Memories from the Homestead: Pioneer treasures—Tommy Nallie [Part two]

    Today I'm picking up where I left off last week, remembering one of the finest in the industry, my long-time friend and partner, Tommy Nallie, a member of the legendary Sons of the Pioneers, dating back to 1983. This week, I'd like to share some personal memories and go into greater detail of seeing Tommy for the first time and the events that led up to it.

     In the early 1980s, the Sons of the Pioneers were still touring what some would consider a hectic road schedule. They were still performing at rodeos and fairs, and were still doing a decent amount of television work. They had appeared on the “Barbara Mandrell Show,” “Austin City Limits,” and the Grand Ole Opry. They were working nearly 200 days a year. In 1983 when Tommy joined as the band's first drummer, the group had just released their "Celebration" album, highlighting their 50th year of continuous entertainment. In early 1984, they were up in the northwest and met Branson theater owner Ken Lowe.

The 1985 Sons of the Pioneers.  From left to right: Tommy Nallie, Sunny Spencer, Dale Warren, Luther Nallie, Roy Lanham and Jack Nallie. The group played 125 performances at the Lowe's Country Music Show in the 1985 season. (Photo courtesy of the Sons of the Pioneers Museum)

Ken told the guys about Branson and his theater. They had never heard of it. Ken persuaded Dale Warren to do a four-week engagement and they signed a contract. The Sons of the Pioneers were scheduled for nightly performances, September 17 to October 19, 1984. The crowds were beyond what anyone could have imagined, and Ken asked the group to perform through the end of October. With such a wonderful response, the Pioneers agreed to perform the entire 1985 season, May 1 through November 1. Now, here's where I come in!

     Sometime during the week of September 30, 1985, the Pioneers' lead vocalist Sunny Spencer dropped by the see Joe Reish, owner of Reish Shoes and Boots on Commercial Street in downtown Branson. Sunny was told that Joe was the only one in town that did boot repair. My Granny Evelyn had been working in sales for Joe and his mother Sylvia for a number of years. Sunny dropped off his boots and introduced himself, and my Granny couldn't believe it! She was talking face to face with a member of the Sons of the Pioneers, her favorite Western group! Next thing you know, Sunny welcomed all the store employees and their immediate families to come see the Sons of the Pioneers anytime they wished. Granny ended up with tickets for six, for Friday evening, October 4, 1985, for the 8 p.m. performance.  

    Now here's where it gets wild y'all. At this particular moment in my life, I'm seven years old and was a second grader in Mrs. Fagan's class at Branson Elementary. I very vividly remember coming home from school, Friday, October 4, 1985, getting off the bus, excited for a relaxing evening and getting to watch my favorite CBS show, the “Dukes of Hazzard,” in its final season on TV. I loved Sheriff Roscoe (James Best); at the time he was my favorite television actor and I was always imitating him. I loved his goofiness. But the plans had changed. Granny had gotten tickets for my whole family and I to go see some show at a theater about a mile from where we lived.

     Not happy, I ran next door to Granny and Grandpa's house to rudely tell her I was not thrilled about her idea to go watch a concert and suddenly, my gripin' and complainin' was quickly hushed! "But I listened to the Sons of the Pioneers all the time on the radio," Granny explained, recalling a memory that meant nothing to me whatsoever. "The who," I asked? For a moment, Granny had this flashback to KGBX, something about these radio singing cowboys and a battery powered radio. Again, this didn't sound like fun to seven-year-old me, so I walked back across the yard to our house and waited around for supper, and after seven, we all loaded up and drove a short distance to the Lowe's Country Music Show, on Highway 76.

     I still remember our arrival at the theater that night, where we sat, row nine, and how the whole evening happened. The Lowes and their band performed the first part of the show, and this bunch called the Sons of the Pioneers would perform the second part.  

     The Lowe's performance was your typical country music and comedy show. They had a really good band. I still remember a few things about their performance. But the highlight for the evening and the reason we were there was for the Sons of the Pioneers. I had no idea that what I was about to witness would change me forever and land me where I am now.

    Intermission had just wrapped up. Everyone was seated. I remember the theater going dark, and a voice (Tommy) giving a quick introduction, "and now ladies and gentlemen, the world-famous...Sons of the Pioneers!" The curtain opened this time to a six-piece group of tall cowboys, all playing their own instruments. Their opening song, fast paced, described something to do with payday and heels kickin' and then the two guitar players did a wild solo and they finished the tune with a closing lyric line..."when payday rolls around!"

     There was something about this sound.  It was totally different from anything I had ever heard. They went from one song to the next, and I still recall the over-the-top enthusiasm from Granny, who is seated two seats to my left, and she's on the edge of her seat, singing out loud, to the point that all the other folks seated around us couldn't hear anything except my Granny singing along!  

     Musically at this age, I had a fascination with drummers for some time, always admiring how a drummer could keep the whole act together.  The man that night wearing the black cowboy hat up on the riser behind the five front line musicians playing drums quickly became my favorite performer out of the six. That was my first experience of seeing Tommy Nallie. I don't recall much else about the performance. I had never heard a single song they performed, but his contribution to the performance really stuck with me.  Every song had something to do with the West: cowboys, horses, cattle, the Western landscape. It was all really fascinating, and I was hooked!

    At the intermission of the Pioneers segment, Granny was gone! She was off to the merchandise counter down by the front of the stage, getting autographs. Extremely shy, I didn't want to meet the Pioneers, so I stayed at my seat. Granny came back with an armload of stuff, two signed group photos, and a signed record album with the title of "Cool Water."

     In the weeks and months after the Sons of the Pioneers’ concert experience, I made an effort to create my own drum kit. Tommy had really made an impression on me, and I wanted to figure out how to "play along" with the eighteen songs on the "Cool Water" LP.  My homemade drum kit was simple, but did require some experimentation. I looked around Granny and Grandpa's house for a few household items that had a certain tone.

     Finally happy with my percussion creation, I was most satisfied with the arrangement of a Planters peanut can, a five-gallon bucket flipped over - bottom side up, plus a one-quart Tupperware container. Granny had a small cymbal laying around, which I mounted to the bottom half of a music stand. There was also a pair of worn-out brushes. But they still worked. My desire to be a Tommy Nallie style drummer was now moving forward!

     I recall the next few years, 1986 through 1988, seeing the Pioneers at least yearly, and growing to love the music and their sound even more. I vividly remember my third time seeing the Pioneers, now at the Foggy River Boys Theater, Monday, July 6, 1987. At intermission during the meet and greet, I met all the guys, including Tommy. By this time, I knew the words to most of their songs in their live set and had the lyrics from all eighteen songs on the "Cool Water" album memorized. The following year in 1988, my mom signed me up for the official Sons of the Pioneers fan club. I had collected two cassettes, another LP, and now had five group photos. Granny shared with me her personal song books and folios with many of the lyrics. My favorite songs were "Cool Water" and "Ghost Riders in the Sky."

    At the end of 1988, I received the sad announcement in the Pioneers fan club newsletter that Tommy had left and went back to Texas. I was heartbroken. My sister Julie was too. She had a crush on Tommy since age three! But my love of the Pioneers remained very strong. I wasn't giving up!

     Stay tuned next week for part three, and I'll explain how Tommy and I got better acquainted and how a phone call really kicked off our friendship.

Happy trails, everyone!