Texas Dance Halls (Austin, College Station, Alamo: sick, homes, college)

[bellestaroftexas]

I remembered the "real" name of my next door Smelley Dairy Barn steakhouse/dance hall.
CATTLE BARON COUNTRY. it was on Cattle Baron Drive in Ft Worth. the house band was called THE CATTLE BARON BOYS.

now that yall got me thinking about this..........i am SO SO sad that i didn't ever videotape them. they were the REAL THING. ole timey Texas swing band. and one of the dudes (on the steel guitar) was so old it looked like someone had propped him up there. and sometimes it would look like he was fixin to fall asleep (or die) right there on stage. i always got so tickled by him. gosh those were the good days.........having a great meal and then waiting for them to come on stage and start dancing.............i miss it so much. i liked it because it wasnt a "MEAT MARKET", it truly was a family affair-no stupid young drunks, just everyone having a great time.
the place had the sawdust hardwood dance floor, and the rest of the place was huge picnic tables for big family seating. the walls were covered with HUGE ranching pics-mostly of the family itself-out on the range.
it was a big red barn. you could smell the cow dung as you walked from your truck to the entrance, cuz well, the dairy farm was right there. the meat you ate was from cattle on their property.
they had a small bar up front where folks who just wanted to sit and drink, watch tv could go. they also had pool tables on the second floor.
places like this just dont come around very often anymore.........and i so miss it

[TexasReb]

Waylon Jennings...


Here's a song I wrote on a plane between Dallas and Austin
goin to El Paso
whoops
Now this is what gave us the idea to come down here,
this is a song about a guy that probably did as much for
our kind of music as anybody.

Well the Honky Tonks in Texas were my natural second home
the way you tip your hat to the ladies in the rose of San Antone
I grew up on music that we call western swing
it don't matter whose in Austin, Bob Wills is still the King

Lawd, I can still remember the way things were back then
in spite of all the hard times i'd live it all again
to hear the Texas Playboys and Tommy Duncan sing
makes me proud to be from Texas where Bob Wills is still the King

You can hear the Grand Ol Opry in Nashville Tennessee
its the home of country music on that we all agree
but when you cross that ol Red River hoss,
that just don't mean a thing
once youre down in Texas, Bob Wills is still the King

If you aint never been there, then I guess you aint been told
that you just can't live in Texas unless you got alot of soul
its the home of Willie Nelson, the home of western swing
he'll be the first to tell you, Bob Wills is still the King.

[lonestar2007]

Cathy, Willie, Merle and Ray were on PBS a few weeks ago doing a special. I didn't even know it was Merle until he started to sing. Boy, some of us are getting old! Willie used to hang out in the beer joints all around Fort Worth and Mineral Wells, etc. picking and singing wherever he could before he became known.

TR, another great dancehall classic that I always loved to dance to was Silver Wings, by Merle. They use to always play it along with I Can't Stop Loving You and some more favorites such as Last Date by Floy Crammer at just about every dance we would go to. I think every band in Texas knew those songs along with Swinging Doors, etc. Boots Randolph use to play at Deb's Danceland in Grand Prairie and just down the row of clubs was the Silver Saddle where people like Boxcar Willie and such played before anyone had ever heard of them. There was no cover, just walk in, drink a few beers, listen a while, maybe dance to a few and walk on down to the next bar where who knows who might be singing. It was just a long strip of clubs with Debs being the biggest. I went out there when I was only 18 with my cousin and her boyfriend who was an Arlington cop and later became chief of police over in Dallas. He knew Deb Woods personally and introduced us to him. After that I had no trouble getting in, if they questioned me, I would say Deb knows me and he would always back me up, saying, yeah, she's ok, let her in. Danced many a step in that place. I can only hope the younger kids coming up nowdays can have some of the carefree, good times we used to have, but it makes you wonder.

I know things began changing in the little beer joints even, well, the people started changing. Old timers started dying out and a new crowd seemed to appear. Stories we used to tell that were such fun and most of them the biggest whoppers seemed to fade away. One of the last tales I told which I thought was a knee slapping, roll in the floor, funny story received some faint smiles and something equilvant to huh. Course there was nobody in there that was from around here (all new comers) and I didn't even dare to mention politics! Lord, did we ever have the biggest discussions in that area and some of the stories that were told. People who knew Lyndon B. Johnson personally, Jim Wright, the list goes on and the stories that were told.

[bellestaroftexas]

Mineral Wells.......i used to frequent Woody's...ya remember that place? it's still there.........

oh and how bout MINGUS!!!!!

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

Cathy, Willie, Merle and Ray were on PBS a few weeks ago doing a special. I didn't even know it was Merle until he started to sing. Boy, some of us are getting old! Willie used to hang out in the beer joints all around Fort Worth and Mineral Wells, etc. picking and singing wherever he could before he became known.

TR, another great dancehall classic that I always loved to dance to was Silver Wings, by Merle. They use to always play it along with I Can't Stop Loving You and some more favorites such as Last Date by Floy Crammer at just about every dance we would go to. I think every band in Texas knew those songs along with Swinging Doors, etc. Boots Randolph use to play at Deb's Danceland in Grand Prairie and just down the row of clubs was the Silver Saddle where people like Boxcar Willie and such played before anyone had ever heard of them. There was no cover, just walk in, drink a few beers, listen a while, maybe dance to a few and walk on down to the next bar where who knows who might be singing. It was just a long strip of clubs with Debs being the biggest. I went out there when I was only 18 with my cousin and her boyfriend who was an Arlington cop and later became chief of police over in Dallas. He knew Deb Woods personally and introduced us to him. After that I had no trouble getting in, if they questioned me, I would say Deb knows me and he would always back me up, saying, yeah, she's ok, let her in. Danced many a step in that place. I can only hope the younger kids coming up nowdays can have some of the carefree, good times we used to have, but it makes you wonder.

I know things began changing in the little beer joints even, well, the people started changing. Old timers started dying out and a new crowd seemed to appear. Stories we used to tell that were such fun and most of them the biggest whoppers seemed to fade away. One of the last tales I told which I thought was a knee slapping, roll in the floor, funny story received some faint smiles and something equilvant to huh. Course there was nobody in there that was from around here (all new comers) and I didn't even dare to mention politics! Lord, did we ever have the biggest discussions in that area and some of the stories that were told. People who knew Lyndon B. Johnson personally, Jim Wright, the list goes on and the stories that were told.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Waylon Jennings...


Here's a song I wrote on a plane between Dallas and Austin
goin to El Paso
whoops
Now this is what gave us the idea to come down here,
this is a song about a guy that probably did as much for
our kind of music as anybody.

Well the Honky Tonks in Texas were my natural second home
the way you tip your hat to the ladies in the rose of San Antone
I grew up on music that we call western swing
it don't matter whose in Austin, Bob Wills is still the King

Lawd, I can still remember the way things were back then
in spite of all the hard times i'd live it all again
to hear the Texas Playboys and Tommy Duncan sing
makes me proud to be from Texas where Bob Wills is still the King

You can hear the Grand Ol Opry in Nashville Tennessee
its the home of country music on that we all agree
but when you cross that ol Red River hoss,
that just don't mean a thing
once youre down in Texas, Bob Wills is still the King

If you aint never been there, then I guess you aint been told
that you just can't live in Texas unless you got alot of soul
its the home of Willie Nelson, the home of western swing
he'll be the first to tell you, Bob Wills is still the King.

It's amazing how hard-rocky Waylon got in his later years. One of my fav albums of his was Wanted:The Outlaws, though I don't really like the Tompall Glaser/Jessi Colter stuff on that one.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

Cathy, Willie, Merle and Ray were on PBS a few weeks ago doing a special. I didn't even know it was Merle until he started to sing. Boy, some of us are getting old! Willie used to hang out in the beer joints all around Fort Worth and Mineral Wells, etc. picking and singing wherever he could before he became known.

TR, another great dancehall classic that I always loved to dance to was Silver Wings, by Merle. They use to always play it along with I Can't Stop Loving You and some more favorites such as Last Date by Floy Crammer at just about every dance we would go to. I think every band in Texas knew those songs along with Swinging Doors, etc. Boots Randolph use to play at Deb's Danceland in Grand Prairie and just down the row of clubs was the Silver Saddle where people like Boxcar Willie and such played before anyone had ever heard of them. There was no cover, just walk in, drink a few beers, listen a while, maybe dance to a few and walk on down to the next bar where who knows who might be singing......

I hope I can catch that PBS Special at some point! MH looks like he crawled out from under a rock these days, as does Willie, LOL!!

We used to catch the bands and names in town in Lubbock at the Texas Cow Palace and the Cotton Club.....boy, those were the days!!! Silver Wings, Swinging Doors, Last Date, Yesterday's Wine (those great, slow waltzes!!), et al.....we used to play quite a few of those, too, in our c&w family band!!

Sis and her hubby were going to SWTSU in San Marcos back in the 1970s, and they used to catch both Willie and Johnny Bush (Faron Young, Hank Thompson, et al) in the area. Willie had short hair and wore suits, LOL!!!

[TexasReb]

I swear...y'alls posts are making me go between chill-bumps and tear-drops with memories here!

Hell, since last night I have been playing Texas Dance Hall music!

A couple...

Patsy...

If you've got leavin' on your mind
Tell me now, get it over
Hurt me now, get it over
If you've got leavin' on your mind

If there's a new love in your heart
Tell me now, get it over
Hurt me now, get it over
If there's a new love in your heart

Ray Price...

YouTube - Ray Price - For the Good Times

The video lacks some in terms of background and all, but the music is still there...

Memories...sweet Texas memories!

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I hope I can catch that PBS Special at some point! MH looks like he crawled out from under a rock these days, as does Willie, LOL!!

We used to catch the bands and names in town in Lubbock at the Texas Cow Palace and the Cotton Club.....boy, those were the days!!! Silver Wings, Swinging Doors, Last Date, Yesterday's Wine (those great, slow waltzes!!), et al.....we used to play quite a few of those, too, in our c&w family band!!

Sis and her hubby were going to SWTSU in San Marcos back in the 1970s, and they used to catch both Willie and Johnny Bush (Faron Young, Hank Thompson, et al) in the area. Willie had short hair and wore suits, LOL!!!

With the little string ties!

As far as Willie and Merle, you got that right! Willie with his braids and half the time, Merle wears that hobo looking hat! LOL! I don't know why he came up with that, just to be different, I guess or maybe he drank too much of that green bubalub. Oh well, whatever trips their trigger as long as they keep belting out those great old songs. Ray Price holds concerts around here at the area high schools. I think it was just last year he was at my daughter's school. She's like....who is he?

Back when 8 tracks were popular I got one put in the glove box of my '63 Chevy impala. My girlfriend and I made a 1400 mile trip starting out at noon on a Saturday from Arlington on a Labor Day week-end and making it back home late Monday night after partying in San Antonio, driving down through Mexico (after not being able to find the road to cross back over the bridge in one of the border towns) partying in Matamoras. It was late when we left Matamoras on Sunday night and she was driving that time. She was shorter than I was and we had to pull the seat up pretty far for her to reach the pedals. I went to sleep slouched down with my knees propped up against the dashboard with a Ray Price tape in the 8 track player (in the glove box) going strong. I woke up as we were pulling into Corpus and the first thing she said was, can you please take that tape out. She had listened to the same songs play over and over the whole way. I ask her, why didn't you change it and she said she didn't want to wake me up. Now, as much as I like Burning Memories, I wouldn't have been so nice. We hung out on the beach that day and as we were heading home that night, I asked her if she wanted to listen to Ray Price some more!

I had just pulled up to the store the other day and was about to kill the engine when Seven Spanish Angels with Ray Charles, Willie came on. Needless to say, I waited till it was over before going on into the store.

Cathy, do y'all still play anymore?

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

I swear...y'alls posts are making me go between chill-bumps and tear-drops with memories here!

Hell, since last night I have been playing Texas Dance Hall music!

A couple...

Patsy...

If you've got leavin' on your mind
Tell me now, get it over
Hurt me now, get it over
If you've got leavin' on your mind

If there's a new love in your heart
Tell me now, get it over
Hurt me now, get it over
If there's a new love in your heart

Ray Price...

YouTube - Ray Price - For the Good Times

The video lacks some in terms of background and all, but the music is still there...

Memories...sweet Texas memories!

Ahh, Ray Price....no need for background. Wonderful! I never listened to country music until I had a Texas boyfriend when I was 15 and he introduced me to it and it's been my favorite for 45 years, especially the oldies.

David Houston....He was another favorite of mine. Memories and tears, you betcha!!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

With the little string ties!

As far as Willie and Merle, you got that right! Willie with his braids and half the time, Merle wears that hobo looking hat!......

Back when 8 tracks were popular I got one put in the glove box of my '63 Chevy impala. My girlfriend and I made a 1400 mile trip starting out at noon on a Saturday from Arlington on a Labor Day week-end and making it back home late Monday night after partying in San Antonio, driving down through Mexico (after not being able to find the road to cross back over the bridge in one of the border towns) partying in Matamoras......I asked her if she wanted to listen to Ray Price some more!

I had just pulled up to the store the other day and was about to kill the engine when Seven Spanish Angels with Ray Charles, Willie came on. Needless to say, I waited till it was over before going on into the store.

Cathy, do y'all still play anymore?

Boy, you ARE lucky you came out all right driving all over Mexico and partying in Matamoros....different world down there today, LOL!!!

MH's hat is just stupid-looking, but hey....LOL!! RP still looks decent.....

Did you know that MH, RP and Willie have a new CD out called "Last of the Breed?" It's pretty good!! It's got three of my favorites on it.....Heartaches by the Number, Pick Me Up on Your Way Down and Still Water Runs the Deepest. RP and MH still sing as well as they always did, although with voices that have naturally aged, and not as strong, same as with JB.

I don't know why, but I HATE Seven Spanish Angels.....

As for the playing, everybody else other than my mom is dead, and she doesn't play any more. I quit for the last few years, but I finally twisted off and got a Fender Twin Reverb Re-issue amplifier, and will pick it back up. Nobody plays those oldies any more (Under the Double Eagle, Wildwood Flower, Boogie, Westphalia Waltz, Steel Guitar Rag, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Cowboy Schottishe (sp???), Put Your Little Foot....et al. We played a lot of that, Charlie Pride, MH, Bob Wills, Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and lots of the old traditional favorites popular at rodeo dances!

Dang. Now I'm homesick.....