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Topic: CAL'S CORRAL at the Huntington Park, Ca. Ballroom |
Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 5 Dec 2008 5:59 pm |
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Let's open up some posts on Cal's Corral at the Huntington Park Ballroom in Southern Calif during the sixties. That was the meeting place on Sunday afternoons for just about all the So. California Country muscians. If you were out of a job by the time you left at the end of the afternoon you usually had a new job. It was like a big clearing house for musicians. I remember when Barbara Mandrell was 12 years old her Dad would bring her to play on the T.V. show and we had to help bring her four neck Wright Steel up the back steps. The Ballroom was on the second floor with no elevators.
Sammy Masters worked for Cal coordinating the bands getting on the stage for their part of the all aftenoon television show. Each band was given a half hour. |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 9:33 am
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| KCOP CHANNEL 13 1-4. |
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LJ Eiffert
From:
California, USA
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 11:10 am
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| Hey Billy,I remember doing a gig there with " Jack Reeves " and the Dodge Saloon in Norwalk,California. They use to say,If you can make it in California, you can make it anywhere playing Country Music. Leo/LJ |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 11:16 am
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Where exactly were these two places located, and what years were they happening?
My stomping grounds until '75 were HPark to Norwalk, Compton to Maywood, but was too young and dumb to enjoy what was happening at the country music joints. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 2:33 pm
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Ron:.
The Dodge Saloon was built from the ground up sometime in the middle sixties. It was located at the corner of Firestone Blvd. and Imperial Hwy. in Norwalk, Ca. I think Gene Davis opened it. It did not last too long and was eventually torn down for a strip-mall. It's spot is now a Shakey's Pizza.
Huntington Park Ballroom was upstairs over a bank (I think} on Pacific blvd. near Slauson Ave. in Huntington Park, Ca. Cal Worthington and his Dodge automobile agency sponsered the four hour T.V. show every afternoon in the early to mid sixties. This gave exposure to local club bands so people knew where everyone was playing. I worked on it primarily with Johnny and Jonie Mosby and Jack Tucker. One Sunday afternoon when working with the MOsbey's, Willie Nelson was there when he wore suits and ties. We backed him on "Funny How Time Slips Away". The problem in backing him was, he sang where the fills should have been and you didn't know when or when not to play. At that time Sammy Masters gave Willie a demo of a song he wrote called "Who Can I Count On, If I can't Count on You". Willie pitched the song to Patsy Cline and it was put on the back side of "Crazy". What a stroke of luck ! |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 5:21 pm Thanx, Billy!
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Wow, that Shakey's is still there?! Ate at that one all the time.
Sure wish we still had a Shakey's over here.
The Ballroom was over a bank, eh? No wonder I never saw it, the only place I ever went upstairs at in HP was Wineman's Dept. store.
Hearing all the stories of great country music that was all around in my wonder years and having missed every lick of it grates on me, but at least it happened for you guy's. Right place, wrong times, at least for steel guitar in my era.
Love to hear more! |
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LJ Eiffert
From:
California, USA
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Posted 6 Dec 2008 10:33 pm
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| How about the good old " Sand Bar Club " in Norwalk with Kenny Pride & Bill Norman. That could bring us right to the " Black Night Club " and right into the Dixie Bell. LJ |
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 7 Dec 2008 6:42 am
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Oh, I'd like to hear some more on Cal's Corral.
In 1950, Cal Worthington moved to Huntington Park, California with a Hudson Motor Car dealership.
In 1955 Cal purchased time for a three-hour live country music show on television every Saturday and Sunday, naming the show Cal’s Corral.
In late '56 the Cal's bands on Cal's Corral included the Maddox Brothers with Retta Maddox, Glen Troutman was part of the band at the time.
In 1957, Cal's Corral on Channel 11 with Cal Worthington featured six different bands, each of which had their own slot on the show.
Glen Troutman (aka Glen Glenn) has claimed to be the emcee at the time. (?)
The main bands included Wynn Stewart & The West Coast Playboys, Danny Flores, used to play the sax every Sunday, Dave Burgess & The Desert-Aires, Dale Norris and Sammy Masters, were also on the show.
Each band had their own ½ hour show, every Sunday afternoon.
There is of course the famous and rare red vinyl Cal's Corral LP.
The late Tim Buckley was taken to a live show at Cal Worthington Dodge Long Beach dealership in his younger years, with his father, who used it as an example of how one could make a living as a musician.
60s regulars include the Gene Davis Band, The Country Boys.. later the Kentucky Colonels, The Golden State Boys, Wynn Stewart, Billy Armstrong, Buddy Cagle, the Dale Bennett Band, Danny Michaels & The Rebel Playboys, Sammy Masters, and as Billy mentioned, the Mosby's and Jack Tucker.. among others. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 7 Dec 2008 10:33 am
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Jason:.
Shorty Bacon was another band on Cal's Corral.
When I was playing with Ole Rasmussen in 1950, Ole had some disk jockey shows on KLXA during the week.
Ole got to know Cal Worthington and talked him into advertising on a country music show. The story was, Ole told Cal if his business did not increase he wouldn't have to pay for the spots. In the first month Cal's business increased 10% and Cal became a believer (this was hearsay). Cal's first T.V. shows on Sundays was from the service Dept. at his Car Agency on Slauson Ave. in Huntington Park. One Sunday Marty Robbins was in town and appeared on the show with his band. So many people showed up you couldn't get near the place let alone find a parking.
I wish Sammy Masters was on the forum. He worked from the start for Cal coordinating and managing these T.V. shows.d Cal is still going strong in So. Calif. with a large Ford Agency in Long Beach and is still appearing on T.V. selling cars. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 7 Dec 2008 1:06 pm
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Around '62-63, Cal sponsored a weeknight 1/2 hour TV show called "Country Music Time." Norm Whistler had the band, if I recall. Wade Ray was on it quite a bit, and a long-haired, hippie-looking Carl Walden was there as well.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2008 4:46 pm Bacon Bros.
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| Billy Tonnesen wrote: |
Jason:.
Shorty Bacon was another band on Cal's Corral.
When I was playing with Ole Rasmussen in 1950, Ole had some disk jockey shows on KLXA during the week.
Ole got to know Cal Worthington and talked him into advertising on a country music show. The story was, Ole told Cal if his business did not increase he wouldn't have to pay for the spots. In the first month Cal's business increased 10% and Cal became a believer (this was hearsay). Cal's first T.V. shows on Sundays was from the service Dept. at his Car Agency on Slauson Ave. in Huntington Park. One Sunday Marty Robbins was in town and appeared on the show with his band. So many people showed up you couldn't get near the place let alone find a parking.
I wish Sammy Masters was on the forum. He worked from the start for Cal coordinating and managing these T.V. shows.d Cal is still going strong in So. Calif. with a large Ford Agency in Long Beach and is still appearing on T.V. selling cars. |
I asked some time back if any one remerbed Shorty and Bill Bacon.When i knew them they were playing at a club in Gardenia sp?. i think it was.I also remember Cals Coral but i never played there.The Horton Bros were on it as i recall but i had left them when they left Tx and went to Ca.
I was in and out of Ca.so many times it runs together.
Even a few years later when i was playing with the Miller Bros swing band we played the Miller bros club in Wichita Falls,Tx.on a Sat night Ca.the folowing Monday night.
I recall Hank Thompson playing one day or night at Cals coral as i went with a friend of mine Rex Endicot and we helped Bobby Garret carry some of his gear in.Yikes.where has the time gone?
Okay.Now who remembers Rex Endicot?He took me over to meet Bill Bigsby at his shop.Must have been a jillion bands playing 6 and 7 nights a week in so.Ca,at the time.BTW.Sorry to post so much about So.Ca.but you guys sure bring back good memories.Met Wynn Stewart at Georges round up in long beach and worked for him soom after Moon quit.I wasn't that good on steel back them as i had about quit playing fiddle,my main instrument back then.Thats also how i come to work for Bonnie Owens for a while in northern Ca.
Wasn't my playing,i was just dumb enough to go any where as i loved the road work back then.Quit the road many years later due to sickness.Finally got sick of it.
I meant Paul Bigsby.Don't know why i said Bill.
Last edited by Tracy Sheehan on 7 Dec 2008 10:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Roy McKinney
From:
Ontario, OR
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Posted 7 Dec 2008 5:20 pm
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| There was also the Paul Harper band (out of San Diego from the Westerner Club) with Wayne Gailey on steel, who went on to play steel for Rose Madox. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 6:11 am
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Tracy
I remember Rex Endicott real well. Helluva nice guy, used to talk about Oklahoma all the time, and built a nice steel (Endicott Guitars). He moved back to OK and I heard he passed away quite a few years ago.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 6:19 am
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I used to love Cal's Corral. I'd sit in front of the TV and play dobro to all the bands. Gene Davis had the best band, IMHO. Red Rhodes on steel, Jerry Inman, Delaney Bramlett on bass, Johnny Davis... great band.
Gene O'Quinn was on there quite a bit. He could have been a major star if the breaks had been with him. I saw Gene in the audience in Kerrville TX at a festival I was playing in 1977. He said he was moving back to TX, but in the move he got killed in a car accident. Too bad, I would have loved picking with him.
Also I loved Little Joe Carson, who was on CC a lot as well. His son Randy is a forumite. "Helpless" and "Double Life" are still among my top favorite songs of all time. Billy Mize played steel and Johnny Western sang harmony.
Shorty Bacon was a hoot, wasn't he? He'd clown around with Fred Maddox.
Cecil Bays used to play lead guitar there, but I forgot with what band. Somebody fill me in to refresh the gray matter. Jason?
Great memories, guys. Thanks.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Dale Bennett
From:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 7:28 am Cals Corral
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| Hi Herb, that was my band that Cecil Bays played with and I'm still in touch with him, a great guy and picker. Carl West was steel, Cecil guitar, Mike Fury drummer and Billy Smith bass. We were at Georges Roundup #2 and sometimes #1. What great memories, thanks, db Also, we booked Little Joe at the club and like you we just loved it. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 2:36 pm
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Dale, here's a shot of ol' Cecil and a very handsome and young steel player taken at the old Foothill in Signal Hill almost 30 years ago....JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 5:06 pm
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Gene O'Quin, whew.. what a champ, Herb's got a point, he was quite a regular on Country Music Time, at least according to a press release I saw.
Gene was trying a bit of a comeback in the early 60s after quite a few years without a record deal.
Cecil Bays was of course with Dale's band, I thought Dale might get on to this one.
I think around '65 Sammy Masters was working Cal's with Carl Walden and Johnny Carver used to work the show, just before he went to the Palomino Club band.
Carl West told me that he backed Jimmy Snyder on Cal's one time, and that Jimmy never got around to paying him. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 8 Dec 2008 6:12 pm
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| Back when I worked on Cal's Corral it was a Union Gig and for the 1/2 hour the pay for sidemen was $12.00. I always got paid with a check and I think some work dues came out of it. We were all doing the show for the exposure and glory of being Television stars, IMHO. Local #47 was really looking out for it's members ! |
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LJ Eiffert
From:
California, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2008 5:42 pm
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| Hey Billy,That was Big,Big Money in them days.Membership Dues for 1964 was $97.50 for the Entire year. Local 47 officers was John Iranchitella- President. Max Herman-Vice President.Don Morris-Secretary & Bob Manners-Treasure. Thanks to the Wage Scale Committee in them days they got us rich. For me in them days I was proud to me American Federation Musicians still the did a number on me. Thanks Max! Leo J.Eiffert,Jr. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 10 Dec 2008 12:20 pm
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Hey Leo, don't forget that Harold Hensley was a business rep then.
Didn't John Tarantula  become Nat'l Prez? Or was it Max Herman?
Jason, if you THAT stuff, you DO know everything about SoCal country music, no lie! 
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 10 Dec 2008 12:50 pm
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| I wonder if Shorty and Bill Bacon are the same two that I played with in the Temple,Killeen, Waco area about 25 yrs ago. Bill played Bass and sang, Shorty played a little fiddle I believe and sang. Shorty wrote a very popular song here in Tx called "Stand up Fool" Great dance #. The last I saw of Bill was in the east side lounge in Temple. A fight started and some gal came up to the bandstand, grabbed a mike stand and hit Bill with it.. But had a huge gash on his head and spent quite awhile in the hospital. I dropped out of the band at that time and joined a Hawaiian outfit and played the Luau and country cclub circuit. cc |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 11 Dec 2008 9:01 am
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c.c. Bill Bacon was a bassist & singer but Shorty was primarily a guitarist and singer. The song you mentioned "Stand Up Fool" wasn't written by either of them but was written by a guy I played with in the early sixties named Jimmy Colvard (not the one from Nashville) but a guy in SoCal who went by "Jimmy Cee". Shorty played guitar at one point for Rose Maddox who recorded Jimmy's song on Capitol records so he probably learned it during his stint with her........
I wonder if anyone out there remembers the other Bacon Brother, namely Ed who was without a doubt, one of the biggest lowlifes I've ever met. At one point when I'd first got out of the Army I was working Sunday afternoon and Monday night at the old Leilani Club in Wilmingon, Ca. for $9.00 a night and needed extra money. Me and a couple of other guys went to a club on Hawthorne Blvd. one night to play for tips as we really needed cash. Ed Bacon was in there that night and we'd passed the tip jar and had a little cash in it. Ed came up and asked if we wanted him to pass the jug for us as he thought he'd be able to get us more money. We said OK and he went around the bar with the money we already had in the jug and got some more and then he went right out the door. That's the last I ever saw of Ed Bacon! The owner of the club felt sorry for us and gave us a twenty dollar bill to split! How nice of him! Shorty and Bill were OK guys I guess but Ed was a &%$+@# if I ever saw one..........JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Dec 2008 11:00 am
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| Shorty nor Bill ever mentioned Ed. Shorty claimed he wrote "Stand up Fool" and recorded it on a small label. Did the real writer do ok with it? Around here we would have to play at least once a set irregardless of what band. I doubt if I will but if I ever see Shorty I'll bring up who was his "co writer" Thanks for the info. cc |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Dec 2008 11:04 am pS
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| Shorty was attempting to learn fiddle from a fellow named Bill Henderson here. After Bill got out of the hospital I saw him once and never saw Shorty again. cc |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2008 6:08 pm Re:
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Gee you guys are digging up old memories.I am telling my age but i first went to Ca.in 1952 and played in Hollywood at Paramount studios.I was not old enough to go into bars.Was playing live afternoon tv shows at thier tv studios.
Met many great pickers.Later in some club in North Hollywood as i recall Jimmy Bryant set in with us.For a while i played rhythm on his guitar and he played my fiddle and was good at it.He tried to lay my fiddle on the piano when he got through and it fell off and it broke..He offered to have it fixed or pay for it but i didn't think
it was any big deal as it was an accident and he was such a nice guy.
I know i played in Hawthorn later but of course don't remember the name of the club.Boy could i tell some funny things that i did on live tv at paramount which wasn't funny at the time.Those were the days my friend.Sorry they had to end.I remember Shorty and Bill Bacon when they were playing a club in Gardenia (sp?) but i was not playing for them.Can't even remember what i was doing there or how i came to meet them.Tracy
Last edited by Tracy Sheehan on 11 Dec 2008 6:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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