"The feeling
remains... 
Even after 
the glitter fades"

Stevie Nicks

 

 

TULSA TIME

I was born about 80 miles from Tulsa and knew a lot of people in your Tulsa Time page. I also played with a keyboard player named Steve Hardin and we played together in the Jody Miller Band. We were living in OKC at that time and it was in the late 70’s. We toured small county fairs in the Midwest. Jody was a blast to play for but we were fired off the tour in a small town in Iowa. We had long hair and didn’t wear the “country” regulation uniforms that most country bands wore.

After that, I left for Los Angeles to start a band with some fellow musicians that were there.

In Tulsa, I put a band together called “Awesome Thunder”. It was all Tulsa musicians. We didn’t play Tulsa except to rehearse. I took that band to Florida where we played many concerts and clubs. We even played the world’s largest festival, the forgotten one; “The Celebration of Life” which had an estimated 650,000 people. Woodstock was estimated at 500,000.

Awesome. Thunder had Guitar, Jon Davis, Drums, Eric (I can’t remember his last mane) and me on Bass. There might be several Tulsa people who remember us. We were a pretty good band.

Stretch   Capthead@earthlink.net

Have been enjoying your website for several years. Although not a musician, I have followed Tulsa music very closely for 50+ years, so I have seen and heard most of the "Tulsa Sound" evolution. I have recently gone back to school for a master's degree and hope to write a paper on the "Tulsa Sound," but I need some help. I enjoy reading the stories about the "Tulsa Triumvirate" (Gates, Russell and Cale) and all of the other early Tulsa musicians who were so instrumental in shaping the early Tulsa music scene. But one person whom I know very little about, and can find very little about, is Hugh Whitlow. Hugh worked at American Airlines, was the catalyst behind "WHEEL RECORDS," and, in my opinion, wrote some of the finest early rock songs (especially for R&B vocal groups) of the late 50s/early 60s era. Leon, Flash, JJ, many of the early musicians hung around his house (Leon, a highschooler at the time, and Hugh's wife used to cash in the scores of empty pop bottles that accumulated at his house, and Gates even recorded one of his songs!), but no one remembers him.

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who can fill in some gaps in this most interesting and talented piece of the early Tulsa music scene puzzle. I can be reached at: tebii@Comcast. net.

Thanks, Teb Blackwell

Don Nix, who wrote "Road Stories and Other Recipes," 
gives his version/description of the 'Shoot-out At the 
Plantation' in his book on page 80. Some of you have 
written and asked me for details. I lived at the Plantation 
but the Shoot-out was before my time there, so all that 
I've heard were rumors and various stories about that 
night.

Mike Semrad, vice-president of the Nebraska Hall of Fame,
would like to contact Jim Downing, Hammond B-3 player who
had ties to Bobby Jones, Leon, and played on the road with 
Mickey-C around 64-65. Mike's email:  msemrad@aol.com

hey. my name is john reed (living in ventura county, ca) and i used
to play with some tulsa guys in the mid '70s. ever hear of steve
hardin on B3 organ and harmonica? played several years with steve in
an OKC band called Okie Joe. when steve and the guitar player joe
larson went to LA in 1977, i started playing in a club group with
lorelai markham, chuck blackwell on drums, practiced and stayed at
jimmy markham's house in tulsa and played the paradise club some. had
a little pipsqueak punk wannabe named pete huckaby on guitar? when i
left the group, they brought on the bass playing wilson brother from
the gap band to take my place. good times and good music. are any of
those people still playing?

years before that while going to school at north texas state, i was
good friends and played two years with gary nicholson, beau hill and
a bunch of dallas area guys (pre-fame don henley, etc).

anyway, i like the thread of the web site. let me know if we can get
any of this stuff on. thanks. cruachan@pacbell.net

Hi,
My name is David Thayer and I play in a band called the Tulsa Boyz.  I was a little bit younger that most of the guys you mention and could only watch them and dream of what it would be like if I was in a band with them...........Anyway, we play good old R & B and rock, we are the only band I know of that plays Leon Russle songs. We do Big Legged Woman and Home Sweet Oklahoma.

Anyway, Chuck Blackwell has a Stained Glass shop about a block from my house in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.  He appears to be doing OK. 
I did a Christmas show with Vince Gill in 1993 and Le Sklar was playing bass with him then.
Carl Radle died and they were selling off his gold records in a pawn shop in Tulsa...................
My sister sang in the choir at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa pictured in the choir was Choir President David Gates, vocalist Anita Bryant, organist Claude R. Bridges and vocalist Elvin Bishop.

Sis graduated in 59 with Claude aka Leon Russell.

In about 1973, (I was 18) I heard a rumor that Leon (he was living in Tulsa again then) was going to go out to a popular little live music club called the Stables Lounge.  I went out there and to my amazement watched a limo pull up....Leon, George Harrison , and Eric Clapton all got out and went in..........unreal, I was not old enough, they would not let me in.

One of the greatest Okie musicians I ever met was an Indian fellow from Stone Bluff OKlahoma by the name of Leo Feathers.  Leo and I used to drink lots of Tequilla and then sit in and see who could play the stupidest and some of the after hours joints that used to be around Tulsa.

Jim Keltner's sister used to be a waitress at a club in town called Viv's Harvard tower, I went out with her once. Long time ago!!!

Steve Ripley (former guitar for Dylan and maker of  guis for Eddie Van Halen) bought Leon's old Church studio at 3rd and Trenton in Tulsa.

I could go on and on , if it interests you Email me back.

Thanks, God Bless and long live the Tulsa Sound
David Thayer
DavidOldfordfan@aol.com

OIL!!!!!!!!  What's oil got to do with it?  Well, Tulsa was the oil capitol of the world.  Some of the Largest discoveries of oil in the world were withing a 50 mile radius of Tulsa.  As a matter of fact, The Beverly Hillbillies them came from a discovery about 8 miles south of Tulsa in a very wooded area.  The shallow well FLOWED over 2000 barrels a day.  The Tulsa World reported in 1962 "You could have shot a gun in the ground and hit oil"  Then remember that Uncle Jed did his Oil business with John Brewster from OK oil in Tulsa Oklahoma.
Anyway, Tulsa was a happening place, Oil money was flowing in and a lot of people supported the Arts.  People like Phillips, Getty, Gilcrease, made a fortune around Tulsa.  Tulsa had a world class Opera house.  Tulsa Had Greenwood and Archer and a thriving Black community (GAP Band = Greenwood, Archer, & Pine streets band)  Tulsa had the Birthright home of Western Swing Music , Cains Ballroom, and the it was the launching pad of Bob Wills with his noon KVOO live radio show.  Most of the Oil companies in Tulsa would time their Lunch hour around Wills show so that employees could go to Cains and see him live.  And what musicians Bob Had.  Rolling Stone called Eldon Shamblin (Wills longtime guitarist) the best ever.  Don't forget Brother Blub (Glenn Reese) on Sax.

Everyday, Bob Wills most famous line was "Take it away Leon", refering to his famous steel guitar player Leon McAulliff.
Now, you don't suppose a young aspiring piano/guitar player named Claud Bridges ever heard that since he lived in Tulsa also.

From the influence of Bob Wills came......Leon Russle, Elvin Bishop, David Gates, Anita Bryant, Patti Page, Jim Keltner, Eldon Shamblin, Tommy Crook, Tommy Triplehorn, Garth Brooks, Ronnie Dunn,........the list goes on

"Dammit Dave" takes over here:

Dave started emailing me and I got hooked.
His stories, the way he writes--well, I told
him to keep doin' it, so I could start posting
his letters for everybody to enjoy.

His email is: CDaveBe@aol.com

Here we go:

H'lo Nancy,

  Stumbled across your hollywood web site and had to try to explain to my wife why I was getting misty eyed and choked up. She thinks I've "lost it" 'cause I get emotional about flashes from the past; she's a wonderful person but doesn't have the experiences to exactly understand that losing it was something I worked to accomplish (fairly sucessfully) long ago. I'm glad to hear you've decided to seek some balance ( chemically and otherwise) . I learned about chemical imbalances and what worked to stablize myself in the early '70's but at the time decided I only wanted to be partly balanced. I had to get bored with being the bull moose looney before I started doing the things necessary to act like a regular "citizen".
    Anyway I was looking for something to use to make some flyers for a Jimmy Markham. gig coming up this week. Since Jimmy was still in Nashville when you moved there I'd guess you probably don't need to know about what he's been up to since the Okies camped 'round LA. During that time I'd make west coast trips when things worked out that I found myself west of  Oklahoma City. Keeping my student deferment and the ablilty to make happenings whereever I was was probably why I wasn't around the strip more. Still occasionally emerse in the feeling of what G. Baker's drum solo at the Whiskey was like, but there's not many left who understand what I'm talking about if I happen to mention that kinda flash. I had spent two days partying in Golden Gate park when I first marked Sunset with rubber ( it was hard to move that GTO without breaking those bald tires loose<grin>). I kinda remember some folks from Oklahoma were around but that wasn't my thing, I didn't go to California to hang out with folks from home. These days I some times think it'd be nice to have not lost so many memories, but then I think that there is a lot of those times likely best forgotten or at least not remember exactly as they happened.
     I  still work with entertainment people, I'm  an electrician and have a setup for doing temporary power for events that need electricity where extension cords won't get it (power to the people!). I feel the treasure of music that links the soul to the earth and sets the spirit free to fly slipping away. So many that made it happen have gone on. So many doing mediocore crud are making tons of money. Some of the younger folks are starting to pay attention to how the survivers do it, but they don't have a whole lot of incentive to do more than butcher a few covers of the old school . Markham commented after a local awards show that the young bands that always have good gigs are mostly playing surfer licks, he was joking around about putting Duane Eddy twang in his show. We went to a show he had at a small town Elks lodge ( cowboyhats and
starched jeans) the band took a break when we got there and Jimmy was struggling to remember songs for a country crowd. We joked about doing the theme from rawhide but they all seemed to have fun scooting their boots to "Sweet Home Chicago". There are several of the old guys doing some fantastic music around here with ten or twenty people in the club, even with a good early crowd and world class music by the last set there's not many left.
   Well, I've rambled on here long enough, probably bored you and still haven't said much of what I started out to say.
If you haven't already checkout Rocky Frisco's web page http://home.earthlink.net/~rockyfrisco/ there's a picture of  a band in Tulsa 1959 that includes some folks you know. Thank-you for sharing the Hollywood Hangover. Email back if there's is anything I might be able to help you with.                                                   Peace.......Dave

G' morning Nancy,
     Likely not to be morning when you read this but its morning to me and I 've only had one cup of coffee.  Caffiene challenged writing <g>. The attachment is picture of a tulsa band in '59, should I make you try to guess who is who in it? At least three of them are mentioned on your web page.
     Yes I'm from the Tulsa area, never really hung out on sunset but would check out how things were happening when I was in SoCal. The bay area, berzekley and specifically Telegraph Ave seemed to be where I ended up when I started west, didn't have that destination in mind but I'd be there.
     Cooking while doing 'net type things is very difficult, smelling something burning is not a good way to realize more time flew by than you had thought.
      How's your curiousity level? Whata know who is in that pic?
I'm  grining, hopefully you'll take my teasing as a bit fun.
      What else did you ask me?  Have I answered any of your questions?
          Well I'd better get going gotta go make some bucks, be a citizen and keep the economy from total ruin ( my electric bill is due today, from the way they act if I don't pay it they'll probably just have to fold up).  Hope your day has some elements that make you feel good.                          Peace......dave


Oh, yah from the left Leo Feathers, Chuck Blackwell, Ron Ryles, Johnny Williams, Russell Bridges, Jack Dunham, Jimmy Markham.

I  don't know you nearly  well enough to do any blond jokes, but ....
no lets keep to the point.  I got that pic from Rocky Frisco, who said he got it at Leo's benfit. I probably should ask him about posting and credits, he has a healthy ego so its likely a credit to him or link to his web page could be appropriate.
   I've thought a bit about what I might could contribute to your effort and found that telling stories about people I know/ have known gives me a creepy feeling.  I desparately don't want to ever be like those people who are beside you at a stop light and staring with that shocked disapproval and talking kinda behind their hands ( like I care or could waste the effort to hear). Did that make any sense?
      Anyway here's an idea that feels fairly comfortable : I could ask around and see if and what people would like on the 'net about them. You probably know Russell's a bit odd about personal things.
It's not for me to judge what someone wants public and what they hide as private. I'm all for trying to get enough of the stories public so that future generations can have an understanding of the legacy we will leave behind. Do you have an appreciation of how much has grown from the seeds of the plantation ?
     Ok, As I grasp for a bit of control to keep from drifting back and forth along the branches of the music/culture tree ...taking a deep clensing breath... another drink of coffee ...and trying to think about things people call normal before I spin off into neverland always evermoreland.
   All righty now, Seems that some the guys still playing might want
folks to know 'bout gigs and CD's and stuff. I'll ask.  I said that a few lines back,  hmmm must be heading into a freeform day. Its important to me that when I loop around I don't just make a circle
back to the exact same thing again...I do like spirals, spirals are circles that don't go back to the same place but go near enough you can see where you've been and that you have moved on. Yah better quit this before you get the idea I'm just making fruit loops<grin>.
        If you don't mind me writing to you I'd like to keep doing it.
If or when you don't want to hear from me tell me plainly please.
For now let me indulge in a bit more weirdness and say  I'm off to find some sunbeams on a cloudy day just so I can give them to those who feel it all dark and gray.                  Peace....dave


No I didn't add any postscript down here this time<smile>.

Hi nancy,  I apologize if  I confused you. Below is a copy paste from http://www.oklahomamusichalloffame.com/  it tells some of the story.
This is Rocky's writing and  the facts are fairly accurate. 
    I was at a Tulsa watering hole this evening talking about this and that which lead to talking about the old days. You know how us old guys are ... always telling the same old glory days stuff. Anyway, the guy next to me got to going on about  he and Markham having to stop in Vegas to get some slacks 'cause Jimmy wanted to go out when they got back to LA.  I gave him your web page address  so you might get another email from Tulsa. 
   The article below tells about who Leo is/was, but your other question "Dave who?" takes abit more explaination. My name is Dave Hannis, I'm from Tulsa, first emailed you from CDHnDJH@netscape.net. I don't know that I have any particular notoriety.  I've no musical talent, but have worked with bands off and on since '64 or so.  I'm a hardheaded, freespirited type guy I guess. I've traveled alot off and on. Managed to get some kids through school and have 7 grandkids. Stayed mostly totally stoned from '65 to '90 and
then stayed pretty much totally drunk for 'bout three years. When in a club with dancers I talk to the ladies working like I talk to anyone else doing a job, about the same as the bouncer or bartender; I've been told that was noteable. I've had a few stories and poems included in books but they were
obscure anthology things. Had columns in two "underground" newspapers and the school paper when I was in college. More recently had a web page
of my writing ('95-'98). I'd get a couple of proposals a week from that, and one of them seems to have worked out.  I 'm basically just a construction worker. And that was probably a whole bunch more than what you wanted to know about me.
   It was a very strange day .  You can post that pic and say it was ripped off
Rocky's page by dave.
  
I wrote some lyrics today while driving to Tulsa, the words flowed nice but it was hard to write while moving 75.
                       I hope your day was good                Peace....dave


Jack Dunham: Jack Dunham, Sr. was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His family, parents Ray and Blanche Dunham, and sister Patsy all moved to Tulsa when Jack was one-year old.  He was raised in Tulsa and attended Longfellow and Emerson Elementary Schools, Roosevelt and Wilson Junior High Schools and graduated high school at Central High School. Jack then went on to Oklahoma  State University in 1958. In 1959, he returned to Tulsa and attended the University of Tulsa.Jack's music career began in 1958. Music was the reason he returned to Tulsa in 1959 after being bitten hard by the rock n'roll bug. In that same year, he formed his own band the "Upsetters" named after "Little Richard's" band who, at that time had a great influence on Jack's music style. His first band consisted of Johnny J.J. Cale on  guitar, George "Valentine" Metzel on upright bass, and Jimmy Turley on drums. Jack's band, the "Upsetters" consisted of the late Leo Feathers on  guitar, Chuck Blackwell on drums, Ron Ryle on electric bass, Johnny Williams on saxophone and Russell "Leon" Bridges on piano

Throughout the rest of that year, the "Tulsa Sound" was born. This"Tulsa Sound" referred to quite often throughout the years of Tulsa music history was  a mix of Rock-a-Billy, Rock'n Roll and Blues sounds of that period. The ingredients were blended together by vocalists Jack Dunham, Bobby Taylor, Clyde Stacy, Gene Crose, Jack Thurmon, Jimmy Markham, David Gates, Billy Mecom, Eddie Vaughn, Freddie DuVal and Flash Terry.  These singers were the heart of the "Tulsa Sound", but the "body" was a conglomeration of the above-mentioned musicians and the following listed musicians all bringing their unique talents in the 50's mix. Tommy Crook, Lee Weir, Riley Francis, Tommy Rush, and  Donnie Bell (Guitar), Jimmy Karstein, C. B. Glasby, Buddy Jones and  Chuck Farmer (Drums), Bill Raffensberger, Lucky Clark, Carl Radle, Ralph Brumett,  Gerald Goodwin,  and Bill Boatman (Bass), Jim Manry, Eddie Spraker, Rocky "Curtis" Frisco and Doug Cunningham (Piano). During this time frame Jack, because of his antics, was dubbed  "Jumpin" Jack Dunham.

  In 1960, Jack was the first to begin the Tulsa migration to Los Angeles. Jack led the way and, in  1961, others began to follow.  1960 was the year that "Jumpin" Jack Dunham, now known  as Jackie Dunham, signed a recording contract with Imperial Records. Already on board on this  record label was Jack's new friend "Fats" Domino. Jack's first Imperial record was released and began getting great air play on many radio stations.  Jack was working at Paramount  Motion Picture Studios and had to quit to devote full time to his music. He began touring with his newly formed band across the United States.  A second Imperial record was released and Jack was booked  onto the Nevada circuit, along with the Oklahoma City legend, Wes Reynolds. This circuit consisted of Reno, Tahoe, Carson City, Las Vegas, and Sparks. Jack then went on the Minneapolis-St. Paul  circuit, all the way to Buffalo, New York

  Jack's main love of the music industry, however, was writing.  He signed with Gene Autry's 4-Star Music Publishing Company and worked with Joe Johnson, Dave Burgess, and Glen Campbell  of the "Champs". While Jack was in Hollywood, he also wrote for Central Songs.  Later in his career, he would write for Tree International Music Publishing , "Twitty Bird" Music in Nashville, and Checkmate in Amarillo, Texas.  Jack's talent for writing songs has left an indelible mark in rock'n roll and country music history

  During his music career, Jack was involved with 36 single records and over 20 albums by either  writing songs for other artists or for his own records. Jack was also involved in the production of many of these records.  Jack received B.M.I. song writing awards, two Country Music Association  Awards, a Golden Tree Award, a Song Writer "Horizon" award and the most prestigious   award for a "number one" in the nation award with Conway Twitty. Jack  had many of his songs recorded by Conway. Jack said of all the Tulsa Music Legends, only he and his  friend David Gates of "Bread" reached the number one in the nation record   fame. Jack Dunham's prestigious music career has spanned 43 years.

For a great photograph of Jack Dunham and The Upsetters performing at the Tropicana Club in Tulsa,Oklahoma in 1959 with Leo Feathers, Chuck Blackwell, JohnnieWilliams, Russell Bridges, Jimmy "Junior" Markham and Ron Ryles , go to friend, songwriter, legendary performer, and author of this biographyRocky Frisco's home web page

G'morn Nancy,
       I've been a bad boy. Manners are very important to me and I feel I've not thanked you properly for the experience of your web page or the communication in email. You write very well. Things you written have moved me through a rainbow of emotions and thoughts.
I say rainbow but its not a rainbow brite thing. Its sunshine, a dark cloud building in,  cloud burst, sun coming out turning the air golden, and then the rainbow shining in front of the darkness just past. Yah thats what I get from you, your writing and your web event. .. Thank-you!!!
    Logo: '57 chevy ragtop in parking lot, veiw down the street to the sun setting, put dice hanging from the rear view mirror, have people sitting on the top of the seat backs, driver: Elvis style hair,sideburns blue jeans and a tie dye T-shirt with big peace sign. On the shotgun side put a straight up blues man, slacks, pointy toe shoes, skinny little neck tie, sport coat, fedora hat but hair growing out maybe like almost shoulder long, and feet proped up on the dash. In the back three ladies you'd know more about how they should be dressed, but the idea is the changing of the '50's styles
into the '60's and the variety of how we got there. Show that it wasn't just one day Elvis and Jimmy Dean and the next Hendrix and Dennis Hopper. There was a blending and things flowed (sometimes with whitewater rapids) from beat to hep, to hip. Can you image that? Yes I did mean image not imagine.
      For an Oklahoma spin-off page how 'bout calling it "Products from Grapes of Wrath" or " Shoot-out at the Plantation plus forty yrs." or " Home sweet Oklahoma on my giant head" oops that could sound a bit tacky.....I opened a column every week with... " Call me Ishmael .... Here's some of what the Lost Tribes are doing".  In the  CB radio days I was "the  Tulsa Two-step California dreaming on the side".  Have been D. D. several times Dangerous Dave, diamond Dave, but mostly Damn-it Dave.
    I'm outta time again. I'll keep telling the old f'kers to check out your web page. Jerry Connaly did and I guess he called "white-shoes" Karstein about it.  So the legend grows ....
                                                more later .......peace, dave
   

A Sunset Beat Living In Tulsa Time

Memories of dreams became dreaming 'bout memories sometime in the place when the powers that be tried to shove Disco into brains re-wired by the churning blender. Take some Robert Johnson dreams, some Hank Williams memory, add surf and lime(y) blend well and pour over a bunch of gypsy foot Okie kids who hear what Elvis is doin' and the grapes of wrath make some very fine wine.
Jerimiah the famous bullfrog used a similar mix and still does: likely dreaming of glory days. Well back in THE DAY or maybe the day after the day there was Okies in Hollywood, pick any day. Yah I wanted to use the wrong tense verb, gotta work on keeping sterotypes going. Most folks from Oklahoma know someone who went to the land of milk and honey and had dreams come true. Most folks in Oklahoma know lots of someones that went that way broke,  came back starving, ate some home cookin' and set out to get some more abuse. Kids dreams, making music that impresses the girls, Nashville? ain't goin' happen if you got girls drooling over thoughts of you, you don't dream of Nashville girls( no offense meant TN) OKlahoma kids, at least, dreamed of California girls. Never mind that a bunch of California girls were from next door small town dreaming a mirror version.
   All right R. D. I'll get there.

This is supposed to be about the bunch of people that invaded the hollywood area in the '60's. About back in the day which I still think was more likely the day after the day which of course makes it the day before ... something. Don't you think so, too? Just as a rough guesstimate about half the people
on the Hollywood Hangover are from Oklahoma, maybe half the others have been this way at sometime.
and most all the rest felt the influence of living on Tulsa Time. Please step forth bean counters, tax time approaches, crunch the numbers and tell us of demo- graphics. The rest of us will kick back, listen to demo tapes from Leon's archives and await the true demo- grahic. What About republo- graphics? 

The real graphic is if our '60's self saw our 21st century self they'd definately think we are old.
Yah, OLD. Old, yes but we survived and those that took other paths and past before survive Too.
They, who are gone live in us who survive. Perhaps or maybe or possibly a wanna be dream: some of this Hollywood Hangover will survive in the 21st century gypsy foot Okie kids and they will blend some Hendrix dream, some Leon Russell memory add greenpeace and celtic and put together a band making
the sound that'll re-wire things in case Nashville decides to sell Disco. Hmmm....
Is line dancing in starched jeans as fun as Disco dancing in double knit polyester?

Have I offended everyone yet?
In case you forgot what this started out to be its about Tulsa to Hollywood to Tulsa; Tulsa Nashville Tulsa is another trip aka TNT.
Who did it? Who didn't do it is a much shorter list.
Leon did and when a guy named Joe Crocker came to Tulsa this winter Leon did his thing with Joe.
That's some of the wine from California dreaming in Tulsa Time.
Those old grapes keep on bearing good things, Jimmy ( Junior) Markham is back from a rode trip
And is playing downtown Friday 1-31-03. Maybe R. D.'ll post some pics. And yes I did mean rode, at Markham's age a road trip makes you feel rode hard and put up wet. Nah, really he sounded in good shape on the phone today and still ready to go.

Now I've bored myself so more later if you wanta..... for now ........Peace, dave

Would you be so kind as to make a correction? I started calling Cocker Crocker after a stumbling around "concert" I went to in the mid 70's. Was just getting ready to fire up a doobie when the sound went off and the lights came on. He'd done about one and a half songs. I'd been mad if I'd had to pay to get in. Anyway last time here he did well so I guess I'll have to stop thinking of him crocked. Thanks....dave

PS read this only if you have time.... nothing in it of timely importance and I did ramble on. Save for later if you've things to do.

Hi Nancy,
         I'm sitting amongst the paper piles that represent my business 2002. Am supposed be adding and totaling and doin accounting for taxes. Jab me repeatedly with a sharp stick, It'd be much less torture. As a place to escape I ohmmmmed a few times and emersed into atempting to relate to the feeling you call Hllywdhangerover.
Several places on the web page are comments like it happened, this is really all true, and such. Do people accutually doubt the truth? I find that totally amazing, in the first place the stories and entries are wrenched from naked near bleeding souls. My personal opinion is you can't re-vist places woven into the spirit of your being without being truthful or looking like float down DE-Ni- EL. Secondly...
While the scene, the happening of those days were you were was likely THE Ultimate congomoration of happenings in one place, one could get the jist of that experience in serveral places at that time. Not nearly the same but certainly close enough to know truth. Thirdly,
       For those too young, the gypsy footed among us soaked in the experience and become Johnny Appleseeds sowing little groves as oasis in the desolute heartland for people to gather to in the image of your Hollywood. In Tulsa and Austin I know you could experience enough of what it was like to know the truth of the Hollywood Hangover.
      I personally have helpped and encouraged any seed of that experience I found along my trip. Of course my point of view is not pure, its definately tainted by the bay area haze( big smile).
       I tryed to imagine if when it had started to change you had come outta there. I think I can understand but its not a thing I have as a part of me so I can't really know why. Why you stayed
even when you knew the best was past. "the worst part of the sixties were the seventies" ..... you had to get a long way from the '60's before you knew that, Right?
       1969 was the year, the summer, the learning- mixing from the '50's to then jelled into a beautiful fruity salad, we ate it up!! You are what you eat and we became peace, love, dope.
        1970 wasn't the year, those that ate that became sex, drugs and rocknroll.
         Looking back it seems clear..... it built up to '69  yah part of
'68 was really close but in '70 the trip had changed.
         Anyway back to my thoughts of staying and going...if you'd bailed out in '70 you'd still had the hangover, I think.  Like I said I understand some but it isn't the same.... can't really walk in those shoes anymore than someone can mine.  I do feel I can relate more closely to the hangover feeling since that little exercise.
         I suppose in the late '80s when there were big packed house venues with no live band just a frigging "DJ" I had something of Like your hangover. I been building stages and other set-up load-in,load-out stuff. The scene was pretty bad four or five shows to catch some zzzz's through for every one show that was decent.
Hank Williams JR. was rockin' as hard as anyone it seemed. How about that for a statement of condition from one who partied with the Dead? It could be depressing just to think about but I ain't goin' there no more!!!
      What was THE worst tho was after that I was on the road working as a union carpenter... in '87 I had W-2's from 26 states.
I looked and I never found any club with live music worth a ...
I will qualify that statement there was a jazz band that played in Downtown Kansas City. I'd stop in to see them even if I-70 wasn't the best road to get me to the next job. They'd always play "Green Dolphin Street" soon as they could when I came in. That's a smiley memory in a glum recall-ection.
   In  1988 I got sent to LA to do replacement windows at a federal
housing project (Nickerson Gardens). I cruised Sunset a couple of times but wasn't brave enough to go in any place. The last few years had been bad enough without finding that the Whiskey had gone Disco. Likely a needless fear but I'm not even going to ask about it.
     Dicky Sims was in town over the holidays this year and I did ask, he said the Whiskey was alright now. Can't recall if he said He'd played there recently or just had been in. I'll just let Ginger Bakers drums keep playing in my head.
      Welp, I 've pretty well killed off this day, got 'bout half way to meloncolly and still have not told you what I started writing to
tell you. I'll close this ramble for now, get some space and Email you later with an addition to that thing I wrote yesterday.
                                                         later........dave

postscript? Above is an expression of one man's warpped point of view. If anyone else's opinion is used it will be noted.
One serious omission has been made; no discussion of Oklahomans and California can be made without mention of  "The Mother Road".                 peace .... dave

Hullo Nancy,
     I'm too young to feel this old. We went to town last night caught two great shows and partied till the birds started singing.
I'm fairly well (80%) ready to go again. Its about an hour drive up to Tulsa. Last night we were downtown saw lotta old friends and met some new. Tonight we're going to see a friend who plays guitar as well as anyone I've ever seen. And I have seen a bunch of great guitar players!!!
    Just like last night there's things happening that we'll probably see part of one show and part of another. There's a "new" hot shot guitar player in town, He's up from Austin, said things were dead down there. We heard some of his stuff last night I wasn't impressed but he was playing with 7 other guys and he was just one of three guitar players up there. Tonight he's doin' a trio thing with Jimmy Karstein doing drums and a solid bass player. He's only been in town a week and hooked gigs with guys who've played all over the world so its probably worth a listen<grin>.
       I love it.... Markham was in good form full of energy and ideas. He got a full house of appreiative fans and was sending those great little rushes up your spine with vocals and his harp.
He kept the room full right to close which is saying something these days. Most of the folks who partied the '60's tend to drift off early these days.
       We lit out when Junior called the second break to go see
a friend whose been rockin' 40yrs or so. Had intentions of just popping in saying howdy-hi, and going back to catch the last of Markham's show. My first clue something was up was when the doorguy saw me he started shaking his head, shook my hand and pulled pushed me inside. He usually likes to talk but last night his actions said get your scrawny ass in here and check this out!!
The band was just starting the third set and it was a good happening. Eight guys everyone of them playing since at least the sixties all smiling and making a great sound. Had me dancing.
I was a baaadd boy tho. About the middle of the set they're going
whata you wanta do now? and Larry (it was his gig) turns around and asks the crowd whata you wanta hear? It was quite so I didn't have to really yell just said "gloria" just goofing 'bout the old song and the old band. Larry started groaning obviously not pleased with my blast from the past but the band had already started playing and Larry was forced to sing what he could of one verse. The band and crowd loved it. G......-G-L-O R I A. I often wonder how many garage bands were doin' that one in '65. Wanta see some pics from my Friday night in the city?    Ask nice now<G>.
Later........peace love and good times, dave

Jimmy Markham and band were at Arnie's. Larry Arnett and friends were at Ashbury on Boston, formly known as Steamroller Blues. Here's a couple of pics haven't edited them all yet.
                               outta here for now .....dave

Shoot I forgot the left to right thing again.
one is (L toR) Matt Khol-Bass, Robbie Armstrong- Drums, Jimmy (Junior) Markam -harp&vocals at Arnies Bar.

The other pic is   Sonny Williams-guitar, some young guy guest guitar, Tex Waggoner Bass, Dave (never can remember his last name) on sax, and Jack Morgan-guitar.  Rocky Frisco is back to far in the shadows but his keyboard  work sounded great.

the pic attached to this is Larry Arnett it was his gig.

G' morning Nancy,
         I miss you.  I've just got time for a brief note and wanted to let you know that there is someone who sends up positive vibes
(best wishes) for you and your efforts everday.
                                                   peace.........dave

Email Dave and tell him we want more!

CDaveBe@aol.com           

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