Country Music Alive and Well in Fort Worth !

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

Just got back from another trip to Fort Worth Stockyards area where I heard Jake Hooker and the Outsiders play at "Borrowed Money". He had the great Dickie Overby on steel and Bobby Flores on fiddle. Song after song after song of great Ray Price shuffle style music. The dance floor was packed and the crowd was all age ranges too, not just old guys like me- the people were obviously having a great time. I am fortunate enough to live close so that I can enjoy that type of thing from time to time, but I know that it goes on every weekend down there and in more than just one bar. Big Balls of Cowtown and the White Elephant also have great music, I just happen to like Jakes music and band and stayed there the whole evening. If you ever have the chance, make a trip to Fort Worth and step back in time, you wont regret it ! It dont get any better, IMHO !!

[This message was edited by Larry Lenhart on 02 February 2003 at 06:43 PM.]

Anders Brundell · From: Falun, Sweden

I long back to Ft Worth! My whife and I were there 13 yrs ago, and it certainly was a memory for life. I wish I lived there, ´cause I love the music and the environment - and the people behind it!

Anders in Falun (closer to the north pole than to the Stock Yards)

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I played at Big Balls of Cowtown last saturday night. We also had a great dance crowd. Western Swing and good old country music. I wanted to go see Dickey but the breaks weren't long enough and we were playing too far apart.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Roger, I wish I had known you were there. Please post when you're going to be there again. I'd like to come here you play.

Earl Yarbro · From: Bowie, Texas, USA

Anyone know where the Gary Carpenter group plays?

Peggy Poovey · From: Dallas,Texas USA

You will find Gary at the Finish Line in far west Fort Worth on Sundays, starting around 5:00 pm. and he does Tuesdays there also. Tuesday night is Mike Crows Road show and is always packed. Gary also plays there some friday and saturday nights, you would need to check to see when that was happening.
Hope this helps.

Peggy

Earl Yarbro · From: Bowie, Texas, USA

Thanks Peggy, I'll try to get over to the Finish Line sometime. See you at the Texas Show. Earl

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

About 20 years ago or so my ex-wife and I flew to Dallas/Fort Worth area for a little vacation at her boss's ranch north of there. We decided to go to some clubs in the area and were going to Billy Bob's but as we were in the Stockyard area we went to a couple of clubs and ran into an old buddy who'd worked the LA area with us named Rod Culpepper. Rod was one helluva talent and had some great original tunes he written. I alway wondered why he didn't become a star. He had it all, good looks, voice, talent on multiple instruments, great song writer. We wound up staying the whole night and he had me play a set on guitar which brought back a lot of memories. He told me that night that he'd been having some medical problems. Not too awful long after that, Rod died of Cancer! I always thought that was a loss for music. This guy loved Merle Haggard and classic country but could do Tom Jones or any kind of tune he wanted. When we were at the Swizzle Stik in Huntington Beach, Ca., Rodney even did pop tunes when requested. What a voice!! Does anyone know what club that was that he was playing in? If you were coming from the direction of Billy Bob's into that row with all the clubs and businesses it would be on the left. When you went into the place in was like two areas with the bandstand on the left as you came in the front door. This would have been around '83 or '84...Have a good 'un.

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

That sounds like what is now called the "White Elephant", but I have no idea in those days if it was called that or not. Someone on here will probably know for sure.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

It's not the White Elephant. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't quite remember it. I'll recognize it if I hear it though.

Danny Naccarato · From: Burleson, Texas

Sounds like the Longhorn Saloon. Had 2 bandstands One small one on the left just as you came in, and another across the room in the far left corner. However, The Elephant is split into 2 areas with the bandstand on the left, with the stairs going over the area where they usually stick the steeler. There was also the Pickin Parlor and Filthy McNasty's, both of them having bands practically every night, back then...and around the corner was Big River, which currently is Borrowed Money Saloon. Man, those were the days....

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

The Pickin' Parlor, that's the one. Thanks Danny!

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

And only a few blocks north on 28th the fabulous Pink Poodle. It was one of those places where you walk in and everybody is looking at you, nobody sits with their back to the door.

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Home Page

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Sounds to me like it could have been the Longhorn.
The Pink Poodle? Bill, did you actually go in there?
I can remember in the late 70's before Billy Bob's was built, the Stockyards was NOT a good place to go. I Played at the Longhorn back then and feared for my life. Nothing but wino's and hoe's.

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

Hey Chris, I remember the Northside before 'civilization' too.. it was a pretty rough place. I think it still is if you wander too far off of Exchange and Main.

I did a house gig at the Poodle for a while, 5 nights @ 5 hours = $200 bucks, and guaranteed 'entertainment' at least once a night. They had fights that had 15 or 20 people involved. Chairs and tables flying around and the whole bit... looked like some fight scene in a movie. Pretty scary in restropect.

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

In the middle 70's I also happened to live in Wichita Falls as my band was being booked by ol' "Dartboard" Sam Gibbs agency. One Monday night we went to Fort Worth to look around and heard about a place called the Stagecoach I believe. It it still there? I remember it was huge compared to the clubs in LA and only served beer. This was a Monday night but they had a damn fine western swing type band working that night which included Pedal Steel, Lead guitar, saxaphone, fiddle, bass, rhythm guitar, and drums. They might even have had a piano. Those dudes picked their butts off. I'd have liked to have heard the regular band if this was an off night group, they really cooked.......JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Jerry
The Stagecoach is still there, and I work there about 4-5 times a year, usually with Johnny Bush. Still huge, now has mixed drinks. E. Belknap has become a pretty crappy part of town, though.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

I played the Longhorn Saloon six nights a week in the early eighties with Bobby Wayne. At that time I'm pretty sure Rod Culpepper was playing the Pickin' Parlor. It was on the southwest corner of Exchange and North Main Street.

I had never seen any fights or trouble until two of my brothers came to visit from New England. We stopped at the Pickin' Parlor for a beer one afternoon. We weren't there five minutes before two cowboys went at it, breaking beer bottles over each other's heads.

And Herb, tell Johnny to quit booking the Stagecoach on nights that I already have gigs!

[This message was edited by Jim Smith on 18 February 2003 at 06:17 PM.]

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

There was a house band at the Pickin Parlor for quite a while in the 80's. I forget the name of the band, but Larry Sifford, a left handed acoustic guitar player fronted and they had a steel player named Lynn Parker.

Lynn was a peanut farmer in Tolar by day, steel player by nite. Anybody remember or know what happened to him? He used to bring me a bushel of raw peanuts every year at harvest time.

Lynn was a real character, great big solid guy, 250 lbs, but not fat. He had his momma sew a pocket on the outside seam of his wranglers, just big enough to hold a pair of pliers. He told me that there just wasn't much you couldn't do on a farm if you had a pair of pliers handy, but he carried 'em everywhere.

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Panther City Pickers

SallyAnn Wallace · From: Alvarado, Texas, USA

I know Lynn Parker. My sister and I used to play and sing at the Country Love Theater(an opry show)in Granbury and he was the regular steel player for that show.That place has been shut down for a couple of years now. We never saw him wear wranglers - only overalls.

sonbone · From: Waxahachie, TX

The last time I saw Lynn was about 10 years ago at Rodeo Exchange in Fort Worth. At that time I believe he was playing with a band called Hill City, which were Fort Worth mainstays in the '80s. This was the early '90s (probably around '93). That was pretty much the last I heard of Lynn or Hill City for that matter.

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

Right... Hill City Cowboys, same band that was at Pickin Parlour for so long.

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