Tracy Gardens, San Jose, Ca. 50's

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

This is a picture when I played with the "Shorty Joe" Western Swing Band at the Tracy Gardens Barn Dance on Stevens Creek Road in San Jose Ca. during 1953 thru 1955 when it finally closed to make way for a regional shopping center.
Accordian & Piano Hank Doust (Band Mgr).
Lead Guitar Larry Black
(Bobby's brother)
Drums Steve Stefani
Band Learer Shorty Joe Quartuccio
Upright Bass Mel Terwilleger
Steel Guitar Billy Tonnesen

This is the band Peewee Whitewing started out with in his teens.Peewee left to join Lefty Frizzel and later on Hank Thompson. Bobby Black and his brother Larry Black then joined the band. Bobby left the band to join a Western Swing Band, I believe in Oklahoma. This is where I came in to replace Bobby. I had been drafted in the Army and was permanently Stationed at Fort Ord, Ca. Periodically I would drive up to San Jose on a Saturday to visit the band. They all knew me from when I played with Ole Rasmussen and we would book into Tracy Gardens once in a while. When Bobby Black left, Shorty called me at Fort Ord to see if I could come up on the week end to replace Bobby. I said I could and it became one of the most fun music jobs I ever played. When I got out of the Army in 1954 I stayed on until the dance was finally closed in 1955 (I got a day Job)
I then returned to So. Calif. and went back to College.
Larry Black was 17 years old when I joined the band and was playing just great Lead Guitar. We worked up many intrumentals together.

Peewee, Bobby and myself had a reunion at the Sacramento Western Swing Society a couple of years ago along with Shorty Joe.

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Hi Billy, Thanks so much for this steel guitar history. Jody.

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Billy:

Did you record with the band in your picture? I have a couple of tunes Shorty Joe did on mp3 (Saturday Night Stomp and Bayou Ball), but I am not sure when they were recorded--could be Pee Wee, Bobby, or you on steel?

Here is another pic from Tracy Gardens. Is that Pee Wee on the hollow body guitar?

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Mitch:.
Yes, that looks like Peewee playing rhythm guitar.
Peewee was an excellent rhythm player. That picture was before my time. I wonder why Bobby Black was playing Peewee's Bigsby. Yes I did a recording session with Shorty up in San Francisco but not those two tunes. Once you played with Shorty Joe for an extended period of time, you became "Family".
When I would come up from Fort Ord on the weekend, Hank Doust had me stay at his house in the extra bedroom. His wife "Carmen" was a terrific cook Also, got to eat many times with Shorty's family. We also had an hour radio program Saturday afternoon and another Saturday night from the dance.

Lee Jeffriess · From: Vallejo California

Mitch, those tunes feature Peewee on steel.
His solo on Bayou Ball is one my faves.
Billy, Last night I watched a color movie clip of you and Shorty Joe at the Tracy gardens, WOW you were playing great single note stuff.
Did you get more room with Shorty's band?.
Lee

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Hi Lee:.
Yes, I could play what I wanted and when I wanted. I was never allowed to do that on the Capitol recordings with Ole.
Iv'e got some old radio broadcast tapes from Tracy Gardens that Shorty Joe sent me and I amaze myself. All of the rides Larry Black and myself took were pretty much spontaneous. These three years in San Jose was some of the best in my life.
After I came back to L.A. there were only the Clubs left to play in and it was just not the same atsmophere as playing family dances which by 1956 were dying out.
If you ever come down from the desert to my neck of the woods, give me a call, I would like to visit with you. 714 / 522-3721

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