A Musical Journey by Boyd Hudgens

A Musical Journey

by Boyd Hudgens

Updated May 6, 2018

Family Heritage

The first thing I remember knowing (Merle Haggard) was growing up in Honey Grove Texas and having a piano in the house. Mom played very well and was taught by her grandfather. She could wear out some Boogie Woogie on the piano! We always went to church at Selfs, just eight miles north of Honey Grove on FM100, where Mom played piano for the services and my grandfather, John Edelhauser lead music frequently. Granddaddy was also a fine musician, playing guitar and lap steel. He was probably the only lap steel player within 50 miles of HG. Mom's brother, my uncle Kenneth, also played guitar and he taught me a lot on it. Tunes like “Boogie Woogie”, “The Buckaroo” and others.

Beyond the immediate family, Grandaddy's brothers and sisters also played instruments. Roy Lee played guitar, Paul played fiddle, and Christine played the piano. Grandaddy's brother, Paul, played fiddle, mandolin and guitar. Garland played guitar

I can remember Granddaddy acquiring a particular electric guitar that I really wanted. As a young kid, I had no notion of how much a guitar like that was worth. I remember asking Granddaddy if I could have it. I was devastated when he said no!

Reunions

First Instrument - Ukulele

Second Instrument – Four String Banjo

Kenneth and Roy Free

Third Instrument – Electric Guitar

School Music

Fifth Instrument – 5-String Banjo

First Band – J.T. Bryan, Joe Julian and Ross Whit

Playing 4-String Banjo

Frank Smith's Filling Station

Stuart Anderson

Texas Fiddle Contests

Meeting Wade White

Bill Grant's Bluegrass Festival

Bluegrass American Style

PJC & Bennie Tschoerner

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band

Lap Steel (Short Horn)

First Pedal Steel – Leroy Tarpley

Places We Played

Ladonia Rodeo, Key Club – Commerce

Waterhole – Denison, TX

First Recording Studio – Garland, TX, Recorded It's You, Back In La and Endless Search

Southfork Band – Paris, Campbell

J. D. Stephens, Rosie Jackson

First Trip to Jeffran College of Pedal Steel Guitar

Second and Third Trips to Jeffran College with Buddy Emmons Classes

St. Louis, MO

Flying Lessons

Bob Gunnells Band – Greenville

Red Horse Band Recordings

Robert Joe Vandygriff & Shades of Country

Fair Buyers Association, Dallas TX

Box Car Willie

Recording Studio – Mesquite, TX

Melody Ranch, Waco

Mr. L's

Terry Downs

New Year's Eve Parties

Victoria, TX

Family – Debbie & Kevin

RJV @ Chrystal Chandelier

Wylie Opry – Steve Matlock

Kev's First Drums

Go For Broke - Greenville

Eric Blakenship Band – Greenville

Greenville Opry

Move to Paris

Kari & Jerry Shurtleff

Brandon Teague

Lanny Teague

Billy Ratliff – OBS Mount Pleasant

Hard2Git Bluegrass

Wade White

Kenneth Marshall

Stringbender Music

Part 7

A lot of time has passed since I posted any updates to this blog. Over the following years the band has continued to play at various venues including:

 Roxton,TX, July13 

Windom Feed Sack, 

Mike Doyle Herford Ranch, 

Lake Bonham Hoedown, 

Selfs Shiloh Cemetery Association (with Gary Moreland, Kelly Connell, Dewayne Strickland and Boyd Hudgens).

Upcoming appearances this year include the Windom Feedsack on the following date: July 14th. 

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band - Part 5

When the band felt that they had a good list of songs to play, they began to look for a venue where they could perform. It just so happened that there was a place just north of Commerce. An old movie theater had been there sometime before and the only thing that was left was a building that was the previous concession stand. The building was now a club called the Shorthorn. The band was eventually invited to perform at the Shorthorn and it was their first gig. As time went by the band could be found playing at just about any place. Below, the band rehearses at Lake Crockett north of Honey Grove.

The original group plays in Ladonia Texas

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band - Part 4

As Gary and Boyd continued to play music on banjo and guitar, they would sometimes find themselves in the strangest settings for music. One particular time found them under a bridge overlooking Sulphur river near Flat Prairie between Honey Grove and Ladonia, playing music as the water passed under the bridge. Maybe there were movie people behind some of  bushes and they got the idea for "Deliverance!"

As Boyd and Gary stopped in Ladonia one particular evening for gasoline at Johnny and Billie's Mobile Station, some other guys walked in. Johnny and Billy introduced the guys who were from Wolfe City. They had been playing music in another small band and were somewhat disgruntled with the leader. After talking about music for a while and getting to know these guys, they decided to get together in the near future and have a jam session. That eventually took place at Bob Robinson's home in Commerce. The guys immediately jelled and decided to find a venue to rehearse their music.

The quest for a rehearsal place took the band from Wolfe City to Honey Grove and some community centers in-between! At one particular community center, the band was asked to leave because we were playing too loud.

Above the band rehearsed in a building near Goss Implement in Honey Grove and took this photo.

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band - Part3

Gary and Boyd continued to play music together whenever they could. They began to run around with J.T. Bryan, Joe Julian and Dr. Stuart Anderson. Boyd was attending Paris Junior College at the time and one of his instructors, Bennie Tschoerner was also a fan of bluegrass music, so Boyd would ride to Salt Creek Park with Tschoerner. Bennie had seen Jimmy Hendly (who also appeared with Roy Clark on TV) and stated that if "that twelve year old kid can play a banjo, I can too. Bennie bought an Alveraz banjo and eventually found out that it wasn't easy to play and Boyd eventually bought that banjo from Bennie and it was the first good banjo Boyd had ever owned.

                           Bennie Tschoerner shortly before his death on November 2, 2014

Bennie was a fine rhythm guitar player and accompanied Boyd and Gary at various events and faculty parties at Paris Junior College.

Boyd and Stuart would also travel to Salt Creek Park in Hugo every August to enjoy the fellowship of other friends, play music and watch the stage shows at the "Biggest Blue Grass Festival West of the Mississippi". Bill Grant of Hugo hosted the festival at Salt Creek Park and it drew many bluegrass musicians and fans ever year.

Boyd continued the trips to Texas Fiddling Contest around the state with Joe and J.T. Joe and J.T.had  no equals when it came to backing fiddlers and they also won recognition for their ability to play any old-time fiddle tune that came their way! On one particular trip to Bowie, Boyd and Stuart rode in the back seat of the car. It was either Joe's car or J.T's. Joe's doghouse bass was laying across the seats from the back seat all the way to the front windshield. As they traveled, Stuart would pass tablature under the bass for Boyd to study. Stuart and Boyd could not see each other because of the doghouse between them. Boyd learned a lot of banjo tunes from Stuart!

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band - Part2

It wasn't long after Boyd won the banjo contest at Salt Creek Park when an old friend of his, Gary Moreland returned to Honey Grove from his stay in Los Angeles. Boyd and Gary happened to meet on the town square of Honey Grove one evening. It just so happened that Boyd had his banjo in his 1969 Mustang when Gary drove up. Gary was unaware that Boyd played the five string banjo. Gary mentioned that he had a guitar at his parent's house and quickly went to get it. It wasn't long before they started play music together on a regular basis.

Bois d'Arc Bottom Band - Part 1

In 1973, Boyd Hudgens was painstakingly learning to play the five string banjo on Fourteenth Street in Honey Grove Texas by slowing down an album of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in order to learn every lick that Earl played on the banjo. Of course the song was “The Foggy Mountain Breakdown”. Hudgens began to reach a level of proficiency on the banjo and was noticed by Ross Whit who lived two blocks from him. Whit apparently told J.T. Bryan (guitar) and Joe Julian (Dog House Bass) of Paris about Hudgens and his banjo playing. It wasn't long before Hudgens was playing banjo with the trio at county fairs around the Fannin and Lamar County areas. Julian and Bryan were known throughout Texas as being the best accompaniment players for Texas fiddlers, and they had won multiple awards for their skills.

It was during this period that Hudgens met Dr. Stuart Anderson, head of the Mathematics Department of East Texas State University. This began a friendship between two banjo pickers that endures to this day! Anderson was instrumental in bringing a Bluegrass Festival to the campus of East Texas State University (Commerce Texas) in 1976. During that festival, Hudgens won First Place in the banjo contest, playing a tune Anderson had taught him. The duo of Hudgens and Anderson continued to travel with Julian and Bryan to Texas fiddling contests around the state.

During this era, Bill Grant of Hugo hosted what was known as the largest bluegrass festival west of the Mississippi! Hudgens and Anderson would make the trek from Texas to Salt Creek Park Oklahoma every August and spend the weekend enjoying bluegrass music, sharing their banjo skills and learning more about banjo playing during the festival. In 1979 Hudgens won First Place in the Banjo Contest at Salt Creek Park. 

Catherine Bryan, J.T.Bryan and Dr. Anderson

Boyd and Joe Julian play bluegrass in downtown Paris (right)

Retirement Income

Now that I don't have steady income from the company I used to work for, I now teach music at my studio in Paris. The musical instruments I teach are  Ukulele, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Dobro, Banjo and Pedal Steel Guitar. I use the GoRendezvous system for booking appointments. A student can visit www.stringbendermusic.com and click on "Click here to book online". This sends me an email and puts their preferred appointment time on my calendar.

I also have another job that I enjoy doing...and that is converting VHS tapes to DVD. Most of the businesses in Paris, such as the drug stores and Walmart charge $25 to $30 for these services. See their ads below.

I charge a fee of $10 to convert the VHS to DVD. Extra copies are $3 each.

I also convert cassette tapes and vinyl records to CD format. At this time I do not convert movie reels, and can also convert MiniDVs. If you need any of these services, give me a call at               903-784-7436.

The Original Boisd'Arc Bottom Boys - by Boyd Hudgens

                         Boyd Hudgens and Gary Moreland at KFYN Studio in Bonham Texas, 1976

In 1976 I had recently won first place in the banjo contest at East Texas State University in Commerce Texas after struggling with the four-string banjo for a few years. A friend of my parents, Roy Free, had a five string banjo and brought it to the Bicentennial celebration that was current going on in my hometown of Honey Grove Texas.  It wasn't long after that a friend of mine who had previously lived across the street from me returned to Honey Grove after living in Los Angeles for a few years. 

Gary Moreland happened to find me on the "square" in H.G. one evening and I had my banjo with me in my 1969 Mustang that my parents had given me. Gary noticed my banjo and said that he played guitar. I believe he drove back to his parents home and quickly came back with his guitar.  In the months that followed, Gary and I would play music whenever we got a chance. Here's a few pictures of us playing music...

Christmas Pickin'

Hats

I don't recall how we were able to get a spot on KFYN Radio. I know that we played on the air before and after Christmas that year. My mother recorded the on-air performance and here is a picture of the cassette tape dated Jan, 10, 1976.                                                                                   

Below is a picture of us in the studio. Notice the 12 string guitar Gary is playing!

 

In the picture below we are standing outside of the studio.

Last but not least, when Gary and I returned to the studio for the last time, someone had stolen my Old Craftsman guitar that Roy Free gave me. I had left it there knowing that we would eventually pick it up on our last visit to the studio.

That's my grandfather, John Edelhauser, playing the Old Craftsman at Russell Davis' home in Honey Grove.

The Metal Work of Gary Moreland

My dear friend Gary Moreland has been turning out some interesting items in his shop near Bonham Texas. After working for the Veterans Hospital for many years, he is now retired and has time to do some fun things in life. Gary has played and sung for the Bois d'Arc Bottom since 1976. His father was a great painter and I assume Gary learned a lot from his dad just as I did from mine.

Gary and his family lived across the street from me in Honey Grove Texas in the 1960's and 70's. He moved to Los Angeles for a period of time and eventually came back to Honey Grove just I was graduating from high school. That's when we starting playing music together, banjo and guitar. We eventually met up with some great musicians from Wolfe City and formed the Bois d'Arc Bottom Band.

Back to the story...  Gary is pretty good at coming up with fun projects and I wanted to share a couple of those recent items he created.

The first gift he created and gave to me was this metal creation that looks a lot like Buddy Emmons playing the steel guitar.  But, Gary has a story that goes along with it that reveals the item is actually me playing steel guitar (Big "B" instead of my hero and teacher, Buddy Emmons. Here's the story...

I went out to my shop and this dude was settin’ there pickin’ some mean steel geetar. He said “Hey, can you help me find the Big B?” I said you mean the Big E?” He said no, the Big B!! He said ” The Big B gota lotta Big E in him”. I said, “Heck I been knowin’ that for years. I said “I’ll just take you to him”. He said thanks pard, I’d appreciate that.” So, there ya go. Another adventure in the life of BW and G. Stay tuned for my next blog which will feature the unnamed guitar picker!  Could it actually be Gary?!

Kevin Hudgens - June 8, 1976 to October 6, 2015

On November 15, 1984 I married the love of my life, Debbie. It was only a short time later that I adopted her eight year old son Kevin as my own.

 In junior high Kevin was in band for three years and played percussion. He became very interested in drums. One night I was playing at the Wylie Opry and at the end of the night the drummer made a comment to Kevin that he would sell his complete drum set for $300 because he was moving out of town and didn't want to have to load them up. Kevin came to us and said, "Dad, mom, I have $100. Would you pay the other $200?" We did, and before long he was spending hours and hours in the garage jamming to everything on the radio!

 Kevin began playing for a country band I was part of and played his first paying gig at age 14. He made $50 for playing two hours. That was exciting for a 14 year old. He went on to play other venues with various bands, including Larry Walls and ET Switch, Richard Yazell's Band, Mike Grigsby's Home Town Christmas and Tridens Prairie, Wade White and the Plain Label Band, Robert Joe Vandygriff, J.D. Moss and Ace Duece, Post Oak Savannah, Gary Porterfield, Karl Louis and the Blues Drivers, and the Wade White Acoustic Group. He also sat in with various bands I was a part of. But his dream was to play in a Christian band, and that came true in 2014 when he became part of the Praise and Worship Band at East Paris Baptist Church under the direction of Ryan Clark.

Post Oak Savannah

Karl Louis & The Blues Drivers

Gary Porterfield Band

    

Drummer for East Paris Praise & Worship Band

Husband & Father

Outdoorsman

 

Kevin Hudgens June 6 1976 - October 6, 2015

Buddy Emmons & Jeff Newman - RIP

I'm deeply saddened by the lost of my mentor and teacher, Buddy Emmons. I studied under Buddy's teaching at Jeffran College of Steel Guitar, Nashville Tenn in 1983 and 1984. Words can't describe the privilege of learning from "The World's Foremost Steel Guitarist". Here's some pictures from those days:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11725703@N02/albums/72157656154962989 and
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11725703@N02/albums/72157656551813022

More details...
http://banjoboyd.com/musicblog/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Buddy-Emmons-Virtuoso-o..1.pdf

And I forgot to blog about the death of Jeff Newman. Jeff perished in an ultra-light airplane crash in 2004. I had previously attended his school in 1980. I can't begin to tell you how great of a teacher he was. I've never learned so much steel guitar and music theory in my life. Jeff was the World's Foremost Pedal Steel Guitar teacher. He was the first to ever develop modern instructional material for the pedal steel.  Jeff and I both enjoyed flying airplanes. Jeff also flew RC airplanes.  I miss Jeff...

Music Lessons - Cowboy Crossing Youth Band - Hugo Oklahoma

On July 6 of 2015 I was contacted by Doris and Mike Merritt of Cowboy Crossing Church in Hugo Oklahoma.  The reason for their contact was to ask me about teaching a group of teenagers (ages 13-16) to play various instruments in hopes of forming a youth band for their church.

So on July 14 I began a weekly trek to Hugo to teach my first full classroom of teens! During the following weeks the students went from knowing pretty much nothing about their respective instrument to gaining a knowledge of their instrument, how to tune their instrument, and learning how to chord and strum their instrument. By the way, the instruments and musicians are:

• C.J. Hughes – bass guitar
• Joseph Nelson – 5-string banjo
• Ty LeBlanc – rhythm guitar
• Lily LeBlanc – dobro guitar

As their teacher, I am SO proud of these teens for what they’ve accomplished in just eight weeks!  On September 2 all of the students assembled at Cowboy Crossing to play their first concert together. I had been eagerly anticipating the day when they could all come together and play a couple of songs as a band. When Debbie and I arrived, we found that they were as ready as I was! I didn’t even have to ask them to tune their instruments…they were ready to play!

Recording HWY19

During spring break my friends Dr. Stuart and Tammy Anderson came to Stringbender Music to record a couple of new songs. HWY19 has been playing music for several years, and have recorded several albums.  But this trek to Paris was just to record a couple of new songs for their website (which was also created by Stringbender Music).
Arriving in Paris, Stuart and Tammy unloaded their instruments and got right down to business. We first started working on a tune call "Red Sails in the Sunset". Stuart laid down the banjo track and added an additional track just in case we needed some variation.  Tammy tuned up her guitar and simultaneously played rhythm and sang the song.

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch.  Since Debbie and I were keeping our grandsons during spring break, we knew they would be ready for something to eat. So, we took off for Magel's.  We had a good time visiting during lunch...and the lunch was delicious! Stuart also told me some long forgotten facts about my first Banjo championship at the First Annual Bluegrass Festival held at East Texas State University in 1976. I actually won based on a tune Stuart taught me to play.  Stuart told me that Buddy King (Shady Grove Ramblers) was one of judges and stated that I "had the Scruggs style down perfect".  I didn't even remember Buddy being a judge.  I DO remember admiring his banjo playing at Bill Grant's festival in Hugo on one particular occassion.  I had payed him a compliment and he was so humble and gracious.
After returning to the studio, we set out to record one of mine and Debbie's favorite songs, "In The Garden".  For this recording, Tammy played the guitar and sang into one microphone.  Stuart sat back a couple of feet behind Tammy and played banjo.
After Stuart and Tammy left, I started the mixing process.  To make a long story short, the music came out great.  And, you can find it on their new website, "HWY19.org".

The Passing of a Friend and Professor

Ten Strings My Soul - Gospel Steel Guitar CD

Finally, after recording Gospel Dobro and Banjo CDs, I've gotten around to recording one for the Steel Guitar!  The title was suggested by my wife's sister, Cindy Ray.  It comes from the line in How Great Thou Art that says, "then sings my soul".  I recorded the CD in my studio at Stringbender Music over a period of a month or so.  Here's a list of the songs on it:

1. Amazing Grace
2. Because He Lives
3. Blessed Assurance
4. Blessed Be The Name
5. Create In Me A Clean Heart
6. In The Garden
7. Mansion Over The Hilltop
8. The Old Rugged Cross
9. There's Something About That Name
10. What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Most of these songs are some of my favorites, and some of them I had never played on steel guitar, but I wanted to learn them on steel, so it was a good opportunity to do just that!

I had never played #2, but my uncle, Kenneth Edelhauser, requested it, so I did that one for him. Also, one of my favorite childhood memories is remembering sitting by my grandfather, John Edelhauser, at Selfs Baptist church when I was around 6-8 years old and hearing him belt out the tune (#4) Blessed Be the Name.  And, I played #8 at my grandfather's funeral in 1982.  That was not an easy thing to do!

My wife's favorite song is #6, so I gladly added that one!  She also enjoys singing #7 too.    The other tunes, #1, #5, #9 and #10 are some of my personal favorites.  Here's a picture of my latest CD...

Tulsa Jam - 2014

During the weekend of May 17th, Debbie and I, along with my sister Tajuana and her daughter Emily, made the 180 mile trek to my sister Lenora Gauldin's home in Tulsa.  We arrived on Friday evening, hoping to get a little rehearsal time in before the big jam session on Saturday.  Sis, (as we call her) plays bass for Fiawna Forte's band in Tulsa.  So, she also invited them over for snacks and rehearsal.  Don Johnson is another good friend of ours.  When Gary Moreland of the original 14th Street Reunion band can't be there, we call on Don to sing and play some good ole country and bluegrass music.  I met Don several years ago and he doesn't miss a chance to jam with me and Sis!

Saturday was a very busy day!  There were many preparation to be made for the party.  It included setting up tables and chairs in the yard for guests, a new fire pit for late evening picking and singing, conversion of the garage to a kitchen for serving great food from Billy Sims BBQ and cobblers from Tulsa's Delta Cafe.  Tom Gauldin and I did a lot of running around picking up the food and ice.

At about 6pm, the guest started arriving.  Food and drinks were served and everyone was making new acquaintances and renewing old ones.  My nephew, Mike Gauldin and his wife Samantha were there and I haven't seen them in a few years!  Mike is currently an EMS and police officer in Jenks, OK.

First up on center stage was Sis's friend, Will Coppoc, a concert bassist.  Will played beautiful music AND told some good jokes (even about banjo players!). Will says this, "I started playing piano when I was five. I actually started playing bass when I was 12, in the Jenks Public School system. After a year at Jenks, I lived overseas for a few years in Egypt (my dad got a job transfer over there), where I met a bass teacher from Ukraine who was very influential to my playing. I completed high school at Jenks and decided to major in music. I attended UNT (formerly NTSU) where I got my bachelors in music performance. I wanted to stay at UNT for my masters degree in performance, but OSU ended up being a better deal, partially because I get a two-year contract with the Tulsa Symphony as part of the deal. In addition to playing with Tulsa Symphony, I have also played with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Tulsa Signature Symphony, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and the Las Colinas Symphony of Irving, TX. I also play freelance jazz gigs, musicals, and do some private teaching."

Next on stage was Fiawna Forte.  She is a songwriter and excellent musician, playing many instruments.  She has a large following in the Tulsa area.  Lenora has been playing upright bass for Fiawna's band for quite a while. Here's some facts about Fiawna:
1. Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist

2.  2010 debut CD “Transitus” won wide-spread critical acclaim and helped land Fiawna Forte in the Boston Phoenix’s  “50 Bands/50 States” issue as the top band in Oklahoma.

3.  Fiawna Forte’ Band named one of the top 50 New Bands in America.

4.  She was in a movie called “Find Me.”

5.  Her song “I’d Rather Die” was the music behind a South Korean TV commercial about their new Vega N 6 cell phone.

6.  She’s about to release her 3rd CD on June 7th where she wrote all the songs, plays all the instruments, and produced the CD.

7.  Wrote many of the songs she performs as a teenager.

8.  Has had several TV appearances in Tulsa & OKC playing her original songs.

9.  Been on talk radio shows in Tulsa.

And lastly, 14th Street Reunion, featuring Don Johnson and Sis!  Don sang several old and contemporary songs and I accompanied on banjo and dobro.  Since we didn't write out our set list...and just played off the top of our head...we forgot to perform an original written by me and Sis..."Sister's Minor".  Oh well, I'll bet we don't forget it next time!

If you would like to see more pictures of the jam,  Click here .
Also, you can view the videos at this link-> The Videos . Look for the "14th Street Reunion" channel.

Patsy Cline Review was a success!

About 140 tickets were sold for the Patsy Cline Review show and it turned out good!  There were several people from L-3 there (that where Lou Ann still works...I've retired from there...and a few retirees showed up too!).  I also saw my song writing buddy, Eldon Page from Honey Grove.  The crowd seemed to really enjoy the show.  There were 22 songs on our set list, and we somehow left one out of the second set.  Monty Tipps opened the show with some good ole Country music and from the sound of applause, the audience enjoyed his show.

Lou Ann came out and sang eleven Patsy Cline songs in the first set.  She even got a few requests from the audience.  Unfortunately, the band hadn't practiced those songs!

 

Boyd and Dan Grobe held down stage right...

 

while Rick Hawthorne (Paris) and Joe Harrison (Greenville) held down stage left.

Roger Reed Entertainment Theatre may just prove to be a good venue for music in the Northeast Texas area! Visit Reeds-Entertainment.com to see what shows are upcoming.