ITEM'S From TOWN HALL PARTY & THE SQUEEKIN' DEACON SHOW KFOX

[EF@MosriteRecords]

I will try to bring VINTAGE items from the following gigs.

I have often been asked about TOWN HALL PARTY and the Shows or appearances we
did there. Also KFOX Radio Long Beach. Shows such as the "Squeekin Decon" Moore Radio Show. The Deacon was a Disc Jockey that was already a Legend in Radio. The CAL WORTHINGTON DODGE Show's, "CAL"S CORRAL." I still get questions about what were they like. Two of my best friends The Ruis Kid's, Buddy & Jeri Ruis I met doing those show's in the late 50's. Semie built them both Guitars. Some might remember his saying "I will stand upon my head till my ears are turning red" And "My Dog Spot" which was not a Dog at all but a Wild Animal such as a Lion, Tiger etc. Great Memories. I am glad there are photo's, many my Mother took. Back then I was just a "Sidegirl Musician" and a Session player that loved to pick, to heck with the Money. The Club Venue's. Bonnie Price's Foot Hill Club. Palomino etc. The Music was everything. At the time I never realized that 54 or 50 years later we would still be reliving them. So. Calif. was a dream world from San Diego to Long Beach to LA. and Hollywood. It's what we did and loved it. Looking back now I know it was all for a reason. I was going down a road to a different kind of school.

For those that asked, thank you.
Elaine

Below are Buddy & Jeri Ruis "The Ruis Kids" Buddy's Double Neck and Jeri's Bass.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Wow Elaine, this is totally wild! I had no clue you were on TOWN HALL PARTY! Are there any PIX with you and Joe or the Collins Kids??
And where are Buddy & Jeri Ruis? Do they still play locally? Mosrite enquirer minds want to know ........

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Hi Dennis
Well I certainly did not take any. My Mom went the first time in 1955. I met Joe & Rosie.
But almost a couple of years later about 1957 when I went back again as a side musician.
I do remember Joe & Rosie were not there that night. Got to pick with Merle though.
The Bear family DVD's show me in one picture only of the 22 volumes out. And I think
we were being used as decorations for TV background. This was common practice at the
OPRY and Hayride Shows. Producers and Stage Managers would use gals to be background material (went with the territory). I look so young 17 if the dates on the
clips are right. I have in recent years been going through books and years of family pictures. As a kid I did not place a need for pictures. I think I got Johnny Cash about 1958 and Lefty did a autograph for Mom And I. That was in a frame at home when I left for College in Sept 61. We will find them soon I hope. Back then only are Parents wanted braggin' rights I guess. I was just a picker. Oh yes I played the Town Hall Stage and I
can remember like it was yesterday. I only was a side musician again when I worked
that show. I was no front girl.

Yes I have pictures of Buddy and Jeri. I also have the Capitol Records announcement
that they would have a single coming out soon. I have to take the Neg's and convert.
I probably won't have them before we leave. But Yes I do want to introduce them to the Forum. Brian has met them as had Joe & Rosie and some of the Town Hall gang. We did CAl's Corral Shows back then for Car Dealer CAl Worthington Dodge. Most of the Shows Out there in LA were on KCOP Ch13, KTTV Ch11 (Town Hall Channel) and some country shows on KHJ Ch9. Also we worked with them at The Bostonia Ballroom in Bostonia, Calif. It's been Bulldozed too. Google Cal Worthington and you will see some famous clips listed there.

Elaine

[dubtrub]

Hey Elaine, looking forward to seeing those photo's. I don't think my family ever missed a Town Hall Party show as we watched it every Saturday night on KTTV from it's beginning. We looked forward to it all week long especially since I come from a long line of family musicians. Unfortunately I, nor any any of my near relatives recall ever seeing a female side 'person' guitarist much less any seventeen year old gals standing on that stage. Sure looking forward to seeing what we missed. One thing I do know, I sure never missed seeing Lorie Collins.

I have many of the Bear family recordings of the Town Hall Party shows clear back to "I think" 1958 up until they terminated the show. Your appearance in one of them will certianly be a rare and lucky find to add to my collection if it ever surfaces. looking forward to it. Please let me know if you find some photo's or which DVD show you are seen in. I'll try to grab a still shot to post on the forum.

[JimPage]

Danny wrote:
>>One thing I do know, I sure never missed seeing Lorie Collins.

I'm glad I'm not the only one!!! She was just a stunner in those days, and still is, if the photos and videos I've seen don't lie.

She was the main reason I watched "Ozzie and Harriet," though I did enjoy Rickie Nelson's songs.

--Jim

[thunderhead]

I love those red Mosrites!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Well Danny. From early 50's to 1960 were a lot of shows. I was not the only girl. Even
Rose Lee does not remember lead picker and Travis Fan Diane Jewelette. She played
a Gibson 175 and Semie had done a little gingerbread on the front. You have the time
Bob Luman appeared and Jim Burton was on lead on "My Baby She Walks All Over Me"
The Camera catches only about 1 second of him the whole time he was on stage.
The side musicians mainly screen right Billy Mize on Steel or Merle or Quincy. Because Katy (fiddle) and the Bass player ( sometimes Skeets or Cliff Crawford on Horn were
screen left. Jimmy was always about center screen. I would say it about a nill to one shot that those at home would be able to see all musicians in every spot. Not going to happen. The TV Camera's in those years were huge and heavy and were mounted
on size able dollies. Image Orthicon Image Collecter Tubes were used into the 60's and KTTV CH 11 Hollywood used them like everyone else did. The Lens selection was hand turned and the cabling was huge by todays standard. Yes they had multiple Camera's but just look at how many times they never swing to the far sides. And remember only the 10:00pm to 1:00am were on the air. And I know later they used the 12:00 Midnight to 1:00am was turned into a Town Hall Party Talent Hour. And Winners would be selected to return and perform again. Gosh does this Format sound familiar. And when gals were used as background on a thin night, you might see Jennie Sterling, Martha Carson or whatever. Usually because Unit 2 of Town Hall was in Vegas at the Showboat. Remember those later days. The Town Hall Stage is not very large and
certainly not very deep for a show of this magnitude. The rear ceiling was sloped down and was acoustic tiles. I maybe played there 6 or 7 times. Not that much, but it was
a gas as we use to say. I can only remember plugging in right stage of Pee Wee drum set. Again it's only a glimpse of my right side for maybe a second. Sorry I wish it was more.

Elaine










Elaine

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Subject: Town Hall
If I find a front view picture. I will post it. Out of Hundreds of shows over that many
years. To say one saw everyone every second, I say that's a far reaching statement
and hard to fathom the intensity it must have taken. I don't even remember other than
cast member's, and the already established musicians every body that played there some 50 years ago. And who had performed before air time at 10:00pm. I want to set back and try to understand Danny's statement. The statement that he or his
people never saw me on stage during the TV segment. That's very possible. That stage
is a lot wider than deep and the side folks are most often out of view. Hello the camera's
are on the singer's most of the time even in today's Television. Quite frankly I never lost sleep over it.

EF