One more old C&W-

Mr Jim Ed Brown - "Pop a Top"

This tune was co-written by Lefty and the late Whitey Shafer. It's been recorded down through the years by numerous artists, and I think it's one of Lefty's best.

Bexar Pitts said:

---

This tune was co-written by Lefty and the late Whitey Shafer. It's been recorded down through the years by numerous artists, and I think it's one of Lefty's best.

---

Love Lefty, legendary.

But have you heard of Wacos very own?

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..just as Billy Joe Shaver was around town a lot in later years.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who helped "write the book" on much of Country Music..

Bexar Pitts said:

---

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..as was Billy Joe Shaver.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who "wrote the book" on much of Country Music..

---

Thats awesome.

I have only been around since the mid-80s though.

GoldMind said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..as was Billy Joe Shaver.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who "wrote the book" on much of Country Music..

---

Thats awesome.

I have only been around since the mid-80s though.

---

! may have sounded a little "lofty" when saying these Central Texas legends "wrote" the book, so I edited to say "helped write"..There's no doubt about that. So many artists came from or came through here. Ever heard the "Westphalia Waltz" played? It was penned by the late Cotton Collins, who (WAY back in the day) I had the honor of sharing many stories with in local establishments.. Clyde "Barefoot" Chesser was a great Waco musician who was widely known by many locals for his talents..There is just so much music history that was made in and around Waco, it deserves an anthology! I appreciate your interest in music history, and I hope you carry it forward to share with others for a long, long time!

Bexar Pitts said:

---

GoldMind said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..as was Billy Joe Shaver.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who "wrote the book" on much of Country Music..

---

Thats awesome.

I have only been around since the mid-80s though.

---

! may have sounded a little "lofty" when saying these Central Texas legends "wrote" the book, so I edited to say "helped write"..There's no doubt about that. So many artists came from or came through here. Ever heard the "Westphalia Waltz" played? It was penned by the late Cotton Collins, who (WAY back in the day) I had the honor of sharing many stories with in local establishments.. Clyde "Barefoot" Chesser was a great Waco musician who was widely known by many locals for his talents..There is just so much music history that was made in and around Waco, it deserves an anthology! I appreciate your interest in music history, and I hope you carry it forward to share with others for a long, long time!

---

My beef is that it's exactly that, history.

There's no other genre of music that's changed so drastically in the last 50years.

Metal is still heavy and the subject matter is still the same as it was in 1984.

Rap, same thing plus or minus some sub genres.

Rock and Pop have always been pretty vague so I let them slide a lot.

GoldMind said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

GoldMind said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..as was Billy Joe Shaver.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who "wrote the book" on much of Country Music..

---

Thats awesome.

I have only been around since the mid-80s though.

---

! may have sounded a little "lofty" when saying these Central Texas legends "wrote" the book, so I edited to say "helped write"..There's no doubt about that. So many artists came from or came through here. Ever heard the "Westphalia Waltz" played? It was penned by the late Cotton Collins, who (WAY back in the day) I had the honor of sharing many stories with in local establishments.. Clyde "Barefoot" Chesser was a great Waco musician who was widely known by many locals for his talents..There is just so much music history that was made in and around Waco, it deserves an anthology! I appreciate your interest in music history, and I hope you carry it forward to share with others for a long, long time!

---

My beef is that it's exactly that, history.

There's no other genre of music that's changed so drastically in the last 50years.

Metal is still heavy and the subject matter is still the same as it was in 1984.

Rap, same thing plus or minus some sub genres.

Rock and Pop have always been pretty vague so I let them slide a lot.

---

Kind Sir, there are a million things in this old world to have a "beef" with...Good music, in all it's genres, ain't one of 'em. Just my old dos centavos. Be well and enjoy the good things all around you.

How about this guy …Hank Wilson…… maybe thought he was a cross between Hank Williams and Hank Thompson!

Only had two albums (I think)

Sounds a lot like Leon Russell…

Fat Daddy said:

---

How about this guy …Hank Wilson…… maybe thought he was a cross between Hank Williams and Hank Thompson!

Only had two albums (I think)

Sounds a lot like Leon Russell…

---

"Sounds a lot like Leon Russell" LOL..As I'm sure you know, there's a good reason! :-)

Ever catch any Luke the Drifter? Sounds a lot like one of those "Hanks" too!

Back in the mid 70's, James had a three piece band that played at the Wrangler on the Dallas Highway quite a bit.. He sounded so much like Hank Williams it was scary..I got to know him fairly well, and was so happy for him when he became widely known and played all over the world..He passed away a couple of years ago, but I still listen to him all the time.

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Back in the mid 70's, James had a three piece band that played at the Wrangler on the Dallas Highway quite a bit.. He sounded so much like Hank Williams it was scary..I got to know him fairly well, and was so happy for him when he became widely known and played all over the world..He passed away a couple of years ago, but I still listen to him all the time.

---

Played the Tokio Store a bit too.

deemus said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Back in the mid 70's, James had a three piece band that played at the Wrangler on the Dallas Highway quite a bit.. He sounded so much like Hank Williams it was scary..I got to know him fairly well, and was so happy for him when he became widely known and played all over the world..He passed away a couple of years ago, but I still listen to him all the time.

---

Played the Tokio Store a bit too.

---

He sure did. At one time, I believe his brother owned it.

Bexar Pitts said:

---

GoldMind said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

"Have I heard" of Hank Thompson? Gold, I've met Hank Thompson..He was very accessible to local fans, and it was a pleasure to listen to his music..BTW, Whitey Shafer was from Whitney, and could also be seen around town many times..as was Billy Joe Shaver.. It was hard to be a Country fan from Waco for about 70 years and not meet /appreciate the people who "wrote the book" on much of Country Music..

---

Thats awesome.

I have only been around since the mid-80s though.

---

! may have sounded a little "lofty" when saying these Central Texas legends "wrote" the book, so I edited to say "helped write"..There's no doubt about that. So many artists came from or came through here. Ever heard the "Westphalia Waltz" played? It was penned by the late Cotton Collins, who (WAY back in the day) I had the honor of sharing many stories with in local establishments.. Clyde "Barefoot" Chesser was a great Waco musician who was widely known by many locals for his talents..There is just so much music history that was made in and around Waco, it deserves an anthology! I appreciate your interest in music history, and I hope you carry it forward to share with others for a long, long time!

---

A thread for the Waco music scene and music history could be fun.

Here's a great Wacoan

deemus said:

---

---

Someone sent me that the other day lol

Copy that on Johnny Gimble. Probably one of the very best and most requested session string musicians of all time. He was magical, and played live concerts and on albums with so many top artists..Left a huge imprint on the music world. He's got to be near the top of the list for "local" music legends.

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Copy that on Johnny Gimble. Probably one of the very best and most requested session string musicians of all time. He was magical, and played live concerts and on albums with so many top artists..Left a huge imprint on the music world. He's got to be near the top of the list for "local" music legends.

---

if you consider Willie to be local, then Gimble is #2.

MCC music has had a huge amount of talent go through their doors

Billy Strings covering a Dylan classic… some strong finger-picking!

LIB,MR BEARS said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Copy that on Johnny Gimble. Probably one of the very best and most requested session string musicians of all time. He was magical, and played live concerts and on albums with so many top artists..Left a huge imprint on the music world. He's got to be near the top of the list for "local" music legends.

---

if you consider Willie to be local, then Gimble is #2.

MCC music has had a huge amount of talent go through their doors

---

Agree on Willie..That's the reason I used "near" :-) There are a few, including Billy Joe, that are "near" the top in my humble opinion. Also couldn't agree more on MCC. If you ever heard Kenny Frazier play guitar, including with Johnny Gimble's later group, you heard one of the best.

LIB,MR BEARS said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Copy that on Johnny Gimble. Probably one of the very best and most requested session string musicians of all time. He was magical, and played live concerts and on albums with so many top artists..Left a huge imprint on the music world. He's got to be near the top of the list for "local" music legends.

---

if you consider Willie to be local, then Gimble is #2.

MCC music has had a huge amount of talent go through their doors

---

Not known by everyone, but one of the most talented MCC students to come through is Ruthie Foster. Multiple Grammy nominations, multiple times voted traditional blues artist of the year. Also still proud of her MCC roots. Has done concerts there and at Brazos Nights multiple times over the last 10-15 years. Tours all over the world. What a voice! If you ever get a chance to see her in a small venue, take it. Very personable and a voice that fills the room.

Bexar Pitts said:

---

LIB,MR BEARS said:

---

Bexar Pitts said:

---

Copy that on Johnny Gimble. Probably one of the very best and most requested session string musicians of all time. He was magical, and played live concerts and on albums with so many top artists..Left a huge imprint on the music world. He's got to be near the top of the list for "local" music legends.

---

if you consider Willie to be local, then Gimble is #2.

MCC music has had a huge amount of talent go through their doors

---

Agree on Willie..That's the reason I used "near" :-) There are a few, including Billy Joe, that are "near" the top in my humble opinion. Also couldn't agree more on MCC. If you ever heard Kenny Frazier play guitar, including with Johnny Gimble's later group, you heard one of the best.

---

Kenny Frazier was a friend of my folks. They always spoke very highly of him and occasionally mentioned that he played guitar.

It seems he was as hood a person as a picker

As for great people involved in the MCC music program, nobody beats Dr Ruth Pitts.

Fat Daddy said:

---

How about this guy …Hank Wilson…… maybe thought he was a cross between Hank Williams and Hank Thompson!

Only had two albums (I think)

Sounds a lot like Leon Russell…

---

It's because it he was Leon Russell

Yup. Heard.

Amen, Forza!

Speaking of Wacoans who made a huge impact on our national music scene, perhaps no one had a greater hand in the recording industry than Tom Wilson. Very few folks know of this man's achievements..I didn't until a close friend of mine who was National promotions director for a major label told me his story. If you've not heard of Waco's Tom Wilson, heres a little recap. https://lonestarmusicmagazine.com/7655-2/

Also found this from last year. https://www.fox44news.com/news/local-news/local/waco-native-music-legend-tom-wilson-set-to-get-biopic/