Ya' 'Member This??

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 1 Jan 2003 8:07 am

It's Saturday Night in 1963. Station W.L.W. out of Cincinatti. That was channel 13 here in southern Indiana. Sometime about 8:00, or 9:00 o,clock that night it's time for "The Midwestern Hayride". Charlie Gore, Zeke Turner& Slim ???, (later Zeke & Billy Holmes), Bonnie Lou, Dean & Penny Richards, Kenny Price, The Hometowners, Bobby Bobo, and others. A steelman named Pat Johnson, (later I'm told a minister in Indianapolis), and then the great Chuck Rich. Do you remember a man with a perpetual (did I spell that right - probabaly not) smile on his face, playing a blond "Epiphone Sheraton" Guitar turned upsidedown? You were watching a fellow named Wally Procter, a left-hander, and for all of us guys that loved the style they commonly called "take-off guitar" it just didn't get any better!
Just thinkin' about things like that today. This computer could be fun if I could type, and spell, and form logical sentences, or maybe just think. I'm outta here - just wondered if anyone remembered this stuff 'sides me...

Jimmie

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 1 Jan 2003 8:37 am

Gee Jim you must be a lot older than me.

Jim Vogan · Post by **Jim Vogan** » 1 Jan 2003 8:44 am

I probably seen that show. I watched every Saturday. Penny Richard's sister lived here in St. Marys. She was a school teacher and passed on a few years ago.

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Jim Vogan Emmons Sd10
G.D. Walker Stereo Steel Combo
Bakelite Ric
Hilton volume pedal

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 1 Jan 2003 9:10 am

Yeah - right Bennie!! You doin' O.K.?? At 53, I at least FEEL like I'm older than dirt! Later old friend...
Jimmie

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 1 Jan 2003 10:10 am

I don't remember that particular show, as I had left that part of the country in 1961. But I remember WLW very well. Here's a funny but true story about WLW.

This happened in about 1953. I had left the Pee Wee King band and was playing with a then-unknown band out of Louisville, Kentucky called Boyd Bennett and his Rockets. We played mostly Dixieland (me on trombone) and Rock and Roll (me on guitar.) We also played a lot of country (me on steel) and we also did a lot of comedy routines in the night clubs. Boyd got an idea that he wanted to try to get on WLW, as it was only 120 miles from Louisville. He arranged for an audition with the station executives, so we went there for a try-out.

They had us set up on a stage in a large auditorium-type studio. Three "suits" finally walked in and sat down in the front row. The one who appeared to be in charge said, "You a funny hat band?" Boyd said, "Why yes, we do a few comedy routines." The guy said, "OK. Make us laugh." We never had a chance to do any music, which was what we were there to audition for. We went into one of our comedy routines and got about 5 minutes into it, when one of them said, "We'll call you if we need you," and the three of them got up and walked out. So much for WLW and the "big time."

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 1 Jan 2003 10:16 am

Unfortunately, I was not one of the lucky ones to have lived in that region where all the country music activity seems to have started.
I do have some old audio tapes of radio shows over WJR (I believe it was) in Detroit with largely thse same musicians. Ernie Lee was the host.
These old tapes provide a glimpse back in time.........that will never again appear.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 1 Jan 2003 10:16 am

Jimmy
Roy is older than dirt,not you or I aintcha Roy?

So is Ray Montee,,he's older than all of us
put together.. I first heard of Ray when I read a book on history of steel guitars,according to the info I read, Ray must be 99 years old by now

I was about 5 years old when Ray was 40.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 01 January 2003 at 10:19 AM.]

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 1 Jan 2003 2:44 pm

Jimmy:

I may be older than Jody -- but he's uglier than me. Have you ever seen that man? He is U - G - L - Y

RON PRESTON · Post by **RON PRESTON** » 1 Jan 2003 4:18 pm

Hey, Roy,
Kinda reminds me of the "Randy Atcher & Catus" show called the "T bar B show"
Back when I was very young. I'm sure you remember that one when it was aired in Louisville. I guess it was on WHAS, channel 11, but I'm not too sure about that one. I LOVE when the "Ol Timers'" get on the forum and tell some good ol stories...Of course, I'm ONLY 47 years old, So, I guess I'm in the catagory of the "Young Whippersnappers",
don't ya think?

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 1 Jan 2003 4:33 pm

Yeah, Ron. Randy and Cactus were on WHAS, Channel 11. We (Golden West Cowboys) were on WAVE (Channel 3)in Louisville at that time. We did a daily noon radio show live from a furniture store there and a Thursday night TV show. I don't know if you knew it, but "Cactus" was Tom Brooks, who was Foster Brooks' brother. Foster was one of the announcers at WAVE and quite often did our TV show as a guest. He was an amazing person -- one of the mosr talented I have ever known; a tremendous baratone singer, actor and comedian. It's too bad that the only thing he ever became famous for was his drunk act.

But, don't get me started on stories about that era. If you think Jody Carver's stories are long, b0B would need a bigger server if I ever got started.

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 1 Jan 2003 6:21 pm

Roy, You'll laugh at this I'm sure, but when I was a little kid, I swear that I remember the "Pee-Wee King Show" on T.V. Wasn't his sponser "Oertles '92 Beer"? I don't know why I seem to remember that. I'll even go so far as to say that I remember something about a bowling alley. Would that have something to do with the sponser?
Also, there was a music/recording pioneer named J.L. Frank (I THINK). Wasn't he Kings father-in-law?
On the other hand, (a good name for a song), I probably don't remember anything...

Jimmie

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 1 Jan 2003 6:33 pm

Jimmy, Wally was a customer of mine at the music store I worked at when I was in High School. At one time Wally and Merle Travis were in-laws, having married sisters. The guitarist that works with Chuck Rich at Bobby Mackey's,Ernie Lainhart,now owns Wally's old Twin Reverb.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 1 Jan 2003 7:18 pm

Jimmy:

Your memory is good. Right on all points -- but I don't know about the bowling alley. J. L. (Joe) Frank was Pee Wee's wife (Lydia's) father. Lydia is still in St. Matthews, just outside of Louisville. We got a Christmas card from her a couple of weeks ago.

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 2 Jan 2003 4:30 am

Jerry - Is Wally still active in the business? If not, what a loss...
Jimmie

RON PRESTON · Post by **RON PRESTON** » 2 Jan 2003 4:51 am

Oh, Lord, Roy,
I know what you mean, though, BoB would not have enough room for our stories. I do remember Ortetls 92 beer though. When I was about 4-5, I snuck over to our neighbors' house, and he drank that 92 EVERY DAY on the back porch. He left one in the sun for awhile, and I went and climbed the fence, took a slug, and about GAGED myself to death....I swore I would NEVER DRINK ANYTHING AGAIN if it had Alcohol in it,Funny, I had to Danm near LOSE MY LIFE from Drinking, Before I could give it to God. Today, I have just about 6 years of being sober....They used to call me "Asleep-At-The-Steel" when I was drinking hard out west. Pass out OVER the Steel, Man, and somebody would take me off of it, and take me home...Yea, I REMEMBER my 1st Drink....Ortels' 92 BEER...... I belive they made it there in Louisville......Gosh...They MADE EVERYTHING ELSE YOU COULD DRINK THERE.

Sorry, Roy, I JUST Could NOT HELP MYSELF.....See what they STARTED. But, I LOVE IT....Happy New Year Folks

Oh, Yes, St. Matthews is where the Upper Class Folks live. I have several friends who live just about where Frankfort Ave. and Shelbyville Rd. intersect. I built a many a home on out where the REAL RICH folk live....Called "Lake Forest","Tiger" Woods just played golf on a course out close to there, but, I can't remember the name of that course...Never did care for Golf.[This message was edited by RON PRESTON on 02 January 2003 at 05:00 AM.]

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 2 Jan 2003 11:05 am

My apologies to Jimmie for getting off topic. Please see new thread under "Humor" captioned "Warped Humor . . . "

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 2 Jan 2003 11:18 am

Earnie and Chuck really tear it up together too!

I came across an old Kenny Price LP the other day and checked the steel credits only to find Chuck -- excuse me, "Charles B. Rich" -- listed there along with Weldon and Lloyd.

I don't know if Chuck reads the forum or not but I wanted to tell him of my find. The record was given to me years ago and I recalled it contained great steel but didn't know Chuck back then. I'll give it a listen and see if I can determine who's on which cuts. It's headed for my CD burner.

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HagFan