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This was an ad for Sho-Bud Guitars in 1975
Sho-Bud endorsed me with all equipment at the
time....
This picture was taken on the road at Excelsior
Springs, Missouri
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The Job
 I
talk with my friend, Don Helms and learned
that the job with ET and the Texas Troubadours was
open and that Don had recommended me for it..
I made a plan to meet the show in Nashville and
go on the road for a few days to observe and play
some and in general to let them see me and see if
they liked me, and to see if I liked the job, I just
stayed, I was never hired, my trial period just
stretched into years.
The first day just watching Ernest work I
sat there thinking, here is a prince of a man, super
professional and a great stylist
and wonderful entertainer, and surrounded by super
pros too.. .........Yes!...........I wanted this job.....
So Don stepped off the bus and I stepped on. Thanks
Uncle Don
Love
Texas Troubadours |
Buddy Emmons Shirt
Buddy was sometimes known for wearing some wild
attire and even occasionally a new and radical hair
do. While he was playing with the Texas Troubadours
and ET in the late 50's, he purchased a shirt that
was ( in some opinions) somewhat loud. This shirt
was not an expensive one, just your garden variety
Hawaiian shirt that had extensive volume to it.
This shirt somehow bothered ET and I think maybe ET
thought it jinxed him somehow. Many times I had to
remind Ernest that it was "bad luck to be
superstitious."
But this shirt was getting to him....While they were
playing poker ET just decided to buy it from Buddy
and made him an offer of great generosity, maybe 25
bucks... for a 4 dollar shirt.... so Buddy sold it
to him. And quick.....
Ernest took the shirt and walked over to the window
in the hotel which was many stories up....He raised
the window and commented that this was the ugliest
shirt that he had ever seen and with much flair and
gusto he threw the shirt out, closed the window and
said, "Now that ugly SOB is gone, let's play cards"
At that exact moment Shot Jackson and some others
from the tour were getting out of a cab in front of
the hotel and saw the shirt falling, Shot picked it
up and said "that is Buddy's shirt, I wonder why it
fell out of the window?" I will just take it to him.
Shot came on up to the room where the others were
playing cards and knocked...
Buddy came to the door shirtless and saw Shot with
the shirt and just placed his fingers over his lips
to indicate silence as Shot explained that he had
found the shirt on the sidewalk...... Buddy then
slipped the shirt back on and walked back in to the
card game saying not a word....
In a few seconds ET asked Buddy, "Son how many of
those ugly SOB's do you have cause I want to buy
them all ! "
Only in the life of a Texas Troubadour......
Love
Texas Troubadours |
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Just one of my memories of the ET years
The Kids
I don't remember the exact date, but I
think it was 1975 in the New England area, maybe Connecticut
and probably Hartford. We had a matinee show in an old
auditorium which was downtown.
While just sitting on the bus in the front lounge
ET and I was watching these 4 kids, 3 boys and a girl
probably 12 to 14 years old, one of the boys had a bike,
they were watching us and they waved. Ernest said, "I wish I
was 14 again" and it got quiet on the bus again as some of
us was still trying to get over the night before so we could
do this 2 PM show.
Dave Evans, our bass player was walking down the
street towards the kids and he had food and coffee for
himself that he had picked up from around the corner at a
little cafe. As he passed the kids he smiled and spoke and
kept walking. We could not hear his words but he shook his
head as if to say NO.
When he got on board I asked if the kids wanted an
autograph, he said that they did and promised to come back
soon after eating.
Ernest had a rule pertaining to autographs, when
asked we were obligated to respond immediately so I told
Dave jokingly to get his ass back out there and do just
that, and ET joined me and Pete Mitchell guitar player, in
rubbing it in on Dave a little, as at that time he was still
new with our show.
When he returned he said that the kids was not
going to the show as they had no money, they just wanted to
sit on the wall by the sidewalk and watch the goings on.
Ernest Tubb said go back and invite them
over to the bus. They came running and they were excited, ET
got them all a
picture each and while talking to them, he learned that one
boy's
grandmother had some ET records and was thrilled to meet us
and planned to go home and tell her all about this.
When asked again about going to the
show they said they had no money and could not attend where
upon ET said would you like to be my special guest and they
were jumping up and down.
Ernest told me to get them 4 tickets. The
promoter told me the show was sold out and the kids were
troublemakers anyhow and he did not want them in the show as
they had been hanging out all day by the back door and was
in the way.
When I told ET he said, "you just make it
happen".
There were no chairs, and no seats available so I
placed amplifier covers on the floor by my steel on the
stage in plain site of the audience, and sat them down.
The promoter was furious with me, but I did what
I thought was right.
Ernest came on with his first song which was
"Thanks A Lot" then he told the audience what a pleasure to
be there on that beautiful Sunday and thanked them for
coming to see us.
Then he introduced each kid and explained that
they were his "Special Guests" and sang his next song for
them. They sat, mesmerized for the whole show. Then we got
them food and drinks along with albums, tapes and pictures
to take home at no
cost...
These kids are now nearing their 50's and
they must have wonderful memories of this too, I never knew
their full names, never met them again, but I would love to
know them again.
Ernest Tubb let me be a part of this memory
and he taught me so much, especially about loving
people.....most of the people who were lucky enough to be
around ET for a time were taught the same things and will
carry these teachings on to others....this is another Ernest
Tubb Legacy. Ernest Tubb was more than music and a very big
man indeed.
ET was never a Mason but he lived the life.
This is just one of thousands of my memories of
the ET years.
It is hard for me to see my keyboard through tears as I
recall
these memories, so please bear with me as far as
typing and spelling and explaining...If I ever write a book
this is my No.1 Memory.
Love
Texas Troubadours
PS: If you were one of the kids let me know. |
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Lynn in 1976 wearing his Mickey Mouse Watch
which was a gift from Jimmy Day
"Ain't He Cute"
L to R: Hoot Borden, Lynn Owsley, Wayne Hammond, ET,
Don Mills, Bennie Whitton, Pete Mitchell
in 1974
Lynn with Jimmy Rogers' Martin Guitar
Currently on display at the Jimmy Rogers Shrine Museum
in Meridian Mississippi
L to R: Don Mills, Hoot Borden, Wayne Hammond, ET,
Dave Evans, Lynn Owsley, Pete Mitchell
At Bill Monroe's Beanblossom Park in Brown County, Indiana in 1975
Pete Mitchell TT Ronnie Dale TT
Lynn Owsley TT
It can't be............Go Fish......... .......Hey we are
playing "Old Maid" !
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THE GREEN HORNET |
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Tour Bus of Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours from
1970-1979.
This 1964 Silver Eagle was orginally purchased by ET in 1970 from
Trailways
Bus Company. It was used by ET and the Texas Troubadours
for traveling purposes
only. And named The Green Hornet
During its years of service over three million miles were
logged.
It traveled to all 48 Continental states as well as
Canada.
ET retired the bus in 1979 and
donated it to the
Ernest Tubb Record Shop for public
viewing.
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Webmaster Danny Hammers
Ph 352-860-0155
Revised:
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 05:20 PM.
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Copyright
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This page may not be reproduced or duplicated, in
whole or in part, without the express written permission of
Danny Hammers and Lynn Owsley |
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