I recorded the albums after Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Are You Ready For Freddy, Rock N Country and If You're Ever In Texas after I moved back to Ft Worth in 1974. Doug would come in every so often with a big glass vile of some herb but mostly it would be Freddy's sessions. Did a session with Kinky Friedman too. But I didn't know their entire history. When Freddy went back to the Valley however after his Louisiana time, he would go to various recording studios and record "masters" for them and when Teardrop Falls hit, the owners of the masters contacted Huey and he had to buy them all up so they wouldn't be released. There were dozens of recordings we overdubbed new tracks on, many of them the same songs at different studios. Thanks again for the stories, Michael...
I was at Soap Creek when Freddy played there. He looked totally out of place with a leisure suit on and had kind of a skeptical look on his face at first, but he got into it once he felt the crowd response. I remember him play with Doug at the Armadillo too. Cherry Pie was one song I remember.
There was a great documentary about Doug Sahm, SIR DOUG AND THE GENUINE TEXAS COSMIC GROOVE, that was up on the streaming services, then it got yanked after the music rights expired. I found it on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sirdougfilm
Contains a lot of good photos and interviews. You might wanna check it out.
And, yes, Joe "King" Carrasco was the heir apparent to Sir Doug. I think another offshoot of that Valley sound was Roy Head, but that's just me.
Doug, Freddy and so many GREAT Texas musicians were unfortunately plying their craft in "flyover country." If they were in New York or LA they would have been signed decades ago.
We all have our favorite music, and everyone can find something to like in Texas.
Such a fantastic article Michael…brings back incredible memories.
In mid-November, 1999 I was sitting in the stands at Wimberley High School with Doug and Debra watching Debra’s son playing in a Freshman basketball game. I had known Doug since the early 70’s and Doug was as “talkative and speedy” as ever. He invited me to jump in his Caddy and go visit Robert Earl (in Bandera I think) with him when he got back after thanksgiving from Taos. The next time I saw him was at the Sunset Funeral home in S.A. What a SHOCKING loss of a wonderful person and great musician. None of his many, many friends will ever forget him. He was REAL.
Well done, Michael! Being an SF Bay Area guy who loves Austin music (and scene), I always feel true joy listening to Doug Sahm. I really appreciate learning more about his history and impact, and your accounting gives it life. Thanks again!
I recorded the albums after Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Are You Ready For Freddy, Rock N Country and If You're Ever In Texas after I moved back to Ft Worth in 1974. Doug would come in every so often with a big glass vile of some herb but mostly it would be Freddy's sessions. Did a session with Kinky Friedman too. But I didn't know their entire history. When Freddy went back to the Valley however after his Louisiana time, he would go to various recording studios and record "masters" for them and when Teardrop Falls hit, the owners of the masters contacted Huey and he had to buy them all up so they wouldn't be released. There were dozens of recordings we overdubbed new tracks on, many of them the same songs at different studios. Thanks again for the stories, Michael...
I was at Soap Creek when Freddy played there. He looked totally out of place with a leisure suit on and had kind of a skeptical look on his face at first, but he got into it once he felt the crowd response. I remember him play with Doug at the Armadillo too. Cherry Pie was one song I remember.
Nice piece that pulls in a lot of threads.
There was a great documentary about Doug Sahm, SIR DOUG AND THE GENUINE TEXAS COSMIC GROOVE, that was up on the streaming services, then it got yanked after the music rights expired. I found it on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sirdougfilm
Contains a lot of good photos and interviews. You might wanna check it out.
And, yes, Joe "King" Carrasco was the heir apparent to Sir Doug. I think another offshoot of that Valley sound was Roy Head, but that's just me.
Doug, Freddy and so many GREAT Texas musicians were unfortunately plying their craft in "flyover country." If they were in New York or LA they would have been signed decades ago.
We all have our favorite music, and everyone can find something to like in Texas.
But you gotta "get off the couch."
Roy Head was produced by Huey Meaux, so you're right about the Valley connection.
Joe Nick Patoski directed the 2015 Sir Doug movie you mentioned.
I heard Freddy Fender in a small club in Corpus Christi in 1975. A truly great musician.
Perfect.
Such a fantastic article Michael…brings back incredible memories.
In mid-November, 1999 I was sitting in the stands at Wimberley High School with Doug and Debra watching Debra’s son playing in a Freshman basketball game. I had known Doug since the early 70’s and Doug was as “talkative and speedy” as ever. He invited me to jump in his Caddy and go visit Robert Earl (in Bandera I think) with him when he got back after thanksgiving from Taos. The next time I saw him was at the Sunset Funeral home in S.A. What a SHOCKING loss of a wonderful person and great musician. None of his many, many friends will ever forget him. He was REAL.
Well done, Michael! Being an SF Bay Area guy who loves Austin music (and scene), I always feel true joy listening to Doug Sahm. I really appreciate learning more about his history and impact, and your accounting gives it life. Thanks again!