The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Flame Cafe in Minneapolis
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone!
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
Steel Guitar Strings Strings & instruction for lap steel, Hawaiian & pedal steel guitars http://SteelGuitarShopper.com |
Ray Price Shuffles Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron. http://steelguitarmusic.com |
This Forum is CLOSED. |
|
|
The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Flame Cafe in Minneapolis
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
|
This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Flame Cafe in Minneapolis |
|
Albert Svenddal Member Posts: 188 |
posted 28 September 2000 09:04 PM
The Flame Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota used to be one of the hot spots for Country Music back in the 50's & 60's. I know that Terry Bethel and Hal Rugg played there for a time. I would like to know of any other steel players that played there. My mom and her sister used to play guitars in the staff band there (Bebe & Betty). Thanks for any info on the memories of the old Flame. ------------------ |
|
Curt Olsen Member Posts: 148 |
posted 29 September 2000 04:40 AM
Albert, After Terry Left leon, he had a guy named Joe come in, I forgot his last name.I built him a D-10 (10 & 5) steel while he was there.Then when he left, I went in for a while with Leon's group.That was always a jumping place at the time. ------------------ |
|
B Cole unregistered Posts: 148 |
posted 29 September 2000 05:20 AM
Al I worked there with Porkey Witherell the Yodeling hobo for about 6 months as the house bandin the back room we played sometimes in the front on the back bar. We back people like Justin Tubb, Wanda Jackson, Tex Ritter and I can't remember some of the other ones. But it sure was a great place |
|
Bill Bailey Member Posts: 681 |
posted 29 September 2000 06:49 AM
Albert, I remember a friend of mine who passed away a few years ago told me he played at the Flame club for a while and his name was Joe Byers. Joe was an awesome player and played as close to Curley Chalker as anyone I ever heard back then. He told me a few stories of people who would appear there as guests, mostly big name stars. I don't know what dates but I will send this topic to his son Keith in Ft collins Colorado. Take care. Bill Bailey |
|
Steve England Member Posts: 542 |
posted 29 September 2000 08:40 AM
Albert, a year ago a friend of mine who works estate sales in the Twin-Cities area sent me a box full of autographed lobby cards, photos, and all sorts of other memorabilia from the early sixties. Just from going through the pictures made me realize that every one who was anybody in country used to play there. It must have been a great time. |
|
Al Udeen Member Posts: 1164 |
posted 01 October 2000 04:56 PM
Albert! Heres a few more that come to mind! PeeWee Maynard, I Also saw the following, Benny Hielman Ricky Price w/Stonewall Tony Farr Jimmy Crawford w/Kitty Wells Dean Thompson Hank Corwin w/Ferlin Betty Holmer? Leon McCauliff & Band Dicky Overby w/ Connie Smith (Connie was expecting at the time}66? I played there in 61, after returning from the west coast! I'm sure I will think of a few more later!- Al |
|
Al Udeen Member Posts: 1164 |
posted 01 October 2000 05:03 PM
OOps! I had a space between the 1st 5 names on the left? |
|
Albert Svenddal Member Posts: 188 |
posted 01 October 2000 05:51 PM
Thanks for the info guys. I am too young to remeber anything of the old Flame, but my mom and sister sure do. You know, it sure must have been THE place back then. Too bad there's no place like that today. Albert ------------------ |
|
ROGER MULLENNEX Member Posts: 124 |
posted 02 October 2000 02:08 PM
I played there in 1969 with The Deacons.What I remember most was the dance floor raised up to make the stage bigger. I also played behind the bar. We had a great time,it was something I'll always remember. |
|
Kevin Mincke Member Posts: 1029 |
posted 03 October 2000 12:06 PM
Wasn't there another place called Theo's Lounge or club just down the street? I recall playing gigs there and some of the older folks had talked about the "Flame" however, I also was too young to remember this! |
|
ROGER SHACKELTON unregistered Posts: 1029 |
posted 06 October 2000 12:31 PM
Hello Albert, I lived in the Minneapolis area from 1968 ---1978. The Flame Cafe was the place to go on weekends for good Country Music. I usually went there on Friday & Saturday evenings. There was even a Saturday matinee show from 3 P.M.---6 P.M. The matinee included several amateur singers. I remember Terry Bethel playing there with Leon Bolanger up until June 1969, when he went with Mel Tillis. Other steel players were my good friend Dave Knight w/The Chil Hilman Show, Don Smith, Benny Heilman & Johnny White. Bert Riviera played with Hank Thompson in the Flame Restaurant, Dining room in 1973. About 1970 Ray Jensen, on steel guitar and Ray Riggs, on guitar came to town with Sherwin Linton ( "Son of a Cotton King"). They played the Flame for a week or so then the 2 Rays joined the Eddie Lee Show in the front bar for awhile. Ray Jensen played a tourquise, D-11 Sierra pedal steel.This Sierra had the Z-legs and was built by Chuck Wright before he went to work for MSA in Dallas. In the mid 70's Johnny Cox (17 yrs. old) was in Minneapolis with Jim Ed Brown, playing at the Minneapolis Auditorium. I took Johnny over to the Flame to meet Dave Knight. Dave asked Johnny if he wanted to play his guitar (D-10 Sho-Bud, Baldwin)? So Johnny got up and played for about 1 hour. He did a very good job, even though I believe his guitar was a Sho-Bud Jet-14 at that time. After 1973 the Flame Cafe dining room featured other forms of entertainment. A Hawaiian Dance Review show and then Rock & Roll, but the front bar still featured Country Music.
|
|
Richard Bass Member Posts: 579 |
posted 06 October 2000 05:18 PM
In 1969 or 1970 I was playing lead for Dave Dudley who at one time had the band at the Flame. Well to make a long story short I left Dave and worked the Flame for about Two Months January and Feb. I worked with Chill Hillman In the back room during the week and once in a while with Eddie Lee at the front bar. The only band member I remember was Micky Marlowe, a beautiful girl who sang her a$$ off. I stayed at a hotel just two blocks from the club, and there were a couple of nights I took a cab to the hotel because it got to be about 100 degrees below zero. Coldest weather I've ever seen. The Flame was a great place to work and I met a lot of great musicians there. Richard |
All times are Pacific (US) | This is an ARCHIVED topic. You may not reply to it! |
Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain.
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46
Our mailing address is:
The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA
Support the Forum