“Country music is about new love and it’s about old love. It’s about gettin’ drunk and gettin’ sober. It’s about leavin’ and it’s about comin’ home. It’s real music sung by real people for real people, the people that make up the backbone of this country. You can call us rednecks if you want. We’re not offended, ’cause we know what we’re all about. We get up and go to work, we get up and go to church, and we get up and go to war when necessary.”
And to show that Jeff knows what he's talking about, here are couple of songs by Johnny Horton. Horton's life and career were cut short by a drunk driver in 1960. Here's "Whisperin Pines" followed by "Sink the Bismarck."
Dan, I'm gonna bend your ear for a few minutes. I might have to do it in two comments.
ReplyDeleteMy family has a long history with many of the "greats" of that era in country music. Growing up here in Bossier City (with the Louisiana Hayride) right across the bridge in Shreveport provided a lot of contact with the Stars!
Jim Reeves was my grandfather's cousin. Jim was from Henderson, TX, just across the State line, and Papaw was from that neck of the woods, also. My Papaw, Andrew Herman Reeves (who I was named for...thus the Andy) bore an amazing resemblance to Jim. But, I don't think he could sing...at least I never heard him try.
My other grandfather was a local businessman, who owned a large appliance/television/furniture store in Shreveport/Bossier. He sold the very first "color" television in the area to Hank Williams. Hank had heard that RCA (or somebody...maybe Westinghouse...I'm not sure) was coming out with a color television. He came to Granddaddy, bought one, and got put on "the list" to receive one once they were "really available."
My memory is a little fuzzy, but I think Hank died before Granddaddy ever got the TV for him. Hank and Billie Jean lived on Rome St. here in Bossier (two blocks from where I now live) when Hank Jr. was born. Hank was a regular on The Hayride, and this was a good spot for him to reside.
After he died, Billie Jean married Johnny Horton. Then his career took off!
I'm not sure how many characters a blogger comment will allow, so I will continue in another comment. I'm sure you can hardly wait...
There was always a lot of chatter around here that many of Johnny Horton's big hits were actually written by Hank. They WERE married to the same woman (talk about a hard-luck Hannah, huh?)
ReplyDeleteMy father's best life-long, boyhood and adult friend was a minor country star from here in Bossier named David Houston. You might remember him. He had a few big hits, but was not a superstar. His biggest hit was "Almost Persuaded," and he had a few others in duet with Barbara Mandrell during her early days.
He was "Uncle David" to us...he and Linda never had any children, so us 4 kids were kind of like theirs. David died young...in his early 60's or thereabouts...a long story I won't bore you with.
David was a regular on The Louisiana Hayride along with the others. One day, my Daddy & Uncle David (who my baby brother is named for btw) were at Johnny Horton's house. Johnny and Uncle David were messing with stuff on the piano, visiting, etc. and Dad was just there with his buddy.
After they left the house, David told my Dad that "that big stack of sheet music Johnny's been working on doesn't look like his handwriting. It looks like Hank's!" So, who knows?
Now, I do not know if this story is true, but it is widely accepted in these parts. Tilman Franks (who would become Uncle David's bass fiddle player later) was in Horton's band. It is said that when the wreck occurred, that Tilman's bow actually entered Horton's eye socket, and ran through his brain, killing him.
Lovely image, huh?
Regardless, I thought I'd share those tidbits. Johnny Horton is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery just east of Bossier in the Haughton area. In fact, when I told you about Uncle Herva racing his buddy from "Hilltop,"...well, that's about where the race started.
I've often seen the Horton memorial bench out there. My grandparents, father-in-law, and baby brother are buried in that cemetery...along with many dear friends.
Well...sorry to bend your ear so long, Dan. Your Johnny Horton videos just kinda sparked some memories. Thanks for letting me ramble.
Andy, sorry to be so long in responding. Thanks for your terrific comment. Since I've been too busy to post for a day or two, and since tonight is an insomnia night, my usual paragraph response, turned into something bigger. Because of your fascinating info about Reeves, Houston, and Hank and Horton, it became a post itself. So, all you get here Buddy, is this pitiful explanation. For my real response, just read the new post. I hope you like it. P.S. I promise to give you abundant credit for the inspiration and a link.
ReplyDeletePS Andy. The summer after I graduated from High School I lived in a place called Center, TX. It wasn't all that far from Shreveport. I'll bet you might have heard of it.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, Dan.
ReplyDeleteThere is an expression 'round here..."Is EVERYBODY from Center?"
Lots of well-known Shreveporters hail from Center, TX.
I'll read that post after I get my rat-killlin' done.