House Band: Glenn Garrison and His Band. Saturday afternoons feature Bill Bacon And His Band, also on the late shift Monday nights. 9pm to 2am. In 1964, the Sunday afternoon jam sessions, were hosted by Bobby Griggs and band.

1965 house band: Unknown, but included Al Bruno (guitar) and Jerry Stevens (steel).

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Fred:.
Sherry's Barn was located at the corner of South St. and Paramount Blvd. I believe in No. Long Beach, Ca.
The original very small club is still there and is some kind of a neighborhood bar.
The Red Barn I mentioned was at the corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and Redondo Beach Blvd. in Lawndale, Ca. (just West of Gardena) also owned by Al Royer.
I mentioned I played at the Hitching Post with Herb Tucker, but after Teddy Wilds got fired at the Hitching Post I went to work for Herb down the street at the Nordondo club. Things are sometimes fuzzy from so long ago.

I beleive Sherry's Barn was one of the first clubs Wynn Stewart had a band at when he first got started.
I think Carl West was playing steel for him. At one time I played there on Monday, the off night and was paid $11.00.

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Billy T., did you know a fellow named Sid Barnes at all?

I interviewed him about working with Wynn Stewart in the early 50s, there's some info about the Carl West years and Sherry's Barn in regards to Wynn at the finished page:
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/wcplayboys.html

Anyway, Sid also mentioned working both of the Tuckers, and I quote:

"Joe Pope was with Herb Tucker, when I worked with Jack. I worked with Jack at the Hitchin’ Post, on the corner of Redondo Beach Bvd and Western Ave. We later worked at the Jubilee Ball room on Friday and Sat nights. Al Petty steel, Danny Michaels standard guitar, Lu Paetty Drums, the base player was Eddie Spears.. I went from Jack's Band to Herb's band, at that time Herb was playing Harmony Park Ballroom The one I remember most on Herb's Band, was Tommy Allsup."

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Jason:
I think you mixed up Jack and Herb Tucker playing at the Harmony Park Dance on Saturday nights. It was always Jack Tucker at Harmony Park. I worked there with Jack and the band consisted of Tommy Alsup on Guitar, Leroy Holder on piano, Glynn Duncan on stand up Bass and Lou Pieta on drums. Later Tommy Alsup got so busy with Liberty Records he was replaced by Bill Carson (Fender's Bill Carson) and a saxaphone player named Jerry Brent who taught music at one of the local Colleges. I have a picture of this band published in one of Local 47's monthly newsletters. I will try to scan it and put it on this thread. For awhile the DJ Biff Collie came out as a guest star (about the time his wife left for you know who).

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Jason:.
Yes I knew Sid Barnes quite well. He was a Piano and a steel player. He had a brother named Barney Barnes who also played steel. Sid and myself were both inducted into the Sacramento Western Swing Society's Hall of Fame in 1992 (along with: Bobby and Larry Black, Peewee Whitewing, and Earl Finley).
That was a real get together. Vance Terry was also there but he was already in the Hall of Fame.

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Hi Billy, yes that's the same guy, also recorded with Luke Wills band in the late 40s.

It's actually Sid's quote, he must have mixed up the brothers, although I didn't twig until you pointed it out.

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