What Was Gilley's Really Like?
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- čas přidán 6. 12. 2022
- Dale Watson shares memories of hanging out and playing at Gilley's in Pasadena, Texas.
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I have a Gilley's story. I am from a small town in Oklahoma. After high school, my girlfriend and I ran off to Pasadena to stay with my sister. One night my girlfriend, my sister and I went to Gilley's. We got a table right up close to the stage and Mr. Gilley was playing. After his set he walked off the stage and by our table. my girlfriend got exited and ask "what do you think he will do if I go tap him on the shoulder?" Go see I said. They talked for a sec then he came to our table and set down the rest of the night and bought our drinks! WOW
Mickey was cool!!!
Coulda' been Mayor of Pasadena, everybody loved him.
I worked there, and the biggest fight I saw was when David Allen Coe's band had a fight with the cowboys of Gilleys. The lights on stage came down. I worked there for almost 6 years, as a waitress, extra'd in the movie Urban Cowboy. Met a lot of the Musicians. Remember it as if it were yesterday. It was the best time of my life. Best Honky Tonk ever. I had a car stolen out of the parking lot. I got off work at 2:30 AM, went to my car, it had 4 flats on it, I went inside to call my brother to come get me and told Killer about the tires, and before I could get back out there it was gone. A blue 1968 Camaro.
I was there several times in the late 70's and early 80's. Just as described, a huge honky tonk bar. Whoever was on stage was great, didn't matter what night it was. And there was talent everywhere.
Thanks for featuring Dale Watson. Would love to hear more from your interview. He's a true honky tonk legend and troubadour.
❤Hell yeah he is! Saw him at Moe’s Alley here in Santa Cruz, Ca
I lived in Austin for a few years and would see his name at different clubs but never got around to seeing him out there. He’s coming back here in January so we plan to go and then we’ll be in Austin in April so hopefully we’ll see him there!
Look up otis's podcast for the full interview
@@toshmiller5571 I just did, listened to both parts. Thanks for the tip !
@@winstonboogie64 no problem!
I remember when Bum Phillips coached the Saints with Earl Campbell in the backfield, the offensive playbook was Campbell left, Campbell right and on 3rd down it was Campbell either left or right so as to confuse the defense 😎
Found out at my dad’s funeral, over 20 years ago that he was one of the toughest fighters in the area. I heard stories from his friends that he never told us. He was ashamed of this part of his life and completely turned his life around when he met my mom. He did tell me, along with my uncles, his brothers, that fighting was expected and everyone was a part of it. They said it was part of their entertainment. My generation went out on weekends like my dad but fighting was never involved.
It was a very different time. Dad told me his best friend was killed by a drunk driver and his punishment was a $50 fine. Yeah it was a different time.Found out more about my dad after he died than in the 49 years he was the head of our family.
Once again your channel has brought back memories I’m sure would never been taken out of my brains storage if I hadn’t subscribed to your channel.
I apologize for not commenting on the subject and your conversation but wanted to emphasize why I love your site and why I listen to it first thing in the morning.
Although usually the stories and music are first and foremost and why yours is the only one I’ve ever subscribed to but often because of the artist or a song or a story about an artist will take me back many decades and rekindle memories of some of the happiest times in my life. It brings me so much joy and happiness and sometimes some sadness or heartbreak that I find more enjoyable than any paper, tv show, radio program or anything else on the internet including CZcams .
I don’t know if many people feel as I do but for me at least you’ve created a place that makes me young again and it’s the first thing I look for in the morning, after my coffee is ready. Thank you so much because for me at least, you’re doing much more than telling stories. Besides all that your stories are great by themselves.
Love Otis' stories, myself.
1 my fav. sites.
I met Dale Watson once many years ago. Super nice fella. Had never heard of him before. I was walking by a bar in Raleigh NC and heard some great pedal steel playing so I went in to check out the band. Ended up hanging out and talking with him and his band when they were done playing. Turns out they all knew a friend of mine that use to play pedal steel for Gatemouth Brown years ago.
Tried to buy a CD but Dale just gave it to me instead. Been a fan ever since.
It was AWESOME! I went there as much as possible. I never had a problem.
I played Billy Bob’s many times in my Nashville years, but always wished I could’ve played Gilly’s at least once.
What is one thing I enjoy about these uploads? Not only the history being realted but the tape recorder. Had one just like it at home growing up in the 70s and 80s. It was fun to use.
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I went to Gilley's back in the urban cowboy days, and road the bull.....couldn't walk for three days. Ironically my own band years later opened for Johnny Lee and his fiddle player was on leave so our fiddle player played for him that night.
I loved going to Gilley's
I used to live on Old Vista right up the Spencer Highway from Gilley's. Working at the old Pasadena Citizen. Man, what a crazy town. Kinda miss it.....
❤️ Dale Watson is a cool, cool cat. Of the copycat clubs after,my stepdad who was a fantastic country bass player, and the band he was in the started music at a club in Seattle called Montana’s that was patterned after Gillies.
Man, I was in my prime in those days. He is right about the fights. I dont remember a club I played for more than a few days where I disnt get in a fight. Cops would usually let you go in the parking lot. Houston was wild at that time. Got shot at 4 times in one situation and 1 in another. A woman shot her old man at the Golden Stallion one night.But usually it was like he said, you get done and respect each other the rest of the night because you each knew the other would stand up for what they said and believed, unlike today when people expect no consequences so they're flat out rude.
Gilley's was on the South side of town in Pasadena and Mo and Joe's was on the Northside in Spring where I was from and I played there a lot.....Jim Collins was the house band and now he's a honcho in Nashville.....my old band was great.and I'm playing with us old guys again, 42 years later!
Great stuff Otis..! Today I was just telling one of 😂grandsons about the “honorable” fist fights of my younger years… although I’ve always been a lover..not a fighter ..✌🏼😎
Love Dale ‘the real deal’ Watson!
I've been there many times back in the old days!
In the mid and late seventies my uncle who lived down the road in Deer Park Texas had 2 separate shiny new Ford trucks stolen from Gilley's and never seen again.. lol
My 68 Camaro was stolen out of that parking lot!
The good old days
I grew up in the arcade🤣 My parents would give me a $10 and I would play video games all night while they danced. 5 years later I was playing shows across the street at a teen club called Corners. I met a guy named Greg that sang for a band we were opening for. We became friends and I realized Greg was Mickey's son. He used to have us over at their house on Fairmont in Pasadena and never had the "spoiled attitude." Greg will be missed by all who knew him. Wonderful memories of the club and Family 💫
I grew up in and lived in Austin during that period. Didn't have time to go to Pasadena.
Too much fun at home..
I was about 8 when I first went into Gilley’s, right when they started to let kids in after Urban Cowboy. my Dad used to play fiddle there with Robert Herridge. I knew Sherwood pretty good, I used to bug him with questions at G’s ice house.
Played Gilleys a few times with DAC.. I remember the roof leaked when it rained right on the dance floor.
in 93' i worked at a club in Indianapolis that had the mechanical bull ElToro that was used in Urban Cowboy/ Gilley's
Grew up in Deer Park. Only went to Gilley’s once. Rear ended a tourist leaving and she was so pissed the cops wouldn’t give me a ticket because I hit her in the parking lot…. Good times
Otis I don’t know who your booking agent is or if you do it yourself, but since you know Dale it would be great to see you come to Memphis and play at Hernandos Hideaway. You have a lot of fans in my community and this area. Thanks for the stories. My wife has some good Jerry Lee stories she could tell you.
I can’t imagine spencer highway having honky tonks on it. I grew up in the area and although seedy it has a completely different thing going on.
My Uncle Barney from San Leon took me there with a buddy when we were barely old enough. It was not long after Urban Cowboy was filmed. Great memories hitting the punching bag machine. Me and buddy had too many hurricanes and ended up passed out on the hood of my uncle's Lincoln. When they came out and found us they were like you guys could have been robbed and killed this is Houston! Couple young naive Missouri country boys on vacation.
My moms saw Jerry Lee at Gilley's . Cool him talkin about Earl Campbell hometown hero for me . Pretty crazy Earl, Johnny manziel , and Patrick maholmes are all from here. The manziels own a venue out here and I got kicked out of a willie show at that venue .
You could go to Gilleys, be right in the middle of a bunch of people and be completely alone. Bumper stickers: if you didn't want one on your bumper, lower your sun visor. I would spray wd-40 on mine. Those were some tough reflective bumper stickers! I saw some really good performers at Gilleys. Saw Mickey take off from LaPort airport one morning while donating blood at the Air Guard hanger. Thursday's, Mickey would fly to Branson in his pink Duchess Beech.
Sounds like a hell of a honky tonk but I bet they didn't have a butt Crack contest 🤣. I love they had a guy named killer at the door and I bet you really needed to be up on your country swing to play that stage. It reminds me of that song Colorado cool aid by jhonny paycheck 🤠✌️💜🌻
Funny, I got in a fight with the guy I rode there with. Needless to say, I had to hitch-hike back to Baytown.
Man Gilleys could be violent for big guys which I was one you had a target on your back some ol boy wanted to kick your ass to prove something total insanity. But boy was it fun and the great country music shows there were legendary. I saw George Jones there and he was the greatest I ever heard. Now gone torn down but the old recording studio still stands right behind a small used car lot.
I used to go to gilley's when it was the nasadell club when I was 10 years old if you would like to see pictures of the bull and the set up of the dance floor
I remember watching a fist fight at Gilley's between two men and when one of them had enough. The loser put his hands up, and the other guy stopped punching. They just walked away from each other. Times were different.
I enjoyed playing at gilley's 1985 with billy D
I grew up in Pasadena, real close to Gilleys. They used to pay coupla' kids to slap a bumper sticker on all the cars outside, till too many complained. Sunday morning, 1 those bumper stickers on somebody's car, the church ladies would go nuts & gossip about you all week. Then they had a sign, said "If you don't want a sticker, leave your visor down." Bump up a decade or so, when it became nationally famous, they sold hell outa' those same bumper stickers in the gift shop for $5 😎.
As a kid, driving by on Spencer Highway with folks on weekend evenings, always flashing cop lights in the parking lot, cuz them drunk cowboys just loved to bareknuckle duke; infact, it was pure "sport;" especially if some dude spun somebody's GF in a line dance and was smilin.' Pasadena was always kinda' known for that, anyhow. My H.S., Sam Rayburn (just up the road from Gilleys) had avg. 2 or 3 a day. Rowdy FFA boys 🤓
Used to go there all the time was expansive and large place kind of got run down though later on
Mickey complained to his partner..that they needed to spruce up the place. Partner said no..they split because of it.
What a great bar! I am from the DFW area and I was a bull rider during the late 70’s through the mid 80’s.
I always loved going to Gilley’s when we would ride in the Houston area. And eventually they built a really nice rodeo arena adjacent to the bar.
One time we flew to Houston to ride at Gilley’s. I was thrown off my bull and landed in a big ole pile of you know what. I put the soled shirt in my rigging bag for the flight home.
At the time, metal detectors were a new thing. When I put my bag through the detector the guy wanted to look into the bag because it had metal in it.
He reached into the bag and the first thing he grabbed was my shirt covered in BS. The guy literally throw up his lunch and did not bother to look through the rest of my rigging bag. Haha
Long Live The King of Texas 😎
Which beer joint does Watson have in san Antonio?
Got that right about the lawyers. I'm convinced it makes for worse drivers these days. Folks drive like they don't care if they do something stupid, they'll just get a lawyer and sue you. I say if we didn't have so many lawyers, we wouldn't need so many lawyers...
My ex-wife worked there in '76 before the movie came out....
You would get a Gilly's bumper sticker if you didn't put your visors down.
Pasa-GET DOWN-dena...
I was never a Gillies rat I had long hair but I am from Pasadena I had a friend and I won't say his name whose mother was dating a guy he didn't like very much so he drove his old 57 Chevy through the parking lot found the old mans car and shot it with a 12 gauge we made the block and came back the cop were there so we just drove through right past the car and cops like nothing to it funny night
Bud Adams is dead if I am not mistaken.
He been long "dead" in Houston since he left town with the Oilers 😎
I went to gilleys once. I got stabbed, shot and laid all in one night. Good times!