LA/Hollywood Steel Players & The Night Spots - 1940s
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LA/Hollywood Steel Players & The Night Spots - 1940s
I've recently come across a collection of old black and white negatives and have been gradually scanning them into digital format. By and large, these are of many musicians who played in the LA / Hollywood hillbilly music scene in the 1940s. And I am indeed enjoying discovering pictures of many older steel players, some I'm learning of for the first time from this task.
So far, Eddie Martin, Noel Boggs, Curley Cochran, Dick Stubbs, Leodie Jackson, Beryl Harrell and others.
As for the venues, this guy apparently frequented a lot of them - the Four Aces; Murphy's; Al Royer's Red Barn; Dave Ming's; and other venues.
If any of you were on the scene in the 1940s, I would like to pick your memories a bit.
I'm thinking that this effort will result in doing a presentation at next year's ICMC conference in Nashville. Basically I'd like to put a story to these pictures.
My interest would be in what you remember about those old venues as well as the musicians. You can contact me off line as well by email.
I've seen some old threads on some of these guys on this forum going back several years ago. Hopefully there's a few who remember those days...
The pictures will gradually make their way into the web site. The steel players I'm adding as I discover them in this collection.
Thanks!
So far, Eddie Martin, Noel Boggs, Curley Cochran, Dick Stubbs, Leodie Jackson, Beryl Harrell and others.
As for the venues, this guy apparently frequented a lot of them - the Four Aces; Murphy's; Al Royer's Red Barn; Dave Ming's; and other venues.
If any of you were on the scene in the 1940s, I would like to pick your memories a bit.
I'm thinking that this effort will result in doing a presentation at next year's ICMC conference in Nashville. Basically I'd like to put a story to these pictures.
My interest would be in what you remember about those old venues as well as the musicians. You can contact me off line as well by email.
I've seen some old threads on some of these guys on this forum going back several years ago. Hopefully there's a few who remember those days...
The pictures will gradually make their way into the web site. The steel players I'm adding as I discover them in this collection.
Thanks!
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I can attest to the awesomeness of Dave's time consuming collection, having been privy to viewings via our mutual friend, Don Triolo, who's Mom (steeler Beryl Harrell) is found in a few. They'll certainly be an asset to the many interested parties and I can only say thanx a bunch for the effort in getting these photos out for public perusal. That these pix were taken, survived, and now are in the hands of a caring and sharing individual is a lucky break that rarely happens.
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Let's see if I can post a few pictures so that maybe you can help me identify not only the steel players, but the band members or the singer's they're backing. Here's one that is of Kirk Patrick. First time I've heard of him. But here he is playing at the Hitching Post in the 1940s. Anyone familiar with that venue? Or this artist?
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Finally, as I am able to interview anyone, I will try and post a summary of what was learned as I tend to dabble into sometimes the trivial details, but I realize memories of those days can be fuzzy sometimes. Here's one last one - part of a batch labeled "John Rives and Other Groups". Anyone know the steel player?
I've also updated my site for what little I could find on Leodie Jackson and incorporated the pictures I've found so far.
Here's the steel player.
I've also updated my site for what little I could find on Leodie Jackson and incorporated the pictures I've found so far.
Here's the steel player.
- Jerry Hayes
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Dave, I don't know the steel player(s) but the name "John Rives" brings back a memory. He was a fiddle player if it's the one I knew. I used to play with him in the sixties on Sunday and Monday at a club in Compton called "The Skylite". I was on lead guitar and we had a steel player named J.L. Jenkins who had played with Johnny Lee Wills band at one point.........JH in Va.
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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The Hitching Post was in Gardena, Ca. near the corner of Western and Redondondo Beach Blvd. Many ofus So.Calif. musicians played at this club owned by Al Royer. A couple of miles West at Hawthorne Blvd. in Lomia, Ca. was the "Red Barn" also owned by Al Royer. I worked both these Clubs in the late 50's with Teddy Wilds. Thesed two clubs usually supported five an six piece Bands.
Johnny Rives who played for years at the Skylight on Atlantic Blvd. in Compton, had a couple of Steel Players, Earl "Peewee" Duran, and one named "Jesse" (can't remember last name). I also worked the Skylite later on with the Horton Bros. and then with Sonny Thomas.
Billy Carter was a great Guitar Player out of Texas who spent time in So.Calif. playing with Billy Armstrong at the "Western Corral" in Long Beach and fronted his own group at differen't times. He was considered on par with Jimmy Bryant for speed and Jazz.
Johnny Rives who played for years at the Skylight on Atlantic Blvd. in Compton, had a couple of Steel Players, Earl "Peewee" Duran, and one named "Jesse" (can't remember last name). I also worked the Skylite later on with the Horton Bros. and then with Sonny Thomas.
Billy Carter was a great Guitar Player out of Texas who spent time in So.Calif. playing with Billy Armstrong at the "Western Corral" in Long Beach and fronted his own group at differen't times. He was considered on par with Jimmy Bryant for speed and Jazz.
Last edited by Billy Tonnesen on 15 Aug 2012 9:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sacramento Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, 1992
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P.m.
Billy. Please check you PM. I used to play with the Horton bros also. TracyBilly Tonnesen wrote:See your E-mail. I can give you a lot of the information you might be looking for !
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Re: P.m.
Also knew the Bacon Bros and used to go see them at the Hitching post. As i recall i was too young to play in bars the first time i met them but used to sneak in.Was doing radio and tv work at the time playing fiddle before i took up steel. TracyTracy Sheehan wrote:Billy. Please check you PM. I used to play with the Horton bros also. TracyBilly Tonnesen wrote:See your E-mail. I can give you a lot of the information you might be looking for !
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La/hollywood steel players
David thanks for the info stuff you gave me on Leodie Jackson. I gave it to his family today and they were so happy to get the info. they told me totell you thanks so much they really appericated it. so THANKS DAVE FOR YOUR HELP and keep up the good work thanks. you really made some people happy today. THANKS
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As an FYI, I did get to talk with Billy Tonnesen the other night - most enjoyable - for over 90 minutes. My only frustration is that I have a day job and can only do so much in my spare time. But when I do - it's a nice way to relax. Enjoy a few more from the past.
If you can, help me identify who some of these folks are...
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com
If you can, help me identify who some of these folks are...
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com
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Players from the past
This is for your latest photo posting.
l. Danny Michaels on double neck Lead Guitar, Not sure of Steel Player.(might Be Bobby Boyd))
2. Looks like Les (carrot top) Anderson fronting Band and playing Steel. He started out as a Steel Player.
3. Looks like Jack Tucker, dark shirt fronting Band. Steel player looks like Chuck Mills. Possibly Gene Davis is one of the others, He and Chuck started out with Jack Tucker, left and formed their own group, played at the Band Box on Vermont Ave. in So. Los Angeles.
4. Looks like Chuck Foreman playing his Multi-Chord Steel. Chuck also recorded some country records with
Rock & Roller Eddie Cochran before Eddie was killed in an auto accident.
5. Don't know
6. Dick Stubbs on Steel - see front of Steel
7. Don't know
Many off the other side men in the photos look familiar but I can't place their names right now.,
l. Danny Michaels on double neck Lead Guitar, Not sure of Steel Player.(might Be Bobby Boyd))
2. Looks like Les (carrot top) Anderson fronting Band and playing Steel. He started out as a Steel Player.
3. Looks like Jack Tucker, dark shirt fronting Band. Steel player looks like Chuck Mills. Possibly Gene Davis is one of the others, He and Chuck started out with Jack Tucker, left and formed their own group, played at the Band Box on Vermont Ave. in So. Los Angeles.
4. Looks like Chuck Foreman playing his Multi-Chord Steel. Chuck also recorded some country records with
Rock & Roller Eddie Cochran before Eddie was killed in an auto accident.
5. Don't know
6. Dick Stubbs on Steel - see front of Steel
7. Don't know
Many off the other side men in the photos look familiar but I can't place their names right now.,
Last edited by Billy Tonnesen on 17 Aug 2012 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sacramento Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, 1992
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Sorry I didn't reckognize Earl Duran. I talked to him on the phone last year. He lives up by Folsom, Ca. east of Sacramento. He still had his Bigsby.
Last edited by Billy Tonnesen on 16 Aug 2012 7:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sacramento Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, 1992
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Sorry no new pictures tonight. In response to a few offline notes I've gotten, the reason I posted that these were from the 1940s was mainly because many of the dates, where they were included in the labeling of the negatives, were the 1940s. Your eagle eyes and expertise as to the instruments and who was playing them is surely appreciated as I try and place them in a historical context. To me, I am constantly amazed at how much has survived over the decades to be re-discovered and enjoyed again as if it were 'new'. Country music fans - I tip my hat to that early generation.
Someone told me offline they think the last picture is of Al Vernon and I may try and do a closeup of the name that seems to be written on that triple neck steel.
This weekend, I think it's time to take a break and get out my steel guitars and let the music flow.
Thanks for the feedback - I've gone through about 360 negatives so far and have quite a few more batches to go.
If they only made history in school as interesting as it is with something like this...
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com
Someone told me offline they think the last picture is of Al Vernon and I may try and do a closeup of the name that seems to be written on that triple neck steel.
This weekend, I think it's time to take a break and get out my steel guitars and let the music flow.
Thanks for the feedback - I've gone through about 360 negatives so far and have quite a few more batches to go.
If they only made history in school as interesting as it is with something like this...
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com
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