Friday, September 12, 2014

Blue Moon



This photo is from a book titled Images of America - Pharr by Romeo Rosales Jr. of the Pharr Memorial Library.

This club used to be near where I live. By the time I was born, it had already been closed for many years. A lot of the older musicians I talk to always bring up this place.

After I saw this photo, I called my dad on the phone since I remembered him talking about it as well.

"Hay iba casi todos los domingos," ("I would go there almost every Sunday,") my dad said on Wednesday night. "Cuando estaba joven, verdad, iba a tocar allí yo." ("When I was young, right, I would go there to play music.")

His band’s name was Sandy and the Silhouettes. The band-members were from Donna, McAllen, and Edinburg. They recorded one 45 for Bego Records, and briefly toured with the Bego Caravana. My dad estimates that this was around 1970-71, after he graduated from Donna High School.

According to my dad, Joe Vera would have two bands at Vera’s Palladium in Weslaco, and two bands at Blue Moon in Pharr. After their sets were done, the bands would then switch venues. My dad remembers seeing Johnny Canales, Chano Cadena, and Henry and the Glares at these hot spots.

The Veras sold this building later in the decade, and it became a factory where leather jackets were made. My Tia Panchie worked there for a few years.

6 comments:

  1. Hi, does your dad remember one recorded on Bernal Records, too? I own this 45 on Bernal.

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  2. My name is Cathy Park Nunn and my grandparents were Homer and Juanita Bentley. The write up beneath the photo has one inaccuracy. It was mentioned that they catered to whites only. That's not true. Anyone was welcome. Some of my earliest memories from the club were the crowds of people who came there to dance and there were whites and Hispanics there.

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  3. Hi I now reside in Shelton, Wa but many moons ago I played bass with Henry and the Glares for about a year (1971-72). I wonder if these guys still play or have a website. My cousin Rick Gonzalez also played with Sandy back in the day.

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  4. Sandy & the Sillouettes 45. Bernal Records "Solo Hay Humo/El Mlagro".

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    Replies
    1. I posted the record on www.45cat.com, if you want to a picture of the 45.

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  5. I am so disappointed that the Historical Society didn't prevent the removal of this great history building...

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