Although I admit that there have been days when I was ready to hoist the black flag, I’m not advocating insurrection here. Just this morning I was given a full box of things that had belonged to Holmes McNeely, director of the Rice band from 1951 to 1967. A guide to his papers in the Woodson is here, and they’re fairly extensive. But I was very surprised by something in today’s box, a Rice song that I’ve never encountered before:
I was initially fooled by the date at top right and spent quite a bit of time looking for Mr. Shannon in the years around 1950. Thwarted, I turned to an old alumni directory where I found Richard Shannon, class of 1934, president of the band his senior year. His place of employment was listed as “Dick Shannon Music Productions.” I think this is our man:
If anyone is familiar with this song please let me know.
Bonus: Graciously sent in by loyal reader Betsy Wittenmyer, MLS 2018. It’s pretty and it also makes me think of campus in the olden days.
Here’s Dick performing with the Tune Schmitts, ca 1953.
Here’s a photo of Dick performing with the Tune Schmitts, ca 1950.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=332728528169&set=a.310477383169
Caption for the photo from the KPRC History Facebook page:
Paul Schmitt and the “Tuneschmitts” on set at the original KPRC Quonset hut studio, ca 1951. The small sign near the ceiling says, “Put your cigarette ends in the ashtrays.”
Paul Schmitt, piano; Felix Stagno, guitar; Dick Shannon?, Vibes; Paul Vickers, bass. Marrietta Marich and Bob Russell, vocals.
Thanks so much, Bill. This is great!
It’s my personal opinion, but if that music is an original, it’s not very original. (It sounds pretty derivative to me).
Did Dick Shannon’s mother teach school in Houston?