Followup on a Corpus Gold post about The Stereo Shoestring (See Corpus Gold post from Jan 2011)
The Red House formed with former members of The Stereo Shoestring in 1969.
James Coco (vocals and harmonica)
Ric Gonzales (guitar)
Tommy Durham (guitar)
James Noe (bass)
Billy King (drums)
One single on Big K out of Ingleside: Mary Anne b/w Sunflower got plenty of airplay on KEYS radio.. In the summer of 69, they were the house band at Love Street Light Circus and Feelgood Machine in Corpus. See cool pics and read all about them and Stereo Shoestring at
The Love Street Light Circus and Feelgood Machine' Corpus location was one of several around Texas, with the original being in Houston. The Corpus' grand opening featured Bubble Puppy, ZakaryThaks and Ginger Valley! Read all about the venue and see a plethora of cool pics and posters at http://people.missouristate.edu/dennishickey/lovestreet.htm
Country music in Corpus has been a constant at least since the 1940's. One of the biggest stars of 1970's country music, Freddy Fender called Corpus his home but country music was not his first influence. Another local star that gained national exposure in the pop and country charts (Lovin You Just Crossed My Mind and You Can Have Her) was the late great Sam Neely but again more from a crossover appeal. Ernest Tubb spent some time in Corpus in the late 30's, long before he became a star. Country pop star and multi-instrumentalist Barbara Mandrell lived there as a child. Barbara's younger sister Irlene Mandrell was born in Corpus and was a regular on Hee Haw. The great fiddle virtuouso, Johnny Gimble opened for Bob Wills with The Roberts Brothers Rhythmaires there in 1949:
Taken from an interview with Johnny Gimble http://www.bobwills.com/gimble_excerpt.html
"The Roberts Brothers Rhythmaires were playing a club (The Trocodero Ballroom) in Corpus Christi. There was Buck, Carlton and Curly Roberts, a drummer, and myself. We played all the old standards and the popular country tunes they called them hillbilly, Eddy Arnold, every one of Bob Wills's tunes, they were always popular on dances. But we also played In the Mood, Basin Street, Tuxedo Junction, Rose Room, we had a guitar player, Troy Passmore, he used to play like Charles Christian (another Texan). We were all digging those guys.
Bob was booked into that club. He had played a show in the auditorium and we opened the dance and they came over about ten o'clock. Tiny Moore told me that Jesse Ashlock was leaving in the next few weeks and he wanted to know if I'd be interested. (1949) I didn't meet Bob at that date. Eldon Shamblin hired me when Bob was in the hospital. When I was hired I came by and they were playing a job in Waco and Bob asked me to play a tune and he made a remark over the PA. I had played Waco, it was sort of home to me in a way and Bob said There's a little fiddle player here, the boys have hired him and I haven't heard him. They say he's good and he'd better be! He put me on. He was real nice. "
The bulk of the scene was built around the bands that played in the honky tonks and VFW's in the area. Names like The Mac Pollard Show, The Lively's, Claude Merritt, Johnny Rinehart & Texas Unlimited, Barbara Clawson and The Nashville Beats and Billy Jack Collard worked the area in the 1960's and 70's. Not to mention area favorites, Al Dean and The Allstars (whose classic intrumentals of Jalisco and Cotton Eyed Joe were played often on Robstown country station KROB leading up to the news) and Sandy and The Six Pack (who recorded for Nashville steel man Pete Drake's Stop label among others). Scant information is currently available online about this vibrant scene.
Johnny Rinehart is a talented guitarist that has worked the South Texas area at least since the 60's. He headed up his own bands and worked with others, including some time in the band of the late Freddy Fender.I used to see him on the locally produced country music television show, The Frank Head Show in the late 60's early 70s. Frank Head of Head Furniture Center sponsored, hosted and sang on the show along with his wife " Decca recording artist, pretty Miss Martha Lynn." I have not yet found any recordings on Decca by Martha Lynn, however I have found one on PEP out of Bakersfield, California (not sure if it's her or not). The show was not unlike other locally produced country shows around the country (Cowboy Weever and his Pals of The Saddle & Dewey Groom in the Dallas area come to mind) trying to emulate the syndicated country shows of the time (Buck Owens, Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner). The format was usually a few vocals by Martha Lynn, a few by the band and a religious recitation by Frank against a blue screen image of praying hands. I would love to see those shows on Youtube someday if they still exist.
Barbara Clawson was probably the most successful and prolific of the Corpus 1960's country scene. She recorded several Lps for Pete Drake's STOP label out of Nashville and hit the road working the vibrant country circuit from 1967 to 1987. Barbara wrote much of her own material including songs like One Bud Weiser and Mad Mummy. Her husband Bob and son Bubba (also a recording artist) own Clawson's Musicland which still caters to the country scene in the Corpus area. Many cool photos used to adorn the walls of the shop on S.P.I. D taken at Corpus country music concerts in the 60's (photo's of Jerry Lee, George & Tammy and Charlie Pride at Memorial Coliseum). Most had been taken down when I visited the shop this summer.
Smooth soul singer Billy Jack Collard (aka Buddy Collard) held a house gig at The Country Palace in Corpus in the 70's. Focusing on country, his show mixed in pop and soul influences as well. Zakary Thak's guitarist John Lopez worked with him for a time. Collard recorded for Huey Meaux's Crazy Cajun label in addition to releases on Country Palace. His funky Maintain Your Groove (the flip of local hit Watching a Wino) on Crazy Cajun is a favorite on English Soul sites.
CORPUS GOLD NOTE: If anyone can provide additional information about these artists please get in touch.
