The Big D Jamboree

Today I’m going to have two related posts. I want to thank Phil Strawn for his information. He basically wrote a lot of this and the next post in his emails to me. To actually talk to someone who was witnessing history is wonderful. For that reason I’m using two posts today to cover a little of Phil’s dad, The Big D Jamboree (A Dallas Music Show), and a rockabilly performer there named Ronnie Dawson on the next post.

Phil from Notes from the  Cactus Patch told me about this event in Dallas. He actually lived, saw, and met some of these artists who were vital to the beginning of Rockabilly and the history of Country music. His dad was Johnny Strawn and played in the Light Crust Doughboys. That is a  country band formed in 1931 and is still going…with different members of course. The band also included the legendary Bob Wills. They played on a radio show and were active until around 1950. They were dormant for a while until the sixties when they were revived.

On October 16, 1948, the Big D Jamboree first aired on the Dallas radio station KRLD. The Big D Jamboree was held at the Dallas Sportatorium, a large indoor arena located at 1000 South Industrial Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. The Sportatorium was known for hosting various events, including wrestling matches, concerts, and other entertainment shows. The show was started by Ed McLemore, a Dallas-based promoter.

It was a live country and rockabilly music show held during the 1950s and 1960s. It was one of the premier venues for country, rockabilly, and honky-tonk music during that era. The “Big D” in the name refers to Dallas, where the show was based. The Light Crust Doughboys didn’t play there but members of that band including Johnny Strawn would make up the house band called The Country Gentlemen.

Big D jamboree pic 1
. The Country Gentlemen were the official band with Marvin “Smokey” Montgomery and Paul Blunt of the Doughboys. Weekly rotations were Johnny Strawn-fiddle, Carroll Hubbard-fiddle, Ken Cobb-Bass, Artie Glen-Bass, Jim Boyd guitar, Jerry Elliot guitar, Bill Hudson-guitar, Eddie McDuff guitar, Paul Blunt steel guitar, Smokey Montgomery-banjo. Marvin Montgomery was the official leader of the Doughboys, as well as the house band leader of the jamboree. The stage was also the wrestling ring, and the performers either sat at the back, behind, or to one side of the elevated stage.

The Jamboree provided a platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their talent to a live audience and was broadcast on radio stations across Texas. It played a significant role in promoting the careers of many notable musicians, including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson, Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Dawson, Eddie Cochran, George Jones, Buddy Knox, Roy Orbison, among many others.

Speaking of the great Wanda Jackson. Phil had a story about her. “Wanda Jackson took a liking to me and even cleaned my ears with spit on a handkerchief; now that was something to behold. She also filled me with Coca-Cola and candy bars.” Unfortunately, the show ended in 1966. The Sportatorium was demolished in 2003. It remains a celebrated part of Dallas’s musical heritage and is remembered fondly by those who attended or were influenced by the event. The impact of the Big D Jamboree on the development of American music cannot be overstated

For a prelude to what is coming in the next post on Ronnie Dawson. Phil Strawn:  The house band and Smoky Montgomery took a shine to him and, a few years later, asked him to join the Doughboys. At that time, the band was playing a lot in Texas, Oklahoma, MS, Louisiana, and Arkansas, and Smokey wanted to add some rock n roll to the band for the youngsters. Ronnie was a perfect fit and became lifelong friends with all the guys. 

You can see a young Ronnie Dawson third from the left in this picture.

EPSON MFP image
Ronnie Dawson with the Light Crust Doughboys

Before the internet and social media, people would gather at places like this to enjoy music together. Below is a picture of the Country legend Bob Wills (right) and Johnny Strawn (left)…Phil’s father.

Dad and Bob Wills
Bob was a mentor to my father and gave him the fiddle he is playing in this picture. I still have it. Bob wanted my father to play with the Texas Playboys, but my mother, hearing the stories about the band on the road, said no way. So he joined the Light Crust Doughboys, and Johnny Gimble took the spot as second fiddle to Bob. The same stories about traveling happened in country music as well as rock music.

The Light Crust Doughboys in 1993.

Doughboy Picture 1993
L to R standing; Jerry Elliot, Bill Simmons, seated L to R; Smokey Montgomery, Johnny Strawn, Jim Boyd.

A personal thanks to Phil for the pictures and stories. Phil is starting a series on his 1960s experiences in his rock band.

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

36 thoughts on “The Big D Jamboree”

  1. A great writeup and collaboration between you & Phil. Somehow when you think of American music, you think of cities like L.A., San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Nashville, even Seattle, Memphis…Dallas rarely enters the conversation. But as Phil can attest to, a lot of great music & musicians came from the Metroplex.

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  2. That is very cool that Johnny Strawn was Phil’s father. I have listen to some of the Light Crust Doughboys music, I understand they did a lot of Gospel music as well. I confess to not knowing any of their names but I do now. That Big D Jamboree sounds like quite the program. Super music memories and some great pictures.

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    1. Thanks Randy I appreciate you reading. That show had to be really cool…all of those artists coming through and I meant to post a Light Crust Doughboy song.

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  4. Our buddy Phil (Humble Phil) is a first hand connection to some very rich musical history This is not said lightly on my part. Those Texas winds stirred up some up the best music I listen to. Bob Wills gets nods for his contribution and should have his name and legacy shouted from every water tower in sight. That pic of Johnny Strawn and Bob is priceless. I could ramble on but I’ll save it for when I run into Phil and I can sit back and soak all this goodness up. Real stuff. Good work Max and thank you Phil for revealing your history. Fantastic!!

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    1. That was my favorite picture CB…Johnny Strawn and Bob Wills…that is great.
      Thanks for reading CB and I hope I briefly touched on some points anyway. Phil supplied the ammo.

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      1. Yes there are. A friend of mine, David Dennard owns Dragon Street Records, and he put out one or two some years ago, as well as a CD. Not sure if Dragon is still in business, but David was the BDJ expert for many years.

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  7. Thanks guys, great walk down History Lane. It must be something to have ‘been there, seen that’ Phil.

    Also, sometimes I just love those romantic addresses that you hear of in the US; Hollywood and Vine, 2648 West Grand Boulevard, a corner in Winslow, Arizona, 1619 Broadway…uuuum, 1000 South Industrial Avenue?!? Not quite romantic, but it sure served its purpose!

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    1. You know what made it worth it? That Wanda Jackson story…just awesome.
      Yes it fit the bill…this was so much fun to put together.

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  8. Great post! Thanks, Max and Phil, for brightening this Sunday afternoon. I remember Rem Walt and his Green Valley Jamboree on TV. Actually being there and a part of the Jamboree had to be a blast.

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