Just for the Record", What is it about Texas?

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 21 Oct 2003 8:18 am

I've recently returned from a few weeks of R&R, which for me means Western Swing shows. Over the weekend I started digging thru the pile of CD's I brought back with me. Staurday the whole day was filled with Tony Ramsey's "Bummin' Around" tape. Sunday morning Leon Rausch started out the day, then Floyd Domino's solo disc, Paul Anastasio, and Ginny Mac. Then I plugged in Bobby Flores' CD. Yeah Boy!The playing is top notch but what knocked me out was Bobby's singing. Hit's you right between the eyes. I found myself coming up with some new verbs every song! To top it off Bobby and his show are first class, Jim Lossberg, no hat all cattle, on his 65 Emmons for this trip. I've got very mixed emotions about Texas shuffle music but good stuff is good stuff in any arrangement!
All the cats I mentioned are from Texas, with the exception of Paul who is from Washington but has spent lots of time in Texas.
So what is it about Texas? Is it the water, is it the soil? is it the short socks? is it the shoes? it must be the shoes? No Morris, not the shoes.
Do you have to be born there? If you're not from there but live there does it pass you by or will it absorb you too?
What ever it is, it sure works![This message was edited by Mike Black on 21 October 2003 at 09:20 AM.]

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 21 Oct 2003 8:57 am

Easy--it's in the SOUTH!

We gave the rest of you Blues,Jazz,Hillbilly,
Gospel,R@B,Rock and Roll, Elvis,Louis Armstrong,Jack Daniels,Hank Williams,Tobacco,cotton,peanuts and too much more to list. Sorry about giving you Bill Clinton.

There is a severe groove that hangs in the air here.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Oct 2003 8:59 am

Not sure; but when Alaska was made one of the last two states, a congressman from Alaska walked up to a Texas congressman and exclaimed,

"Do you realize we have enough gold in Alaska that we could build a wall 8 foot high and 8 foot deep ALL the way around the whole state of Texas?"

The Texas congressman thought for a moment, looked the Alaskan in the eyes and expounded,

"Tell ya what pahdnah, you guys come down here and build that wall 8 feet high and 8 feet deep out of solid gold, ALL the way around the state of Texas. I will then fly over it in my private Boeing 747; and if I like it, I'll will buy it; and that goes for the kayaks ya rode in on!"

carl[This message was edited by C Dixon on 21 October 2003 at 10:03 AM.]

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 21 Oct 2003 9:02 am

..let's ask this guy...

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 21 Oct 2003 9:17 am

Somebody once told me: "The two biggest counties in Texas are Oklahoma and New Mexico"

I think that typifies Texas braggin' rights

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn
www.kevinfowler.com

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 21 Oct 2003 9:21 am

We give you these guys too--Parris Island,SC.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 21 Oct 2003 11:01 am

Having, like a lot of guys, done boot camp in San Antonio, I'd have to put in a vote for Insects. Not necessarily bad, as the Cicada (sp) song filling the air gave it an "atmosphere" that I kind of miss. And Crickets? Any famine could be weathered by merely leaving one's car window rolled down at night, and you'd come out to find about two inches of them stacked on your floorboards, ready for the stew pot.

Leave us not forget the quickly learned habit of letting the drinking fountains clear of ballistically unfortunate cockroaches first thing in the morning..

That, and weather that CAN kill you.

Also the unusual "footwear". I was told to remember the "Water Moccasins" when heading off to a swimming hole with some buddies at Lake Texoma. I never got any, but swam anyhow.. AND all the friendly people on the "Strip" outside the AF base at Wichita Falls.

Actually I liked the smells, and the daily rain showers that would soak you in the morning, and you'd be dry before you got back.

Loved the place, and hope to return there sometime "musically".

"That's right, you're not from Texas, but Texas loves you anyway." -LL-

EJL

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 21 Oct 2003 12:47 pm

I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could, 23 1/2 years ago.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 21 Oct 2003 2:08 pm

I was floored by the western swing the first time I went to the TSGA show. I mean, I'd heard Bob Wills' records and such, but I had no idea how good the real stuff sounded live.

Yeah, there's something special about Texas music, that's for sure.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 21 Oct 2003 4:18 pm

BIG STATE requires BIG COUNTRY MUSIC!! Some call it swing.

Paul Polish · Post by **Paul Polish** » 22 Oct 2003 9:39 am

I'm a lot like Darvin. 28 Years ago. Still taking booster shots.HA!

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I do DRUMS,so I STEEL to support the habit!!!

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 22 Oct 2003 10:10 am

Me too!

I moved here in 1980 for the Urban Cowboy days and never looked back. I do make the trip back to New England every once in a while to see my family and friends, get a seafood fix, and do some leaf peeping.

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 22 Oct 2003 11:04 am

Well, Texas has a unique culture and a unique history which is, of course, no better than or worse than that of anyplace else. What makes our music different, I think, is that with the size and location of our state we have been a little isolated from the rest of American culture. Also people have always come here looking for a new start. There is a very strong independent streak in Texas; it was a separate nation for ten years.

Texas has also been the melting pot for many musical cultures. Here in Houston we have the blues from the African-American communities (and, unlike the North, in Texas there are many rural Afican-American cultures). There has also been a very vibrant Mexican culture here. From East Texas we have a very strong country music tradition. Houston is also the westernmost border of the Cajun and Creole cultures. On any weekend you can hear zydeco or cajun music in their traditional places. Also, from what I remember from the older western swing musicians is that the western swing music from Houston had a very strong streak of Dixieland (group improvisation) in it. There is also the music and (very alive) culture of the cowboys. Also lots of polka music from the German and Bohemian immigrants of the 1850s. So you mix all that together and you get Texas. It's not better or worse than anywhere else; it's just . . . different.

[This message was edited by Susan Alcorn on 22 October 2003 at 12:05 PM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 22 Oct 2003 11:53 am

Texas is also the most self-serving of any state, at least musically. Hey, when you look at a jukebox in Idaho, every third freakin' song is NOT ABOUT Idaho!

Like Susan stated, Texans have a fierce independence and sense of state pride, and a built-in feeling that things Texan are generally "better."

That's also why western swing is sort of the national music of Texas; it reflects that resistance to American cultural homogenization that seems to have occurred during the last half of the past century. I'm afraid that cultural homogenization, due to the massive influx of people from everywhere moving to the Sunbelt, has nevertheless happened here.

Fortunately, most people that move here seem to want to become Texian to a degree and succeed.

I moved here over 31 years ago and never looked back. I was made an Honorary Texas Citizen by Governor Dolph Briscoe back in 1974... that's as close to Native as I can get.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 22 Oct 2003 12:08 pm

What Susan and Herb said, and besides that out here in West Texas the sandstorms make us grit our teeth a lot!!!

Fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 22 Oct 2003 12:53 pm

I agree with Susan and my buddy "Herbster" and I might add "Texas is Western Swing".
...Roy

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Music is a "gift" with many wrappings....
....Roy

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 23 Oct 2003 9:56 am

A~ Men to what Roy said

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DavidWright.us

Peavey-2000-PX-300

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 24 Oct 2003 6:54 am

Also, I think musicians in Texas are for the most part a little more open-minded than those in other parts of the country and know more about the steel guitar. This also goes for musicians outside of "country". Classical, jazz, rock, blues, Latin -- most of them have had some experience playing with steel guitar players.

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 24 Oct 2003 7:31 am

I spent some time in Texas back in the early 50's and there was a few of them small towns I spent three or four days in just one night. I don't know if I could surive my youth again....and I know for sure I don't want to try it.

Things are differant in Texas when it comes to country music.

Bob

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 24 Oct 2003 8:33 am

Herb, I understand....I was born an Okie only because the horses carrying my grandparents didn't go lame before crossing the Red River to Old Greer County....and then I grew up close enough to throw a rock across the river......

....but, when I saw the OU/Texas game a couple of weeks back I was glad that Texas thought that I was an Okie!!!!!.....

www.genejones.com

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 24 Oct 2003 9:23 am

Also, I think musicians in Texas are for the most part a little more open-minded than those in other parts of the country and know more about the steel guitar. This also goes for musicians outside of "country". Classical, jazz, rock, blues, Latin -- most of them have had some experience playing with steel guitar players.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 24 Oct 2003 10:24 am

Susan writes

Also, I think musicians in Texas are for the most part a little more open-minded than those in other parts of the country and know more about the steel guitar.

Susan,that may be true to a point,but steel guitar was not recognized back East when I made a living from playing steel guitar with
many groups well known as well as those not so well known.

I raised a wife and two children struggling to make a living in an area where Steel Guitar was not looked upon as a legitimate instrument.

Im still here,so its not true to the facts.
Texas has been the hub of steel guitar but there were a few real good steel players back here who didnt get the recognition the
Texas players did.

People asscociated steel guitar with Cowboy
Music as they called it,many proved otherwise
Playing steel guitar on major network TV and
live shows with big bands at Radio City Music
Hall each Christmas season and the Ice Capades was accepted by those back East regardless of the origin of the player. I knew a doctor that played steel as a hobby and he was every bit as good as most top notch steel players anywhere.

No one can generalize,Back here there was no tab charts written,a steel player had to read from the charts composed by the arranger of a session. If you couldnt cut what they wrote,you were History.

Just wanted to make this known to you.
Thanks.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 24 Oct 2003 12:41 pm

Me too Darin April "79"

I too came here for Air Force basic training (1966) (4wks). Amarillo (2wks) Wichta Falls (3mo), San Antonio (Kelly AFB 4yrs). Went back to Ohio for 9 years. All our Musician friends said we'd be back. They said once you've been here over 2 years its like you've got this big rubber band attached to your butt and it can't help but pull you back to Texas. They were right. I moved back in 1979 and haven't regreted it since. There are so many friendly people in the music field it's like your all family and someone, somewhere is going to have a big BBQ and jam. I love the dancehalls where we can take our grandkids and see Old and Young alike dance to our music. It's great.

Long Live Texas

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 24 Oct 2003 5:46 pm

I was born here in Texas in 1960 and have lived here all my life. Texas is a great state but we do have problems just as every other state does. There are some great people here and some not so great. Our history is something we are proud of and some, such as the assination of President Kennedy, we are saddened by. But Texas is only as great as the people that make up the state. When you throw in people who have moved here and made Texas their home it makes our state proud. When I see intelligent people choose to live here such as Herb Steiner I am proud. Roy Rosetta also lives here as well as many other steel players.Texas is a great state to live and home of the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree.

Larry King · Post by **Larry King** » 25 Oct 2003 2:35 am

Well, I just have to get my two cents worth in here and try to say some things that haven't been said...some of y'all have hinted all around the subject but haven't really nailed it yet. A HUGE part of IT..whatever it is...is attitude...let me try to explain. First of all, I'm a bred and born Okie, and as long ago as 1967 when we were traveling in the gospel music circles, I realized way back then that there's a big difference in the attitude of the people. In Oklahoma, folks would sit back in the pew, arms crossed, and their body language would say, "Let me see what you got, boy".."bless me if you can, I dare you"....contrast that wwith singing in Texas churches...they would get out on the edge of their chair, slap their hands together and say "sic 'em..sock it to me..we're here for you...we're here to have fun". Roger mentioned the dance halls where you can take kids.....that's where we met him, at a place called Quihi...it's not on most maps, but it was the best $5.00 I ever spent. The thing that stood out was the kids...I'm talking five year old kids waltzing, two stepping, etc and not once did anyone yell "rock and roll"....SO.....this attitude I'm talking about is bred into them and they receive early training and after all, the WORD says "train up a child, and when he's old he wont depart from it". What does this have to do with Pedal Steel? everything..it's part of the big picture where the crowds are there to support our music and they learn to appreciate it from the very beginning of their life....so the market is there and therefore the demand sustains the product. Now where can you record(outside of Tenn) where you have so many choices of players???Check out Bobby Flores and Johnny Bush albums where they've used several players on the same record. Finally, the BIGGEST reason it's better in Texas is that they know what country music is. The rest of the world thinks it's Garth and Shania.