Tag Archives: Texas Music

Today in Texas History – December 17

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From the Annals of the Astrodome –  In 1965,  Judy Garland became the first artist to perform at the Astrodome. The Supremes were the opening act.  Garland was paid $43,000 for the show and tickets were priced from $1.00 to $7.50. At the time the Eighth Wonder of the World seated 48,000, but another 12,000 seats were added for Garland’s show. Garland appeared on stage at 10 p.m. and sang for 40 minutes, with her set of songs including: “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”; “Just In Time”; “My Kind Of Town, [Houston] Is”; “Houston”; “As Long As He Needs Me”; “Joey, Joey, Joey”; “Do It Again”; “What Now My Love?”; “By Myself”; “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby”; “San Francisco”; “Chicago”; and “Over The Rainbow.”

Today in Texas History – October 29

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From the Annals of Garage Bands –  In 1966, ? and the Mysterians hit No. 1 on the US charts with “96 Tears.”   The members of the band were living in Saginaw, Michigan but were originally from Texas.  Their parents had been migrant workers who settled in Michigan after finding auto industry jobs.  ? – the former Rudy Martinez, who legally changed his name to a punctuation mark and claims to be a space alien, has understandably managed to maintain an air of mystery ever since making a splash with “96 Tears” which essentially came out of nowhere to reach the top of the Billboard pop chart.

Critics regard “96 Tears” as the first garage-rock masterpiece and a “proto-punk” classic.  The Mysterians formed in 1962 when four Mexican-American teenagers in Saginaw began playing instrumental music inspired by the surf bands such as the Ventures and legendary guitarist Link Wray. Taking their name from a Japanese science fiction movie, the Mysterians soon made the acquaintance of their own alleged alien—a young man in sunglasses who approached them after a gig at Michigan’s Mt. Holly Ski Lodge offering to manage the group. Identifying himself to the Mysterians only as “?,” he soon became the group’s lead singer and primary songwriter. It was a poem of his called “Too Many Teardrops” that became “96 Tears.”

Texas Best High School Marching Bands

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At least a third of the crowd at your average Texas high school football game is there to see the marching band perform at half-time.  Another third is there to watch the game.  And the last third is there because there isn’t anything better to do on a Friday night.  The band students work extremely hard and put in long hours perfecting these routines.  Now you can enjoy from the comfort of your desk.  Wideopencountry.com provides the proof.

Featured Artist of the Day

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Julia Hatfield

Red watched Julia Hatfield for over an hour on Friday performing at Reba’s in Warrenton and was very impressed with her voice and completely surprised by the quality of her original songs.  Not many female singers can get away with singing Folsom Prison, but she pulled it off.  And she loves Dolly!  Watch out for this young lady from Navasota, Red thinks she is going places.

Today in Texas History – September 22

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Josephine <i>Lucchese</i> Caruso

From the Annals of the Sopranos –  In 1920, soprano Josephine Lucchese Caruso of San Antonio made her operatic debut with the San Carlo Grand Opera as Olympia in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman at the Manhattan Grand Opera House.  Lucchese was born in San Antonio in 1893 and was the daughter of legendary bootmaker Sam Lucchese.  She trained entirely in the United States and primarily in San Antonio.  Lucchese toured in the United States and Europe for two decades giving both opera and concert performances and singing opposite such leading tenors as Tito Schipa and Giovanni Martinelli. Known in Europe as the “American Nightingale,” Lucchese was an operatic success at a time when it was considered impossible to achieve an international reputation without having first studied in Italy.

Today in Texas History – September 21

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From the Annals of Country Music – In 1968, singer Jeannie C. Riley because the first female recording artist to top both the Billboard Country and Pop charts with her monster hit Harper Valley P.T.A.   With her career-defining hit song, the 23-year-old Riley accomplished a crossover feat that no other woman would match for another 13 years until Dolly Parton scored with 9 to 5.  Riley had come to Nashville from her native Anson to pursue a singing career, but while working a day job as a receptionist she was noticed by the country-music producer Shelby Singleton.  Singleton thought her voice would be perfect for the protagonist in Tom T. Hall’s song about a small-town widow’s fight for her right to wear her skirts short and her heels high.  Singleton was right and Riley’s first single lit up the Pop and Country charts in mid-summer 1968.

Riley was not a one-hit wonder – at least on the Country charts.  She recorded 5 more top 10 singles but never again hit the top 40 on the Pop charts. Riley herself grew increasingly uncomfortable with her signature hit as she became a born again Christian espousing right wing rhetoric and in fact representing the hated values of the Harper Valley P.T.A.  Riley “socked it to” her fans by refusing to perform her biggest hit.

Song of the Day

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Red heard this classic Red Neck anthem on the way home last Friday and thought, “We haven’t had a song of the day in quite some time.”

So enjoy Beer Bait and Ammo from the debut album of the same name by Kevin Fowler.  All Music Guide described the song as “somewhat of a Texas anthem” with both Sammy Kershaw and George Jones recording cover versions.

Today in Texas History – May 12

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From the Annals of School Songs –  In 1903, “The Eyes of Texas” was sung for the first time.  As a prank, the UT Glee Club serenaded President Wilson L. Prather with a parody song based on the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” The lyrics, written by John Lang Sinclair, were based on Prather’s oft-repeated admonition to students that “the eyes of the Texas are upon you.”  Prather’s saying was based on hearing Robert E. Lee say “the eyes of the South are upon you” during his time as a student at Washington College. The song became popular with students and was adopted as the official school song and copyrighted by UT.

Today in Texas History – April 30

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From the Annals of the Troubadours –  In 1933, Willie Nelson was born in Abbott.  Nelson was raised by his grandparents, wrote his first song at age 7 and joined his first band at 10.  He took the long road to success with stops in Canada, Colorado, Missouri and Nashville before settling down back in Texas in 1972.  He is frequently credited with having helped launch the progressive country era that made Austin a music landmark.

Red has seen Willie play at least a dozen times at venues ranging from his golf course outside of Austin to an Austin City Limits taping.  One of the more memorable times was at the old Bull Creek Lodge on 2222 (now the County Line on the Lake) in 1976.  Willie came out on stage with a cowboy hat and seemingly brand new short hair cut (never explained) which was among the last times the Red Headed Stranger performed without his trademark bandana and flowing locks.  Red and a buddy were out in the parking lot during a break, when we noticed a very short man with an extremely good looking woman talking heatedly to the door man.  We just thought it was someone else trying to get in for free.  Finally, the woman just shouted, “He’s with me” and the door man let them in.  Fifteen minutes later the short man was up on stage and Willie was introducing his good friend Johnny Paycheck.

Photo by Jerry Nelson Young from imgbuddy.com

Today in Texas History – April 20

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From the Annals of Secret Nuptials –  In 1952, J. P. Richardson, Jr., known as “The Big Bopper,” married Adrianne “Teetsie” Fryou.  Richardson was a Beaumont deejay, singer and songwriter.  He scored his biggest hit with “Chantilly Lace” in 1958, but also wrote hits such as “White Lightning” and  “Running Bear.”  The Big Bopper was an impressive showman who performed in colorful zoot suits and had a larger than life stage presence.  However, he kept his marriage secret to promote his flamboyant image with his fans. The Big Bopper recorded 21 of his own songs -mostly novelty records.  Sadly, he may be most famous for having met his demise in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly and Richie Valens in 1959.  Richardson supposedly got his place on the plane because he was suffering from the flu and did not want to spend all night riding on the tour bus.