From time to time people ask me about the old Bostonia Ballroom. One unbelievable question is “Is it true that Elvis Presley played there?” In answer to that one, nope, he never played at Bostonia, but there sure were a lot of talented people who did. I still have my Dad’s little black book that he kept with the artists who played there, how much they were paid and how much he took in for each play date. Someone who started out about the same time as Elvis and was signed to the same record company at the same time was Johnny Cash. He played the Ballroom about eight or ten times, starting in the early fifties when he was billed as Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, with Marshall Grant and Luther Perkins (he was paid $150.00 and the tickets to get in were $1.00 each) Johnny Horton in April of 1952, (He was paid $50.00 and the tickets to get in were $1.00) Wanda Jackson in September 1956 (She was paid $150.00 and the tickets were $1.25) There was a ‘Package deal’ for Bill Monroe, Lefty Frizzell and Terry Fell for $800.00 December 30, 1955. Lefty Frizzell appeared at the Ballroom over the years about thirty times. He was there so often, that my Mother, who sold tickets on Friday and Saturday nights, used to have a poem about him. She would say: “Let it rain, Let it Drizzle, We got Lefty Frizzell”. On 9/30/55 another package deal with Lefty was Noel Boggs and his band. That one paid all parties $235.00! Another artist appearing with Lefty was Floyd Cramer and his band (7/8/54). Dad didn’t keep a record of how much they were paid that night. Just that the tickets were $1.35.
Freddie Hart was another (fairly) regular. He played at Bostonia around twenty four times, (sometimes with Lefty…When that happened, then my Mom had two poems she would say, the one for Lefty, and one for Freddie, (but I can’t repeat it here because it refers to “bodily functions!). Maddox Brothers and Rose was always a favorite and played there two to three times a year, sometimes with Rose and sometimes just the Maddox Brothers, or sometimes Just Rose Maddox. Joe Maphis, George Morgan, Smiley Monroe, Leon McAuliffe gets us through the “M’s” in my Daddy’s little black book. Then there was Jimmy Newman with Johnny Cash in ’57. Hank Penny, Terry Preston, (three times before he changed to name to Ferlin Husky and twice after the name change). Ray Price, Webb Pierce, Carl Perkins (once with Tommy Duncan, once with Johnny Cash and once by himself in 1958). Tex Ritter played there (3 times by himself and once with Merle Travis). Wade Ray in 1953, Jim Reeves on January 29, 1954 for a March of Dimes Benefit. (Admission was free). Marty Robbins appeared there a couple of times. Getting into the ‘S’s we had Redd Stewart, Red Sovine, (with Webb Pierce) Hank Snow (in ’53 and ’58) Jean Shepard (with Terry Preston in ’53) Cliffie Stone. The Sons of the Pioneers 3 times, once in ’54, ’55, and ’57. Winn Stewart, Wesley Tuttles & Marilyn, T. Texas Tyler, Merle Travis, Ernest Tubb, Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys, Floyd Tillman, Gordon Terry, Slim Whitman, Kitty Wells with Johnny & Jack. Bob Wills (15 times) Tex Williams (17 times) Mac Wiseman, Faron Young and OMG; we cannot forget Frank Yankovic (19 times!) When Frank played, it brought out all the beer drinking polka lovers wearing their lederhosen carrying their heirloom steins to the Ballroom!
Of special note was Jerry Lee Lewis. My father had the piano tuned up before he came to play. Jerry played most of the set in his own particular frantic style. During one song he stood up kicking the stool back so hard it scooted back and fell over. When he ended the song, he punctuated the last notes using his feet. I watched my Dad’s face when this took place and I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head! After the show, I am sure it took every ounce of self control on his part to keep his cool, especially when Jerry Lee complained that the piano was out of tune! After the show when Dad examined the piano, he discovered that, after the beating it took, it was terribly out of tune, and three of the keys were broken .
