The recent first week of Ken Burns special series on Country Music, shown on Seattle’s PBS Channel 9, probably brought back more than a few memories for a lot of us here in Lewis County. Even yours truly, whose taste in music is divided between classical and jazz (but traditional jazz only), had a few “flashes from the past.”
I particularly liked the two segments devoted to one of the great hillbilly groups, “The Maddox Brothers and Rose.”
Those pieces took me back over 50 years to an evening when they were singing, live, into the microphones in KELA’s Studio A and I was sitting in the control booth twisting all the dials. How many local people still remember that Saturday evening? For that matter, how many remember Gil Moon who, along with the rest of his band The Western Ramblers, usually occupied that time slot? I’m sure he’s the one who arranged the event.
The Maddox Brothers and Rose were appearing later that night at The Playquato Dance Hall located, I’m sure you remember, in Claquato at the intersection of State Route 6 and Highway 603. I’m sure that Gil was the one who reminded them that a little time spent on local radio, ahead of time, wouldn’t hurt the attendance figures later that evening.
Rose Maddox was undoubtedly the most energetic singer I have ever witnessed. The songs she sang were all upbeat and she emphasized that aspect by stomping with her right foot at every beat of the music. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that I quit worrying about the carpet and wondered if the floor would last the full half hour.
And how many people, outside those whose last name is Moon, still remember Gil and his wife Alda who lived in what was once the train station in Littel? Hardly a Saturday evening went by without The Western Ramblers playing at a Grange hall, most often the Cowlitz Prairie Grange or Newaukum Grange. After closing down the radio station at 11 p.m. Saturdays I’d occasionally detour on my way home to catch some music in Newaukum.
Getting back to things related to The Ken Burns series, in the relatively short time I was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, a friend, Alan Gatty, worked across the aisle from me in the Public Information Office, and we occasionally took a trip down to Nashville. I can remember dropping in at Ernest Tubb’s record store and heard him chewing out an employee. We didn’t think he’d be in the mood to be asked for his autograph.
Al had also met a young lady in Nashville who had been given two tickets to the famous Ryman Auditorium by one of the Grand Ole Opry stars. I think it may have been George Jones. Anyway, she gave Al the tickets and we wasted no time in making use of them. I frankly don’t remember who all of the stars were that night because it wasn’t the night for the regular Opry but at least I can say I sat in one of those old seats in the Ryman Auditorium before the Opry moved to another location.
I remember I once had a short contact with another country star, Lefty Frizzell. I was back in civilian life and working at radio station KMO in Tacoma. The staff was waiting for an appearance by Mr. Frizzell. He was quite late, but arrived sitting in the back seat of large limousine. The vehicle stopped but he didn’t move until the driver got out, walked around the front of the car and then opened the door for him. I never much cared for his music, either, although a lot of other people did.
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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.
