KCMO Area Country Jam Session?

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 9 Dec 2005 10:17 am

Are there any players that monitor the SGF that would be interested in a quarterly country jam session in the KCMO area? I would sure like to hear from any and all that would be interested in picking or singing at such an event. No cover charge for a player, his wife or girl friend (this way you can only bring one of them), and their kids. Put a five dollar cover charge on the door for others attending and pay to have some of the steel players that tour around the USA putting on seminars to come up our way. Same goes for some of the other prominent sidemen in country music such as lead guitarist Redd Volkaert and Leon Rhodes.

Well if this doesn't get me in divorce court it could be a heck of a lot of fun.

Colm Chomicky · Post by **Colm Chomicky** » 9 Dec 2005 11:15 am

I am interested. However, I am still a beginner, having hacked away at this thing for about 3 years.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 9 Dec 2005 11:38 am

Good ole KCMO. I am quite sure this was the station I listened to in 54-55. Dal Stallard played the ctry hits biilboard on Mon Juke boxes on tues, sheetmusic sales on wed etc; Also about that time Cora Rice was on live and Skeets Yaney was fronting the band and singing. If it was not KCMO it was another KC station, At this time also was when the Philadelphia "A"s moved to KC and became the KC "A"s later the Royals.

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 10 Dec 2005 7:15 am

Colm, time at hacking at your instrument doesn't count for or against a guy, it's purely the enjoyment of pickin' that we all live for. I plan on being at the Dale Watson show tonight in KCMO, so I will look for you there. Here's how to know me. I am fat, bald, age 53, and so ugly you'd have to tie a porkchop around my neck to get a puppy to come to me. I am trying to get Bruce Cowan and his wife to come to the show too and I may call Bob Rigby today to see if he wants to go and some other guys now that I think of it. We'll make a real country mafia out of it.

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 10 Dec 2005 8:10 am

Mr. Johnson, most of what you are quoting me about KCMO radio is before I was old enough to know what was going on in the world around me, (I am not sure if that still isn’t going on) but I have heard of Ms. Cora Rice, but I'm not sure in what text. I bet KCMO was a great station to listen to during that time period, I am sure it offered much more than radio does in KC today.

However, I believe there is one correction in your quote. I think KC Athletics "A's" moved to California, Oakland I think and I believe the Royals were an expansion team. I am not a big sports fan, but I can remember when the "A's" left KCMO they took all of their ballplayers with them and KCMO got a new team. I don't know if Mr. Kaufman started the Royals, but I do know he was the owner for quite a few years before the current owner, Wal-Mart CEO (David Glass) took it over and turned the Royals into the world's first discount ball club. I figure sometime in the near future Wal Mart will be importing all of the Royals baseball players from China, so Mr. Glass can pay them $ .50 a day in salary, forced them to play triple-hitters seven days a week, with no benefits, and instead of a retirement plan they will be provided with non-dividend paying Wal Mart stock.

But on a musical and positive note, during that same time period some of Kansas City’s biggest names in country music were beginning to shine. Hoby Shep and Jimmy Dallas were both probably performing at the Cowtown Jubilee during that time frame. Hap Peobles, from KCK was well on his way at becoming the number one buyer of country music talent in the United States. I am not sure what all was happening in the Kansas City area in the early 50s, but by the late 50s and during the 60s it was a hot spot for country music and hosted some of the biggest name talent in country music at Memorial Hall in KCK and Municipal Auditorium in KCMO to include Ray Price, Ernest Tubb, Tex Ritter, Patsy Cline and the list goes on. It was home to major nightclubs such as the 95 Club, the Club Royal, the General’s Inn, the Starlite Club, Janova’s Chestnut Inn where performers George Jones, Buck Owens and Judy Lynn performed often.

Colm Chomicky · Post by **Colm Chomicky** » 10 Dec 2005 8:18 am

Kenny, I'm 50, I might wear a cowboy hat to cover up my bald spot ! (The only other hats around my house belong to my kids and are for skateboarders). Tom Anderson is probably going also, last time I saw him he was wearing his Emmons cap.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 10 Dec 2005 2:05 pm

could have been Kenny. The old memory plays trix sometime. CC

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 10 Dec 2005 4:44 pm

CC, just to have a memory is a feat in its self. I sure wish I had some of the old radio program broadcast from KCMO back in the 30s, 40s and 50s, I bet they were great. Hoby Shep told me that in the 30s the guy that created the Beverly Hillbillys for television in the 60s, had the same basic show broadcast 3 years on network radio out of Kansas City and that he actually created the show while living in KCMO. Kansas City used to be a haven for great talent and hopefully will be again some time in the future. Walt Bodine is a great source of information about early broadcast history in KCMO.

If we can get enough people interested in having quarterly country jam sessions here in the KCMO area you need to come up for some of them. What kind of steel do you play?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 11 Dec 2005 3:43 am

When I moved to KC, in late 73, WDAF-AM (61 country) had just "went back" to country programming. KCMO was not doing country or for that matter much music, it was mostly "talk" radio.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 11 Dec 2005 5:09 am

I usually grab the one thats closest to the door. Some steels I have remain on the wall for looks even they are all playable and I do so at times. Mostly its the old MSA, I don't remember the yr but it was the first yr they started putting "Super Sustain" on the units. My old Sho Bud 10strg 3X2 permanent setup, Excel dbl8 Jerry Byrd model, or my Remington Rider single 8. Too lazy to walk 5 steps more from the door. CC Oh yes, Dal Stallard used to have guests all the time, Red Foley, Webb Pierce, Eddy Arnold etc. The Municipal Auditorium in KC was a mecca for ctry music at that time.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 11 Dec 2005 7:12 am

In 54-55 KCMO was about 50-60 % ctry. Red Foley asked Dal if KCMO was all ctry and Dal said it was close and was going to get better. I got orders in Mar56 to go to Montery CA and study Russian so I don't know if Dals prediction came true.

Colm Chomicky · Post by **Colm Chomicky** » 11 Dec 2005 11:12 am

Myself, Kenny Burford, and Tom Anderson met up at Knucklesheads to catch the Dale Watson. Don Pawlak on steel is a very animated player and his facial expressions while playing are quite a hoot. Don was playing his Blonde Sho~Bud Super Pro through the Webb amp and sure had great tone. Dale's set lasted over 2 hrs with no break (those guys must have cast iron kidneys). I think Don might have played with his teeth but my view was temporarily blocked at that moment. Dale put on a fine show and is a true honky tonk troubadour.

Hey Kenny, Dale sure liked you're name given that about midway through the set he had you stand up and introduced you to the house !

[This message was edited by Colm Chomicky on 11 December 2005 at 11:13 AM.]

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 12 Dec 2005 8:10 am

Without a doubt we are going to have to start having quarterly country/western swing jam sessions here in KC. Now I just need to get my wife's permission and we are off and running.

Does anyone on the SGF know if Mr. Ralph Mooney still does tour work or how he can be contacted?[This message was edited by Kenny Burford on 12 December 2005 at 08:11 AM.]

Terry Gann · Post by **Terry Gann** » 12 Dec 2005 10:58 am

Kenny / Colm / other KC area psg folks:

I'd sure enjoy attending an KCMO psg event. Maybe "Mountain Music Shoppe" in Shawnee KS would be a good resource to work with. They often sponsor instore concerts of regional and national players. Just make sure its NOT on a fri. or sat night cause I gotta play the payin' gigs when I can get 'em. btw... Anyone know any news of KC area psg player Chuck Abend? His old email address gets me no reply.

Terry
tgann@kcstar.com

Pat Irvin · Post by **Pat Irvin** » 12 Dec 2005 12:50 pm

I'd be interested in attending a Steel Jam. Just let me know when and where.

Jim Curley at Mountain Music may entertain the idea of hosting a Steel Jam.

If any of you KC steel players are interested, I'm playing a 2 man acoustic gig every wednesday at Harry's Country Club in the River Market. And will start playing again monthly outside on the patio come spring(we go by Tater and the Gravy Train). We do a mix of 50's,60's,70's and 80's country with a few odd ball selections thrown in for good measure. And if you don't like what we play and sing you'll love the juke box, it is full of western swing, country. And it also has a lot of the newer "Country" folks - Dale Watson, Two Dollar Pistols, Robbie Fulks etc...

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 12 Dec 2005 1:20 pm

Ya'll should get Bruce Zumsteg in the loop.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Dec 2005 1:22 pm

Chuck Abend lives in Gladstone. I saw him at the ISGC this year. I think he's in the telephone book.

The last e-mail address I had for Chuck is countrysteel@hotmail.com

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 13 Dec 2005 9:49 am

I think everything above is good information, so the thing for me to do now is start talking to some folks mentioned above.

Scott Henderson · Post by **Scott Henderson** » 13 Dec 2005 11:27 am

sounds like fun count me in. Maybe I could get Owens and Queen to come too!

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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com

Fred Ermentrout · Post by **Fred Ermentrout** » 14 Dec 2005 3:23 am

Is Bobby DeMoss still playing in the KC area? If so, hopefully he could attend whatever steel gathering results from this thread. Great player, great guy.
Same goes for Russ Wever, who resides in KC when he's not traveling.

Pat Carlson · Post by **Pat Carlson** » 18 Dec 2005 7:53 pm

I would be interested in driving down to KC and meeting with you folks Thanks..Pat

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The Lone Prairie Steeler Pat