Saturday, July 19, 2008

>Well, I had always wondered about the fate of Little Bobby.

I remember when the Candymen first hired him---they and the James Gang crossed paths often on the road, and I was still hanging with John Rainey when we were both back in Dothan at the same time, just like when I was in high school.

I won't even talk about Little Bobby's musical talent-----he put me in the shade. He was really outstanding.

What I remember most about him was that I never once saw him when he didn't have this fantastic grin on his face. Everybody liked Little Bobby.

As I recall, we got booked up in the Midwest for a while, and when we came back he was gone. It was only later that I found out he was with the McCoys, and much much later that I started hearing rumors about his dying on the streets down in Florida.

The recollections of Charlie from Gainesville and
the photo of Bobby in 1987 really struck home.


I don't know why that happened to him, but I am sorry it did.

It was damned decent of Nix to recommend him for the McCoy job.
Memories and loyalties ran fairly short in the music business back then (probably still do, but I wouldn't know), so what Nix did was rare and commendable.

I hope somebody put a proper stone over where he rests. If I ever get down that way, I will go pay my respects.

Jimmy Dean

Friday, July 18, 2008


image courtesy of http://classof68.myevent.com/

I was just thinking about how long I have dreamed of the DHS Class of '68 40th Reunion Jam.
I just searched my blog and found that we have been talking about this thing in one form or another since August 31, 2003.
For almost five years we've been posting our ideas about putting together this kind of an event.

WE ARE SO CLOSE TO MAKING IT HAPPEN!

This will be a joyous celebration of our generation's music but it will also be a wonderful opportunity for some of our great musicians to expose the public's ears to their newest sounds & also a great way to sell some CDs!!!!

I need volunteers to man the merchandise table!!!!

Tell somebody at Country Crossing http://www.supportcountrycrossing.org/show_support.htm
that we'll let them make a pitch from the stage.
They can distribute their T shirts, decals and yard signs at our merchandise tables.
Tell them we want them to hire the dancers.
That oughta get them a few votes!

We need Chief Bigwater's buds or anyone else to videotape it for us.
David is gonna ask the DJ from Ozark who did Norman's Jam to be our MC.

If you have any suggestions or questions, call me on my cell phone 205- 657-7724 or email me.


image courtesy of Larry Coe


Circle yo' calender for Sunday, July 27.
Y'all are all invited to Cowboys http://www.cowboysofdothan.com/



image courtesy of http://www.myspace.com/cowboysofdothan


image courtesy of http://myspace.com/thebopcats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YpVtW4cKvo
Rite now Wilbur's got 2675 views on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCAq3D-AAbU


Buddy Buie & J.R. Cobb's video from Tommy Wilcox Outdoors using song called THE DAY BEAR BRYANT DIED has 3400 views on YouTube.

image courtesy of
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=181441207

Part 2 of Wilbur Walton's appearance on Wally & Dave's Show on Tuscaloosa Radio Station WTBC on Friday morning, July 11~

Buddy Buie: Tiger Jack.

Tiger Jack: Yes, sir.

Wilbur Walton Jr. : That was me.

Tiger: That was Wilbur.

Buie: I know it was Wilbur but I was gonna ask you...
I didn't get to spend a lot of time with you when I was in Tuscaloosa working on the Bear Bryant deal,

Tiger: Right.

Buie: but I wanted you to know you're still a legend in my mind and everything and it's great to see one continue on...

Tiger: That makes two of us, me and you, we both think that.
I don't know if anybody else does or not.

LAUGHTER

Buie: Most guys that are legends in small town radio are just subjects of conversation over a drink or coffee but this one rocks right on! Congratulations!

Tiger: I don't know how long that's gonna continue. I'm getting so old that it's hard to rock like we used to but anyway there's a GREAT affiliation- the reason you're on here today-
because Wilbur's here- y'all kinda got it together back in the early 1960s.
Buddy got Wilbur started with the James Gang.

Wilbur: Buddy had it together way before I did. Buddy was managing and writing and there was a group called The Webs & Buddy was managing them. There was Bobby Goldsboro & John Rainey Adkins & Amos Tindall, Dave Robinson...
Was there a piano player, Buddy?

Buddy Buie: No, uh, I don't remember.

Wilbur: Anyway, they were over there rehearsing and they let me set in and sing. I didn't know nothing about it but Buddy...

Buie: But you had already been singing at the fraternity parties, hadn't you?

Wilbur: No! I was already out of high school. I hadn't sung anywhere. I didn't know a key from a...
You don't remember this but I remember a little bit about music.
I don't remember much about other things and I'm happy about that!

LAUGHTER

What were we talking about just then?

Buie: We were talking about...

MORE LAUGHTER

Tiger: Talking bands.

Wilbur: Oh, the band.

Tiger: Yeah.

Buie: Yeah, how you first got together and I said...
I was telling you that I thought that you had sung at the fraternity parties.

Wilbur: Oh yeah! I wanna tell you the first place I think of I ever sang.
You and Goldsboro were going to Birmingham to do some kind of...
I think y'all were going to make some demos and I took the car & y'all let me sang a song I wrote called EMPTINESS.

Buie: Do you know what...

Wilbur: Do you remember that?

Buie: I do remember it now I believe.

Wilbur: I remember it because I took the car. I'd never sung.

LAUGHTER

That was great that y'all let me do it. I wish I had turned out better.

MORE LAUGHTER

Buie: At every Sigma Nu party at the University of Alabama though later on,
you were part of the entertainment and after you got a band, we put everything together.
You were probably one of the most sought after fraternity bands in town.

Wilbur: Well, I like that kind of music.

Tiger: Well, Wilbur's a lot like me. He doesn't remember everything- just the high points.
I guarantee you they played a lot around here at the University.
I guarantee you I remember that much.
We were fortunate enough to have 'em once or twice maybe at the Ft. Brandon Armory when we were doing our little sock hops at the armory back in those days. You know it's too bad you can't do things like that now days.

Wilbur: I was wondering about that.

Tiger: They just don't work.

Wilbur: Where do people play?

Tiger: I don't know. They don't. They don't play any venues like that. Mostly around here they play at bars, night spots.

Wilbur: There used to be, like you say, sock hops, like at armories.
They'd have 'em at different places and people would come.
It didn't cost an arm and a leg to get in either.

Tiger: I think we charged like two bucks a head and three for a couple, something like that.
'Course I guess that was pretty good money in 1965. It's pretty cheap now.

Buie: And best I remember we paid something like...
When I rented the Dothan Recreation Center where I did my first promoting, if I remember correctly, I paid $75 to rent the building and the chairs.
They had all the chairs I wanted. I just had to put 'em out and put 'em up.

Tiger: And put 'em down...
I think we paid about a hundred bucks for this one here when we first started but, you know, everything changes and that's one of 'em.
That kind of entertainment for kids just doesn't happen anymore.

Wilbur: No.

Tiger: I don't know where it went or why it went.

Wilbur: Well there are more places- more things for 'em to do.

Tiger: Most of 'em stay home and play computer games, I guess.

Wilbur: That seems to be the way of it now.

Tiger: Yeah, but I don't know. Like you say everything changes.

Buie: There was Ft. Brandon and then the Oporto in Birmingham.

Tiger: Oporto was in Birmingham. Dave Roddy did that.

Big Dave: Yeah, that was right next to Lawson Field.
I remember that. As a kid I went to those sock hops.
As a kid in Birmingham, I sure did.

Tiger: Wilbur and I were talking about Roddy a little while ago trying to figure out what he was up to. I hadn't...

Buie: Didn't he have some health problems?

Tiger: Well, that's what Register was saying. I don't know. I've not been in touch with him.

Wilbur: Robert Register! Yeah!
Before I forget it. Robert set this ...
arranged this for me to be here today and I want to thank Robert Register for doing that and Wally, Dave and Jack for letting me be here.

Buie: Hey, Robert Register...

Tiger: You got a big fan in Register.

Wilbur: HE'S WEIRD.

Buie: Register is by far the most active and the most influential of anyone for the music from that era in our part of the country. Robert has taken a great interest. Got a great blog and he has been just really great to all us old timers.

Tiger: Well, somebody's got to.

LAUGHTER

We need all the help we can get, don't we?
How much time we got left in this segment?

Big Dave: You guys can go to the bottom of the hour. You're clear 'till then.

Tiger: Oh well, we got plenty of time.

TO BE CONTINUED...

"Scouting is a Game with a Purpose".
Baden-Powell http://www.inquiry.net/ideals/scouting_game_purpose.htm


GREAT PICTURE OF Little Bobby Peterson (with the hat) AND THE CANDYMEN
http://www.wtbc1230.com/history.html


To: "robert register"
Subject: Re: chastised by the cat who played keys on "you can't always get what you want"
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 18:20:39 -0600


HEY THERE !!! JUSTO HAS IT RIGHT! LITTLE BOBBY PLAYED WITH ME IN JACKSONVILLE IN THE DYNAMICS(DOT RECORDING ARTISTS) THEN ORBISON HIRED ME! LATER I TALKED ROY INTO HIRING BOBBY AS THE CANDYMEN'S KEYBOARDIST. HE GOT DRAFTED SOON AFTER THIS! HE WAS ALL OF 108 POUNDS SOAKING WET! HE WAS NOT MADE FOR THE MILITARY!! HE WAS A BORN PIANO PLAYER!! ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD,(BESIDES THE GREAT DEAN DAUGHTRY!) LATER WHEN HE WAS RELEASED FROM HIS OBLIGATIONS WITH UNCLE SAM, WE WERE DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH THE NEW YORK SCENE,(LITERALLY, STEVE PAUL'S NITE CLUB)! RICK AND THE McCOYS WERE LOOKING FOR A KEYBOARD MAN SO I TOLD HIM ABOUT LITTLE BOBBY PETERSON AND THE REST IS HISTORY!!! THEY SIGNED WITH MERCURY AND HUMAN BALL WAS BORN!!! RODNEY THE ROCKER IS STILL THE MEMORY CELL, SO IF HE SAYS IT'S GOING TO RAIN YOU BETTER GET OUT YOUR GOLLOSHES(RAIN SHOES)!!! LET'S SEE HOW MUCH SHIT I CAUSE BY MISPELLING THAT!!!! I ALSO BELIEVE THAT EITHER MORT SHUMAN OR THE GREAT DOC POMUS CO- WROTE 'SLOOPY' WITH BERT BERNS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE REAL DEAL ABOUT THIS SONG GO ASK ILENE BERNS, SHE OWNS IT!!!!! LATER I WILL GIVE YOU A REAL 'HANG ON SLOOPY' STORY THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BLOW ALL OTHERS OUT OF THE WATER!!!! TELL MY GOOD FRIEND AL KOOPER HE'S GETTING A LITTLE TESTY LATELY!!
HA! HA!
LOVE YOU AL,
YOU'RE ARE THE GREATEST!!!
GOOD EVENING TO ALL!!!
RENEGADE ROBERT NIX!!!!!



photo courtesy of Greg Haynes at http://heybabydays.com
THE CANDYMEN:
Little Bobby Peterson, Bill Gilmore, Robert Nix, John Rainey Adkins, Rodney Justo

Top left to right: The Candymen- Bobby Peterson, Rodney Justo, Robert Nix, John Rainey Adkins
Middle left to right: Bobby Peterson on keys, Robert Nix, Rodney Justo
Bottom: Bill Gilmore, Bobby Peterson, Robert Nix, Rodney Justo, John Rainey Adkins


On the Orbison Way, we did in fact, play on the album.
It was Bill Gilmore,John Rainey Adkins,Robert Nix,and me.
Playing Piano was Bobby Peterson who preceded Dean Daughtry.
Also on the dates was Bill Dees Roy's co writer singing background.
Rodney Justo


photo courtesy of http://paulcochran.com

Standing: Robert Nix, J.R. Cobb
Seated: Bobby Peterson, Buddy Buie & Rodney Justo


The Candymen Performing at Miami Beach's ParTee



The Candymen at The ParTee
with Little Bobby Peterson

Alachu-Aid I: Hampton and Bobby Peterson



Gordon, jamming with renown keyboardist Bobby Peterson at Alachu-Aid I, New South Music Hall, Backstage Bar, 1987
~ images courtesy of
http://garygordonproductions.com/great_gainesville_bands_part_two.html


Hi Robert - My name is Charlie and I came across your blog a while back when I did a google search for Robert Peterson in an attempt to learn a bit more about him. I've been meaning to get in touch for quite a while and am just now getting around to it. It shouldn't have taken me so long.

I read in your blog that you had heard two rumors about Robert - one from an ex-wife who said he had died of a brain tumor or something and another that he was living on the streets in Gainesville, Florida. Well, the second is correct. Perhaps he had someone tell his ex that he had died - I'm sure he wouldn't be the first guy to try that!

Robert was a well-known "street person" here in Gainesville for many years. He was in pretty bad shape. I was told that he did have some type of illness that had affected his brain, although I forget what it was and he never said anything to me about it. He drank quite a bit and was not too fond of bathing. One of the popular clubs here at that time was called Richenbacher's and he often stood outside there or outside some other clubs. Musicians and others, like myself, who were involved in one way or another with the music scene here had heard about his time with the McCoys. (I actually may have heard Robert back in the mid-60s since I heard The Candymen a couple of times at a local teen club called The Place) Club owners generally wouldn't allow Robert inside due to (trying to say this nicely) his lack of hygene, but occasionally a band would convince the owner to let him come in and sit in if there was a keyboard in the band and he wasn't too
rank. Despite his appearance, he was always completely lucid when I talked with him and was obviously intelligent. People would often give him some spare change but I never once saw him begging or bothering anyone - he would just stand there. He looked like he was crazy as a loon though - constantly scratching his head with one hand while chewing on the collar of his (usually filthy) shirt. So, not surprisingly, most people gave him a wide berth!

Well, despite his appearance, that sumbitch could still PLAY! If you hang out around any local music scene for a while there are always some moments that you will always remember because they were PURE MAGIC. Having read quite a few of your blog entries over the past year, I know you know what I mean. Well, one of those for me was the time I was at another club in Gainesville (which is still in business) called Market Street Pub. I was there to hear some friends, Britton Cameron & Jack Sizemore, who had a great duo and band. That night they were playing there as a duo. Well, they finished their set and someone convinced the manager to let Robert come in and play during the break between sets. They had an old, funky and somewhat out of tune, upright piano which was up against the back wall. Although it was still functional, I don't think it got much use. Robert came in and and proceeded to play jazz which was pretty much improvised and was some
of the best jazz piano I've heard in my life! At first, not many people paid much attention but, as he continued, much of the crowd was in awe and sitting there with their mouths open in a state of shock. After the normal 15 minutes of break time had passed, nobody said a thing and Robert, who was obviously in a state of reverie, continued to play - probably for almost an hour in all. To this day I feel blessed to have been there!

Sadly, Robert also died on the streets, quite literally. Late one night he was crossing University Avenue to a beer store that was near where he was staying and was hit by a car. I'm not sure exactly when that was - I'm thinking about 1996 or ??? There was at least one article in the Gainesville Sun newspaper about Robert and a memorial jam or two. I've been meaning to try to get down to the public library and look in the newspaper archives to find it. If I get it together to do so I'll be sure to send you a copy.

A former Gainesville musician (who I've met but don't really know) named Gary Gordon (and former mayor - bet they don't allow hippie musicians to become mayor up in Alabama!) who is now out in California has a long section on his website about Gainesville bands. Naturally, much of it revolves around bands he was in and there are some gaps including details of things I was involved in. (I was part of a student group called Rose Community Center which put on shows on the University of Florida campus. This was back when Tom Petty was in a local band called Mudcrutch, which just released an album, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, from down the road in Jacksonville, played for us too. In fact the only time those two bands played on the same stage was for us. But I digress . . . ) I recently discovered Gary Gordon's webpage and there are two pictures of Robert jamming at a benefit show. Ironically, the show is Alachu-Aid (Gainesville is in Alachua County) which was
a
benefit to help the hungry and homeless. One is near the bottom of Part II and the other is near the bottom of Part IV.

Here's the link: http://garygordonproductions.com/great_gainesville_bands.html

By the way I've really enjoyed reading your blog. It really makes me realize that there have been great music scenes in lots of places, but especially in college towns it seems. I'm 56 and some of the bands you've mentioned were groups I remember from way back. The first band I saw play live was the Allman Joys at the American Legion Hall on University Ave and I've been hooked on music ever since. The local folks you write about are fascinating and I'm hoping to find some recordings of them. Every scene has its stories - the successes, the missed opportunities and the tragedies but through it all there is that MAGIC that shines through and for every musician who has some measure of success there are a hundred who were just as good who should have been well known.

Charlie Ramirez
Gainesville, FL (Home of the Gators, but don't hold that against me =8^)




R,
AMEN on the boo,hoo,hoo -
and you can post it and say I said it!

Memory Lane is for visiting, not for taking up permanent residency.
If you had bad times, then BUILD A BRIDGE AND GET OVER IT!
THIS LIFE AIN'T NO DRESS REHEARSAL.
We WILL have fun, we will cry, we will laugh but best of all we WILL be there!
SR's '68!
jcr

Thursday, July 17, 2008

HEY Y'ALL~

Last Monday I declared to everybody,
"Every Day Of This Business Will Be A Crime Scene From Now On!"

Today, 11 days later, the boss was laying on the couch when I came in to make a drink & he looked up at me and said,
"YOU'VE STILL GOT YOUR STREAK!!!!"



Dog Fight In A Living Room On The 2600 Block of 21st Street In Tuskeeloosee

I was helping this old woman get out of a car over in High Forest this morning.
She'd just had knee surgery and needed an arm to hold like a crutch.
As we were walking, she said, "My daughter finally found out who you is!
She said, 'That man is hilarious' "

What a compliment!

Well it got me to thinking.

(THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS NEED TO GIT READY!)

I wanna to print a thing called FRIDAY.

You know, no matter how hung over I wake up,
I try to get to a Rippy Mart, cop a dollar & cents cup of coffee & buy the B'ham Snooze.
Well, it's the fault of the cashier in the Rippy Mart.
She always wants to ask something like,
"So what's happenin"
& I start talkin' shit and talk shit until about 5 in the afternoon and
then I buy a 12 pack of Milwaukee's Beast Ice at the RiteAid
at the corner of MLK Jr. Blvd. & 15th Street....
Then I become
the B-52 of bullshit...

I take bull to the next level.

Anywayzzzzzzz;
My favorite joke on Friday morning when I buy coffee is,
"Y'ALL KNOW TODAYZZZZZZZZZZZ
A HOLIDAY!"

Everbody go, "Huh?"

"YEAH, IT FRIDAY!!!!
Ever' Friday
a holiday in Tuskeeloosee!"


So I wanna do a thing about Friday in Tuscaloosa.

We go up to these folks on a Friday before the shoot and tell 'em what we're gonna do.
No contracts. No releases.
Only agreement is they get the first stills from the shoot.
Next Friday,
we hit the schedule and we photograph
every living room
barber shop, beauty parlor, barroom & casino in Tuscaloosa.


This thing will work.

best,
rr http://rockpilgrimage.blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Robert, Alison & Alec





image courtesy of http://myspace.com/alisonheafner
Evan, Robert, Alison, Jeff, Will

HEAR ALISON LIVE AT MIZ NEWBY'S SEPTEMBER 28TH, 29TH & 30TH @ THUNDER BEACH
http://www.thunderbeachproductions.com/

In the sizzling heat of August in Florida, Alison Heafner and band put on a performance that was cool...very cool.
The style of Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks may have influenced Alison's singing, but the soul of the music is all Memphis, the home of 'Rock & Roll'. The remake of some of our favorite cover tunes kept the crowd on their feet, but it was the original music that took us to another musical level.
Along with Alison, you get one great band too.
For ThunderBeach this fall, we have chosen Alison and the guys to perform for the fall rally that will draw about 60,000 bikers to our area.
When those bikers leave, I feel it will be this music that they will remember.
Beverly Hill
Ms. Newby's
Panama City Beach, FLA





ROLL TIDE!!!!

Monday, September 03, 2007

HEY Y'ALL,
LaJuana from PCB via Wicksburg & Mortgage Avenue sent us this link to this wonderful historical Dothan clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpKWHsvCL1I


images courtesy of http://myspace.com/robertoreg

I JUST WANNA GET SOMETHING OFF OF MY CHEST!

It's SUPER
that 115 people are coming to our 40th class reunion.

It's WONDERFUL
what Gail and Claire and Jennifer have done with the website.
Hundreds of our associates will log on to this site in the future.

(PLEASE DROP A LITTLE GREEN ON CLAIRE when you see her
SO THE WEBSITE
CAN BE MAINTAINED FROM NOW ON!!!!)

So now what am I so pissed off about that I decided to write this?

Welllllllllllllllllllll...
With 19 classmates on our MEMORIAL PAGE,
you might think that saddens me.

NO, IT DOESN'T!!!!
They've gone on to a better place.

What saddens me is the 67 classmates on the MISSING TIGERS page.

I indirectly contacted some of these people
& obviously those folks I INDIRECTLY CONTACTED
don't want anything to do with us.

There's a lot of BOO HOO HOO
out there about our senior year but you won't see it at the Wiregrass Museum of Art on Saturday night, July 26.

I just had to say it.

best,
rr

Hey y'all~

ALL CITIZENS
of ZERO, NORTHWEST FLORIDA
ARE
now requested to circle Sunday, July 27 on ALL your calenders.

We gotta get Wilbur on THE BEST radio show on Friday morning, July 25.

ALL CITIZENS OF ZERO, NORTHWEST FLORIDA ARE
now requested to tell everyone they meet on Friday morning, July 25,
"TODAY'S A HOLIDAY!!!!"

When the startled associate naturally asks, "What holiday?"

ALL CITIZENS OF ZERO, NORTHWEST FLORIDA ARE
now requested to tell your associate,
"IT'S FRIDAY!!!!
plus this weekend is the 40th reunion of the Dothan High Class of '68!!!
IT'S GONNA BE A SHOW!!!!
WILBUR'S PLAYING COWBOYS SUNDAY AFTERNOON!!!!"

plus we gotz one mo' promblimm

IF A GAL DON'T GIT NEKKID IN THE DIRTY BIRD
then it just ain't THE DIRTY BIRD!!!!

Would somebody please talk so some girls in Pinkard or Newton or PCB and give them the money to get to Cowboys on Sunday & we'll take care of the rest.

best,
rr

Wednesday, July 16, 2008


WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

I'm all out. Of screams, that is. My website and email went kablooey, enraged army ants chewing their way into the fibred optical units where maladies and miladies roam, but I sent a nasty package of roach and bug poisons straight through the wires to the queen ant's boudoir and cleaned out the wholelllllllllllllll fershluging morass of a mess, and now everything is working again.






FOR EARLIER FORTA 08 PICS GO TO
FORTA 08

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Hey y'all~

Circle yo' calender for Sunday, July 27.
Y'all are all invited to Cowboys http://www.cowboysofdothan.com/

image courtesy of http://www.myspace.com/cowboysofdothan


for the
Dothan High School Class of '68's
40th Reunion Jam
with Wilbur Walton Jr. & THE JAMES GANG,
Mitch Goodson & The Capers plus THE BOPCATS!
Doors open at 3 in the afternoon.
Bands kick off at 4.

Part 1 of the Transcription of Friday, July 11's Tuscaloosa's WTBC Morning Show featuring
Wilbur Walton Jr., Tiger Jack, Wally Price & Big Dave McDaniel with Special Guests:

Intro music: GEORGIA PINES by the James Gang

Wally: We're gonna turn this hour over to the Tiger Jack Show.
Tiger, you gonna work tomorrow or you gonna take the day off?

Tiger Jack: I'll probably have to work, you know, you gotta have every buck you can have!

Wally: That's right. That's right. All the movie passes you can eat.

Tiger: Yeah, all the movie passes we can...
This things gonna hit me in the mouth!

Wally: It is!
That's right. That's right. You're not used to working in Studio B.

Tiger: No.

Wally: You're usually in Studio A over there. The mics are a little different over here, Tiger Jack.

Tiger: They are but we're gonna have some fun here for a little while.
We're gonna have a rock 'n roll reunion!

Wally: I hear ya!

Tiger: 'Cause we've got a legendary rock 'n roll singer from the mid 1960s here in the studio with us and we're gonna have another one calling in here on the telephone in a little bit I hope.

Wally: That's great!

Tiger: We're gonna to get Wyker back here on the line. We've got Wilbur Walton with us this morning, lead singer of THE JAMES GANG from Dothan, Alabama back in the mid-1960s.
THE JAMES GANG had some big hits around the Southeast.
If you grew up in the Southeast back in those days then you remember the great song GEORGIA PINES that Dave just played for us.

RIGHT STRANG BABY BUT THE WRONG YO-YO!!!!

You could rock 'n roll a little bit back in those days Wilbur!
Get that microphone up there where you can...

Wilbur: Yeah, we did that the other day and people still enjoy it.

Tiger: That was a good song. But GEORGIA PINES was just really a big, big hit in Tuscaloosa back in...

Wilbur: That's the only song I did that I really like myself to tell you the truth.

LAUGHTER

I liked the Yo-Yo song back then but Piano Red did it so good that it kinda made me look puny.

[NAW! NAW! LAUGHTER]

Do you remember Piano Red?

Tiger: I remember.

Wilbur: DR. FEELGOOD!

Tiger: Yeah, Perryman

Big Dave: Oh my goodness!!!!

Wilbur: Perryman.

Tiger: Perryman was his last name wasn't it?

Wilbur: He played up here a lot.
Sometime he'd bring a band.
Sometime it's just be him & a piano.

Tiger: Yeah~ Well you played up here some too. You played for us out at the Ft. Brandon Armory.

Wilbur: I saw a picture of it & like I told ya, I hope we did well.

Tiger: You did well. Y'all were popular. I know you had to have played out at The University for some fraternity parties.
You got Wyker there on the phone there?

Big Dave: No~ actually~
LIVE FROM DOTHAN, ALABAMA!
BUDDY BUIE'S On The Phone!

Tiger: Buddy Buie~ O.K.!

Buddy Buie: Hey guys.

Tiger: How you doing, Buddy?

Buddy: ROLLLL TIDE! How's everybody getting along?

Tiger: We like the "Roll Tide" part of it.
We've got your old buddy Wilbur here in the studio with us this morning &...

Buddy: Well, that's great!
It's a wonder Tuscaloosa even still exists after his years as a Sigma Nu.

LAUGHTER

Wilbur: Buddy, I met some real nice people but my college career was kinda "erstwhile".

Tiger: Mine & yours both. I think what he's saying is that he didn't last very long.

Wilbur: Naw, I didn't last very long. I don't know how Buddy did in his particular school either.

Buddy: Aw yeah, let's don't bring up sore subjects, O.K.

Tiger: Buddy, how you feeling? I understand you had a car wreck or something.

Buddy: Yeah, had a dadblame...

My first car accident.
Everybody always claims I'm a terrible driver but my comeback is,
"Well, nobody's ever been killed in one of my wrecks!"
& THIS TIME, I almost lied.

I was riding with my dog.
I take my dog out in the country in the afternoon.
Ride with her and somehow or and other,
I don't even know how it happened.
I looked back to see to check on her
& when I looked forward, I was off the road and what happened next;
I didn't know it but I hit a sign.
A road sign that said
CURVE UP AHEAD!

Wally: Uh-oh!

Buddy: Anyway, I stayed in the hospital about a week and I'm gonna be in rehab for about three weeks.
So they got get me patched up together.
Hey, I just think about how fortunate I am.
So many people don't sur...
don't live talk about these things.

Wilbur: Let me ask you something.
It's not life threatening.
This particular thing
but it's gonna take you five or six months to get over it~
THAT RIGHT?

Buddy: That's right.








LADIES & GENTLEMEN~ Wilbur Walton Jr. & THE JAMES GANG!!!!


RR~
Am I correct in thinking that the affair to be held at Cowboys is open to the public & not just your class? Of course you know that I wanna go if it is!

I was so thrilled to be able to talk to Wilbur on the radio show! Also, I enjoyed Wyker's lil trip down memory lane, as well as hearing Rodney call Wilbur "Lips"!!!
I sent Rodney an email and this was part of his reply:

"I've known him a long time, and he is a really good soul.
Buddy's mother said the last time I saw her, about 4 years ago that Wilbur was the most polite person that ever came to her house, and I think that, that's MUCH more important than whether he can sing or not.
As far as Buddy and Wilbur (or as we call Wilbur, "lips") there is no doubt, there is a spiritual connection, or history between them, that is very endearing.
Of all the singers on earth, Wilbur might be Buddy's favorite."

Wilbur has the respect of so many musicians...and that speaks volumes!
'NUFF SAID!!!

BQ~



RR~
I remember the first time I went to the Flamingo Club. I was underaged & used another girl's ID. THANK GOODNESS that pictures weren't on IDs back then, but I did have to memorize all the info on the ID, because at the door, they would actually ask you for the info! I kept my eyes on the door just waiting for a cop to come in. We didn't stay long...maybe 2 beers long, cause we were so scared of gettin' busted! And if we had, being taken home by the cops would have been MUCH worse than going to jail. My Momma would have grounded me for life!
My cousin & I, along with 2 other girls rented James Ott's 4 bedroom house on North Park Avenue that had previously been rented by a group of guys...the only one I can remember was Colin Donnell. (MOVE OUT GUYS...THE GIRLS ARE TAKING OVER!) The house was known for parties given by the guys, so when we lived there & had a party, folks driving by would see all the cars & just stop & come in...thinking the guys still lived there. We had more strangers at our parties than friends! Course, we didn't mind, back in those days (early 70s) everyone was cool & we had no problems. With my 56th birthday fast approaching, I am LONGING for my youth & those good ole days!!!
BQ~



Tuned Up Image of DHS Cheerleaders in WBAM Studio~ courtesy of Bama Queen

All of the following images are courtesy of Bama Queen http://myspace.com/fiddledeedeeme


RR~
Attached is a photo from my uncle Gerald of the 1947 YOUNG JR. HIGH BABY TIGERS!
From left to right:
First Row: Byrd Farmer, David Peterman (or Peterson?), Julian Evans, Edwin Worthy, Don Bennett, Darl (sp?) Shutes, Earl Gamble, Louie Pilcher, UNKNOWN.
Second Row: David Suggs, Randy Church, GERALD CHERRY, Jerry Parrish, Ed Gunnels, O.D. Paul, J.C. Elmore, Billy Gillis, Charles Patterson.
Third Row: Pat Rice, Tommy Wilkes, Harry Bedsole, Robert Powell, John Harris, Jimmy Garner, Morgan Longear, Bobby Howard, Ned Walker & Coach A. Crawford Mosley.
BQ~

Dean Daughtry's sister Teresa http://www.myspace.com/naneeteresa
sent us the following five images from Dean's early career. We need to identify these cats.

HELP US OUT, NOW!

Some of these shots may have been taken while Dean was still living in the Samson/Kinston area before his career playing keyboard for The Classics IV, The Candymen and The Atlanta Rhythm Section.












Wednesday, July 13, 2005

BURIED TREASURE

This blog is also used to remind me of little bits and pieces of stories I can use in my fiction. Well, Robert, don't forget the money under the linoleum[$380, last count], the kinfolks putting grandma in the nursing home before burning her nasty mattress in the front yard along with their inheritance, the change drawer as a tax dodge and the old bootlegger who stored rolls of one hundred $100 dollar bills in the wall.

Also[by special request]:
THE TOP TEN WAYS YOU KNOW YOUR CHERRY HAS BEEN POPPED AS A SECTION 8 MAINTENANCE MAN!

#10 You come to work in the morning, look in your box and realize you have to call the Poison Control Doctor at the University of Alabama in B'ham immediately.

#9 Your tenant comes to the door casually exposing herself in sleepy disarray and then proceeds to lay on the couch & enjoy herself underneath her blanket while you change out a wall socket.

#8 After you put on your respirator so you can enter the house, you open the kitchen cabinet and find that it is completely filled with boxes of baking soda.

#7 Your tenant goes to court to fight your eviction notice and uses the state attorneys she was given by the Crime Victims Compensation Fund after her teenage daughter was knifed to death by a younger girl who got off on justifiable homicide.

#6 The same tenant threatens to sue your boss because of the snakes that have invaded her bedroom. Because your tenant has spent the previous evening trying to become a Rock Star Without a Guitar and is now higher than a Georgia pine, she neglected to notice that the snake underneath her chest of drawers was her snake print Spandex tights.

#5 You show up for an eviction one hour early only to find a World Class drug deal going down in the apartment of the tenant you are about to evict. When you inform the tenant of the deputy sheriff's anticipated arrival, the tenant says,"Aw, man, I'm cool wid Deputy Green."

#4
With the deputy sheriff in the house of the tenant you are about to evict, you begin to empty the tenant's kitchen cabinets. The tenant objects and says,"My preacher Reverend Cunningham told ya'll I'd be out by tomorrow." As you continue to empty the cabinet, the tenant screams," If you don't get yo' white hands off my shit, Jesus Christ is gonna strike yo' mutha fuckin' white ass dead!"

#3
As you are tearing out the floor of the bathroom of your tenant, you find a Pringle's Potato Chips can filled with individually packaged rocks of crack cocaine. The tenant's adopted son, who had no idea that the floor joists he used to stash his shit underneath the house were also underneath the bathroom floor, enters the bathroom and says,"Give me dat!".

#2
Your tenant, a 46 year old great grandmother who you taught high school biology to in 1977, asks you,"What is Section 8 anyway?" After you explain the features and advantages of living in a privately owned residence supported by Section 8 over the disadvantages of living in a public housing project,the tenant looks at you in a confused way and says," Dat Section 8 don't sound quite right to me. I mean paying for yo' housing, ain't dat what the government 'sposed to do anyway."

And the # 1 way you know you have just had your cherry popped as a Section 8 maintenance man is when you hear your tenant say this to her 50 year old son who still hangs around the family crib:" I don't care how much money yo' friends got. I don't care how big a car they drive. If they come around here, they BLACK ASS BE going to the same place: IN THE GROUND! GOD GUIDES MY HAND! THE LORD JESUS GUIDES MY HAND SO I CAN AIM THIS MOTHA' FUCKIN' PISTOL!

Monday, July 14, 2008


Today a cat gave me a perfectly good Kay electric guitar so we could have it signed by our STARS for auction to benefit THE DOWNTOWN GROUP http://www.thedowntowngroup.com/aboutus.html

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Playground‏
From: BassAce123
Sent: Mon 7/14/08 4:55 AM
To: robertoreg@hotmail.com


Hi RR,
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for all of your efforts concerning the "live" radio show on WTBC
http://www.wtbc1230.com/history.html
with Wilbur and Buddy. I know Wilbur enjoyed doing the show and I hope the WTBC audience enjoyed it as well.

Our board of directors met and I am pleased to inform you that you have been promoted!
You are now Playground VP in charge of Southeast promotions. No raise in salary but the notoriety that this position holds will afford you many opportunities to take your mind off of Section 8 matters.

At Playground, we really do appreciate how much time and effort that you put into your Blogs.. and we get really pissed when we don't get at least 2 a week.

I guess sometimes people don't realize how their efforts affect other people's lives. Your blog is most always positive and generally full of new information.

For instance, normally I am only interested in the band posts, but when you went on a spree about a year ago about the American Indians (I call it your "Trail of Tears" thread), several things happened as a result.

#1 We all learned a hell of a lot more about the plight of native Americans

#2 at least 2 of our playground writers have teamed together and have written 2 songs about the native American struggle. I should have you a demo to post before long .

Because of your blog...
art was and is being created.

One more example of how your blog has influenced events: Last year, Jeremiah Campbell aka "The Red Rocket" from the Waco Ramblers wrote and directed a play. The play was about 2 local musicians that have influenced many other musicians in our area.. That would be Neil "Pappy McCormick" ( Hank Sr. actually played in his band in the late 40's) and Pappy construced an odd steel guitar that has now become famous and is in a museum somewhere and Potter Brown . Potter was born into a fishing family in Walton County, and wrote and performed many songs in the JugBand style.

Many local performers here still play his songs.

Pappy was at least 1/2 native American and had songs depicting Native American situations. The play was great and very well performed and everyone seemed to be happy after the 10 performances that were given.

However, following the performances at a board meeting (there were some government funds involved).. one suit decides that the play was inappropriate because there were not enough African American interests included in the performances.

Actually, the statement was more like, not enough ethnic group interests were included.

At this juncture I pointed out how many references and songs were about Native Americans ( which they missed altogether) at one point I believe I even paraphrased from your blog.

Upon the realization that they had not been paying attention and there were ethnic groups represented.. everything became OK. This was a DIRECT result of your blog posting.

We just want you to know we appreciate all of your efforts!

Of course next year's play will be about the first African American teachers union that was formed in Defuniak in the early 1900's. :)

The band stuff is always entertaining...

Dothan, like Valparaiso has not received their just due in terms of musical contributions made by the folks from our area...

Maybe through efforts like your own we can draw some attention to the vast amount of talent that is and was in our southeast regions...
Keep up the good work!

On a sadder note, Doris Allen passed.
She was 69.
You can find 2 cuts of hers on "Soul Resurrection".
Doris was never a household name... but she was quite a talent and most all of her recordings included John Rainey and David Adkins from Dothan.

Ironically, Playground leased some of her masters to Soulscape Uk Records and there is an entire album of hers that will be released first week of August. I was asked to write a piece for a British magazine. Here it is:


This is what the Chief has to say about the situation:

As I began to restore the masters that were left dormant in this building
for so many years, I realized first, that it was my duty as a recordist and
musical archeologist to tackle the task.

Second, I realized that there was a
tremendous amount of material recorded here and earlier by Finley Duncan and
others that I was totally unaware of. Third, when trying to find out information
from previous Playground participants I realized that everyone I talked to
had an entirely different perspective of Finley's operatons here at
Playground.

No one story was the same and memories were vague and forgotten.

Intrigued by the music I hadn't taken into consideration many things. So
picture this scenario: The Recording Studio and The Duncan Amusement building,

When Jill and I purchased them in 2005,they were a total wreck and model of decay.

There were thousands of 45 rpm records here as well as thousand of tapes in
all formats.. So during the day, I'm working on restoring the property at night
I'm at home with Finley's 16 track JH-16MCI and his 4 Trk Ampex 440
interfaced with my computer to transfer tracks.

I really had no idea that Finley
recorded soul music.

Everything that I had participated in at Playground in the
previous years had always been country or rock.

I didn't know Big John
Hamilton or Doris Allen, I didn't know Leroy Lloyd or Len Wade...

There is no way to describe the feeling I had when I put on a tape to
transfer "Tit For Tat" and "Part Time Fool" and Doris Allen's voice came out of the
speakers. I was absolutely floored! I woke everyone in my house at 3:00 am
and made them come and listen to Doris... and no one went back to sleep.

During the ongoing process of restoring the Playground Masters, releasing a
record or two, and beginning to promote the Playground material I could see
that it was reviving interest in many of these little known artists' careers.
To date, each revival is a small victory for me. To see some of the talented
artists and writers that were Playground Alumnus begin to gain or re-gain some
recognition brings me great satisfaction. Little victories became bigger
victories.. "Soul Resurrection" sold out and got great reviews, Wilbur Walton
Jr. recorded a new project, Len Wade is now being sought after for larger
performance venues and the list goes on.

Bigger victories bring larger disappointments as well. Today, finding out
that Doris has passed, is a sad day at Playground. We rejoice for her unique
talent and we are sad that she will not be able to witness what will be the
highlight of her forgotten career in the music business with the release of her
new CD on Soulscape UK. Doris never received the recognition that she deserved
and although she is gone we can be happy and thankful that some of her work
remains with us forever. I just wish she could have lived to see it

In this process, I am sure there will be more victories and more
disappointments, more lives altered and more records made.

Jim Lancaster
aka "Chief BigWater"
Playground Recording Studio
Valparaiso, Florida USA

Keep up the great work.. you are making a difference in people's lives!

Lancaster

Playground

RR.. use what you want for the blog

Hey y'all~

JCR already found at least one of the dancers we want to hire for the gig @ Cowboys on Sunday, July 27.
http://users.skynet.be/pdauwe/ursula_martinez.wmv

Robert,
There was definitely a Flamingo club in 1968.
Larry Coe, Danny Tedder, George Cheshire and I played there.
The name of the band was The Clan.

The club was very small when we started but the crowds kept getting bigger
and James Ott enlarged the place 3 times.

It was the In place to go at the time. There were a lot of young people and also a lot of soldiers from Fort Rucker.

We played 6 nights a week and made $10.00 each a night. I think our salary increased over time but not much.

James Ott was the owner and also the bouncer. He had to throw rowdy people out all the time. I saw him get several
black eyes but never saw him lose a fight.

His fight with the carnival people is legendary.

It was a bunch of carnival workers from the Peanut Festival that got
mad because James Ott
Threw one of their drunken buddies out of the club.
They came back the
next night to get their revenge about closing time.
James had about 10
of his friends there and a big war ensued. They were busting tables over
each others heads and blood was flying everywhere.

Legend has it that
James kept a Thompson sub machine gun under the bar and after they had
fought them out the door, James opened up with the machine gun at the
back of their car.

I was there that night but I didn't actually see
that.


Bill Hanke



cover of the August 1968 issue of HOLIDAY




cover of the November 24, 1968 issue of B'ham News Sunday supplement


ad from the June 1967 issue of TOWN & COUNTRY




quote from the August 3, 1981 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

"Once we measured John's thighs, and they were 33 inches," says Hannah's wife, Page, a slim ash blonde. "I said, 'I can't bear it. They're bigger than my bust.' "



front cover of the December '67 issue of WBAM SCENE magazine
courtesy of Kathy Parish Swigler

back cover of Dec. '67 WBAM SCENE advertising BEAUTYBUG hair dryer


page 3 ad for Coral Sitars from Dec. '67 WBAM SCENE

ROBERTO,
WE WERE PLAYING IN NEW YORK @ STEVE PAUL'S SCENE.
LINDA McCARTNEY (obviously before she married Paul) WAS INTRODUCING JOHN RAINEY TO LOTS OF N.Y. FOLKS. I BELIEVE THE CORAL ELECTRIC SITAR PEOPLE WERE IN FACT SOME OF THEM. ( ask Rodney to make sure of this, I'm sure he'll remember)
WE WERE BACK IN ATLANTA LATER ON MAKING A RECORD @ MASTER SOUND WHEN JOE SOUTH SAW THE SITAR AND ASKED JOHN RAINEY IF HE COULD BORROW IT.
HE KEPT IT A WHILE.
THEN LO AND BEHOLD THE WORLD GOT JOE SOUTH'S SIGNATURE SITAR SOUND ON 'THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY' WHICH WON THE GRAMMY.
KEEP THE BABY FAITH,
robert nix................................. http://myspace.com/alisonheafner



ad for the December 1, 1967, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR


ad for the December 1, 1967, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR


ad for the December 1, 1967, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR



image courtesy of the Dec. '67 issue of WBAM SCENE magazine
THE DHS CHEERLEADERS
LIVE & IN PERSON PERFORMING IN THE WBAM STUDIOS!!!!




Tuned up THE OLD DUTCH image fo' the reunion

Click on the following link for two SUPER pages dedicated to Alabama's Sixties garage bands
Alabama | garage hangover

I AM NOW A GREAT UNCLE!

My new niece is named Evie Kate Hines.
http://www.emilyraineyphotography.com/portfolios/hines/


My sister~Becky, Lana, Evie Kate, Buddy & Mama Leslie




AIN'T LANER w/ Evie Kate