Steel in Lubbock

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Steve Alcott
Posts: 1625
Joined: 6 Sep 2002 12:01 am
Location: New York, New York, USA

Steel in Lubbock

Post by Steve Alcott »

I'll be in Lubbock through the 16th after TSGA; anybody playing in the area?
Chuck Cusimano
Posts: 898
Joined: 19 Nov 2004 1:01 am
Location: Weatherford, Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by Chuck Cusimano »

While in Lubbock, try to hear Wilbur Keeton, if you can find out where he's playing. He's outstanding! I'll try to get him to post on this thread. He is a forum member, but hardly ever posts anything.
Michael Garnett
Posts: 972
Joined: 21 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Michael Garnett »

Steve, you might not see too much live music that weekend, it's Spring Break in a small college town. I know I'll be out of town that weekend.

-MG
User avatar
Sonny Jenkins
Posts: 4376
Joined: 19 Sep 2000 12:01 am
Location: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Post by Sonny Jenkins »

Hey Michael,,,see you're from leveland,,,is there a steeler named Howard Isaacs still around??? I played in group with him back in late 60s or early 70s,,,???
Wilbur Keeton
Posts: 12
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 12:01 am
Location: Lubbock, Texas, USA

Post by Wilbur Keeton »

Hi Steve,
I remember you from a previous visit down here. I wish I could say there is something going on here, but I don't know about it if it is.
Chuck, thanks so much for the kind words. I wish I was still playing with you. A better friend cannot be had, and not many singers can equal you either.
Oh, by the way, I got to work with Larry Wilbourn a week ago. We had a blast. Wilbur
Michael Garnett
Posts: 972
Joined: 21 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Michael Garnett »

Sonny-

I really couldn't tell you. One of the other guys might could answer you better; I've only met a few of the Lubbock pickers since I moved out here (August 2004). I'll ask around though.

-MG
User avatar
Sonny Jenkins
Posts: 4376
Joined: 19 Sep 2000 12:01 am
Location: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Post by Sonny Jenkins »

Hey wilbur,,,tell Larry hello for me,,,we go back a long ways,,,back to about '55-'56..LOL.
Is he back around the Lubbock area now,???
User avatar
Craig Stock
Posts: 3575
Joined: 24 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Westfield, NJ USA
Contact:

Post by Craig Stock »


Hey Wilbur, Are you any relation to Steve Keeton from Joe Ely's old band?

I graduated from Tech back in '83, whatever happened to the old Coldwater Country club from years ago, Is the building still there. I saw alot of great shows back then.



------------------
Regards, Craig


Jeremy Moyers
Posts: 577
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Lubbock, TX
Contact:

Post by Jeremy Moyers »

Cold Water turned into the midnoght rodeo and was in business up untill a few years ago. The building has now been torn down and something else was built in its place. I do not live in Lubbock anymore, but was born and raised there and still go back as often as possible. My dad, Wally Moyers, use to play at Cold Water back when I was a kid but I hardly remember the place.

Jeremy
Wilbur Keeton
Posts: 12
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 12:01 am
Location: Lubbock, Texas, USA

Post by Wilbur Keeton »

Sonny, Larry still lives in Oklahoma. He just came down for the show.

Craig, I think I may be a distant kin to Steve Keeton. He played the heck out of them drums.
Wilbur
User avatar
Craig Stock
Posts: 3575
Joined: 24 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Westfield, NJ USA
Contact:

Post by Craig Stock »


Thanks guys for the replys.

Coldwater was a mini 'Gilleys' Mechanical Bull, Pool tables, giant dance floor, etc., for a kid from New Jersey smitten with the Urbah Cowboy movie, it was very cool. On thurdays nights, they had a deal called 'Crash and Burn', 35cent 16oz. Lonestars, 25cent Tequila shots and 50cent Tequila Drinks, there was a line around the building every week.

My first week at school I went there with a dorm mate and we had a great time, only problem was driving back down University and making a left onto the other main road at Tech, I accidentally turned into the opposite traffic turning lane, which I wasn't used to yet, had to drive over the median to avoid the on-coming traffic.

Lubbock had a lot of good clubs back then. Used to go to Stubb's once in a while, Stubb was a real nice guy, and once went to a BBQ joint way outside town that had a live band and a Horse drawn carriage with skeletons inside it. I wonder wghat the name was and if it is still around.

The other amazing thing is the amount of muscians from and around Lubbock. Same with racers, I'm into drag racing and Raymond Beadle (Blue Max)and Kenny Bernstein(Bud King) both are from Lubbock. Just found out recently that Kenny B. started the Chesea Pub which we used to go to also.

Thanks for the update.



------------------
Regards, Craig


User avatar
Bob Watson
Posts: 1533
Joined: 30 Aug 2000 12:01 am
Location: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Post by Bob Watson »

I remember stopping in Lubbock around 1985 and seeing a guy playing a universal 12 string psg at a club I believe was called the Red Raider, or something close to that. I had never seen anyone play a universal at that point in time and I recall that this guy was a good player. I also remember having a great conversation with him about the universal tuning. I have heard that the club burned down a few years after that. I would be curious to know if anyone could identify the steel player I am talking about, it would be interesting to find out where he is at musically after all of these years.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Bob Watson on 09 February 2006 at 01:51 AM.]</p></FONT>
User avatar
Sonny Jenkins
Posts: 4376
Joined: 19 Sep 2000 12:01 am
Location: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Post by Sonny Jenkins »

Wilbur,,last time I saw him he was playing with a group in Houston,,,he was pretty messed up then. Hope he's doing better now!!! I know he had a lot of family in oklahoma,,,one time me, him and bill pickering (the "picks",,a great back up group in the 50s) took a trip (and I do mean "trip", me and larry were about 18-19, bill was older,,) to oklahoma to visit his relatives. When we were kids I would spend the night with him and his mother would make us go to the big Assembly of God church, I think out where the old Cotton Club used to be,,,,man Larry would have them dancing in the aisles,,,,,LOL<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Sonny Jenkins on 10 February 2006 at 10:07 AM.]</p></FONT>
Steve Alcott
Posts: 1625
Joined: 6 Sep 2002 12:01 am
Location: New York, New York, USA

Post by Steve Alcott »

Thanks to all who have replied; it's pretty much the same as my last visit. I did get to hear Wilbur, but I had to bring my Mom to get into the Senior Citizens Center. The only other "live" music was a couple of(pretty good) blues bands, a guy with an Ovation 12 string and a computer, and karaoke in a sports bar. No wonder all the talent flees like there's a mob with torches and pitchforks behind them. I hope someone proves me wrong by the time I get there. At least I can get some good brisket.
Wilbur Keeton
Posts: 12
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 12:01 am
Location: Lubbock, Texas, USA

Post by Wilbur Keeton »

Steve, I just started with a different group that sounds real good. I'll try to let you know where we will be playing when you are coming down. Right now I am not positive just where...probably at the Koko.
Wilbur
User avatar
Charlie McDonald
Posts: 11054
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 1:01 am
Location: out of the blue

Post by Charlie McDonald »

So the Koko is still here. (Don't get around much any more.)

There were good clubs. No more Red Raider Inn. I first started playing at Kenny Bernstein's Chelsea St. Pub; I think I booked the first act there, a gal I played with later.
Then Kenny left. Stubbs went to Austin.
Memories.
Michael Garnett
Posts: 972
Joined: 21 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Michael Garnett »

Bob, that may very well have been Tim McCasland playing the U12 guitar. He's been a U12 picker for a really long time, put out quite a few instructional videos as well. He's a professor out here in the Commercial Music department of South Plains College here in Levelland. A Lubbock native, he's been a guitar picker around these parts for over 35 years.

I'll ask him in my lesson tomorrow if he had a U12 guitar back around then, and I betcha he did. Do you remember what kind of guitar it was?

-MG
baxter vaughan
Posts: 520
Joined: 12 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Lubbock, Texas 79424

Post by baxter vaughan »

his 1st name was bruce...and i cannot recall his last name. played a zum u12. an exceptional player. he is a professer at a university in oklahoma now. poor old lubbock has just about dryed up as far as good live music goes.
baxter
Michael Garnett
Posts: 972
Joined: 21 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Michael Garnett »

Hey Baxter, good to hear you're still breathing. Hadn't heard from you in a while. McCasland said it was either him or some other guy, his name did start with a B, but I don't remember what it was, Bruce might be right.

"Just about dried up?"

From the stories I've heard, was it ever really that wet? Mac Davis, Buddy Holly, Waylon, etcetera all had to leave Lubbock before hitting it big. About the only guy I've ever heard of that made it big in Lubbock before branching out was Pat Green, and that's just more of a testament to idiot frat guys not knowing anything about music and buying crap anyway.

-MG
Pat Smith
Posts: 74
Joined: 13 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: Mineral Wells, Texas

Post by Pat Smith »

Hey Craig...surely you remember a cat by the name of Lloyd Maines out that direction...I know you remember the Maines Brothers Band....OOHHHH, the morning after a night at Pikefest after the Maines Brothers played....it still hurts!...Lloyd is an awesome picker, all the way around.
Michael Garnett
Posts: 972
Joined: 21 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Michael Garnett »

Lloyd's lived in Austin for a long time now. Yet another great picker who moved to where it was easier to make a living playing music.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Michael Garnett on 15 February 2006 at 04:44 PM.]</p></FONT>
baxter vaughan
Posts: 520
Joined: 12 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Lubbock, Texas 79424

Post by baxter vaughan »

hey michael...have'nt heard from you in awhile. i have moved to cleburne, tx. been here for a couple of weeks now. i'll put in a good word with old jared and tell him you need to take my place!! the steel picker in question was bruce boggs. who now resides in oklahoma. take care my friend.
baxter
Jake L
Posts: 613
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Grapevine, Texas

Post by Jake L »

Howdy Michael! How's it going? You still have Ol' Red? Drop me a line sometime.
Jake
User avatar
Bob Watson
Posts: 1533
Joined: 30 Aug 2000 12:01 am
Location: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Post by Bob Watson »

Michael, I believe that the guy I saw was playing a U12 Zum, which makes it sound like the steel player that Baxter is talking about. Unfortunately I can't remember his name but I do remember that he was a great player. I really haven't seen too many U12 steel players playing in a top 40 country band and as I recall, he did a good job of fitting in. I also knew a guitar player when I lived in Nashville that was originally from Lubbock. We did some road work together. The last time I talked to him he had moved back to Lubbock. His first name was Chuck, but I can't recall his last name at this time. Its sad to hear that Lubbock's music scene isn't up to par. It seems that the intensity of local music scenes fluctuates in cycles, hopefully Lubbock's will come around.
John Macy
Posts: 4264
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Rockport TX/Denver CO
Contact:

Post by John Macy »

Does anybody remember the Inner Ear coffee house back in the 60's??
Post Reply