Page 18 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2020- Online Magazine
P. 18
Guitars, Pump Jacks
AND COTTON GINS
by Cary C. Banks
he vastness of the West Community centers
Texas landscape, with its provided a venue for
Tvibrant, multicolored sunsets, up and coming young Richie McDonald (Lead singer for Lonestar), Cary Banks and South Plains College
dotted with images of pump jacks, rock and rollers to professors performing at Cattle Baron’s Ball, circa 2010.
Photo Credit: Wes Underwood/ South Plains College
windmills, and cotton gins, has hone their music and
given the world a most wonderful performance skills.
and enduring legacy of music.
Lubbock and the surrounding I was born and raised
communities have spawned such in Big Spring, Texas
distinguished musical giants as and attended high
Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Waylon school in a small
Jennings, Richie McDonald, Clif community just east
Magness, Natalie Maines, Joe of Big Spring called
Ely, Terry Allen and the Maines Coahoma, where my
Brothers Band, as well as countless football coach and
other remarkable artists, writers government teacher
and performers. The celebrated was the legendary photo credit: Rick Vanderpool
music tradition of Lubbock has Spike Dykes. I started
deep roots that stretch back to the playing music in time included Clif Magness, The
1950s, when such famed musicians my early teens, and one of my Traveling Salesmen, Peyote and
as Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, bandmates at Coahoma High School other masterful musicians. In
and Sonny Curtis were performing was Jody Nix. Jody played drums in the early 1980s, Joe Ely’s annual
at local teen hangouts and, along his dad’s band, Hoyle Nix and the “Tornado Jam” music festival was
with older musicians such as West Texas Cowboys, who regularly becoming an enormous success and,
Tommy Hancock and the first performed at the Golden Nugget in my opinion, might have gone on
generation Maines Brothers band, night club located south of town on to eclipse the success of such notable
were frequent performers at the Lubbock’s infamous “Strip”. Jody music events as South By Southwest
renowned Cotton Club. During the took over the band in the 1980s and and the Austin City Limits festival.
late 1960s and into the 1970s, music has kept the legacy and tradition of Unfortunately, not everyone
hot spots such as The Cow Palace, western swing alive and vibrant to appreciated the growing popularity,
The Saddle Bronc, the Red Raider this day. and that resulted in its termination.
Nightclub and Bigger ‘N Dallas When I first began performing
(which later became Cold Water in Lubbock, the music scene was Beginning in the mid 1970s, South
Country), were favorite gathering filled with exciting and innovative Plains College instituted a unique
places for fans to listen and dance young artists and writers like Joe and ground-breaking new music
to their favorite country bands. Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch program that would become known
Popular night spots and hangouts Hancock, Terry Allen, Jesse Taylor as the Creative Arts Department.
like Eli’s, Fat Dawgs, and Stubbs Bar and the new generation Maines Led by guitarist and entrepreneur,
B Que showcased local rock and roll Brothers Band. Several young John Hartin, this program rapidly
and blues artists. Maxey and Klapp began to attract students from all
rockers on the scene during that
18 Lubbock Senior Link
