I met Tex at the Rebel Roundup at Fontana Village, NC. It was around 1984 or 1985; my wife Kathy and I were invited as guest callers. It was a great festival, I don’t remember all the callers names (please forgive me), but we had legends like Tex Brownlee, Bob Baker, Johnny Creel and Bill Volner. It was a great learning experience for me!
It lasted several days, and at night we had a live band, a building with flow through mountain air, and big crowds of dancers from many states. We had several good after parties, Tex’s pal George "Chuck" Borella, also known as Old Buster was there. Bob Baker had taught me to Square Dance and I knew Chuck from work.
I was not used to a live band, so Tex would sneak up behind me with a trumpet, or pull the plug on my mike during a duet with Kathy.
The highlight of the festival for me was when Kathy was asked to fill in for a member of a quartet of callers, because he was ill. Bill Volner fired up “I’ll Fly Away” backed up by Johnny Creel, Kathy and a caller from Ohio with a great voice (I could kick myself for forgetting his name). Bill’s rhythmic, driving delivery and the blend of voices was perfect, I saw people get happy, a southern term for in the Spirit.
I loved getting to know Tex, what a special person!
Now a retired caller, Charlie Coffey, Knoxville, TN
The Rebel Roundup at Fontana Village
I met Tex at the Rebel Roundup at Fontana Village, NC. It was around 1984 or 1985; my wife Kathy and I were invited as guest callers. It was a great festival, I don’t remember all the callers names (please forgive me), but we had legends like Tex Brownlee, Bob Baker, Johnny Creel and Bill Volner. It was a great learning experience for me!
It lasted several days, and at night we had a live band, a building with flow through mountain air, and big crowds of dancers from many states. We had several good after parties, Tex’s pal George "Chuck" Borella, also known as Old Buster was there. Bob Baker had taught me to Square Dance and I knew Chuck from work.
I was not used to a live band, so Tex would sneak up behind me with a trumpet, or pull the plug on my mike during a duet with Kathy.
The highlight of the festival for me was when Kathy was asked to fill in for a member of a quartet of callers, because he was ill. Bill Volner fired up “I’ll Fly Away” backed up by Johnny Creel, Kathy and a caller from Ohio with a great voice (I could kick myself for forgetting his name). Bill’s rhythmic, driving delivery and the blend of voices was perfect, I saw people get happy, a southern term for in the Spirit.
I loved getting to know Tex, what a special person!
Now a retired caller, Charlie Coffey, Knoxville, TN