Despite being both still December and 2018, welcome to another new month and year (both for administrative purposes) of Donkey Show. It is New Year’s Eve so if you are partying here in the Lone Star State, here is a great record to do so with. I bought this for $2 which is the bargain price. I bought and posted the first volume of this record some time ago and it was decent enough.
From Delta Records, this is the second collection of Texas dance hall favorites. It was released in 1980. It also features the fiddle great Johnny Gimble. Born in Tyler, TX in 1926, Gimble played with such luminaries as Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, and Asleep at the Wheel. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest western swing fiddlers. Gimble passed on in 2015 at age 88 from complications from strokes.
The club on the front cover is the REO Palm Isle Ballroom in Longview, Tx. Opened in 1935, the club began its life hosting such big band stars such as Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. It would later become more of a dance hall hosting various stars including Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley. The 2010’s were not kind to the bar in 2014 it turned into a electronic dance club. According to a news article on the web, it will be re-purposed into a family venue in November, which I forget for your reading purposes was two months ago.
Texas History page on the REO Palm Isle
The record itself is pretty good and falls in the same vein as its predecessor. 12 songs (all instrumentals) which were popular in honky tonks, dance halls, and in bars in Texas around the era. Like its earlier volume, a good chunk of traditional songs are on here . However, there are some country hits of the time as well. The only song that carried over from the last record is “The Cotton Eyed Joe” as according to the sleeve, “We just don’t think it would be a true Texas Dance Hall album without that song…” Released by Delta record in 1980, the effort was produced by Darrell Holt.
For a sample, I could of gone in many directions. I liked most of the record with my favorites being “Fraulein”, “Orange Blossom Special”, “Matilda”, “Wildwood Flower”, and “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”. However, I went with the Kenny Roger’s classic “Lucille”. I can forget the country DJ on the radio in the early 80’s who when describing an accident on 610, said “You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel”. Also, because as the record states, it is a Texas institution, I am also including “Cotton Eyed Joe”.
Satisfactory record. Have a Happy New Years and see you in 2019 officially.