Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

Simmons Bank

The Texas Bucket List – Shepard’s Barber Shop in Conroe

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Conroe – Just off the square in Conroe, Leon Apostolo takes a little off the top while talking someone’s ear off at a unique barber shop.  For a long time, he’s worked at Shepard’s Barber Shop, a barber shop with bountiful history that’s been open for over a century.

“This is the old part of Conroe right here,” Leon said.

Leon’s been in this building for a long time and he’s carrying on a tradition that’s as unique as having a good hair day during a humid afternoon in July.

“Barber’s been good to me,” Leon said.

For five decades, Leon’s had a chair to call home at Shepard’s Barber Shop, but he didn’t take over the business until 2013.

“I went to barber college when I was 16, and I started working here August 1 of 1978,” Leon said. “This is the only barber shop I’ve ever worked at. When I started working here, haircuts were like four dollars.”

Even before Leon was a budding barber, Shepard’s had a long history.  Their history is even longer than some of the hair it saw in the 60’s!

“It’s part of Conroe’s history,” Leon said.

Shepard’s has a very unique distinction.  

“They classify it as the oldest continuous barber shop in Texas,” Leon said. “Pretty cool. Pretty cool.”

Built in 1912, this building a been home to bunch of barbers, but only five of them owned the place.  Leon bought it from his old boss Bob Sheppard a few years back.

“He was kind of like a second dad to me because I spent all my life in this shop,” Leon said. “Five days a week.”

Henry Harris has a long history here.  

“He wouldn’t give me that 75 cent haircut no more,” Henry said. “He wanted to go ahead and charge me regular price, but he said it’s still the 75 cent haircut. I just charge more.”

Henry and his brother Roy Harris both used to come to town from Cut and Shoot to get haircuts here many, many moons ago.

“I’ve seen lots of barbers in my lifetime, and he’s about as good as any I’ve ever seen anywhere,” Roy said.

Both brothers went on to have careers in boxing. Roy excelled, facing off with Floyd Patterson in the World Heavyweight Title back in 1958. He even made the cover of Sports Illustrated, and you can guess where he got his haircut.  However, there was a time when Roy didn’t come here for a haircut.

“Kind of funny, when he got married, he decided one day he’d just get his wife to cut his hair,” Henry said. “Well, she didn’t know anything about cutting hair, so about after a couple hours, he called me, and I didn’t know anything about cutting hair either, but we give Roy a haircut. Me and his wife give him a haircut that one time. After that he started coming back here.”

People always seem to come back.

“A guy come in here, he’s 42 years old,” Leon said. “He said, ‘You gave me my first haircut.’ I said, he had a gray beard. I said, ‘No way.’ He said, ‘Oh yeah, there’s a way.’ He says, ‘I promise you. How long you been here?’ I said, ‘I’ve been here 40 years.’ He said, ‘I’m 42. You gave me my first haircut.’ I said, ‘You know what? You got a point. You just made me feel a lot older.’ He said, ‘You cut my dad’s hair, and now you’re cutting my son’s hair.’”

For Leon, there’s so much more to it than just a simple haircut.

“I think it’s nostalgia, the old fashioned haircuts,” Leon said. “You come in here, you don’t feel rushed. Old fashioned haircuts, old fashioned atmosphere, just the personal attention. People don’t get personal attention anymore. People miss that. People are craving service, and that’s what this country’s lacking now is personal service.”

Jonathan Aldana is one of the young bucks around here who appreciates this art form.

“Whenever you go to a barber shop, it’s always like using the old techniques, old methods to get your haircut, and that always attracted, was attractive to me,” Jonathan said. “It does make it feel like an older man, an older gentleman.”

Fortunately, Leon has many years left to keep customers looking their best. In the back of his mind, however, he knows one day he’s going to have find an heir to his chair.

“I’d like to get somebody that gives a quality haircut, that’s got work ethics, that will show up and willing to root in, get established,” Leon said. “Barber shops are a dying breed, I think. Barbershops are-They certainly are. It’s hard to find a barbershop. I think that’s why I have a good business, because people are looking for this kind of shop that has good service.”

For the more experienced, salt and pepper sort of people who have come to this place for a while, it’s about the memories.

“In this town, this is a place that takes you back in time,” Henry said. “It makes you feel warm to see all the pictures in here of the people that you grew up with.”

For the younger generation, it’s about connecting to the past. There truly is nothing like a good, old fashioned haircut, making Shepherd’s Barber Shop a must see on the Texas Bucket List.

“If you go anywhere else, it’s like just go get your haircut,” Jonathan said. “That’s their main goal, to get your haircut. But if you come here, it’s like they know the things that maybe understanding or what’s happened in the past.  It’s an experience for sure.”

 

The Texas Bucket List – J. Lorraine Ghost Town in Manor

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Manor – Texas ghost towns have a lore of their own.  Stories of the Old West and a connection to the past makes these sorts of places the perfect stop to ponder what life was like in the good ole days. In the ghost town of J. Lorraine, just off of 290 in Manor, you won’t find hardcore history because this place is here just for fun.

“Before I retired, I started the ghost town,” George T. Richards said.

George is about as much a cowboy as his town deserves a historical marker.

“I wear a cowboy hat, but I’m afraid of horses,” George said. “ They could step on you.”

For some reason, he really likes old western towns. George’s family moved to San Antonio when he was a young boy, and after getting his degree at Texas State University, he went on to serve in Navy.  

“At one point I was on the flight deck of the USS Independence, we were off the coast of Florida, and we watched one of the Apollo rockets,” George said. “I felt like singing The Star Spangled Banner, or something. So here I’m on an aircraft carrier watching a moon rocket go up.”

Eventually he went on to work for the Texas Attorney General’s office as a system analyst, but before he retired, he took to the town, his own town.  He began building everything on this 15-acre estate.

“My mantra was, at least one more board a day,” George said.  “Every day I would come out, on the weekends. I would come out and just keep adding to it.”

Since he was not a craftsman by trade, there were a few learning curves.

“I will say I wasn’t a carpenter, and whatever I’m doing wrong, I’m really good at it now, ’cause I keep doing it the same way,” George said.

He kept on hammering and gave his retro retirement community a name that was close to his heart.

“I named it after my daughter, Jennifer Lorraine,” George said. “It’s J. Lorraine, Texas.”

20 buildings make up the majority of J. Lorraine, and each little corner has its own unique characteristic about it.  It’s as if each little part of the place could tell a story of its own.

“I thought I was gonna make a big western perimeter, and in the middle would be the bar and the dance hall area,” George said. “Then I started that front façade and I realized that I didn’t know what I was doing.”

All kidding aside, the most common theme you’ll find in these parts is a place to pop a top.

“That just happens to be,” George said. “This is a bar town, I guess. Every other building’s a bar I guess.”

What exactly would convince a man to build his own world, his own reality?  Well, he just wanted his own magical place.

“I remember as a kid, I was watching TV and this guy would come on T.V., and he had built a place that had Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland … It was Walt Disney,” George said. “And it stunned me as a kid that grownups would build something that was just for fun. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s pretty neat. When I grow up, I’m gonna build something just for fun.’ So this is my little tiny Disney World.”

J. Lorraine is open to the public and has a maze, a theater, and all sorts of places to explore.  What you won’t find here are ticket booths. This small world comes with a small price: Free.

“I always say we’re kind of desolate out here, and we have been,” George said. “It’s hard enough to get people to come out anyhow, so if I charge them to come in, I don’t know if I’d have many people anyhow.”

Walt Disney once said that the real trouble with the world is that too many people grow up.  For a guy like George, well if the boot fits. Exploring J. Lorraine is well worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List.

“Well, I’m glad y’all stopped by, and get anybody else who wants to stop by to an old western town, we’d be glad to have them,” George said.

The Texas Bucket List – Jackson Brother’s Meat Locker in Post

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Post – In the south plains of Texas, where cotton is king, lies a town that has a connection with a cash crop you crave in the morning. Post, Texas was founded as Post City in 1907 by cereal tycoon Charles William Post. Now, in the post Post world, Post, Texas is now all about two things.

“Football. It’s all about football here,” Jamie Hernandez said.

Jamie Hernandez used to play for the hometown Antelopes, but now he has a connection to the other prized export here: Jackson Brother’s Meat Locker.

“That old Sasquatch dude can’t hang with our jerky,” Jamie said.

Now, before you go starting a big ol’ beef with bigfoot, it’s probably best to backup your claim. At Jackson Brother’s, it’s not called world famous for the fun of it. We’ve tried all sorts of jerky while traveling across Texas, but the beef sticks here a bit bigger than most. Jackson Brothers originally got its start as a butcher.  Started by brothers Bo and Jim back in the 60’s, Jamie’s father David Hernandez and his cousin Jose Rodriguez bought the business that they had worked at since the 70’s from the brothers back in 2000.

“He gave me opportunity to take over,” David said. “That’s what I enjoy. My whole life is working.”

Together, they’ve kept up with the tradition of this time-honored process of procuring smoked meat.

“The recipe, it’s maybe got tweaked here and there, but it’s been the same for a long time,” Jamie said. “They’ve kept it the same.”

Don’t fix what ain’t broke.

“Everything’s old, Jamie said. “A lot of the stuff is original. Slowly but surely, we’ve had to replace a lot of it, but they try not to. Man, I’m telling you, anything you change on these guys, it’s like world changing.”

We don’t want to change their world, but Jamie was nice enough let us into it and gave us quick course on how the beef sticks are made.

“Basically, it’s where the guys start off with the round and that’s where they get the jerky out of,” David said. “Raw jerky. Piece by piece, that’s the process right there.”

Once the massive strips of meat are hung, it’s time for pepper.

“This is where we pretty much spice the jerky up,” David said. “Of course, you’ve seen the first process. This is where we put it in pepper, hang it up, and then it goes to the smokehouse. I mean, it’s a pretty simple little process, but we’ve mastered it pretty good. This right here is the plain jerky, and that’s the pepper jerky. If you like pepper, it’s the way to go.”

There’s only one thing left to do: Try it out.

“You can put it in Bloody Marys, you can put it in anything,” David said. “That’s what my in-laws do. Jerk kills everything.”

Once this catches on, Jackson Brother’s Beef Jerky will be an even hotter commodity in the state that loves its beef. It’s  well worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List.

“Hopefully, we can keep the doors open forever,” Jamie said. “Jerky. As long as the jerky keeps flying though, then we should be alright.”

The Texas Bucket List – Galleywinter Gallery in Fort Worth

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Fort Worth – On the southwest side of Fort Worth just a few miles from the famous stockyards, you’ll find an gallery dedicated to the incredibly diverse world of art. These pretty paintings and stunning sculptures are part of the story to a particular Texas musician who simply produces pieces that come to him wave on wave. For nearly three decades, Pat Green’s music has been a part of Texas culture. Now, he’s expanding his signature to include a few works of art that have to be enjoyed with the eyes rather than the ears.

“It’s my passion and it’s also just the way I release everything that’s crazy inside of me,” Pat Green said. “Much safer. Better on my liver.”

Pat Green is used to painting the town from the comfort of the concert stage, but when he’s not playing on the stage he likes to get creative on the canvas.

“I get to spend my whole day here, every day making stuff up, and then on weekends I go to work,” Pat said. “This is a guitar that is cut aluminum as well that I painted with resin over the aluminum and then set it in a white aluminum to kind of give it a contrast, but you can really see the cubism side of it.”

Pat named his showroom Galleywinter Gallery after the ranch he grew up on near Waco, as well as one of his most popular songs.

”I think, in a way, Galleywinter is a fictional place,” Pat said. “It’s a … Galleywinter is a … My brother said that’s where … He was on a back of an Easy Rider rocking horse and my mom asked him where he was going, and he said, ‘I’m going to Galleywinter.’ So the name stuck.”

Alongside artists Ginger Walker and Cheryl Hodge, Pat surrounds himself with the best of the best when it comes to whatever craft he’s working on.

“I’m outmatched by these people,” Pat said. “They’re much better artists than I am. If you play golf with better golfers than you, you become better. That’s really kind of what I look around and say, okay, I’m in with some good guys and I’ll figure this out. I really enjoy it. I mean, it’s a challenge like anything else in this world, but when I started playing guitar, I wasn’t dreaming of singing at the coffee shop, you know. I was dreaming of playing in the stadium. Houston Astrodome. That’s where I was in my heart, and that’s where I am with art. I’m not going to say I’ll ever be Picasso or anything like that, but I mean, my dreams aren’t anything short of that.”

The medium that resonates most with the singer songwriter: Sculpting.


 “Where I fell in love with art was when I started into sculpture and started creating things that were three dimensional that you could put your hands on,” Pat said.

Matisse once said that “creativity takes courage.” Pat has got the creativity part down, well, pat.  So much so that even his commissioned pieces are no problem.

“I’m kind of used to that kind of pressure. I’ve been … you know, I’ve been on a stage, I’ve been in front of people, I handle expectation pretty well,” Pat said.

Pat doesn’t have to ponder when it comes to his passions.  His heart is wholly into his work whether it’s on stage or in the studio, making a visit to his gallery well worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List.

“If you want to see me, you know, really enjoy this part of my life and work hard and smile on my face, and usually the music’s blaring and the … you know, there’s always free drinks for anybody that wants to come by,” Pat said. “You know, that’s the same thing I say about my music. The more you drink, the better we sound. Well, a couple beers, my art looks pretty good too.”

The Texas Bucket List – Jesse’s Taqueria in Bryan

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Bryan – At Jesse’s Taqueria in Bryan you’ll find a tiny taco joint that has got people taking a trip for terrific food.

“I’m gonna get to your heart through our recipes, through our food,” said owner Jesse Ocana.

Jesse is one popular guy and he’s been in the restaurant business since 70’s. Originally from McAllen, he moved to Aggieland back in the 70’s to be a part of a national Mexican restaurant chain.  Back then Bryan was a…….

“Very different town. I mean, it was a little town,” Jesse said.

Now, the Bryan/College Station area is booming, so in 2012 Jesse took that opportunity to open Jesse’s.

“I never thought that we were gonna have this type of business,” Jesse said.

The secret to their success is all sorts of succulent comida. While you won’t find many veggies, there is a lot of meat to choose from, and that’s what Jesse’s is known for.

“Every one of them are made in such authentic taste,” Jose Alaniz said. “When I eat carne guisada, they give it to me in a bowl. You know why? Because I like the juice.”

The passion Jesse puts into his food and business stems from a strenuous time he had in the 80’s.  Despite his friendly demeanor, amazing charm, and extremely hospitable nature there was a time when Jesse ran into some trouble.

“1985, ’86, I … it’s my dark … what I call my dark past,” Jesse said. “I got greedy. I had my own restaurant. I had a restaurant that was built from ground up, called Ocana’s and I had some visitors from down south. And they sort of painted the picture real pretty, and I went for it. They hooked me in. I went to Mexico, and I talked with the big boys. And very lucrative. Got greedy, like I said, and I went in full-gear. I started selling the drugs. I had boys running around town, the whole county, Austin, San Antonio. I started getting big. I got hooked on the drugs, and you become a different person. Cocaine turns you into a different character. I call it “the devil’s drug,” and it led me into a different world. “

Jesse was eventually arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

“That’s what we have the laws for,” Jesse said. “I got popped. I lost my family. I lost my job. I lost my restaurant. It got rough. I lost everybody. I lost my whole county, everybody didn’t know. It was a big surprise to everybody, a huge surprise.”

While in jail, Jesse had a spiritual awakening and he started to turn his life around.

“I got taught a lot of things in prison,” Jesse said. “It was like a school for education, for religion, and for work. I got back on my feet with them, and they put me back on the road, a prison. They offered college classes. They offered law classes. They offered religion. I got to work for a Catholic chaplain, which taught me a lot. I got back to know my God again. That chaplain played a big role in my life; he got me back to the understanding that we have a God that always looks after us and will always give us another opportunity.”

Jesse was paroled after four years.

“I was very grateful to the DA, to my presiding judge, because, actually, they saved my life,” Jesse said. “If I hadn’t been put in jail, I think I would be here ’cause I was already too far gone. I was an alcoholic and a drug addict, and I was fixing to start shooting up. So, they saved my life.”

He returned to town, asked for forgiveness and started to rebuild his reputation. Over 30 years later, Jesse still thinks about that time, and he does everything he can to prevent others from going down the same path.

“In a way, I think they have said, ‘Hey, he did his time. He’s done his time in this county,’ so I think I’ve earned it from them. They trust me again, and I’ve been good,” Jesse said. “It … my way of living, my way of working, my respect, actually helping other people that are in trouble and drugs. A lot of people have come to me. I have my own children, and I’m hoping that I always can be a support for these people that have families and kids in trouble because I’ve been there, and I know what it is. The drug scene right now is tougher than when I was in. So many children, so many young kids dying in prison because of the stupid drugs.”

Jesse now focuses on the food, friendship, and faith while inspiring an entire community.

“To see how, in the midst of the struggles, he’s built character in him, and this character has built this kind of leadership in him,” Jose said. “That’s what stands out.”

Jesse’s Taqueria is a terrific stop on The Texas Bucket List not only for the tacos, but also for the tale of a man who defeated his demons and returned to society with a new soul full of love, hope, and a spirit to serve.

“I became a real Christian man, like I’m supposed to be, like everybody’s supposed to be, and loving everybody, no discrimination, no color,” Jesse said. “Everybody’s the same. So, I think I’ve done good for my families, for my employees, for my customers. It’s a different world to me now, a beautiful world.”

The Texas Bucket List – Janie’s Record Shop in San Antonio

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San Antonio- When it comes to listening to music, there are a few still holding on to the way things used to be. Folks who still like to pull out an old record and hear it’s perfect imperfections. Fortunately, there are a few shops that still sell records and one of them that stuck out to us as a great stop for The Texas Bucket List,  Janie’s Record Shop in San Antonio.

“I’m in a time capsule in here,” Robert Esparza said.

Six days a week, Robert opens the door to his family run business in the Alamo city. It’s a small shop off Bandera Road that specializes is a sort of media that’s bulky and easily scratched, but some people still have an itch to buy it.

“I love it,” Robert said.

It’s hard to imagine that in a world where music is available instantly,  family run record store could really be successful. Turns out there is a trick up these old sleeves.

“We get skeptics that come in here and say, ‘How can you still be in business because of the technology?’” Robert said. “But when you see these people, they come I the store and they grab a record or they grab the cover, it’s like it becomes them. Holding a record in their hand, the look on their face, it’s priceless, but I see it everyday.”

Surrounded by retro records and compilations of CD’s, Robert passes along his knowledge of particular singers and sound systems with the sort of enthusiasm that would make a momma proud.  Fortunately for him, that’s the boss.

“I call him my guardian angel,” Janie said.

Still rocking it out in her 90’s, Janie was born Juanita Gonzales in Laredo in 1926.  She raised 14 kids and Robert is one them.

“I was the youngest of the boys,” Robert said. “I made the dozen.”

In 1985 after her youngest was officially out of the house, Janie finally did something she’d been wanting to do her whole life.

“After I raised all my children, I told my husband I’ll see what’s out there,” Janie said. “I wanna get my GED, got a business training course, worked for a doctor, and then for another company. And then opened the business. I was in the Glee Club, the band, I did a parade. I did a lot of things. …My mother used to say, ‘music is life.’”

Originally Janie’s focused on Tejano, Norteno, and Conjunto music. You’ll run into some rare records here like this Flaco and Santiago Jimenez jewel.

“This is one of the most sought after albums for either one of them,” Robert said. “It’s one of Janie’s collections.”

Over the years, the variety of vinyl expanded, and you’ll never guess who Janie’s favorite singer is.

“Lionel Richie was my idol,” Janie said. “The Commodores. Just between us. “

However, there is some music Janie doesn’t like.

“They say bad words or things like that,” Janie said.

Despite her age, Janie comes here 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. That’s after her son told her she had to take Wednesdays off.

“If it was her way, she’d be here everyday including Sunday,” Robert said. “It just keeps her young. People are amazed at her age, but my mother doesn’t look at it that way. Her mother lived to be 104, and she said that age is just a number. She… You gotta live your age. So everyone gets a label. You know, 91? It’s how you live it.”

Now, it’s not all about the music here.  While you might come in to find a 45 you used to have, you’ll probably end up spending that many minutes listening to Janie tell her title track on life.

“One of the most famous sayings in Janie’s record shop is that we don’t only go to buy, we go for the conversations,” Robert said.

“If you don’t know Janie’s Record Shop in San Antonio and you happen to be a music lover and you don’t know who Janie’s is, there’s something wrong. They have to meet the woman. Once you’ve met her, she leaves an impression on you.”

 

Sharing in the joy of life and music with Janie is only part of the experience at this old record shop. Chances are you will find a song or album that takes you back on your own personal journey. Whether it’s a memory of a loved one or an incredible time in your life, Janie’s record shop will spin you right round to the right spot on The Texas Bucket List.

“Everyone that comes in here to buy something, they have a story, and that’s what’s amazing,” Robert said. “They all have a memory in the music that they take from here, it’s what gives them closure. They bury their hearts and souls here. I love what I do. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

The Texas Bucket List – The Priest with Pups in Mission

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Mission – This week we’re counting our blessings at a church down by the border.  We’re at a place that is is your typical Catholic parish, but a priest with a special connection to man’s best friend makes going to mass on Sunday a marvelous stop on The Texas Bucket List.

We’re at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission

“It’s a little unorthodox. But as you can see, people love it,” Artie Solis said.

Since 1968, Father Roy has called the Valley home.  After graduating from Texas A&M, he became a priest and in ‘74 joined the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a group of priests known as the Cavalry of Christ that originated in France and has been in this part of Texas since 1849.  Fittingly, Father Roy is known as the Cowboy Priest.

“This church is everything to this community, especially Father Roy,” Mary Allen Tabor said. “He brings in the people.”

Now, it’s not every Catholic church service you hear country songs during mass, but you do here. Throw in the dogs that attend the service as well, and you’ve got quite the combination.

“They just know how to sit and be good,” Father Roy said. “They love me and I love them.”

It didn’t take long for stray cat to strain that relationship.

“Hey, there they go,” Father Roy said. “That’s the cat! I told you, that darn cat had to mess everything up.”

It took a while to get the trinity of tail wagging show stealers back on track.

“They don’t stay gone long,” Father Roy said. “Get over here! They’ll quit running around. Terrible dog. Come here.  Now sit. Why do you have to act like an animal? Oh that’s right, you are an animal.”

Fortunately, during services at our Lady of Guadalupe, the pups are much more behaved.

“It’s good for your soul,” Father Roy said. “Good for your heart. And it’s good for the hearts of the people. You know when you look at those puppies and your heart kind of gets lifted up? That’s the work of the spirit. That’s the spirit right there. The spirit of life. That created spirit of God. The spirit of love.”

As the service get started, it seems like most masses you might find. That is until you take a second to get sneak peak at the priest and his pooches.  Once the opening hymn is over and the readings commence, Father Roy and his friends fill their purpose of passing along the word of God’s while truly making the church feel like home.

“If you’ve ever loved a dog, or been loved by a dog, you know that has to do something with the spirit of God,” Father Roy said. “That’s for sure. It ennobles your heart, and it gladdens His heart a little bit, too. It does.”  

Despite the occasional drink out of the baptismal font,  the fond chasers of felines don’t really disturb the formality of the mass.  They’re used to being a part of it and playing a role in more ways than most realize.  It seems this experience gives something different to each parishioner.

“It’s the unconditional love,” Maria Quellar said. “When you have a pet and they just … They’re happy to see you when you get home. They’re sad to see you leave. And I just think that the church is the same. It’s just about love. It’s unconditional love.”

For Father Roy, it’s all about making the church a comfortable place for all to come.

“It helps the kids at church,” Father Roy said. “The church … God bless us, especially the Catholic church can be awful rigid, frigid, and formal. We’re kind of infamous for that. So a kid who can hardly stand to sit through all that rigmarole for an hour, walks in there and sees this old dog, and he says, ‘Well, shoot if that dog can put up with it for an hour maybe I can, too.’”

“There’s nothing more beautiful than when a child opens their heart and welcomes Christ,” Maria said. “And I think that that’s because of Father Roy.”

Father Roy will always fight for all his friends because at Our Lady of Guadalupe, it truly is about and I do mean all of God’s creatures.

“Now we’ve got 12 dogs and two donkeys, two llamas, two peacocks,” Artie said.

Fortunately, it’s only the pups that are allowed in on weekly basis.

“I just think that it is a complete representation and the extension of the love that he has, that he’s able to give that love,” Maria said. “He gives us that same love. And you feel it when you’re here.”

Father Roy definitely provides a unique and incredible stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“We hope we’ll lift up your heart with the spirit of the one who was born in the stable,” Father Roy said. “And who formed a team of old fishermen to celebrate the mystery and communicate the message of His love. We think we can do that. We hope we can. We pray that we can.”

The Texas Bucket List – Roy Orbison Museum in Wink

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Wink- Way out in West Texas, where working in the oil fields are a way of life, you’ll wind up in Wink.  What once was a town of thousands is now a community trying to literally stay on the map. A massive sinkhole known as the Wink Sink might play a role in that one day. For now, time seems to be standing still.  “All I Need Is Time” to make a stop in a city like this. At least that’s what one of Wink’s most famous residents once sung about.

We’re at the Roy Orbison Museum in Wink.

“Very important figure to the town of Wink because I would say that he put Wink on the map,” Barbara Sabonya said.

Barbara is a volunteer at the Roy Orbison Museum which is a little pit stop in Wink that you’ll miss if you blink.  Chances are even you’re too young to know who Roy Orbison was, you’ve heard his music.

“”Crying” is the one I always try to sing in the car. I can never get that, ‘Crrrrryyyyin’,” Barbara said.

The man with the legendary and distinctive voice first moved to Wink with his family in 1946. By 1949, he had built a band known as the Wink Westerners.

“The earliest yearbook we have is 1949, and he’s pictured in that yearbook and he’s already wearing glasses,” Barbara said.

The Wink Westerners would play regularly on the radio in the region even back when Roy was just a regular kid.

“We have Roy Orbison Drive and we have the museum,” Barbara said. “We do have some people here that had a personal connection with Roy, unfortunately I’m not one of them.”

Helen Voyles and her husband Billy did have connection to the one of a kind crooner.

“Well, he’s a person that you’ll never forget,” Billy said. “He was just a good guy.”

They used to hang out with Roy during their high school days, and Helen was even Roy’s date to prom.

“We just went as friends, you know,” Helen said. “It was just friends and all, and just had a blast. I wore a pink formal. I’ll never forget that.”

Spring of ‘54 was a much simpler time, and Helen still remembers the night from all those years ago.

“Well, we double dated with another couple, and Roy didn’t have a car,” Helen said.
“We just had a blast and dance our heads off all night, and then we went to Monahan’s and had french fries and Cokes over there. They were the only one place that was open.”

Hearing Helen tell her incredible story was an added bonus to visiting the museum that has more than just a few old pictures and records.

“Our most treasured possession, in my opinion, is under the counter,” Barbara said. “It’s a pair of his actual glasses.”

Getting to see and touch the rock and roll legend’s storied sunglasses is like strumming Willie’s famous guitar, wearing one of Johnny Cash’s black shirts, or driving Elvis’ pink Cadillac. Expect, there’s only one of them that you actually check off the list.
“People who’ve looked through say you need to be careful,” Barbara said. “You feel like you’re either on a boat or inebriated. Don’t move around when you have the glasses.”

While Roy’s glasses were his visual trademark, it was his voice and songs that have stood the test time making this marvelous museum a must stop on The Texas Bucket List.  

“He’s just one that we’ll never forget,” Helen said. “Roy’s just … he’s just a part of Wink.”

The Texas Bucket List – Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur

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Port Arthur- One of my favorite parts about our great state is its history.  There are so many stories to tell, from mammoths that made their way across the land, to the natives who called the plains home and the formation of a nation, every part of Texas has something of which to be proud.  

Over in Southeast Texas, you’ll find Golden Triangle local’s stories at the Museum of the Gulf Coast where history and pop culture meet.

“We knew we had some stories to tell in the music area, the sports area,” Tom Neal said.

Tom is the director of the museum which is housed in a mammoth-sized building that was formerly a bank.  As a member of the Board of the Port Arthur Historical Society, Tom is a Southeast Texas native. Before getting to the incredible contributions that people from this section of our state have been a part of, the museums starts visitors off with a journey through the history of the area.

“This is a mural in the museum,” Tom said. “It covers a timeline from before early man through early man, then Cabeza de Vaca … a shipwreck in Matagorda Bay. Being past the Dick Dalling battle that they held there, and it goes all the way up to the Spindletop.” It’s 125 feet long by 28 feet tall. Could be the largest in Texas, I’m not sure.”

Spindletop is synonymous with the rich history of our state and even the entire country.  The moment this massive gusher was discovered changed the world. The camera that caught that particular point in time is on display at the museum.

“Actually this particular camera that you see here was one of Mr. Trough’s cameras that actually took that picture which you see below there of the gusher when it was going,” Tom said. “The Spindletop. It went … it changed the whole world.”

The historical artifacts and stories that are told are a big part of this massive museum.  However, the biographies of the big stars with ties to this part of Texas are what truly stands out.

“This is our sports exhibit,” Tom said. “We have a lot of love for sports in this area, and we have a lot of folks that have done very well. More than seventy people who’ve made it and excelled in areas of football, basketball, baseball, boxing … you name it. Racing. Here’s two gentlemen, a father and son, Bum Philips and Wade Philips. They’re both in our … Wade grew up in this area and played football here, and his dad coached two of the local high schools. So there’s Bum’s exhibit, and there you see a Super Bowl trophy that Wade provided us for his exhibit. Our third graders love that. They head to that and they think that’s the greatest thing that they’ve ever seen.”

Professional wrestlers, baseball greats, football stars, head coaches and world champions make the Golden Triangle’s list of sports stars a literal hall of fame. What’s even more amazing is the amount of musical talents Southeast Texas has turned out.

“George Jones, Tex Ritter … we’ve got quite a variety of people that have come in here and done a great job,” Tom said. “The Big Bopper … The Big Bopper. J.P. Richardson. You’ll see over here some of his memorabilia and music, and the items that were with him in the plane crash, the day the music died …” Along with the sheet music. He had that in his briefcase. “The favorite part I have has gotta be the music. That’s kind of been the fiber of everybody’s life. They hear a song, and they remember where they were at a certain time. We’ve had over seventy musicians that have been in the music scene that have a difference. “

But the one artist from here that draws in visitors: Janis Joplin.

“Janis’ people come from all over the world,” Tom said. “She’s one of the big attractions we have here, people wanting to know more about her and things about her life. We have quite a few things that the family has graciously provided to us. Family pictures and heirlooms so that we can better tell the story of Janis. She was a very talented artist in high school. She grew up, and these are pieces from some of that time frame.”

It’s amazing what the Golden Triangle’s been able to give to not only Texas, but the entire United States  with everything they’ve offered. For sports, music and history buffs alike, The Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur, Texas is well worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List.

“It’s funny, because you can be in another part of the country and somebody will ask you where you’re from, and you say Port Arthur, Texas,” Tom said. “They start telling you, ‘That’s where Janis Joplin lives,’ you know? “

 

The Texas Bucket List: My Son’s Priceless Reaction to Texas A&M Aggie Football

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The grandeur and pomp that accompanies each Texas A&M University football game is enough to drive thousands of people into Kyle Field during football season, but for my young son Declan,  the initial excitement was enough to leave him wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

A few weeks ago, I attended a Texas A&M home game and during the team’s introduction onto the field, I put Declan on top of my shoulders, whipped out my phone and captured his priceless reaction.

Surrounded in a sea of maroon and white, Declan can be seen visibly soaking in the moment and being blown away by the amount atmosphere that accompanies each Texas A&M football game.

The video went a bit viral around College Station and what do you know, Declan was invited to practice!  An incredible experience for my little guy, something he got to check off his own bucket list.

Based on the video, it sure does look like we have a future Aggie on our hands!