Traces of Tx (today)

[Shakey Jake]

Sure, B.B. King made it famous, but Roy Hawkins wrote it and recorded it first, in 1951. Roy Theodore Hawkins was born in Jefferson, Texas, on Feb. 3, 1903. Not much is known about his early life. Later he went to California and started a band for which he played piano and wrote much of the music. He was somewhat successful in the Oakland-San Francisco area and moved to Los Angeles after signing a recording contract. He wrote "The Thrill is Gone" and recorded it in 1951.
B.B.King heard this and recognized that it was a great song so, in 1970, he recorded it, made it a huge hit, and turned it into his signature song. Meanwhile Roy Hawkins continued to write other popular songs for the blues-loving public including "Why Do Everything Happen To Me" and "Highway 59'." He achieved a bit of fame during this time. Sadly, a car accident ruined his right arm, ending his career. He died in Compton, California, in 1974 while working as a furniture salesman. His grave has no stone at the present time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS1GxPi_zlk

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1928, the future television star Dan Blocker was born in DeKalb, Texas. When he was six years old the family moved to O'Donnell, in Lynn County, where his father operated a general store. Dan attended Texas Military Institute in San Antonio and Hardin-Simmons University before entering Sul Ross State Teachers College in Alpine in 1947. After graduating with a B.A. degree in speech and drama, he refused offers of professional careers in both football and boxing. He was drafted for combat duty in Korea, where he served as an infantry sergeant. In 1952 he returned to Sul Ross, where he earned an M.A. degree, and then taught school in Sonora, Texas, and Carlsbad, New Mexico, before moving to California in 1956 to work on a Ph.D. degree at the University of California at Los Angeles. During this time he also worked as a substitute teacher and began his career as a professional actor in Los Angeles. He played the role of Hoss Cartwright for thirteen seasons, from 1959 until his death in 1972 from complications following an operation, on NBC's "Bonanza," one of the longest-running and most popular TV series in history. A monument in Blocker's memory stands in a park in downtown O'Donnell, across the street from a museum which displays memorabilia from his career.

[markiver54]

Was always a fan of Hoss. I'm glad they honor him in O'Donnell.

[Hatchdog]

That’s amazing the history on Hoss. As soon as I opened your post I saw the picture and said, that’s Hoss. Loved Bonanza back in the day and to this day I find myself humming the intro song once in a while.

[Shakey Jake]

Just how big is Texas? Have a look see:

[Rifletom]

Dan Blocker was also involved in car racing. Just don't recall what class tho.

Edit: American Road Racing and Can-Am. Part owner from what I found.

[Shakey Jake]

Blondie, a pet lioness owned by oilman Charles Hipp (who was quite a character from all I can gather) takes a ride in a Chris Craft Continental inboard motorboat on Possum Kingdom Lake back in 1955. This was taken by LIFE photographer Joseph Scherschel, who had made a career photographing everyone from JFK to Che Guevara, Blondie appears to be having fun!

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1835, the Red Rovers, a volunteer military company, left their camp in Alabama to join the Texas Revolution. The company was organized by its captain, Jack Shackelford, at Courtland, Alabama, in November 1835 and named for the fact that its members were uniformed in red jeans. The seventy members of the company were equipped with rifles and military supplies from the Alabama state arsenal. After being inspected by Stephen F. Austin and Nicholas Adolphus Sterne in New Orleans, the company reached Texas on January 19, 1836. They were sent on to Goliad, where they were assigned to the Lafayette Battalion under the command of James Fannin. During the Goliad Campaign of 1836 they were sent on several local expeditions. At the battle of Coleto the Red Rovers occupied the extreme right of the front side of the square and acquitted themselves like veterans. The unit was surrendered with Fannin's command, and most of the men sustained a common fate in the Goliad Massacre.
https://redrovers.org/

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1777, Luis Antonio Andry and a crew of thirteen sailed on the schooner Señor de la Yedra from New Orleans on a mapping expedition. Andry, a French engineer in the pay of Spain, was chosen by Louisiana governor Bernardo de Gálvez to map the Gulf of Mexico coast from the Mississippi River to Matagorda Bay. Andry's survey ship reached Matagorda Bay by early March 1778; its work essentially complete. Shortly thereafter, it fell victim to the trickery of apostate Karankawas from the Texas missions. According to the lone survivor of the crew, the expedition sought aid from Karankawa brothers Joseph María and Mateo who, feigning friendship, claimed to be soldiers from La Bahía. After first disposing of two parties sent ashore to obtain provisions, the renegade brothers brought their companions on board the ship, seized the crew's unguarded weapons, and murdered the rest of the crew with a single exception, whom they held as a slave. After removing the guns and other useful gear from the ship, they burned the vessel and with it perhaps the most detailed Spanish map of the Texas-Louisiana coast to that time.

[Shakey Jake]

Okay, here's a little known fact about my avatar and where it comes from:
PERRY, CICERO RUFUS (1822–1898).Cicero Rufus (Old Rufe) Perry, Texas Ranger, was born in Alabama on August 23, 1822. In 1833 he moved with his parents to Bastrop, then in Washington County. He participated in the siege of Bexar, served from July 1 to October 1, 1836, in Capt. William W. Hill's company of Texas Rangers, and was involved in an Indian fight on Yegua Creek. He was wounded on February 12, 1839, while serving under John H. Moore. In 1841 he served under Samuel Highsmith and Thomas Green and scouted for Edward Burleson and Mark B. Lewis. He was also a member of the Somervell expedition. He joined John Coffee Hays's ranger company in 1844 and participated in many of his Indian fights, including the battle of Walker's Creek. In August 1844 he was severely wounded in a fight with the Comanches on the Nueces River, and he and Christopher Acklin were left for dead by their two companions. With three wounds, Perry walked 120 miles, from near Uvalde to San Antonio, unarmed and without food or water. In 1873 in the battle of Deer Creek he came to the assistance of a party led by Dan W. Roberts. In 1874 Perry was appointed captain of Company D of the Frontier Battalion. Roberts served as his first lieutenant and later as his successor.
Perry died at Johnson City on October 7, 1898. Described by John Holland Jenkins as having been "tall, muscular, erect-a perfect specimen of the strong and brave in young manhood," Perry had black hair and "dark eyes, bright with the fires of intelligence and enthusiasm." It was said that in his career as a volunteer soldier and Texas Ranger he had sustained twenty wounds from bullet, arrow, and lance.