I got here very early to do some shopping and the theater is not open yet but I did
see Leon Rhodes come in and I helped him get his rig in the store. He said well now I
just have to learn how to play this thing. He sure is a hoot..all them older guys are.
I stopped over at Music City Grill first but there was no band just yet as they were
between sets. So I had a beer and an appetizer and came over here to browse a bit.
I’m here tonight to see the Midnite Jamboree hosted tonight by country music legend Glenn Douglass Tubb.
If his uncle Ernest were alive today he’d be 101. The store and the Jamboree need us right now and I feel at home here. I love to soak in the walls of history and watch the videos. I could honestly spend all day here because my brain is like a sponge when it comes to country music.
Leon Rhodes who played guitar for the Troubador’s from 1961 to 1967, along with Jimmy Heap Jr.on drums will also be appearing tonight with Mr. Glenn. Guitarist Jimmy Kay was also there along with many others. In the store I ran into Rob McNurlin who I’ll be writing about later this week, he has a new album out and I got to have a really nice conversation with him.
Ernest Tubb was the first country artist to ever play at Carnegie Hall in New York. He joined the Opry in 1943 and pioneered many new up and coming acts to the Opry, some of them becoming members as well. In fact he ushered in Loretta Lynn who to this day still plays the Opry her required amount as a member.
He was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1965 and contributed many thing to the Hall Of Fame too. Overhead on the speakers they played Jimmie Rodgers “TB Blues” as the curtain opened.
Tonight’s broadcast we show number 3,549 of the longest running radio program in existence short of only the Opry.
Miss Roxanne Attwood was there to substitute for Jennifer Herron who is usually the host that comes on and does the sponsor adds. Mr. Glenn told us all a story first about how in 1947 they started the show in a building on Commerce Street and the public began pouring out into the street the show drew such a large audience. Soon Glenn Tubb and his family loaded all the records into the store on Broadway which is now the current main store of the Ernest Tubb Record Shops. The Jamboree remained there until they opened the store on Music Valley Drive and the Troubador Theater relocated the show there.
Glenn Douglass Tubb opened his set with a song he wrote as the theme song for the Midnite Jamboree and it was called “The Midnite Jamboree”. It was a really nice upbeat song that shared a lot of history and I LOVED IT! And he then played “Thanks A Lot” and trust you me with Mr. Leon up there it was truly a blessed treat to see and hear.
Then he invited his first guest Bill White to come up and play a few numbers. I really and truly enjoyed his picking and singing, and I shall be delving into his music a little further soon and will try to feature him in an article. His first song was “Blue Eyed Elaine” and he followed with “Journey’s End”. I liked the way he dressed and presented himself.
Glenn told us a story about an interview someone once did with legendary producer Owen Bradley and they asked him when did country music start? He replied the day that Ernest Tubb came to town. And Glenn followed with one of my favorite songs he sings called “the Day That Ernest Tubb Came To Town”. He followed that with his most well known song he co-wrote with Jack Moran called “Skip A Rope”. I believe it was first recorded by Henson Cargill but it was cut well over 20 times.
One of the doctors from the cancer unit at Vanderbilt Hospital who is a very talented singer came along as his second guest. She is from Sri Lanka and I thought she did a wonderful job as she sang “He’ll Have To Go” made popular by Jim Reeves. Apparently over there they LOVE traditonal country music and she made it apparent.
She then sang a duet with Mr. Glenn and it was the Hank Sr. gospel song “When God Comes And Gathers his Jewels”.
The band the played a really nice instrumental version of ‘Half A Mind”. And then the next guests were Russ And Becky Jeffers. They also did a really nice job performing their songs I enjoyed them as well. We had a really awesome night of good old fashioned traditional country music. They played the ever popular duet song “If Teardrops Were Pennies” that was done by more people than I can count. They also played ‘When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold”.
Glenn Douglass Tubb played a new song for us called “There’s A Healer In The House”. You know I have known him a lot of years and I have never met a more kind hearted individual. He exemplifies the way a REAL Christian man should act and treats others with such love. He is more than a Legend he is a hero to me and many others. And he closed the show with the popular hymn “I’ll Fly Away”.
Folks THIS IS the time for action. I cannot stress this enough how important this program is to our music and to our community. It is integral that we keep this history and music available to your younger generations to learn form and enjoy. If we allow this valuable resource to disappear we only have ourselves to blame for the devastation.
We MUST ACT on behalf of Mr. David and the store! PLEASE folks go down there and PURCHASE MUSIC. I cannot stress this enough that all of you go buy a record or a CD from the store to prolong the longevity of the store and the radio show.
