DOUG SAHM AND THE SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET
Texas legend DOUG SAHM did it all: keyboards, guitars,
singer, songwriter and producer. DOUG was born November 6, 1941 in San Antonio. In 1955, at the age of nine, DOUGLAS began
his career in music on a San Antonio area radio station where he performed as LITTLE DOUG SAHM. Just a couple of years afterwards,
he headed a group called the PHAROAHS. DOUG put out several records on a handful of labels through 1964.
During the mid-sixties, the British invaded America's
music scene and made quite an impact that is still felt today. Famed Texas producer HUEY MEAUX came into DOUG's life
with a new direction. SAHM convinced some of his compadres to join up: AUGIE MEYERS (keyboards), FRANK MORIN (saxophone),
HARVEY KAGAN (bass) and JOHNNY PEREZ (drums).
In order to put forth somewhat of a British flair,
MEAUX named the ensemble The SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET. She's About A Mover on the Tribe label landed on Billboard
April 3, 1965 and sailed to the #13 position. SIR DOUG's group followed with The Rains Came, which made Billboard
March 5, 1966 and peaked at #31. Tribe records delivered an LP which was christened The Best of SIR DOUGLAS Quintet.
As does happen in the fast-paced music world, the hits came to a halt. DOUG's group of minstrels eventually went their
separate ways.
Nashville had turned up their noses at the DOUG
five. SAHM journeyed to California with not much success. SIR DOUG put out an SOS call for his compadres to head west and
reform the QUINTET. Mendocino on Smash records emerged on Billboard January 18, 1969. After 15 weeks on the chart,
number 27 was its peak.
Famed Atlantic Records producer JERRY WEXLER took notice
that Country-Rock was a happening thing. In 1973, WEXLER signed both DOUG SAHM and WILLIE NELSON to Atlantic records and hauled
them to New York to lay down some tracks. That's when NELSON's Shotgun Willie and Whiskey River tunes came
about. Probably one of DOUG's best LPs came out of that session titled DOUG SAHM and Band. This masterpiece featured
BOB DYLAN, DR. JOHN, and FLACO JIMENEZ on the accordian.
SIR DOUGLAS SAHM longed
for Texas and the armadillo. DOUG ventured into blues with Hell of a Spell in 1980, which was reissued in 1999. Rhino
records features a great compilation with The Best of DOUG SAHM. DOUG passed away November 18, 1999.
A petition to induct
DOUG SAHM into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is well under way. ( www.PetitionOnline.com/DougSahm/ ) I was very happy to sign up and became number 818 on the long list.
JAY WEST (Houston,
TX) jaywestproductions@consolidated.net Jim...Thanks for the "heads up" on Doug Sahm. I proudly cast my vote. He did favors for my radio station
(K-RIO) in the Valley in the 60's..as well as Sunny (Ozuna) and the Sunliners..etc. He was extremely popular...Jay West
BOB CROWLEY (Ft. Worth,
TX) bobcrowley@mail.ev1.net Thanks Jim. I knew Doug, and really appreciate the chance to do something in his memory. Bob
BLAKE LINDSAY (Dallas,
TX) blazin_blake@iqmail.net Thank you Jim! I sure did enjoy reading about Doug's accomplishments. I am familiar with his fantastic work,
and this is certainly a worth while petition. I appreciate you letting us all in on signing it. I don't remember Doug's age
when it was his time to go, but it seems like he died fairly young. I guess Billy Joel's tune only the good die young, does
in fact pertain to some good people. I am happy you are still here, to share your good radio memories. Have a Blazin Good
rest of the Week Jim! Jim. Please keep up your great work. Blake Lindsay
JIMMY STIX (Sand Lake,
NY) jwhiterj@nycap.rr.com Doug Sahm deserves this honor...by all means he should be inducted in the rock and roll Hall of Fame! I have nothing
more to say about it....just do it! Period!
BOB TOMLINSON (Ft. Worth, TX) frbob@swbell.net Jim, I saw Doug as Sahm and the Pharaohs at the Dallas club "LuAnn's" on Greenville in 1965... what a great
night for music. Never had another chance to see him. I've found as I get older I'm enjoying Texas Music like never before.
He's a part of it. I'm 826. Bob Tomlinson
Boy, does that bring
back memories! Had totally forgotten about Lu-Ann's on Greenville Avenue in Dallas. That was the hot spot for Big D's
young folks in the sizzlin' sixties. DOUG SAHM was just a few days shy of his 58th birthday when he passed away in 1999. Maybe
the SAHM name will finally be placed into the Rock and Roll honor rolls where it belongs. It's about time.
A few months ago. FRANK HALEY discussed a few of the newscasters and reporters he
ran across while in Texas radio. DAVID CRAIN was one of them. This week, DAVID's daughter wrote HALEY, who forwarded her message
to me. Here's the exerpt which appeared in this column in July 23, 2004.
FRANK HALEY (Albuquerque,
NM) fhaley@qwest.net Also, a great reporter, Viet Nam Vet, David Crain, who worked for me at KILT in the late 60's. David died
a few years ago in Houston. He got out of the news business after that terrible story in Houston. The mass murders of 25 or
30 young boys. Their bodies buried in the floor of the Houston storage shed. That was so awful. I think he and I were working
at KTRH then. It was so awful, that he couldn't sleep, and when he did, he had nightmares, 'cause he was at the scene there
near the Astro Dome and the hot wx, it was awful. He got out of the spot news business after that, and did PR for a company
in Houston. I've lost contact with his wife, Gerry. I think she's moved, and don't know how to reach her. Can anyone help
me? I have some wonderful stories that Dave told...I'll share them sometime.
CAT CRAIN (Houston,
TX) cat@mmihouston.com Subject: Daughter of David Crain My name is Cathlin "Cathy/Cat" Crain and I am David's youngest. I did a
random search of my father's name to see what would come up and found the site "Jim Rose Remembers Radio." I am always looking
to find more details about his life. He was very special to me and my sister, and we always love to hear stories about him
and the things that he did. Please feel free to contact me for updates and what not. You obviously had a connection with him
and I would love to hear from you. Best Regards, Cat Crain Houston, TX
DALE EICHOR is in the
Country Music DJ Hall of Fame. DALE was Music Director at KBUC FM-AM in San Antonio just before I arrived back in August 1968
to become its new Program and Music Director. EICHOR was already on the road again headed east to KCKN-540 and KCKN-94.1
in Kansas City, Missouri.
Last year it was understood
that DALE had retired from Program and Music Director duties at 5000 watt KWMT in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. This is about 65 miles
northeast of Des Moines as you travel upstream on the Des Moines river. Well, you can't keep a good radio man away from the
mic and great music very long. Six months later, EICHOR has rejoined KWMT for one of my favorite radio airspots. DALE will
use his vast knowledge of Country music and artists to host an Oldies program on Saturday mornings and fill in on weekdays.
That's just great. We certainly wish DALE all the best.
Lots of talk has been
generated the past few years about many Country radio stations which seem to have ignored the artists who made it great. There's
a site which has that subject as its keynote. It's called Take Country Back ( www.takecountryback.com/main.htm ). TCB even has its own web radio which you can tune in for your JOHNNY CASH, PATSY CLINE and MERLE HAGGARD
nutrition. You can even purchase vintage and current music by Country's masters. Austin's DALE WATSON is on the cover of the
current premier paper edition. Check out TCB's site. Think you'll like it.
BOB POWLEDGE (Austin,
TX) rpowledge@austin.rr.com Re: Early KABC San Antonio Question Thanks for checking out the possible transmitter site at 811 East Myrtle.
Before KABC my
grandfather Kemp Cates had been a marine radio operator on ships out of Galveston for the Radio Marine Corporation of America,
1925-1933. He had begun life working as a cowboy in Pledger, Texas, but he took a class in "Radio and Typing" at TCC in Tyler
in 1925 as a radio operator on ships. Lots of stints out of Galveston, Port Arthur, and New York City on various freighters
up until 1929.
In 1929, he enrolled
in the newly-offered Landline Telography classes at Beaumont's Chenier Business College. Kemp was promised a shore job at
KFDM after graduating. So, he stayed on at Chenier as a Radio Instructor through mid 1930. The KFDM job never materialized,
back to working as a ship radio operator and electrician after leaving school.
Between ships in
1932, worked as an intern for G. E. Zimmerman at KPRC and KTLC in Houston. Also at WGV Galveston while he was in port. 1933
brought Kemp more work on ships, until he sought out a job with KTRH in Houston in late spring of '33. Apparently he must
have gotten the job, because one of his old licenses shows he got service with the Houston station from June to October 1934,
then KABC beginning in January of 1936. The San Antonio City Directory for that year has him listed
as a radio operator, then as Station Engineer in the 1937-1938 edition. His licenses show him there through November of '39.
I never knew my
grandfather, but would love to understand more about this phase of his life. It must have been pretty interesting to grow
with the industry. He must have seen a lot of changes during that time. -Bob Powledge Austin
Jim Rose
Houston, Texas
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