More Yakima and on to California

We were on an indefinite contract In Yakima  and as a result of buying new instruments and a disastrous trip home we were broke. Not to mention a new wardrobe.   We settled in and and got back on our feet.  We had a lot of work to do to come together as a band.  This was 1964 lots of things were happening.   Cascious Clay came on the scene beating Sonny Liston.  The Beatles were creating  havoc.    We watched them on Ed Sullivan there at the hotel desk.   I don’t think we had TV in our rooms but I’m not sure.  A new group was big in the Paciffic north west.  Paul Revere and The Raiders.  They played a concert in Yakima and were staying the night in the hotel so they came in the club that night after their show.  They were nice, we visited with them after we got off.

I need to take some time to tell you about Jimmy Jones.   Jim grew up in Wewoka.  I never knew him until we hired him to take over for me when I had to go to active duty.  Jim passed away about three years ago.  He was a great guy but to say Jim was a little bit lazy is to say King Kong was a pretty good sized monkey.  I mean this guy always needed motivating.  Now in these days he was always there for work or practice but getting him off his butt for anything else was a challenge, except eating, he was a big guy and loved to eat.  We would meet for breakfast in the hotel restaurant every morning.  There was a cook there named Frenchy.  Every morning Jim would be all excited about a hot tip he got from Frenchy at the local horse racing track.  We fell for it a couple times and went to the horse races ,one time I remember Frenchy hitting us up for a loan. So much for Frenchys hot tips. One time Jim decided he needed a sun tan.  Now being so lazy he didn’t want to get out of bed he bought a sun lamp. He should have done a little research as far as how much time.  He burned himself so bad even I felt sorry for him.   He had a great sense of humor.  Loved him

I don’t really remember how long we were in Yakima it was probably June of ‘64 we left for Eureka California.   Eureka is a very pretty place just above the Redwood Forest.  Our engagement there was not a good one.  We were booked in for two weeks.  They hated us.  The people hated us, the club owner hated us and I guess even the guy at the chevron station down the street hated us.  I took my car there for an oil change.  When I picked it up there was a crease on the hood.  It took me about two seconds to figure out what happened.  They pulled it too far up on the lift, when they raised it up it hit the tire rack up above and creased the hood.  Well no they said they didn’t do it.  I fussed with them til they called the cops.  The cop wanted my proof.   Turn out the lights it’s over.  I tried further protest until the cop let me know it was time to go.   We made it through the first week and then on Monday of the second week we were there with no crowd. As the old joke goes about ten o’clock a guy walked in and doubled our crowd.  We had a discussion with the owner and decided to just leave.

For some time we had wanted to go to Reno.  There we were with some free time on our hands why not go to Reno? I know we just packed up and headed to Reno but i am a little confused as to how it all went down.  I know we had a two week stay in Winnimucca Nevada sometime in all this.  That was a good stay. We played a casino lounge right in the middle of a Casino.   It was fun.  Now some people just never learn.   While in Winnemucca we met the west coast version of Bill Teal.  His name was George Raich and his wife was Lawanda.   They spent their days sitting in the sun by the pool and were darker than George Hamilton. Their nights were spent In the lounge watching us.  I was never sure how Georg made his living but he seemed to do alright.  They loved us and next thing you know we were all in Reno.  I’m not sure if we just threw our booking agent to the curb or what , but somehow ,now George was our manager.  Now I got to admit no one ever worked harder to try and help a band than George.

Next time :  The Biggest Little City In The World