From the early day's of Spade Cooley and Tex Williams we see a piece of history from a night that included Dick Roberts on steel.
Providing it's legit.

They must have been pretty hot to beat out Wills and the 'Boys'.

[This message was edited by Ron Whitfield on 26 April 2005 at 01:26 PM.]

First thing, the event was the County Barn Dance, and the waltz contest was for customers, NOT a "battle of the bands" between Bob Wills and Spade Cooley.

The band signatures on my fiddle are similar to the one at auction, basically the band just prior to 1943 when Cactus Soldi, Johnny Weis, and Joaquin were hired. My friend Wayne Yakes owns a "waltz contest" fiddle from 1944 at the Riverside Rancho which has the autographs of the classic band with Murph, Smilin' Johnny, Tex, Deuce, Smokey, Cactus (Calico), Ella Mae Evans, Pedro DePaul, Warren Penniman, and Tiny Hunt.

The band autographs on my fiddle are Foreman Phillips, Jack "Tex" Williams, Denver Dehne, Arkie Perryman, Pedro "Yi-Yi" DePaul, Billy Hughes, Sonny Olivera, Dick Roberts, Rusty Cline, Eddie Bennett, and Spade.

If this fiddle sells for 8500, you can bet there will be another, earlier one going up for auction immediately!

Here's a band photo from that era, with Billy Hughes, Rusty Cline, Tex, Smokey, Sonny Olivera, Dick Roberts (with banjo), Eddie Bennett (with accordion), Pedro, Cactus, Tiny Hunt, Warren Penniman, and Ella Mae.:

Here's a photo of my fiddle:

Here's the 1944 era fiddle:

And a photo of that band taken at the Riverside Rancho:

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 27 April 2005 at 01:37 AM.]

I was hoping you'd have something to add to this post, but figured it would disappear out here in the boonies were Brad yoinked it.

Thanx for the info and great pix.

That puts to rest any thot about it's authenticy.

Can you add anything about Dick Roberts, which was actually the main point in my posting?

Cool! ( no matter where it is placed)

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 27 April 2005 at 02:35 PM.]