Roger Felton

Ah, Gene Autry it was...thanks guys.  At least he got "Back in the Saddle Again" even if it took some rope to stay there.  Eddie has been vindicated.  I always had trouble remembering who was who.  As a kid, I remember thinking Lash LaRue was actually Cat Woman and I was pretty sure Hopalong Cassidy was actually the Wizard of Oz...but I never could prove it.

Those early westerns always seemed the same to me.  I could always spot the bad guy long before the star of the show did.  And they all seemed to have some goofball in the cast that was so stupid you wondered how they managed to stay alive.  Wild Bill Hickock (Guy Madison) had "Jingles" (Andy Devine), Roy Rogers had Pat Brady, The Cisco Kid had Pancho, Pat Buttram was probably the worst and, who knows, maybe he was the one who slipped Gene the hooch at the rodeo. 

I think those "comical sidekicks" were supposed to add humor to the show but 60 years later I'm still waiting to chuckle.  Well, ok, there was one that got me tickled and that was Tonto.  I used to sit and count the number of times Tonto said "me" in a single episode.  "Me go to town"..."Me help capture outlaw"...."Me tired of acting like illiterate Indian"....the record for one show was 23, I think.  But Tonto was actually pretty cool.

Eventually they dumped the boneheaded bozos and gave us Wyatt Earp and Matt Dillon.  Neither of 'em put up with any nonsense.  When Wyatt got ticked at somebody he'd take his buntline and blow out their kneecaps.  But it would have been a hoot if Wyatt Earp wasn't shot during the gunfight at the OK Corral because he was hiding behind Nellie Bell.  Now that woulda been funny.

Stephen Ray Puckett

Speaking of Wyatt Earp...

1959 - Shamrock Hotel

You could get a variety of toy 'Wyatt Earp" guns, some much closer to a real Buntline Special than others.

Speaking of sidekicks, my favorite from those days was Yancy Derringer's cool Pawnee indian Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC2bnk9t58A  Yancy was played by Jock Mahoney (Sally Field's dad), Pahoo was played by X Brands.

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

I envy those of you who had horses as kids. I had to marry a country boy to get one.

Remember the walkway over what ever road that was from the parking lots to get to the Collesium? A photographer would take pics and you had the opportunity to buy it on your way out. My mom bought one. It's crazy. I'm in jeans, boots and a western hat and she has on heels  and a two piece outfit  (skirt below the knees and jacket - very proper) - probably what she wore to work that day. Don't know where my brother and dad were. Now that I think about it, her suit sort of reminds me of what Jackie Kennedy was wearing on that awful day in 1963

Loved the rodeo: shook Roy's hand petted all the famous horses - they were in the back if you knew where to go from the Fat Stock area. No security back then. There was something about Pat and the jeep but I can't quite pull it out of my head.

Yeah, the side kicks were pretty lame. I agree with Roger about Tonto. I remember Ed Ames talking about the dumb dialog on someone's talk or variety show and laughing about it. 

Wanted to be Dale Evans except didn't want to ride in a skirt. She was so lady like in her outfits. 

Got to participate in a trail ride my freshman year at U of H. I was in the Rodeo Club. Always liked cowboy hats and that club was full of them. What a great year it was. Made lots of friends, both male and female.  Several folks let me ride their horses while they took a break. Mostly I rode in the jail wagon with whomever.  One of my girl friends had a great, gentle horse I rode for a while. Unfortunately that horse threw her a couple months later and she was killed. She was 16 and in her sophomore year. I was 17 and a freshman so we hd gravitated together. College life was so free after high school. Met so many different people. Where is Ann Robinson? I remember that she was really popular at U of H. Always laughing with a group and having a good time.

Stephen Ray Puckett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L5QC9ZJkM8   Ed Ames (Caramingo/Mingo) teaches Johnny Carson to throw a tomahawk. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1zOytr2MU   Jay Silverheels (Tonto) on Johnny Carson

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Ahhh, Jay Silberheels. Sorry, I'd forgotten, obviously. What/when did Ed Ames play an Indian?

Roger Felton

Jay Silverheels played the part of an Indian really well...probably because he WAS an Indian.  But Ed Ames was not.  Still he was cast as Daniel Boone's (Fess Parker) Indian buddy Mingo.  I guess you could call him the "Gringo Mingo".

Ed Ames showing Johnny Carson how to throw a tomahawk was probably the funniest thing in the history of The Tonight Show...and it had lots of competition.  But after watching Daniel Boone for many years I never saw Ed take a bad guy out of the fighting mood that way.  It woulda been a ball (if there were any left).

Stephen Ray Puckett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeS0cdCtm3o  

    Ed Ames as Mingo in a Daniel Boone episode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5wth6xrwbo 

     Ed Ames sings 'Try to Remember'

Mary Holland

The Houston School Board never, ever would have been so frivilous as to give the students a day off for the Rodeo Parade! They were much more high minded than that! They gave just gave us George Washington's Birthday as an official hiliday and it wasn't their fault that the Rodeo always planned its schedule to have Opening Day and the big Parade on that day!! (Snerk!) I'm sure the School Board knew that there weren't going to be many kids in class if they didn't give that day off. Also, back then the rodeo parade was the bigest "cultural event" in Houston, drawing far more people than any other event. The Rodeo Stars, Roy, Gene, etc.,  were real heroes who did no wrong and who always killed the bad guys to protect good people from being robbed or killed. I used to wonder why, if Roy Rodgers owned a ranch as it was said that he did, then why didn't we ever get to see him and his cowboys rounding up cattle, branding them, etc.? It might have been exciting if some sheriff's deputy had galloped up while they were working and had breathlessly told them, "We need your help!" We'd never see that part, only that he'd take his men and race off to find some bad guys so they could shoot and kill them all without bringing them in to have a trial. Those cowboy stars sure liked to kill people!!

Roger Felton

Actually Mary, those old white hat heroes never kiled anyone that I can remember.  If they had to draw their gun, it would be to shoot the gun out of the bad guy's hand.  If there was a fight, the good guy would get the snot beat out of them for 20 minutes before they'd land a lucky punch and knock the black hatted bozo out.

It wasn't until Marshal Dillon came along that the bad guys would go to jail with a bullet in their butt.  But many of them never seemed to have jobs and I always wondered where their money came from.  I also wondered why they could go all day and all night and never have to pee.  Oh well, big bladders I guess....

Robert (Robby) Wallis

just curious... Have any of ya'll seen , listened to the Daryl Hall's House shows on Palladia or watched same on  Youtube?  I  keep going back to listen to and view the music sessions done with numerous modern artists that I find  incredible.... Guest artists are chosen by Daryl...the venue is at a recording studio , at one of Daryl's homes in upstate NY... 

Daryl's band is extremely "tight". The guest performers  take a crack at Daryl's old and new songs...and they also perform the guest's tunes as well.... in the musical wasteland we are enduring now...this is  really good, the Philly sound endures...anyone want to go dancing ?   Robby

Lana Johnson (Horne)

That's one of my husband's favorite shows.  He has great guests and they put a different twist on a lot of Daryl's music.  I hope you get to go dancing, Robbie!

Mary Holland

I'm going to check that out! Yesterday I took out a few of my old CDs from the hippie era and played them. I found that while I still enjoyed the music I'm not that young girl any more. I'm an old woman now; what happened?!?! 

Robert (Robby) Wallis

Lana, Mary

I wasn’t a big fan of Hall and Oates back in the day….Daryl’s music has matured, gotten a whole lot better in the singer/songwriter area…I don’t think he’s an exceptional guitarist but he knows it and has exceptional guitar soloists in his band…I have noticed he is  rather good on keyboards..…I didn’t realize Daryl is “our” age, way to go Daryl!
Dancing
I think it was our 20th anniversary that my wife wanted to take dance lessons…I wasn't too keen on it…but, I gave in and we started lessons at a highly popular
dance studio named SSQQ in Bellaire TX…It was a very good dance studio with talented instructors who knew how to teach people to dance….the start was horrifying for
me but after a couple of sessions I became comfortable . Fran and I went on and took lessons for about three years covering just about every dance course they offered…
Knowing how to dance actually helped me in my work. Our company would throw two large client appreciation parties every year. The parties were centered around live music and dancing… There were several of us who would get everyone up dancing as soon as the music started…I always loved it when we had conferences or saw clients in the San Diego area.. We’d go to Henry’s on 5th and dance to Rockabilly for hours, usually till they closed the doors...Mary, I still dance but not as often as I'd like....you should never say never

Jacquie Campbell (Biggs)

Never stop dancing--while you are sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, or watching someone else work. Always fun. Old music and new. With or without partner. 

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Loved Hall and Oates. Actually attended one of their concerts in College Station one time with - would you believe, my son. Had a good time.

Lana Johnson (Horne)

Carl has always loved them. They were Ok but I just like a lot of music. We are trying to  see all our favorites in concert now before they quit performing or pass away. Living in Austin makes that easier. I learned to play golf and the trade off was that Carl would take dance lessons when he retired. He retired in 2002 and I think he has bailed on his end of the deal. We used to dance all the time before we had kids. I get to be foolish and have fun in Zumba!

William Polk (Polk)

We plan on going to see Huey Lewis in June. Has anyone ever been to one of their concerts?

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Yes, attended their concert, again at Aggieland. Enjoyed the music, especially the horn section. Started out in the mezzanine area (like being at eye level with them, and after  an encore was leaving with my friend. Someone I knew who worked in the auditorium (anyone remember G Riley White?) told us not to leave. Seems they were famous for coming back out multiple times. Stayed on the ground floor (there was room now that some folks had left) and rocked out a while longer. We're all older so don't know if they still give multiple encores but just don't leave too early!

Jerry Russell

If any of you want to relive your "Glory Days," go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.  They have a 2 hour "movie" that is great.  Not much else in Cleveland, but we will probably go back some day just to see this again.

Roger Felton

Wow, youse guys are so lucky to have enjoyed those concerts, especially if it was when the groups were in their prime.  Several of them are still around but it seems a lot of them have slipped a bit in their voice quality.   

Some years back I heard Van Morrison sing "Brown Eyed Girl" and he had definitely lost it.  Nowhere near the tone and zip he had in the original.  It kinda sounded like he was singing but like he was having a baby at the same time.  But God bless him and all the others that made the music that was ours before the later generations of talentless boneheads screwed it up.

I think my last concert was when the Andrews Sisters opened for Al Jolson.  But my two decades in radio at least gave me the chance to interview a lot of the amazing talent of yesteryear.  Those were fun days.

The one thing I've always regretted was not being able to dance. When I lived in Austin, there was a popular dance instructor who's sign on her studio door said "I Can Teach Anyone to Dance!".  Hope at last!  She worked with me for an hour and a half 3 days a week for nearly a month and I'd practice for 2 hours every night.  When I showed up for my next lesson, she handed me my money back and, with a look of unmistakeable disappointment, just shook her head. Never said a word.

As I left, I noticed her door sign now said, "I Can Teach Anyone Almost Anyone to Dance!"

Stephen Ray Puckett

Unlike worker bees like Benny Carbo, today is the first day of Retirement for me.  It still hasn't sunk in that I not only don't have a job I also don't have to hustle to get a new job.  For now I will stay busy doing a few things to wrap the old Work (sending back the computers, filling out various forms, getting new insurance, etc.) plus doing things around here that have been piling up for the last 2 months because I have been so busy with Work.  I can finally get to those pesky taxes, house-cleaning, basement/attic reorganizing, musical instrument fixing, etc., etc.  Dad just turned 91 so we are making plans to visit him in a month in Portland OR where also live my sister, brother, and a number of friends. It will probably be late April for this.  After that, I dunno, except vague plans to help friends&family around here, to travel, to spend more time with music & other hobbies, etc.  The company provides transition services which includes discussions of retirement so I will talk with their coach about this in a few days.  Now I get to reinvent myself!

Wifey retired from the church a bit over 1 year ago.  I had planned to hang in there until I was 70 but I got an 'offer I could not resist', a layoff notice with nice severance package that takes me close to my target month.  Oh, well.  I guess The Good Lord or Universe is giving me a kick in the pants to go do something else, not sure what right now except to clean up my act.

Any pointers are welcome.  Thanks.

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

When I retired after 30 years in public schools the first thing I did was get rid of all the watches, alarm clocks, etc. The best thing, and anyone who had to work according to bells and time clocks will appreciate this - I could go to the bathroom any time I wanted! Unfortunately I now wake up with the sun, so I don't sleep late but I enjoy watching the sunrise. Didn't have time for that when I worked. Enjoy your time.

Roger Felton

Just remember Stephen, it always better to be laid off than to be laid up. 

William Jewel Howard, Jr.

I retired last September after 41 years in the Oil Patch.  At the time I wondered how I would keep busy. I did not want to sit and watch TV all day long.

My road to a busy and rewarding retirement actually began in April, 2006 when by 22 year old dauther died. She was an organ donor and through her six people got a second chance to live.  After her death, I attended a GriefShare class and was helped so much that I became a program facilitator and have been for nine years. I am currently helping to establish a GriefShare program at my church.

I have become an Ambassador of Hope volunteer for Life Gift Texas, an organ donor registration group. So far most of my work with them has involved working with the VA hospital system here in the Houston area. This has been great since I am a veteran myself.

I have always been interested in WWII aircraft and had the great honor to work for Rod Lewis' Lewis Energy Group in San Antonio. He owns and flies over twenty WWII aircraft that I got to see on a regular basis. Since I retired, I joined the Commemorative Air Force, Gulf Coast Wing, that maintains and flys a B-17G Flying Fortress based at David Wayne Hooks Airport just outside Tomball. I now have the opportunity to work on and fly in this remarkable airplane. This has been very exciting as my father was a waist gunner on a B-17G during WWII.

So far this year I have spent 58 hours of volunteer work while also maintaining a five arce homesite with two horses, two dogs and a cat. As you can see retirement can be very rewarding while still providing time to relax and spend time with family and friends. The Lord has greatly blessed my family and I.  I hope that everyones retirement can be as rewarding as mine has been so far.

Margaret (Muchie) Carter (Henderson)

Sorry to hear of your devastating loss but how wonderful that you have turned it into such a positive thing.

That must be exciting to have the opportunity to work with the B-17 Flying Fortress. My dad was a B-17 pilot based in Bassingbourne, England during the war. He piloted "Little Patches" then "General Ike". He flew 35 missions and led his group in the first daylight raid over Berlin. He had many a tale and not all directly related to the flying. They were all still children by today's standards.