James V. Roy

This doesn't add anything to the issue but I saw a video on a friends' friends facebook this morning that had Proby singing something on some show and then in a similar clip on the side I saw one where he's covering a gospel song that Elvis did. He is really copping on elvis for this one but one cool thing I noticed, if it wasn't editied in, was the Beatles in the audience at the beginning of the clip. http://youtu.be/HWmGkw1Bi2U

I saw that. Thank you for the plug and the link. I wish I could be more help pinpointing the location but all I know I put in the page. As I mentioned the directories didn't list anything and the phonebooks only gave that address. I tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Tony Sepolio but to no avail. As for Proby, I can't add much. I can't say I ever heard of the guy before this thread, though I'm not that well versed in the peripheral Elvis fan world or have much interest in who impersonates who. There may be some truth to what he said if he was a local but I don't doubt he's overplayed his significance. It's possible Elvis hit on his sister, he hit on just about everything. That's almost no claim to fame. As for a club with that name the best I can say is there was no official venue by that name that Elvis, Scotty and Bill performed in that anyone has ever heard of. It might be time for the OP to change his username.

That's a common belief but probably not true. I finally got the page together, a lot you'll find familiar already but this covers The Paladium, Cook's Hoedown, Eagles' Hall and Magnolia Gardens. http://scottymoore.net/houston.html Thanks for all the input Jim

I forgot to mention the Sam Houston Coliseum. By then DJ was a regular member of the band and played with them on their last ever show in Houston there. Though they met DJ in 54 when they started at the Hayride he would often play with them from behind the curtain. He would play other dates with them when there was money but didn't start touring regularly with them until almost the fall of 55 when Scotty and Bill to pay for him out of their split. He went on the payroll officially if December after Elvis signed with RCA.

Most of the dates at any of the venues in Houston only featured Elvis, Scotty and Bill. Elvis never performed solo. DJ only played a couple of times with them at the City Auditorium in 56.

That's interesting. Billboard listed Jack Irby as opening the Corral around 1949, around the same time as Collie opening/operating Cook's Hoedown on Capitol St. Tony Sepolio was the fiddle player in Irby's band. Jack Kennedy who also played in his band is the one Billboard quotes. The Chronicle article says that Tony Sepolio bought the place the following year from Irby and changed it to the Paladium. The obit say that Martinez opened it in 53, I wouldn't be surprised if he may have actually bought it or into it since I'm going to hazard a guess they were brother-in-laws. Theere's no reference in Billboard anywhere of Johnny. To my knowledge, Elvis only played the Paladium in November of 54, for three consecutive nights commencing on the 25th. Sands had been playing most of those clubs as early as 1950. Here is a link to an article on Johnnie's military background and talks of his musical background and the club too. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/voces/no-search/template-stories-indiv-print.html?work_urn=urn%3Autlol%3Awwlatin.274&work_title=Martinez%2C+John+Anastacio

Hi, I found this thread and your post the other day. I wish I could have had something up for you when you first looked but I only started looking into the other venues that Elvis and Scotty played in in Houston last year. I'm in the process of putting some stuff together now and hope to have it up soon, coincidentally a lot of the information that has been presented in this thread I previously fooun d also. The Chronicle archives were very helpful as was the Billboard magazine. I have to concur with most here that I've never come across a reference to a hitching post club, least of all one they performed in. They did however perform at the The Paladium, Eagles Hall and Cook's Hoedown in addition to Magnolia Gardens and City Auditorium. Interestingly enough I had another address for the Paladium only several blocks from the address listed on the Dance Hall ticket from McClean's book. It was reported at 1600 OST at S. Main. I'm inclined though to go with the 8100 S. Main address since there is apparantly an existing ticket from an event there. As for Don's post regarding Johnny Martinez' ownership, I would love to hear more about him/that.