Blakely, Jimmy 2006-08-02
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General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Jimmy Blakely
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: August 02, 2006
Location: New Home, Texas
Interviewer: Andy Wilkinson
Length: 01:36:40
Abstract
Family, Hick Thomas, Great Grandfather, Played Fiddle, It was stolen in Las Vegas, His great grandfather was a Marshall, Roswell, Took violin lessons, Got a drum set until he graduated from HS, Played in the clubs, After about age 13-14 it was not so great, Mom played Piano, Dad played steel guitar, Bill Casey, Everyone ends up going through Roswell, Jack Price, Cadillac Limousine, Shasta Trailer attached to it, Ernie Garcia- Keyboard and Horns, Rob- brother, Jimmy- Drums, Phoenix, Flagstaff, The club they were going to play at was shut down, Called Sam Gibbs- Manager, 1969, Merle Haggard, Tijuana Brass, The band started to collapse, Mom and dad bought the Palmer, The family band, The Blakely’s, March of 1970, Dad played pop music with a country twist, Had to be over 28 years old just to join the club, Rockabilly, Willie Nelson, Dad had a studio in Roswell, Recording, Dad would record stuff for Jimmy, And rent it out, Buddy Holly- recorders, In some museum now, Dad worked for Jim Beck, Norman Petty, Genius for technical side of recording studio, Norma Jack Trio, Almost Paradise, London Symphony played it, Big Break, Bad rep. with Holly family, Norman had a set fee, Made it big when he signed Buddy Holly, Roswell, That was the only world of music that he knew of, Roswell alien fiasco had not happened yet, People were scared to discuss it, Many people he talked to know something happened, He explains it as, some things happened, And other things shouldn’t have happened, E Cords, He played a sample of one of his songs, The concept came from the instrument, Originated from Africa, Made out of coconuts in Bali, His sister makes some songs with him, Vince- Amarillo, He found religion, Gospel, Rock-n-roll, 500-1000 bucks a night, Palm Room, His siblings and he broke away, They created their own band, They were tired of the “old” people, Music Painters, Hired a seamstress, Hired a steel player, Hired a singer- Chuck Semano, His sister, His brother, Suits made, First country band in the Lubbock night scene to wear natural clothes, Went Hippie, Nashville West – Depot District, 50th and H – Saddle Bronx, A little rough around the edges, A couple bouncers were killed, Salt River Club, 19th and University – club used to be, Club manager stole money, The people who worked there killed the manager, 1966-1967, He played the fiddle on songs that had fiddle, Hired Bill to play drums full time, War Horse, Studios, Started by a church group in Baskerville, Music- they decided that music was going to break the back of Babylon, And it was going to happen in West Texas, Bill Lockander, Danny Range, The church told him to start a band names War Horse, 8 pieces- start out, 1981-82, 50th and Ave. H – Urban Cowboy, Wally Morris Jr. – Steel, Jack Tyson – Bass, Terry McBride- Bass, Sister- Piano/sang, Steve Williams- Guitar, Terry Benson- Organ, Paul Clover-Piano/sang, Charles-brother in law- Drums, Jimmy- Fiddle, Bill Lockander- Sound man, Don Wise- Saxophone, Alabama- who they lost, His band fired him, Changed the band name to Texas, April Horse, Curtis Campbell, Grey Hodges, Cobra Outlaw Run, Rock –N-Roll album, Did popular in South Texas, Boondocks’, Biker gangs, Houston Oil Men, Mexican Runners, Burns- the main problem of substance abuse, Sun burns, Primal, The drugs were insane, Ron H. Wahl, Steel guitar, Heavy set, Full blown Cajun, Honky-tonk, 50th and Ave. H, Across from the Saddle Bronx, Been playing music for about 30 years, Change, Went to Amarillo, Worked as a computer graphic artist, Met Sheila at the honky-tonk, She got married, Magenelli and Balch, Ace Ball – sweet man, Worked with Elvis Presley, Creative director of KLBK TV, C.D for 8 or 9 years, Difficult to deal with authority, Sierra Tejas, Produce Company, 1996-97, Hired as a P.R group, They would not have destroyed the government, Once the Middle East got involved he wanted out, The group did not pay their bill, Purple Circle, High dollar live stock, Magazine, High stress level, KMAC, Major heart attack, Diabetes, Post Polio- had it as an infant, Caused major health issues, Degenerative, Beginning to lose control of his legs, West Texas Series, Burt Brothers, South Plains College, Tommy’s Place, Tarpley music donated instruments, Guy Clark, Desert Storm, High Alert, Had to cancel the show, The news had to leave the air waves open, He had at least two seasons worth of material, Theory, If you can play in Lubbock, you can play anywhere, His theory is that there is not much else to do in this area, Buddy Holly- he was influential, But not going to grant people musical abilities just from being from LBK
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