Hancock Family Song Box Session 2008-06-11
Tommy Hancock and his family reminisce about Memories and stories from their childhood and Playing in the Super Natural Family Band
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Hancock Family Song Box Session
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: June 11, 2008
Location: Austin, Texas
Interviewer: Andy Wilkinson
Length: 291 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1:
Family Meeting Day, Everyone had a say at the table, Band, Tommy talking- they were playing with the best musicians, In the world and decided to play with their family, Tommy, Went to San Francisco, Decided to become a musician with his kids rather than be A lawyer, Charlene, Always would sing with the kids, Knew the kids had good musical ears, They moved to New Mexico, Tommy let the kids pick their, Instruments and they would learn whichever instrument they wanted, She was struck by how the kids followed Tommy and her lead, They didn’t have egos like trained musicians, They would teach themselves, a lot of it was a natural learning, Hee Haw, Charlene’s parents, What they called their gatherings, They would cook and sing and play music, Drummer, Would sit next to the drummer who played with Tommy, Got to play with Dick, Would watch Louie playing, Band Evolved, Started with a trio, Tommy, Charlene, Louie, Kids would learn the cords to the songs, while the trio played, Practiced on the jobs, Conni, Remembers performing little concerts for the parents with, Siblings, First gig- just singing, party room at a Lion’s Club meeting, You’ve got a friend, Yellow Submarine, Super Natural, Name was associate with someone else, Tommy did not want their success to become a detriment, To the families spirituality, They remember trying to convince people that they were, An actual family, Roller rink fiasco, Transition to New Mexico, Friends were experimenting with harder drugs, 1972, Tommy took the kids to the Lubbock version of Woodstock, Frosty played with a band, and then years later, Tejano Dames, Dad knew he needed to get his family out of Lubbock, The schools were telling the kids that Marijuana had the same, Aspect of Heroin, At one point, they said Lubbock was the number 2 Heroin addicted, City next to New York, Conni, Tells a story about her grandparents, Tommy’s parents, Granny Ruth, did not want to talk about the fight that was, Swelling up, the church goers and the social unaccepted people, She made her dance for the guests, no music, Mountains, Free feeling, Had a lot of fun, Every weekend would perform, Traci, Comfortable on stage, But had to grow into singing in front of people, Favorite memory, Getting to learn how to play all sorts of different instruments, Setting in New Mexico, North, 40 acres, Secluded area, Large cabin, small little cabins, Setting- adventure, Big camp out, Tommy said it looked like what people would imagine, A bunch of hippies to look like, Move from contemporary modern home, to the cabin, They felt like backing off from society when the demonstrators, Were hurt at Kent State, so it was good timing to them, They had no clue about society and politics, They missed the Watergate scandal, Charlene- it was more fun living like the Swiss Family Robinson, Than anything else, the adventure is what drew them in, Family Business, Tommy is a good leader, He can see the focus, Charlene is a good helper, The both had trust in each other, The parents assigned each child a job, other than playing, An instrument, Joaquin- loading and unloading, How to hook and unhook the band, Booked the band, Driving, Someone did the lighting, Souvenir shop, Holli- the youngest, Charlene- navigator, Spent a lot of energy keeping them fed, Taught them how to do basic care, Holli was a wild card, She would rather dance than play an instrument
Tape 1, Side 2:
Joaquin, Talking about how Holli started dancing, Feels like Holli did not have a niche like everyone else, Drugs, Tommy told them if they wanted to try drugs to go to him, Rather than their friends, Conni found parents friends more interesting than her own, She did not realize that the family was moving to New Mexico, Nixon Years, They missed the Watergate scandal, Felt creative and spiritual, Jim Epler, Guitarist, Visual imager, Shared a cabin with Louie, George Chavez, Retarded (in Tommy’s words), Important man, Musician, Charlene met him when he was playing drums with, Duck tape all over it, He would “play” the juke box, He would play music with every band that played, No sense of timing, He would play at the Church, They gave him maracas to play, Cuesta, NM, Everyone there knew him, but loved him, They would give him a hamburger and a beer, Connie- right before she quit high school, 10th grade, Told her teacher that she wanted to be the village idiot, Joaquin- played hippie dances, Everyone would just dance, ripping their clothes off, Played at formal wedding parties, Spanish style of music, The one group they did not associate with was the Native Americans, They lived on a reservation, Taking George to California, He loved music so much, Had charisma, Tommy- George could imitate people, Conni- At the ocean for the first time, he was probably close to 45, Years old, crawled backwards, and barely put his toe in it, Watched a lot of first time experiences with him, Los Angeles, Circus, “I feel so good” –he would say, San Francisco- their record was played there, He would play off of the audience, Live radio broadcast, started doing “tricks” like the circus acts, Depended on how receptive the audiences were, Meditation, They would wear sheets on their head to meditate, George would come in the house wearing a rug, Being so serious, Salsa, Soup, became a joke, Zoo, He would “imitate” the birds, Elephant- wanted a peanut, Gorilla freaked him out, Pointing with lips, People in New Mexico point with their lips, When they want someone to get their attention, Priest, Told him to stop traveling with the band, And that was the end of George, School in New Mexico, Public school, TLC- Taos Learning Center, They would learn how to make Adobe, Hippies were starting to settle into the communes, Spirituality- knowing God, feeling God, seeing God, Experience God, Finding the spirit, “Heaven is within”- Jesus, Tommy was the last to receive the knowledge, Have your mind settle down enough to receive the knowledge, Receiving Knowledge, ’73, Went back to New Mexico, Astrodome in Houston, Started orienting themselves around Marajii – Their Guru, Started writing songs, but material did not really change, New Mexico, Mescaline, Conni- psycadellic experience, Her Guru told her that you need to go home “naturally”, Joaquin’s daughter, Asked her grandpa a question:, Tommy- they are coming out of a Christian culture, They focused on Jesus’ life, and nothing else, He could not experience what Jesus wanted, Charlene- never made to go to church, but was invited a lot, Back to the question: God means something different to everyone, Traci, Marajii-her experience with the techniques, When she meditates she feels like it experiences, Her outside word, After the sessions- felt like she understood the Bible, Felt like she could interpret what she wanted, She learned that everyone will go down different paths, Guru, Darkness to light, Someone who can show you the light in the darkness, Teaches you how to live a happy life, The light- through the mind becomes a religion, Conni- does not see a distinction between a teacher and a guru, Stems from a memory, satsun, company of truth
Tape 2, Side 1:
Denver, First time living apart, The shift to living like adults, Around 1975, They had hot running water, They played a lot of rock and roll joints, Gigs, They are talking about different places that, They played gigs and some of the funny stuff they did, Jimmy Gilmore, Tommy- awkward moment, he had a negative, Feeling towards the crowd, so Tommy fired him, The audience couldn’t relate to him, TV, They are talking about the shows they started to get into, Because in New Mexico they did not have a TV, Star Trek, Jigger Junction, Hawaiian parties in the middle of winter, Rocky Mountain experience, Sliding and jack knifing down the road towards the bottom of The mountain, Jobs, Tommy went out looking for gigs, He would play for any kind of money he could get, Easier to book gigs that way, Those days it was the full 6, Holli was with them, Jimmy Gilmore, John Reed came up from Austin to play at times, Hard part, finding a place to want to play in, John Reed, Missing the Hill Country, Told them that they would love Austin, Tommy, Charlene, Traci, Joaquin moved to Florida, Northern Florida, Red Neck; a snake on his arm and a Frog in his hat, Colorado, the largest cattle producing area in the country, Tommy at the time said, Florida was one of the most musically, Retarded places in America at the time, They were there during that time when all the, Tommy at the time said, Florida was one of the most musically, Retarded places in America at the time, Miami, Joaquin and Conni lived together for a while when they were both, Single and everyone else were doing the “family” thing, Tommy wanted to be a tent revival preacher, Austin, John Reed helped them book their first gig, Skyline, on Lamar, Seguin, Smithville, the Armadillo, Moved down to Austin in October, The supernatural family, They had a spiritual base, Individually they all turned to it, Charlene says that is why they make an effort to keep It going, Conni- the main bond is that they have fun together, Jewel (Joaquin’s daughter) – feels like it is the same feelings for her, As it is for her Aunts and Grandparents, The cousins all got involved, The Theory behind the Supernatural family band, A paper that Tommy wrote, Family, Marty- mom, Patty Gilkinson, Joaquin- loved the organic feel of the music that they create,He does not care about the commercial success, similar to his Dad, He quit worrying about that and started to focus on what the music, Is about, and that’s it, Jewel, “How can something not happen”, Eliza, Marty, etc…, Tejano Dames, Still produced under Supernatural, They always agreed to play for groups with special needs
Tape 2, Side 2:
Everyone is there currently except for Louie and Joaquin, Holli, The last song of the song box session was an original, Written from Holli, but she does not remember it, Recites the song
Tape 3, Side 1:
Louie, Transition to a family band, Played the drums in Red River, He would switch off with Joaquin, Favorite memory, Louie and Joaquin, pre show party, They were getting the sound set up, Bill and Bonnie, Dog Gone Saloon, Played with the supernatural’s, The crowd was chanting, “we want music”, Tommy and Charlene were not there, The stage started shaking, Bill would start stomping his, Feet to get the drummer to speed up, Cotton Club, Louie was with the band, He was not used to country music, Said it was like being at the rodeo, Holli, Working the concession stand, In Cuesta, Tommy grew his hair out, People did not recognize him, she had to prove that he was her, Daddy, Interest in music, First started writing songs, poetry about 10 years old, Love with dancing, They said she would be dancing in tutus out in the front yard, Traci and Holli were obsessed with being twins, Marched to her own drum, Record- Lubbock, Richard Barnett, Mark, Tony Adams, Danny Ross, Lloyd Maines, The Playhouse, Skate club, She liked to roller skate, Road Lizards, Joaquin, Tommy, Louie, John, They would go rescue the people who got stuck in the snow, Charlene’s cousin, Glen, Motorcycle guy, “machine Glen”, Glen story, Louie- Tommy let everyone pick an instrument, Tommy told him to play it how he felt, well Glen had to learn how to, Play it how Tommy feels, Gretchen, Their St. Bernard, She was a pedigree female, There was a pedigree male in Red River, Bruno, the male, The dogs were in the back of the truck, Gigs in Red River, They got to take showers, The water pressure was low, It would take 30-40 minutes to fill the tub, They would question whether or not they wanted to refill the water, Or just use that water, Holli, Loved school in New Mexico, Texas was hard for her, but felt super smart in New Mexico, School, Cafeteria food, they were fed Red Chili beans, The first day of school they decided to call each other, Their middle names, Olan and Ruth (Conni and Traci), George Stories, Louie- Catholic church on Sunday morning, He sang “Kiss and Angel goodbye”, Parade, They were supposed to be in a parade in Taos, Tommy said that they were going to try to catch up with them, Found out it was daylight savings and they were an hour early, Groceries, They would just indulge in the town, Potatoes – 50 lbs. bag, they wanted to see how many French fries, They could eat without getting full, Snow, Holli, The new suburban was full of groceries, Charlene and Holli, Charlene spun it off the road, The tire was frozen to the ground, They ended up taking the car off of the tire, Joe Cisneros, Plumber in Taos, Tommy asked him why he doesn’t smoke dope, He said it makes you crazy, Ended up eating 7 bowls of chili, He insulated the cabins for them, Built lofts so they could sleep up high, The Outhouse, It was made of pine, They would write things on the walls of it
Tape 3, Side 2:
Holli, Her recording in Lubbock, 1987, Demo in the Tommy X collection, 2 songs, “Do It”, “Red Satin Shoes”, Written on the CD as “we’re gonna do it”, And “Blue Satin Shoes”, Scariest moments, Gold van up a mountain during a blizzard, While it was carrying a trailer, They all had to get out and push, Holli- the trailer was sliding back and fourth, It spun them around where they were facing the opposite, Direction on the highway, Very dramatic event for the whole family Eastern Colorado, Two lane highway, Lost traction, Mark Boomer, Stacy, Holli, The last one out of Denver, Moved to Florida to marry her husband Matt, But ended up back in Denver teaching dance, And working in a department store, Lived with Traci when everyone was in Florida, In Austin worked at a dance studio, Joaquin remembers her playing the Conga drums, Intimidated in front of professional players, Ended up marrying Richard Barnett’s son, who played drums, The Bust tones, a.k.a the Traumatics, Church, She liked to sing at church, But the nerves got the best of her, Always nervous to play in front of professionals, City Park, Cleveland, The park where they camped, turned wilder at night, Joaquin and Holli went to the concert, 16 and 15 years old Lubbock’s Woodstock, Louie, There were about 100 people, It was a major drug bust, That’s how the Lubbock cops saw it, Rather than a music festival, Monterey Music Festival, Holli, Got to hear Big Mama Thornton sing Hound Dog, Other than that it was a flap, Louie, Migrated to Denver from New Mexico, Band with Roger Aker, Beau Dole, and himself, trio, Graffiti, Played with Andy Wilkinson, Played at the old Cotton Club, From Denver, Louie moved back to Lubbock, 78-79 started a family, Moved to Austin in 84, He told his step dad to look out the window at what you see, He said just a bunch of dirt, Louie said, well that’s why I’m leavin Lubbock, Suzanne, Louie’s older sister, Tommy’s oldest daughter, She has down syndrome, Grandpa Zach, Her favorite song was Achy Breaky Heart, He gave her a Dixie Chick CD, Another favorite song, It’s my party, and I’ll cry if you want to, Happiest when she lived with another sister, Diane, Her disposition was more cheerful, She could remember dates to everything, Channel 13, Lubbock, David Letterman was her favorite show, Tuned into Hollywood, They told Tommy she was not going to be 16, ended up living to, Age 56, Out lived all her friends and school mates, Freddy, imaginary boyfriend, Hippie Commune, Roadside Playboys were traveling across New Mexico, Tommy and Louie went to a hippie commune, Keiva- round structure, hole in the ceiling, Round teepee, Took acid one night, the next morning, Saw Tommy working in the field working, naked, But wore his boots, Morning Star- camp fire, Went with his friend Roger, So they all decided to get naked, Louie was the only one who, Actually got naked, Roger changed his mind, J. Michael Scott, disc jockey, who happened to be there at the time, Always wondered if he would broadcast that story on the radio, Made him aware of culture shock, Randy Curry was passing out Mescaline to the band, No body else probably remembers that incident, Un Yah, A family phrase, Turned into a contest to see if anyone could do it, Louie- pattern of running out of gas, Ray Bob, Conni would rescue them, Talks, On the way, and back from the gigs, Halloween, They loved Halloween, Charlene, great at making costumes, Holli was a ghost, she said that she was the scariest, Ghost that she scared herself, Terrified the boy who answered the door
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript: No transcript available
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
