Austin Texas Steel

Brian Gattis · Post by **Brian Gattis** » 28 Jan 2020 9:14 am

I will be in Austin Texas the 5-8th of February. Hoping to see some real Texas country music! Anybody playing steel around town those days? Wed - Friday night. Thanks

Brian G

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 28 Jan 2020 2:48 pm

I will be at the White Horse 8-10 that Friday with the Golden Roses. Come out at 7 pm and there are free two-step lessons. Thursday Alvin Crow is at The Little Longhorn(aka Ginnys) and some times Herb Steiner joins them. Jake Penrod is also at Ginny's on Friday 9-1 and sometimes James Shelton is on steel. The Derailers are at the Broken Spoke on the 6th, but I don't think they include steel anymore. You picked a good week.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 28 Jan 2020 8:35 pm

I don't play with Alvin Crow at the Longhorn because the band area is so small I have to sit on the dance floor next to the bar... no bueno, so Alvin does it as a 5-piece at the 'Horn.

HOWEVER, I will be with Alvin and the Pleasant Valley Boys at the Broken Spoke on Saturday, Feb. 8. And our shows there lately have been wonderfully packed.

Brian Gattis · Post by **Brian Gattis** » 29 Jan 2020 7:15 pm

Thanks for the recommendations. I am going to try to make it to all of these shows if I can!

Herb I've been to Ginnys, and you aint kiddin that is a small band area!
Thanks again!!

Brian G

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 30 Jan 2020 7:27 am

Herb wrote:...the band area is so small I have to sit on the dance floor next to the bar... no bueno

Been there, done that.. maybe they should bring the 'steel player fence' back in? It worked great when the stage was in the back..

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 30 Jan 2020 8:48 am

Bill,
Is that Dale Watson in the picture?
Erv

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 30 Jan 2020 9:01 am

That's Dale with one of his bands from back in the day. That could be Don Pawlak, I can't recognize him from the photo.

The fenced off steel platform is what I called the "Ricky Davis Memorial Stage," since it was built for RD when he had the steel gig with Dale. It was moved into the beer locker if there wasn't a steel player in the band. The Longhorn has never been "steel friendly" logistically. I'd frequently set up next to the back door (where the bassist is in the photo). Quick access to the men's room and also the back parking lot.

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 30 Jan 2020 9:26 am

That is Don Don and his Sho-Bud.

I like the fence but they need to remove the UT Longhorn sticker and replace it with a Double T

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 20 Feb 2020 3:15 pm

Herb Steiner wrote:That's Dale with one of his bands from back in the day. That could be Don Pawlak, I can't recognize him from the photo.

...The Longhorn has never been "steel friendly" logistically. I'd frequently set up next to the back door (where the bassist is in the photo). Quick access to the men's room and also the back parking lot.

Herb, that is Don Pawlak.

Back in the day, when I did gigs with various honky-tonk bands, Ginny's Little Longhorn was one of my favorites to play. Even though it wasn't easy for a band of 4 or more with a steel to fit on the 'stage'. When I played with The Wildbunch, a six-piece band with an electric piano, a usual spot for me was in the hallway leading to the back door - the piano was where Don is in the picture.

From the point of logistics, other favorites that are now defunct are the Austin Outhouse, as well as the original Henry's on Burnet Road. I remember one time, while at the Outhouse, when a stack of cardboard beer cases fell on me while playing. The good thing about all of those clubs was that the owners cherished their bands.

Logisitcally, the worst that I ever played was Blaines, in San Angelo. Frequently, I played there in the early 2000's. The stage was raised and about 8 by 10 feet with a 3-foot high railing that went around the stage - a band had no choice but to try to squeeze into the space. The 'dance floor' at Blaine's was no better. It was filled with raised tables with barstools. the'dancers' had to two-step on the table tops.

Keep one pickin'!
Glenn