Rudy,
Just read your January 2, 2008, Opinions column concerning the program Your Hit Parade.
Every week Snooky Lanson, Dorothy Collins, Eileen Wilson, and Gizelle McKenzie: How could we forget them?
I never did learn how a guy came to be named Snooky.
Yes, I well remember those singers. My wife actually has a better recall of the names than I do.
I personally was a keen fan of The Lone Ranger. I always felt it was better on the radio than on
television where it looked so fake.
Radio has always fascinated me because it requires contemplation on the part of the listener. It
requires your involvement if you're going to be a good radio listener.
For instance, if you heard the following script on the radio, you could imagine exactly what
the scene might have looked like:
"Cutting through the choppy waves, beneath a stormy sky, the battleship leaned to and fro,
its portholes pulling in water like suction pumps. Over the loudspeaker could be heard the voice
of the captain who screamed, 'abandon ship!' At that point, steel doors started slamming and
sailors scampered to the upper deck railing, each of them wearing pink life preservers with frilly
white lace around the edges. The ocean quickly turned to a chocolate milk shake and the ship slowed
to a crawl, its engines now quiet.
Three monsters, heads emerging high above the ship, hissed and roared, hurling marshmellows
in all directions. The captain returned to the bridge, stood on his head and yodeled to the music
of a Swiss band whose members consisted of a 500-pound man with five ears, two lovely women
wearing no clothes, one monkey beating on a coffee can, and a zebra that was trying to play an accordian.
Suddenly, the clouds opened and all the sailors looked skyward. There, in the turbulent clouds,
was the face of Bill Clinton who wagged his finger and shouted, 'I never sipped a milk shake with
that woman, Miss Lewinski!' Three huge buzzards flew overhead and all were shot down by a
2 ft. tall man whose face bore a striking resemblance to Bob Dole. The battleship restarted its
engines and slowly chugged into the distant sunset, leaving a trail of chocolate syrup in its wake."
See, forum friends? You couldn't do that with television or newspapers, could you?
Only radio can spark your imagination.
I was born after radio had its golden years. But I found a site that you can order the old-time radio programs on CD in the MP3 format. The site is The Radio Lady. Another site is RUSC that for a fee you can download any old time radio program to your computer. I have several programs on CDs which includes: "The Shadow", "Sam Spade", "Perry Mason", "Phillip Marrow", and others. I enjoy listerning to them.
Brace Beemer played the Lone Ranger on radio.
Our family had a radio in the kitchen and the entire family always stayed seated after dinner and listened to the Lone Ranger on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings and the Cisco Kid on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Sirius radio plays the old Lone Ranger episodes on its family channel at around noon each day.
Although we all respected Clayton Moore as the TV Lone Ranger, he was a terrible actor and all outdoor closeups were shot on terrible looking indoor stages.
How he earned that job is beyond me. When a little kid notices the bad acting, something has to be wrong.
One TV episode was shot entirely outdoors and that was a special one-hour program that explained to all the kids just how the Lone Ranger became the Lone Ranger.
When Warner Brothers, brought the Lone Ranger in blazing Cinemascope to the big screen, Moore's acting seemed to improve and it was really refreshing that the closeup outdoor scenes were all shot on location.
Rudy,
I grew up with the radio. Dad went into the navy in 41 and I was born in 42 and mom
raised me alone for 3 years....
while raising me and trying to make sense of her life with dad in the service she had the
radio on as often as not.
Music has always been my life.. With Amos n Andy and the Lone Ranger and Inner scantum and all
those wonderful programs.
I even enjoyed your sample of what a modern type program could be like.
Thanks for the memories......I even remember the Hit Parade and spent a lot of time listening and later watching it.
AOYP
Remeber the hilarious attemps to change the presentation of 'This Ol' House' week after week after week? Rock and roll effectively murdered that show, they just couldn't sing 'Rock Around The Clock', and 'Heartbreak Hotel'. I still listen to the radio a lot in the car. Does anyone have sattellite radio, and do they like it?
We received Sirius free for a one year trial period on our new auto purchase last year.
We will be subscribing when the trial runs out.
Besides listening to the previously mentioned Lone Ranger, both of us like the Broadway channel.
We now only listen to one AM program, a morning talk show that started in Denver more than 20 years ago.
We have Sirius Radio in our car and we love it!
How much to subscribe?
We got a new car and a 3 month free subscription to XM Radio. It is WONDERFUL!!! We subscribed to it when the trial was up. For Christmas I got my husband an adaptor for his vehicle on the same account, and so now he can enjoy it when we're not on the road together. He loves the old-time radio shows. I like the music with no commercials, especially the 60s or any other genres that happen to be appealing at the moment. No static--no searching for stations in rural Kansas/Oklahoma. Sports are on lots of channels too. We got a 3-year committment and it's about $10 a month, I think.
Subscription to Sirius is 12.95 per month.
I neglected to mention that we get Fox News Channel and can keep up with good coverage of world news while we are on the road. I think they also offer CNN but I do not care to listen to those folks.
We both like the Korean Channel. I do not understand the words but I like Korean pop music. The Korean Channel, by the way, is out of Los Angeles through the Sirius satellite, complete with US news.
The only other AM station I listen too besides Denver's KOA is KFDI, Wichita when we come through. I always enjoy listening to Johnny Western.
We used to enjoy listening to KFDI, when Mike Oatman was one of the co-owners, but anymore they don't play much music, it's mostly just jabbering about nothing. We got so sick and tired of hearing about the Prairie Rose (before it went belly up) each and every afternoon on Johnny Westerns show. To make the long story short--we quit listening.
I love sateliite radio. I got it in September, just the small radio, stuck the antenna up in the moon roof and plug into the cigarette lighter. I bought it especially to make my runs over to Wichita and back. It really helps the time go by on a trip.
I remember the big old cabinet radios that we had. We would all sit around it and listen. All those shows you guys have mentioned. I remember the Saturday morning shows, the program with the Teddy Bears Picnic theme, somebody King of the Jungle, wasn't there Flash Gordon as well. My grandmother listenend to some of the afternoon shows....True Story or something like that. She didn't think they were appropriate for me to listen to, so I was encouraged to play with my toys in the parlor during those times.
The thing I remember most about the Lone Ranger was that he and Tonto always met at the very same rock. Ha, ha Set designing was definitely in its infancy at that time.
Sixsdogsmom: The cost of Sirius is 12.95 per month. If you pay by the year or six months I believe it is less. Along with the subscription for the car, you get a free subscription for part of the stations over your computer. If you want all of them available over the computer then I believe it is an extra 5.00 per month. After you subscribe you can go to Sirius.com and set up your account. Sometimes I have the radio playing in the background on the computer while I work online.
Some of you folks might remember the radio show Sergeant Preston of the Yukon with his dog King.
I became the owner of one inch of Yukon territory complete with land deed as a result of that show and its sponsor Nabisco Shredded Wheat.
Hated the cereal but loved the stuff that came with it.
A land deed entitlement to one inch square of Yukon land was packed inside each box.
I understood the radio network purchased 20 acres in the Yukon and "subdivided" the land.
The program also migrated to TV but did not last long.
Quote from: Rudy Taylor on January 09, 2008, 04:44:14 PM
For instance, if you heard the following script on the radio, you could imagine exactly what
the scene might have looked like:
"Cutting through the choppy waves, beneath a stormy sky, the battleship leaned to and fro,
its portholes pulling in water like suction pumps. Over the loudspeaker could be heard the voice
of the captain who screamed, 'abandon ship!' At that point, steel doors started slamming and
sailors scampered to the upper deck railing, each of them wearing pink life preservers with frilly
white lace around the edges. The ocean quickly turned to a chocolate milk shake and the ship slowed
to a crawl, its engines now quiet.
Three monsters, heads emerging high above the ship, hissed and roared, hurling marshmellows
in all directions. The captain returned to the bridge, stood on his head and yodeled to the music
of a Swiss band whose members consisted of a 500-pound man with five ears, two lovely women
wearing no clothes, one monkey beating on a coffee can, and a zebra that was trying to play an accordian.
Suddenly, the clouds opened and all the sailors looked skyward. There, in the turbulent clouds,
was the face of Bill Clinton who wagged his finger and shouted, 'I never sipped a milk shake with
that woman, Miss Lewinski!' Three huge buzzards flew overhead and all were shot down by a
2 ft. tall man whose face bore a striking resemblance to Bob Dole. The battleship restarted its
engines and slowly chugged into the distant sunset, leaving a trail of chocolate syrup in its wake."
Only radio can spark your imagination.
Rudy, would you be taking any kind of medication for this imagination of yours? ;D ;D ;D
I loved radio, used to listen to the shows in bed with the lights out...great for imagining the scenes and the action. Bobby Benson and the B bar B, I Love an Adventure, and all the ones you all have mentioned. Al bought me some of the old episodes on disk. They are still just as good as ever.
Does anyone remember a radio show that invovled a magician. I listen to a radio show I thought was Mandrake the Magician.
I think there was a Sunday comic strip that was called Mandrake The Magician, however I don't recall a radio show by that name.
Our family always liked Innersanctum, the show that started out with the squeaky door; very spooky. The shows were mostly mysteries that bordered on the uncanny. Right down my warped mind alley! We also listened to The Shadow, The Green Hornet, Gang Busters, and of course, Jack Benny. I spent many happy hours listening to Let's Pretend on saturday mornings. I have tapes of some of those shows. Just as good now as then.
Has anyone mentioned listening to "Jack Armstong, the All American Boy?"
I can remember when Johnny Lee Wills was on KVOO, Tulsa, at 12:30 every day. (I think it was KVOO!) We were pretty careful how we used up the battery on our Zenith radio! We always listened to the "Grand Ole Opry" on Saturday night.
We don't have Sirius radio, but our children all do, and they LOVE it! Especially when they're driving across the country.
Mandrake was on radio on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1940-42.
It also went to TV but did not last one year.
Does anyone remember the Mutual Broadcasting Company?
I listened to the Mutual game of the day (baseball) in the fifties and still have a Mutual baseball statistic hardback book I bought by mail in 1954. The announcers encouraged me to send in my $1.00, which I did.
Last I heard MBS had become a black network.
Does anyone remember DTN television?
The Dumont Television Network was the first television network. It also sold Dumont television sets. Their biggest star was Jackie Gleason. When he jumped ship to CBS in 1954 or so, it killed the network.
One of the TV stations in Kansas City broadcast both DTN and CBS programs.
One of the KC stations was owned by both WHB radio and KMBC radio. Part of the day the station was WHB television and part of the day it was KMBC television. I can still remember the announcer saying something like "This is KMBC TV signing over to WHB TV."
Evenually it became just KMBC TV.
Gee Bonnie, Why didn't you tune in at 12:15 and get LEON!?
Little trivia contest:
What four words were used at the beginning of the Leon McAuliffe radio show?
I had the privelege of introducing him once at Bartlesville for a local talent show (he served as a judge), and I
actually got to say, "_____ _____ _____ _____!"
Thrilling!
Take It Away Leon!?
Believe the same line was used for his live performances. What was the name of the little club south of the Moline rodeo field? Believe it was in early 50's!
Leon is a favorite in this house when it comes to western swing music. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys are greatly missed, too. I know that Asleep At the Wheel also play western swing, but they just are no match for Bob Wills and his band.
Back when all radio was live, KMBC radio in Kansas City featured a noon hour program called the Dinner Bell Roundup. It was country music and talk and tried to be funny.
At the end of the program the band played exit music and the announcer always said "Put on the coffee pot Daisy, I'm a coming home."
I went to the station with the Cub Scouts, I think in 1949 or 50 and watched this program one day. We actually went into the studio and sat in front of the performers who were an arm's length away and were all in western clothing. We were cautioned beforehand not to talk but we could clap as loud as we wanted after a musical number and laugh when we heard something funny.
The program sounded exciting when I listened at home but at the station, it seemed a bit boring. There was just a bunch of men standing around a microphone with pages of typewriter paper in front of their faces reading a script with the country band behind them.
Whereas KMBC featured country and western, WDAF radio was higher class.
In that station, the performers were behind a glass panel and we could talk. I remember a piano that might have been the first one I ever saw that was not an upright. There was a very well dressed woman playing. She was accompanied by an "orchestra," maybe a couple violins and a few other instruments. These instruments were all played by men in tuxes or fancy suits.
Each of these stations had several studios all of which had an "On Air" sign at the door. Only the studio that was actually broadcasting had the sign lit.
Once in awhile, Mama would get tickets for us to go see The Ark Valley Boys, the noon hour western group in Wichita at KFH radio. The program was much the same as that described by Waldo, although I do think they interacted with the audience, making it fun to visit there. I was impressed anyway, I had that autographed 8x10 glossy for many years! The same trip to town always involved a visit to Woolworths' basement and the pianist playing the latest from the hit parade to sell sheet music. We would also visit Bucks' an upscale department store. Not to buy anything but to use the bathroom. It had a maid, I was certainly impressed and thought I was just the stuff. The store also had caged canaries throughout to provide music for the shoppers. Nicer than Musac for sure. My trip to town usually ended with a new book of paperdolls from Kress basement, our bus stop was just outside. When I got older I spent many hours in these stores, had my first bite of pizza from Woolworths, it was terrible and not like any we get now. By then I said it was good, simply because it was so different.
Gee Bonnie, Why didn't you tune in at 12:15 and get LEON!?
I'm not sure Leon was on the station we listened to, at that time. We really did attend a lot of Leon's dances, though. I think it was "The Hilltop" by Moline? And, The Avalon, of course, at Fredonia. Jo, did we have fun at those places, or not????
We had lots of fun attending the Bob Wills dances at the "Buffalo Ranch" south of Elk City, and also at the "Westerneer" out north and west of Independence. Also, Johnny Lee's dances at Fredonia. Most of you are too young to remember such times!
That was before this became (my husband) Bob's theme song:
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071221/MULTIMEDIA/283841756
I had to help this video along once in a while by clicking on the "forward" icon.
Lovely, Bonnie, Lovely! Enjoyed it!
I remember Johnie Lee Wills from the Cimarron Ballroom in Tulsa. My mom and step-dad had friends in Skiatook?, OK. They would go visit them and go dancing at the Cimarron Ballroom. I went with a couple of times as a teenager. He was one of my step dads favorites.
We had the origional Band Stand in Philly with Dick Clark. Some of my friends would occasionally duck out of school early to up to the studio for the show. I always had band or orchestra practice so I never got to go, not that my parents would have let me.
We always watched American Bandstand on TV. I'm sure that we danced right along with the group.
I'm fascinated by all these stories, especially Bonnie's recall of Bob Wills coming to our neck of the woods. I don't remember the Buffalo Ranch (club?) but I sure do remember the Westerneer. Actually, I do remember a place located straight south of Elk City on the Sedan shortcut, but I can't remember its name. Maybe that's where the Buffalo Ranch place was?
That was the Helm's club, or maybe Babe's place..........think that was the name.
I do think they burned down in the 70's....or storms got them, can't remember.
I think Helm's was the first "club," and it probably burned down, then "Babe's place" came into existance, across the road from Helm's Club. It probably burned down later.
The Buffalo Ranch was on the west side of the road between Havana and before you get to the Sedan cut-off road. Closer to the Sedan Cut off road, actually. I think there is still some of the high fences around some of those pastures. They had a concrete slab (outdooes, of course) and that's where the dances were held. This was probably in the '50's, (1950's, not 1850's.) I think a guy by the last name of Clark owned the Buffalo Ranch.
When we go back to Longton, we fly in to Tulsa, and we "always" take the "short cut" between Havana and Elk City. That's a great drive, Rudy, I'm sure you know about that "short cut!"
Yes, the Buffalo Ranch area is quite familiar to me. But I didn't know about the dances once held there. I moved with my family to Caney in 1959 so anything before that is history. And, you're right, it was the Helms Club and Babe's. I never went there because I'm such a clean-cut, morally upright guy and there were rumors that drinking took place there.
OK, OK, I'll come clean. I went to other places just like Babe's and the Helms Club. But I was still a clean-cut, morally ................ (yicccck).
Well, actually, I didn't/don't drink, either! I would imagine that there really aren't dances like those were any more. If there are, I don't know where they are being held. We always loved to dance, and it was a treat for us to "get to go" to a dance. Helms was pretty much "off limits" for us, and we did go to Babes Place a couple of times. There was one guy there, he and his wife always attended the Saturday night dances. He was a wonderful dancer, and those of us who danced with him really did enjoy it. When he died, his wife had a "thank you" in the paper, stating how much her husband enjoyed dancing with so many different dance partners. Those were "good times!"
The fiddlers and pickers play and dance every Thursday night. No drinking or smoking. They also have a covered dish dinner. That is at the old furniture store here in Moline.
Do they have good crowds?
How fun. Maybe I can make a trip through for that sometime. I'd love to bring my Strunstick and pick and grin with them for a while.
Wow !!! Helms Club was where the good western dances were held --- and we did go, quite often, but I don't remember going to Babes -- I guess we were away from Elk County by that time. We went to Fredonia to The Avalon Club. Bob Wills - Johnnie Lee Wills, Leon McCalluf and Hank Tompson all played there. I loved Bob Wlls music, BUT he played every song through twice and if you got stuck with a bad dancer -- you were more than ready for the dance to end long before it did. There was a club called The Hilltop at the junction of 160 and 99 highway. It was on the west side of the road that is now the widened intersection of the junchtion. I went one Saturday night with my cousins "The Workman Brothers - my brother Jack, andd Aliene Howell Cannon. Well my cousin Gene Workman was engaged to Dixie Dugan from western Kansas , and she had asked Mama if I could stay all night with her at Uncle Roy and Aunt Clara's house that Saturday night and I had permission to do so. When we all drove into the yard to take my brother Jack home, Daddy came out the door and told me to get out of the car, that I was not going to stay the night with Dixie -- I was so disappointed, but his reason was --- I did not have permission to go to Hilltop -- I was so mad, there was nothing wrong with anything about going, but he was pretty darn strict with me, so that never happened again. But when Fred and I were married I got to do a whole lot of things that I was never allowed to do when I was home. I always loved to dance and still do.
Bonnie, he was with me a little like your Dad was with Doris when she wanted to date Woody. A lot of Daddy's thinking was ok for him, but not for me.
You have that right, friend!
You know, when you think about it, we both got married "right out of High School," so we didn't have a lot of years to be under the jurisdiction of our parents. I was lucky, though, because I could go to the dances with Doris when I was in High School, and, "that was O.K.!" Also, Mother and Daddy always liked Bob (I always said they liked him better than they liked me,) so I really didn't have a lot of problems with what I did, or didn't do. Obviously, you and I both married "keepers!"
My parents didn't allow dancing, so I grew up "wishing" I could go to dances. I had total respect for my
parents but if I had life to live over again ... by gosh, I would dance!!!
Wow, you girls bring back a lot of memories. I've danced at a few of those places! Loved the music of Hank Thompson, Wanda Jackson, Bob & Johnnie Lee Wills. We used to go to El Dorado to the Locmoor Club as well once in awhile. I didn't get to go to the Avalon very much until I was out of school. Mom & Dad were pretty strict and I was only 16 when I graduated. After I was out of high school, I went to Wichita to a secretarial school. On Friday night, some friendws who were older had a western band (they were actually from Severy & Fall River originally) would get together and play and sometimes they would play for dances out there or sometimes just get together for a jam session. Anyway, I would pack up my guitar and go and sing with them. What fun. The group was all couples (except for me) and they were just my chaperones. Frank & I went to a lot of dances when we were dating and after we were married--what fun. We still like to dance, but seldom go as he's had 2 back surgeries and has an artificial knee and I have a pacemaker. I still love my music, though. A few years ago, he got a Clavinova for me for Christmas and I love to play in the evening when I have time!
Jo, I loved your Uncle Roy & Aunt Clara. I stayed with them a few days when they lived in Howard. We had a lot of ice in the early '60's and it stayed on the ground for weeks. Mom & Dad didn't want me to drive back and forth from home all of the time, so I stayed at their house for a couple of nights. Soon got my own apartment so I could stay in town, as I was in a play that George Cox was directing and had to be at play practice nearly every night! What fun that was!
Myrna
Hilltop was a fun place. Remember a group out of Winfield that played there. Joe _____ and something. A small group. Bobby Wiley (a young man still in high school) played Steel Guitar. My folks would go and I would get to go with them. One of the guys playing was a George Hayes. Both Joe and George had light hair and very curly. We would open the cafe and feed them after they played. Longton had dances in the fair building and they were usually fun. Cedar Vale had dances in an open air shelter. Did not go there to often. I cannot honestly say my folks knew I was going to Fredonia to the Avalon Club. But it was fun. Now we could go to Howard to the dance and that was okay. Was it Billy Parker that played "Good Night Irene" at the end of the evening?
memories, memories, memories. Every saturday nite was dance nite. Didn't miss many at the Howard pavillion when I was in high school. Senior year dances were mostly at the Avalon in Fredonia. Then I married a guy that could not and did not dance. He seemed to have two left feet. ;D. After he passed away, I have done some dancing and just like riding a bicycle, the steps just never leave you. I've been known to waltz around the kitchen when a good one comes on the radio. Can't do those "fast" dances anymore, tho. :-\
Yes it was Billy Parker --- and Flo, Fred and I never missed going dancing on Saturday night. One time when we were at the Avalon Club, there was a very pretty lady sitting at another table, and they were with a couple of people that Fred knew, as they were propane customers of his. That couple was O'Neal and Wilma Smith from Fall River - and the lady and her husband were Buck and Doris Foulk, amd they owned the grocery store in Falll river. To make a long story short, Fred asked Wilma to dance, and I went to the table and told Doris that she looked so familiar. Come to find out she was my seventh grade teacher at Illinois School north of Longton. She was the prettiest teacher I had all through 12 years of school, we were both very surprised that we had met again, and at a Johnnie Lee Wills dance, no less.
Guess I really am getting old, as these memories are a lot of fun to dredge up and talk about.
Quote from: Jo McDonald on January 18, 2008, 09:43:03 AM
Yes it was Billy Parker --- and Flo, Fred and I never missed going dancing on Saturday night. One time when we were at the Avalon Club, there was a very pretty lady sitting at another table, and they were with a couple of people that Fred knew, as they were propane customers of his. That couple was O'Neal and Wilma Smith from Fall River - and the lady and her husband were Buck and Doris Foulk, amd they owned the grocery store in Falll river. To make a long story short, Fred asked Wilma to dance, and I went to the table and told Doris that she looked so familiar. Come to find out she was my seventh grade teacher at Illinois School north of Longton. She was the prettiest teacher I had all through 12 years of school, we were both very surprised that we had met again, and at a Johnnie Lee Wills dance, no less.
Guess I really am getting old, as these memories are a lot of fun to dredge up and talk about.
So that is how you met Wilma and O'Neal...
And you all were forever best friends after that.
( Daddy sure must have made an impression on Wilma with that dance.. ) ;D ;D
O'neal and Wilma are wonderful people. Didn't meet them till I started working at the Severy Co-op. As for dancing, my high school "sweetheart" was a wonderful dancer and he was the one I went to the Howard dances with. Didn't see him for 40 years and when we met again, we still danced like we'd always been together. Still love to dance with him when he's around. Myrna is right. Music is always with you. I get so much pleasure out of playing the piano and organ. Good days I may play anything from Waltz Across Texas to something "long hair" - bad days I can really whail the tar out of Under the Double Eagle. :o :angel:
have to add a P.S. onto that - will today's kids ever really know what County & Western music really sounds like? Hate most of the new country.
Got that right Flo, I've been listening to Reba and "George" all morning while I iron--George Strait that is. I miss Hank Snow, Hank Thompson, Hank Williams, Faron Young, etc. The music they played was truley country.
We used to go to a place called "Out Our Way Club" I think it was--it was between Independence and Coffeyville. There was usually good bands that played there. When we lived in Bartlesville in the 1970's we went to the Moon Glow Hut in Ochelata, OK sometimes. Rodney Lay and the Wild West played there. There were usually people we knew from the places where we worked.
Flo, you need to come down some time, I have a guitar, accoordian, Clavinova and Piano, we could probably stir up some music. It is always relaxing to me, to play. I like to play in the dark. Relaxes me at the end of the day.
I'm married to a wonderful pianist, and every night before Kathy goes to bed she turns off all the lights
except the lamp over the piano. Then she sits down and plays such peaceful music. By this time, I'm
already in bed, half asleep, so I usually drift in that other world while smiling at the lovely sounds
emanating from our living room.
Dark is not all bad, is it?
There are too few piano players "these days!" I really appreciate piano music. As you said, it is so relaxing to just listen to the sweet music coming from the piano. I play the piano "by ear," not good, but it's brought a lot of enjoyment throughout the years! Flo, I used to play "Under the Double Eagle," and I'd forgotten all about that song! Our daughter, Karen, is a good piano player, and therefore, she "got" to accompany all of the school musical programs, play for Church, etc., etc.!
Myrna, I've wondered what happened to Rodney Lay. I don't think he plays with Roy Clark any more, maybe he's "retired" and lives in Coffeyville. He used to do the "Dalton Gang" bank robbery reinactment in Coffeyville each year. I wonder if they still do that?
Bonnie, I don't know where Rodney Lay is either. He had a western wear store in Dewey when we lived here before, but it is gone. I have heard that one of his sons is a car salesman for one of the dealers in Independence. Maybe I'll find out something when I have time get out and about. I've been so busy since we got here that I haven't had much contact with the outside world, but we plan to change that when we get settled and get involved in the community and contact some of the people we used to know who are still here.
Myrna
Are you living in Bartlesville? That would be a good place to live, I think. We've always like it there. I have a cousin, Stanley Elmore and his wife, Gleta, who live in Dewey. They've lived there for years, and raised all of their family there.
It would be interesting to see whatever happened to Rodney Lay. He was a good musician, and a good band to back up Roy Clark. "Rodney" played for dances at the Longton Fair Barn every once in a while.
Rodney Lay currently manages Roy Clark's band and jointly owns with Roy, the Roy Clark Celebrity Theater in Branson, Missouri. He lives on a ranch in Oklahoma and raises race horses.
That is good to know, Sally - I just got out my Coffeyville telephone book, and there are several Lay listings, but did not see one for Rodney. Now we know why, don't we?
I wrote quite a lengthy item about Rodney but apparently it didn't post. I'll wait to see if it happens later.
Actually, mine was probably not that good anyway.
Let me try again. I'm not the greatest techie.
Rodney and his wife, Karen, recently moved from their ranch near Nowata to a home in Dewey. Rodney is experiencing some
health problems and the ranch was getting to be too much for him.
Karen manages health clinics for the Delaware Nation including the one here in Caney. And by the way, she grew up here as
Karen Mackey.
Rodney still likes to pull together some of his original "Blazers" for reunion concerts, and he has returned to classic rock for
many of his performances, although he still feels totally comfortable playing country music. That's really where he found
success, traveling with Roy Clark and writing for lots of Nashville performers.
He doesn't do tours or stressful concerts any more, and it's not uncommon to see him standing on the back row playing the
bass guitar for a local country band at a county fair. He's just likes to play, that's all.
I talked to him recently and he really likes to visit with folks about their memories of those gigs that several of you
remember --- the ones at the Longton Fair, the Westernair Club, the Legion in Caney, etc. He's one of the friendliest
people you will ever meet and he never sees a stranger.
I did have his email address but I don't find it now. He loves to hear from old-time fans. Rodney is now in his late 60s.
I know for a fact that Karen is 66 and I assume Rodney is around that same age.
I found your post below the reply page and, Rudy, that is wonderful to know things that are factual. Thanks !!
Rudy, Thanks for info on Rodney Lay. This forum is a wealth of information.
Sally's info was correct, too. I didn't mean to make mine sound authoritative.
You're all so darned respectful of me! With age comes respect, I suppose.
But I can screw up more facts than you can imagine. So don't take me too
seriously.
Rudy, You're joking-right. Serious--nah... Guess I have more respect than you since I'm older.
I don't know anything, I just got my info off his website.
Now, Sally, I don't buy that. We all think you're a girl of high intellect, charm and pleasing aroma.
Yeah, Rudy that is what so much FUN
about being older...........we can get away with it.
Just the other day a friend and I were discussing a birthday party and
we were trying to guess the age of the person..........then we found out
that person (Yes, Bonnie, Ardis) was 90 and I looked at Bev and said "that isn't
so old"
Guess it depends on what decade we are in........LOL.
I had read something about Rodney Lay being in Ok, but didn't want to jump in,
cause it would just might not be true.
I do know that when I danced to his group we usually got to the VFW Hall in
Independence and he sure could get us all moving.
I have been enjoying all of your responses to this thread, and sure wish I had grown up here
where dances and kids and their folks attending were the norm.............city people
seem to spend their time working, which is good, and all the dances I got to go to were senior grade
in highschool cause of the strictness of my folks......
I too jumped into a marriage to get out of the house......and learned the hard way that wasn't the
way to do it...............dumb de dumb dumb.........
Thanks for the enjoyment of reading your stories.
AOYP
Rudy, thank you so much for posting the information about Rodney Lay. That was just like hearing from an old friend! I always admired him, as he, and his band, always were a "clean cut" group, and people really enjoyed dancing to their music.
The other night, on KPBS, there was a "special" about the old time variety shows, and there were a number of the people who were in those shows, many years ago, who were interviewed for the "special." Some aged well, other's didn't. Tony Orlando wasn't looking too healthy, I think he did have a lot of health problems. (I guess he's still alive?) Probably the funniest man we thought was ever on T.V. was Tim Conway! The Carol Burnett show was excellent, we thought.
I might just throw this in here, (wrong category, I know!) that the Chargers are playing football tomorrow, and you can't believe the "hype" in San Diego County! I hesitate to even mention it, as they could very well lose by a score of 67 to 0 (or something like that!) I don't think our quarterback can play, due to a knee injury, and I'm not sure about Damian Thomlinson. The temperature in Boston, (I think it is where they're playing,) is to be between 0 and 13 degrees, and our "boys" left San Diego yesterday with a temperature near 70ยบ. I know, "poor babies!" Of course, they play the Patriots, who have won, what is it, 17 games in a row? Anyone want to wager a bet, on who wins?
Of course you are betting on the Chargers, aren't you, Bonnie?
I doubt it! It's just as well that I actually don't "make" bets!
Aren't all football games a "hit parade?" When they sack the quarterback I'm sure he thinks so. So, Bonnie perhaps this IS the right thread. ;) ;)
You're right!
Bonnie, why is playing by ear not a good thing? I play by ear and by music, and if I don't have the music, as they say, just hum a few bars and I can play it. More than once I have put a CD or record on the music rack of the piano, look at song titles, say to myself, haven't heard that in a long time and I start playing it. I play Under the Double Eagle by ear as well as Waltz Across Texas (played it listening to ET on the radio and so play it in his key) and a gazillion other things that I play. Also, if you play by ear and don't like the key just transpose. My second daughter sang a lot when she was a teenager and if a song was too high or too low for her, I just played it in a key she wanted. Can't do that if you only play by music alone. If memory serves me right, Myrna played a lot by ear also when we were in highschool. Music has always been a big part of my life. I heard my grandmother play "Blue Skirt Waltz" and thought it was so beautiful. I went home and picked it out on the piano. Now I have her sheet music which inclued Blue Skirt Waltz and Under the Double Eagle, but they are filed away. I still just play it by ear. enough rambling . . . . . :-\ :angel:
;D ;D ;D Bonnie, I just reread your post. You said you play by hear, not good, and I took it you thought playing by ear was not a good thing. I just mis-read the comma's. What I get for reading too fast and not "between the lines" :-\ :angel:
Flo, what I was intending to say was that "I play by ear, but I don't play that well!" Surely the best piano players anywhere play by ear and can also read music. I don't read music, and I wish I did. I always liked to "chord," and played with different fun groups of people by just doing "chords." So, I wish I played "by ear" better than I do! I think playing the piano well is "a gift," just like having a beautiful singing voice is "a gift!"
ELDON I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO THE BOB WILLS REUNION IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA IN 1987. There
THERE WERE 80 FORMER MEMBERS THERE. WHEN THWERE ALLON STAGE IT WAS QUITE A WONDERFUL SOUND!
I can just hear the sound, Jody. I can only imagine what all those fiddles, guitars and singers must have sounded like.
Ahh-haw!
I used to be able to play the clarinet by ear.
( until I learned though, my family's ears were hurting) ;D
But I did learn and became a very good clarinet player.. and loved it!
And why doesn't it surprise me that you're a clarinet player?
Screechy. Cold. Honky.
Now a baritone, French horn or tuba --- there are some nice instruments.
But clarinets are just sit-ins until the violinists finally arrive.
Plus, trying to blow a clarinet makes your teeth vibrate. I remember kissing a girl from Cedar Vale one time who had that
effect on me. My mouth was numb for a week.
Rudy, you better run! She may shove a reed up your nose! ;D
ohhhhh He would welcome the reed in the nose... yessireeeee.. I don't think it will be the nose.. but I'll have to have help holding him down.. ;D ;D
OK, I'll have to confess. I'm in love with two clarinet players --- my wife and our daughter.
And I must admit, I love to hear the darn, screechy, plastic horn do its thing.
So, let up! I sure don't want that reed in my ... well, my ... you know!
The clarinet is a beautiful instrument to play especially in the hands of a master such as Benny Goodman I think. I remember watching a movie starring Steve Allen playing a band leader who play the clarinet.
Couldn't have had that great Glen Miller sound without the clarinets.