We had a GREAT show last night at the Barn Dance Boogie in Pasadena! Thanks to all who came out (and wow, it seemed like EVERYBODY was there—thanks!)!
Best of all, though, was a very cool surprise—who knew we had a real, honest-to-god, Texas Playboy living in Los Angeles?
When Emir Trerè and I went to the Maui Sugar Mill Saloon a few nights ago, when we got there Jack Ryan Sullivan said, “Hey, a member of the Texas Playboys was here, but he just left.” Now, I pride myself on knowing the old Western swing guys, so I was a little doubtful of this claim. Here? In Los Angeles? In the San Fernando Valley? A day later, Jack tracked down his phone number and sent it to me.
Jerry Case toured and recorded with the very last version of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, in 1966, before Bob got sick and had to retire from the road. And, as it turns out, he’s lived out here in the San Fernando Valley for the last thirty-five years, and none of us knew it. Even Dave Stuckey had no idea!
We got Jerry and his wife Maxine to come to our show last night in Pasadena. What a great couple! Talking to Jerry, turns out he is from Dallas, and grew up playing with several different rockabilly groups at the Big D Jamboree in Dallas. He knew Sid King and the Five Strings, and Ronnie Dawson, and I’m not sure he believed me when I said I knew them too! He then got the gig with Bob Wills in the mid-1960s, playing rhythm guitar in the Eldon Shamblin style.
Who’d a thunk it? A real bona fide Texas Playboy, living in our midst! We had no idea! Dave Stuckey, we have to go to dinner with Jerry soon and pick his brain some more! After all, he’s a neighbor!
Thanks again to Christopher Burkhardt and all the folks at Stellar Shows for putting on another great event! Thanks to the Soda Crackers, the Southwest Biscuit Company, Dave Stuckey and the Hoot Owls, DJ Big Sandy and the Honky Tonk Angels (and of course, the Whippersnappers and Sally Jo) for playing a TON of great music last night!
