Hearne, Bill and Bonnie 2011-11-29
Bill and Bonnie discuss their musical careers Along with how they got started and met
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Bill and Bonnie Hearne
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: November 29, 2011
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Interviewer: Andy Wilkinson
Length: 01:51:34
Abstract
Background, Bonnie, 1946, Corsicana, Texas, Bill, 1949, Dallas, Texas, Close to Love field airport, North East Dallas, He was born and raised there, Bonnie- lived in a state home, School year in Austin at the school for the blind, Bonnie, 10 years old, took piano lessons, 1956, School of the Blind, Forest Goodenough- composer, teacher, She played by ear, so she was switched to the violin, And cello in junior high and high school, She was always singing, learned harmony, Her dad played a little guitar and fiddle, Her brothers played guitar, fiddle, banjo, and harmonica, Foster mom always had the radio on, Listened to it all, Bill, Parents did not play music, They would listen to the radio though, Older brother took up the guitar around the time Bill, Was born, he still plays for own amusement, Semi pro garage band type things, Grew up as an older child basically, Carl- oldest brother- Mike Herne father, Wendell- younger brother- more focused and disciplined, Delta blues, Bill listened primarily to country music, Guitar teacher- played in Western swing bands, Charlie Tower- Dallas School of music, 58-59’, He realized that he just plays what he hears, Reading the music was slowing him down, Buck Owens- Bill’s first hero, Bonnie, Started when she was 22, performing in front of people, Played at the checkered flag in Austin, Come on in- Caroline Hester, Richard Dean- resident folk entertainer at the club, Loved folk music, College- Navajo Junior College, Studied Sociology and a minor in psychology, Split Rail Club, Started using piano in folk music when she started playing, With Bill, Also started playing country music, Why Baby Why, George Jones, Gigs, Prior to meeting Bonnie, Bill got into the checkered flag, His brothers told him that there are more people out in the Music world that’s not country, Steel blues, Pay was minimal, He was at UT during this time, He was just taking general classes, Thought about majoring in History, Nothing for pay until the checkered flag, 67’ SMU Vietnam era, How they met, Someone told Bill to meet Bonnie, They would cross paths every now and then, He called her one day, and he came over to visit, She had a German Sheppard that was over protective, That same night they went to the checkered flag to listen to music, He became her guitar player, They put a band together, Crosswind, They would throw in random songs, Carol King, Red Dog Night- Joy to the World, Bonnie- influenced by church too, Bill- Grandma was a rigid Southern Baptist, But his parents were not super religious, He went to school in Dallas, one of the original special ed. Classes, Before there was a school for the blind, In high school he got reading glasses and was able to read, He did not need brail anymore, Religion, He is open to all people who have different beliefs, Band, Played mostly at bars, Country dance clubs, Broken spoke, 5 piece band, All around the Austin area, Not too famous, but people would go to listen to them, Jerry Jeff’s wife Susan booked them for a gig, They played some private parties, Kerrville Folk Festival the very first one, They started playing the ski areas in Colorado, Did not venture out of Austin very much, About 100 mile radius, The Kerrville festival moved them to a folk area, Booking agent- Larry Watkinson, Durango, Aspen, Brackenridge, It was the two of them and a bass player, Challenges, Different area every week, Learning new surroundings, Red River, 1979, They moved there because they were offered a summer job, They were looking for a sit down gig Segal, Lived in Dallas, Knew Michael Martin Murphy, Dallas County Out Patient – band, Big influence on Bill, Met him at the checkered flag, Played guitar back them, Met him in 1968- Christmas, Three Faces West, Early 70’s, How they connected with the Rocky Mountains, Summer of 72’, Spent the whole summer there, Played country music, 7 nights a week, They were 23/24 years old at the time, Back to Austin in 74’, Opened up for John Denver in Aspen that year, They started playing around the West, Red River, Oil bust in 87’, The times there got rough, Eventually moved to Santa Fe, A lot more amenities were available, You had to go to Taos, NM to get anything, It was a strain traveling, In fall 2003 Bonnie was finished, Health issues, boredom, etc…, They opened for Lyle Lovett, Bonnie, Since she quit playing, she sings with a choir, She goes to nursing homes, Sings bedside, 3-4 people, Spiritual songs, Threshold choir, Acapella, Selecting material, They hear something, and if they like it, They try it and then keep it in their repertoire, They add their own style of singing and playing to the songs, Spontaneous, Bonnie wrote songs for about 5 months, 90 percent of the performers at Kerrville are singer/Songwriters, Bill, He likes the obscure songs over the “hits”, He feels like they are better, Texas Dance Hall music, Crooners, Texas Honky Tonk, Prior to Owen Bradley, Fred Rose, etc, Bonnie, Has to have a song really “catch” her in order to enjoy it, And learn it, Bill, Quick to learn a song, musically and lyrically, Festivals, Demo of 4 songs, Bill is not sure about progressing anymore at this stage, Of his life, He enjoys performing for people, Someone is interested in taking their trio up to Alaska, Bill’s Aunt and Uncle were the ones who realized that Bill had, Musical talent, They helped him pursue his career
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