A few years ago, an old promoter and booking agent associate of mine tried to sell me an old white elephant of his, "Texas Records." He pulled it out of his old back yard shed, dusted it off, put a new coat of paint on it , and made it seem much more than what it really was. He even got an old Nashville cronie to blow some more smoke up... well you know. What it really was was a pile of old reel to reel cellulose tapes he had left in the Texas summer heat, (probably about 180 degrees) and the cold Texas winters, (definitely below freezing) for years. Now he only wanted $15,000 for the rights to this worn out music, so I started doing some checking around, and seems as though he had forgotten to re-register the name with the county and state. So I did, made it mine, but just in case, I put a Harley in front of it, and voilą, Harley's Texas Records was born.
Now we have released our third album Bein'an Ameri-CAN!, and just like the sperm to an egg, it is beginning to make it's way into the mainstream. Already receiving air play on Maui, Hawaii, the new album was recorded in Buddy Stephens Studio in Garland, Texas. Three albums have preceded Bein' an Ameri-CAN!; Harley's Angels, HunterBrown and RedNeck, White and Blue.
The first was produced by Mr. and Mrs. Beetle and Wendy Whitmire, or as we all know them, Weetle and Bendy. They put up the money to bankroll the Harley's Angels CD with LeeAnn Rhymes band in Mike McCormick's studio. Harley's Angels did so well, hitting the Texas Radio Stations, especially KNON in Dallas that we were able to produce and release RedNeckWhite'and'Blue, the title song written by Ronny Spears. This album was a patriotic release directly tied to the events of September 11, 2001. Again, we had great success with getting Texas Radio airplay. This album carried me through and into the HunterBrown band with my good friend and partner, Tom Hunter. Actually it was Ronnie Spears that introduced us. It was only natural that we hooked up for a four year run, from the White Elephant Saloon, to Billy Bobs, to Pioneer Days, Live Radio appearances, the Texas Country Music Association and much more. Around that time an article on our music broke in the Dallas Morning News, featuring me, Tom, my Dad and around my new song, Don't take your guns to School. It was also around this time that Tom and I recorded a compilation CD under the Texas Records label, the HunterBrown CD.
After some time off for major surgery, (the twelfth of my career) I continued to write and make some appearances. Then my dear wife Elizabeth was offered an opportunity to teach Special Needs Children in Hawaii. She accepted the position at the Hana K-12 campus, and loves it. Of course I went with her, and we now live in Hana, Hawaii, a beautiful town full of wonderful people, whom we love dearly. Hana is truly the Hawaii of old, undisturbed by the mainland influences that have shaped much of the rest of the state.
In the meantime I have continued to record with Buddy Stephens, played a couple of gigs with Kris Kristofferson, and worked with Noel Haggard this summer because of two old picking buddies, Bo Bodine and Kelly Luker are playing with Noel. Also this summer, Buddy and I put the finishing touches on "Bein an American" which has now been released. It can be found on this web site and www.texashawaiiconnection.com website for your listening pleasure. It is a compilation of my latest and greatest hit (not yet recorded) of the only music I know...
boogieWoogieCountryWesternGospelBlues'n'Rock'n'Roll!!!!
Harley's Texas Records has taken on two new aspects of growth, in that I learned so much while recording with Buddy Stephens, that I have now opened my own new studio in Hana. It's is called the "Long House Recording Studio", after the 1957 Teacher Long House we live in in Hana. The second is a new picker on board, Chris Erbacher, a banjo, pedal steel, guitar, ukalele playin' fool. Together we will be making new music, including a new Hawaiian brand of music all of our own.
Finally let me say, that should you wish to become a part of the "Long House Studios" and Texas Records, just give us a shout, email, or call. We can arrange a session for you in Hana, Hawaii to record and enjoy the best that Hawaii has to offer. We also can arrange accommodations to suit your budget from $65 a night to $650 a night. We are always looking for new talent and new ways to promote it, so mahalo nui loa and aloha for now.
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