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Topic: History: The Sunday Night Waltz Contests |
Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 24 Nov 2009 2:50 pm |
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This is for you fellow Old-Timers:
Back in the days of playing in Dance Halls and Ballrooms, Sunday night was usually Waltz Contest Night with first prize usually $25.00. The Band got to play all the old time Waltz's, Missouri, Beutiful Ohio, Let the Rest of the World go by, The Waltz You Saved For Me, Carolina Moon, etc. Sometime Judges came from the Audience, sometimes by Applause. The only thing with Applause, the more friends you had there the more likely the Win. There used to be some excellent Dancers. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 30 Nov 2009 9:56 pm
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Billy
I'm only 62, but I'm aware of what you say. Let me jog your memory bank a little...
I have a fiddle that was autographed by all the members of Spade Cooley's band, including Spade and Foreman Phillips, and was given as the first prize in the "Foreman Phillips County Barn Dance at Venice Pier - First Prize Waltz Contest, December 27, 1942"
That date was on a Sunday, natch!
The band members at that time were Jack "Tex" Williams, Denver Dehne, Arky Perryman, Pedro "Yi Yi" DePaul, Billy Hughes, Sonny Olivera, Dick Roberts, Rusty Kline, Eddie Bennett, and Spade.
A good friend of mine owns a similar fiddle, but his is from Feb 13, 1944 at the Riverside Rancho and has the autographs of Spade's classic band with Tex, Smokey, Deuce, Cactus, Joaquin, Pedro, Tiny, Warren Penniman, Smilin' Johnny Weis, etc.
Feb 13 '44 was also a Sunday.
I'm sure you knew some of these fellows. I have photographs of the 1942 band that signed my fiddle as well.
Here's a photo of my fiddle...
Here's a photo of the 1944 fiddle...
Here's the 1942 band...
and here's the 1944 band...
_________________
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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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 1 Dec 2009 10:56 am
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Hey Herbster, just curious as to how you aquired that fiddle? It'd be great to have something like that in one's collection...........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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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 1 Dec 2009 3:20 pm
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Herb:
I got to see the 1942 band in 1943. Myself and my Parents were guests of Spade Cooley at the County Barn Dance on Venice Pier, Ca. I worked a High School summer vacation at Jeffries Machine Shop in Maywood, Ca. doing all the clean up work. Spade, Smokey, Dean Acker and Happy Perryman all worked there up to Noon every day. This was a Defense sub-contractor and it got them all a Draft deferrment.
Spade was very nice to me and in later years remembered the old Machine Shop. I got the job thrrough Buddy Kelly, Spades's guitar player at the time. He was an Uncle to our next door neighbor.
Dick Roberts was playing Steel and Tex Willam's future wife "Dallas" was the girl singer. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 1 Dec 2009 3:47 pm
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Billy
I knew you'd have some reminiscence about these fiddles.
Jerry
Both Wayne and I found our fiddles on eBay. I actually first bid on the '44 fiddle but lost the auction. Then I found out that my friend Wayne won the thing, so it stays in "the family" so to speak. When the '42 fiddle came up for auction, I didn't hesitate.
_________________
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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