Memories, by James

Happiness Was Lubbock, Texas

I really feel inadequate writing about the musicians from Lubbock in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I will limit my article to the musicians with which I had personal contact: Mac Davis, Buddy Holley, Ralna Hovis, and Elvis Presley. There were many others such as Waylon Jennings and Roy Orbison. Many times we could not go to their concerts because they performed at adult clubs. I do remember going to some western dances at the SUB when I was a student at Tech.

Several bands did not make it much past Lubbock. I am sure you never heard of Terry Noland. He made several records. He and his twin Jerry were friends of mine. Later Jerry Church became a well-known preacher in Oklahoma. Terry Noland Church is one of the most successful realtors and investors in Oklahoma

Ralna and her band played at many of our activities such as many of our sock hops. Her claim to fame is that she won a talent show over Buddy Holley (they mispelled Buddy’s last name so he became known as “Holly”). Of course, she went on to be a performer on the Lawrence Welk show. She now lives in Arizona and does perform in Branson and other limited engagements.

Buddy and the Crickets played at a roller rink in Lubbock. We would skate to his music then dance to his music. Buddy died in 1959, and it makes you wonder what kind of future he would have had. He did influence the Beatles. They took an insect’s name because of Buddy.

Joe B. Mauldin, the bassist for the Crickets, was a classmate and one of the first friends I made when we moved to Lubbock. We walked to school together for several years. The Crickets had quite a career in Europe after Buddy’s death. They performed at Branson for many years. Joe passed away just a couple of years ago. We kept up with each other over the years.

Elvis did many gigs in and around Lubbock. I met him when I was a “soda jerk” at a drug store. You would never predict what he would become. Nice young man — very religious. He always had his Bible with him. Strange that his time in Lubbock is not mentioned in his biography. He also spent time in the Dallas area.

Mac Davis was born in Lubbock but lived in Atlanta until high school. I remember him moving back to Lubbock and coming to Lubbock High School. Mac was a bout 2 ½ years younger than we were. He was born in 1942, and most of us were born in either 1939 or 1940. He was only 16 when we graduated in 1958. He was always self-conscious about his age and size. He did get in many fights, but not when he was in our group.

Mac never gave a hint that he was so talented. I had to check the annual to see if he was even in the choir. We did many things together including going to parties and dances and just running around like teenagers still do. He had to sneak around because his dad was so strict.

Many of Mac’s songs are part of his life experiences. The song “Lubbock in the Rear View Mirror” is about his willingness to leave Lubbock because of the limits he had in Lubbock. I think that is why many of my classmates left Lubbock. The irony about the song “The Ghetto” is that the street where Mac grew up is now named Mac Davis Boulevard. The ghetto is where I grew up, along with Buddy Holley and Mac. This is one of the oldest parts of Lubbock, located between downtown and Tech. Buddy lived about 4 blocks west of me, and Mac lived about four blocks west of Buddy. The area was pretty run down at that time.

Mac lived just across from Tech. Later when I was the accountant for Mac’s dad, who ran an old tourist court, Mac and his dad bought and remodeled about a block of old houses. Today this whole area is upscale homes and apartments. Being across from Tech, there are many businesses. My mother was the last homeowner to move from that area. Thank goodness she made a fortune on her house. It certainly is not a ghetto now.

My favorite of Mac’s songs is Watching Scotty Grow. It is about his stepson who played football for UCLA. I was surprised to see Mac on the Johnny Carson show many times in the early ‘60s. He also did the Will Rogers show on Broadway.

As a teenager, you never know what will happen to your classmates. Thanks for Staying with me.