BILL CHERRY

There's Got to Be More to His "Galveston" Than That Glen Campbell Sings It

By Bill Cherry

If you know singer Glen Campbell's real relationship with the island, you can't help but wonder if there isn't more to the story than that a songwriter named Jimmy Webb wrote these words and tune, and that Glen sang them:

Galveston, oh Galveston. I still hear your sea winds blowin'

I still see her dark eyes glowin'

She was 21 when I left Galveston.

and the last verse

Galveston, oh Galveston. I am so afraid of dying

Before I dry the tears she's crying

Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun

At Galveston, at Galveston.

Glen Campbell was born in rural Arkansas and was one of 12 children. Somehow his dad scraped up enough money to buy him a Sears Roebuck guitar. By the time Glen was 16, he had dropped out of school and had left home for big city lights where he was sure he would be able to play gigs full-time.

That was 1953. And that was when he hitched-hiked his way to the chase lights and neon of Galveston, with the hopes of being able to sign on with one of the big bands or a famous act that was playing there at the Balinese Room, the Studio Lounge or the Pleasure Pier's Marine Ballroom. A lot of unknown talent took that chance back then. And sometimes it worked. It did for wonderful jazz pianist, Johnny Garcia, whose music and personality Galvestonians still miss.

But for most, just like Glen found, all that was available was to play for tips at Louise Bird's Pirate Club, a second rate nightclub, or at a Postoffice or Market Street cathouse, and to save enough money to move on to the next Town of Dreams with the hope that Mother Fate, this time, would shine her light on them.

It was at Miss Jesse's Postoffice Street cathouse where Glenn played.

By 1961, Glen Campbell had left Galveston and had zig zagged his way to Los Angeles where he found a market for his extraordinary talent as a guitar player. As a studio musician he played in the record sessions of artists like Sinatra, Elvis, the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Dean Martin and Nat "King" Cole. By 1968, he was hosting his own TV show, "Glen Campbell's Goodtime Hour." It was the following year, 1969, when "Galveston" was born and become another of his extraordinary hits.

So Galveston's mayor, Eddie Schreiber and his wife, Sue, flew to Los Angles and were in the audience when Glen sang it on his show. Then Glen came into the audience and introduced the Schreibers, and they stood and waved to the audience and the millions watching nationwide.

What an extraordinary boost from an entertainer whose only gig in that city had been in one of its cathouses.

Awhile back, executive director Maureen Patton brought Glen Campbell to the Grand 1894 Opera House to play what she had told him is a beautiful place on "the right side of Postoffice Street." He packed the theater Saturday and Sunday, and, as you can imagine, brought the house down when he sang "Galveston." This time Mayor Schreiber's son, Dr. Melvyn Schreiber, was in the audience, and Maureen introduced him from the stage, and then she told the story of Dr. Schreiber's dad and mom's adventure to Los Angeles 35 years before.

Now days, the most requested Glen Campbell song is not one of his famous hits like "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" or "Galveston." Instead, it's a tune written by Jerry Reed, "Today Is Mine." My friend, himself a Galveston afficionado, well-known Houston radio personality, Scott Arthur, told me that for years that lovely ballad has been one of the most asked for songs by radio audiences. I noticed that as is with the case of "Galveston," the words could easily be autobiographical.

When the sun came up this morning, I took the time to watch it rise

And as its beauty struck the darkness from the sky

I thought how small and unimportant all of my troubles seem to be

And how lucky another day belongs to me.....

Like most men I've cursed the present to avoid the peace of mind

And raised my thoughts beyond tomorrow and visioned there more peace of mind

But as I view this day around me, I can see the fool I've been

For today is the only garden we can tend

Today is mine.

If you listen to the lyrics of "Galveston," it's hard not to know in your gut there's a story that has not been fully revealed to us, about a 16-year old from rural Arkansas, who came to the big lights of Galveston, played in a cathouse where he saw illegitimate love for the first time, and tried to make sense of it all. Every Galveston teenage boy of that era wrestled with that. The common thread? "Maybe I can rescue her from that life."

And then there is the final paradox of this story. Scott Arthur also had a business called "High Spirit Tours." It took Galveston visitors on narrated trips to the island's haunted places. Wouldn't you know that one of those reported-to-be haunted buildings was Miss Jesse's Postoffice Street cathouse, the place where old Glen played for tips more than 50 years ago.

Copyright 2009 -William S. Cherry

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK

214 503-8563

ON THE WEB

This is a very interesting column in today's (June 29, 2009) Galveston paper. The author is the paper's editor, Heber Taylor, And let me say up front. Mr. Taylor is a fine journalist, one of great character, so he doesn't lie.

Click Here

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK

214 503-8563

As they do every summer, the Dallas Fine Arts Chamber Players will perform every Sunday in July in the beautiful setting of the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. Enter at Gate 6.

The small auditorium where the concerts are held is, of course, in doors, air conditioned and has restrooms. But the entire wall -- floor to ceiling -- behind the stage is glass and offers a full view of the park's gardens. I can't tell you how spectacular this is.

The concerts are FREE. Doors open at 2, and the program begins at 3:30. No reservations or tickets necessary.

This year, the series is titled the Basically Beethoven Festival. Click here for more information. Patty and I will see you there!

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK

214 503-8563

On the Web

OK, while even though not of sterling silver, I was raised with a silver plate spoon in my mouth.

I admit it.

<<==Luke the Schwan Man 469 441-3744

A driver picked-up our laundry every Monday and brought it back on Friday. His name was Richard. The sheets were washed, starched and ironed. My daddy's dress shirts were each folded and individually packaged.

And the laundry man was different than the uniformed man who picked-up and delivered the dry cleaning. His name was Mr. Wheeler.

Mr. Covini brought fresh eggs and butter every week, Mr. Crawford sent his driver with the prescription drugs, and Bovio's Grocery's barely English speaking delivery man, Beyanke brought our groceries in a big basket on his three-wheel bicycle.

Mrs. Levin at Nathan's would send the store's driver out to the house with several new outfits she thought my mom might like. Often my mom would pick a couple, then send the others back.

There were no MasterCards or Visas. Each store sent their own bill once a month.

And then little by little the civility ensured by door-to-door service has all but vanished, and I don't like it.

ONE REMAINS: THE SCHWAN MAN

Schwan's has an enormous catalog of frozen foods, from steaks and lobster to garlic potatoes and blueberry cobbler. The ice cream is of Bluebell quality.

Once every two weeks, our Schwan Man, Luke, comes by in his big yellow-cream colored refrigerated truck and we get our supply -- the basics of each of our orders are strip steaks, skinless chicken breasts and shrimp skewers.

While I understand Schwan's is in most of the larger communities nationwide, in Dallas you can have Luke as Your Schwan Man just like we have. 469 441-3744.

Bring civility into your life. Start by using the Schwan Man.

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK

214 503-8563

On the Web

The other afternoon about 2, Patty and I were in a Dallas area where we seldom go. Bad enough to be hungry, but worse to be hungry where you are unfamiliar with the restaurants that are nearby.

On a whim, we picked GREAT CHINA RESTAURANT in a nice strip center on the corner of Preston and Frankfort. The food was extraordinary.

Let me add that this isn't one of those goofy Chinese buffet affairs that I personal abhor, and even better, the smell of stuff frying in grease isn't in a smoke cloud hovering at the dining room's ceiling.

Great China Restaurant is a well-decorated and appointed fine-dining restaurant where everything is prepared to order and from fresh ingredients. You'll be pleased.

The cost? Pretty darned reasonable.

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK

214 503-8563

ON THE WEB

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