How This Adventure Started…The Wonder Bread Years

1958…Got my first guitar at age 14. Had to compensate for acne, no muscles and being too skinny. And the girls seemed to be drawn to guitar players. We had music in our far West Texas home, but my transistor radio brought more colorful, late-night fare into my life, with Wolfman Jack, The Louisiana Hayride and Grand Ole Opry sparking my interest in all kinds of music. Radio stations like KOMA (Oklahoma City), WLS (Chicago), WNOE (New Orleans) and KWKH (Shreveport) were important catalysts to expand my appreciation of Blues, R&B, Jazz and Rock & Roll. Elvis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry were big deals at the time.

The Amazing CU-Boulder/Colorado Experience

1963-64…Graduated from New Mexico Military Institute high school in 1963. Unfortunately, I’d done very well there, so was able to con my parents into letting me cancel my family destined UT-Austin college plans, and re-route to CU-Boulder. I loved the University of Colorado for all the wrong reasons, and Sex, Coors and Rock & Roll ultimately did me in. But what amazing musical adventures were packed into those two years. Read on.

Highlights…Over those two years, I’d befriend Townes Van Zandt, join the house band ( The Imperials) at The Tulagi (Colorado’s then most famous dance/music venue), open for Bobby Lewis (“Tossing & Turning”), lead a conga line playing the maracas with Bo Diddley, personally open for noted folksinger Glenn Yarbrough (“Baby The Rain Must Fall”) in Colorado Springs, and… Oh, I almost forgot, our band opened in Denver for the Beatles’ first closed-circuit American concert in March, 1964. I hardly believe it either. I was obviously too busy to find the CU Library. But, I digress. Let me expand/expound a bit.

Townes Van Zandt…One of the first students I met in Boulder. Beautiful Indian Summer day, he glides into the intersection I’m walking through in his good-looking Chevy with Texas plates. The plates caught my eye, I waved him down and thus started a great, but much too brief friendship. He was a bartender at The Tulagi, we wound up playing guitars together, double-dated often and spent lots of time together until his parents spirited him away for shock therapy. Those of you who know his story…know. It’s complicated and extensive. I’ll elaborate in future posts. A tragic life story of a most talented poet and singer songwriter. I love this photo taken in Austin’s Van Zandt Hotel.

The Tulagi…Named for Tulagi Beach from WWII, dedicated to the brother of the Tulagi founder who was lost in the war. He wanted to create a place where college kids could enjoy the fun his brother had missed. I’d immediately joined a college band…The Imperials…and we became the Tulagi House Band. The following images relate. We’re on stage (I’m second from right) in front of the mural painting of Tulagi Beach.

Opening For The Beatles…March 1964…Denver…Following their initial U.S. appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles were immediately signed to Capitol Records, and plans were quickly made to take advantage of the momentum. A national media marketing firm designed the first closed-circuit nationwide concert event to further introduce the Fab Four. They booked 16 of the major large-city theaters, ours being Denver’s Paramount Theater, and hired the top bands in the regions to warm up the local crowds live. We were that band in Denver. We emerged sporting Beatles wigs on a rising orchestra stage, and played three Beatles songs for a standing room only crowd of kids and parents who’d come to witness this musical phenomenon. The Beatles were actually in Washington D.C. for the filming. An unforgettable experience for all involved.

Fast Forward…And I Get “Discovered”

2008…Lots of life has transpired. I’ve been in Austin since 1968, and haven’t played professionally since then…only for myself, family and friends. I start playing more seriously while commuting to care for my parents with declining health situations in Midland. They pass in 2004/5. I’ve also been spending writing and rejuvenating time at Cibolo Creek Ranch near Marfa. It’s on one of those trips in 2008 that I meet noted music agent Kevin Wommack, who’s at Cibolo Creek scouting a video shoot site for Los Lonely Boys. He’s in the bar where I’m entertaining the guests after dinner. He comes over when I finish, and says, “You’ve got pretty good chops for an old guy. You ought to do something with that while you still can.” That was an unexpected boost that I didn’t know I needed.

Kevin’s encouragement and my marriage to Annette were just what the musical/spiritual doctor ordered. I accepted the challenge, sought the help of some of Austin’s best musicians, and wound up performing a sold-out show at Austin’s ZACH Theatre to benefit their education programs in memory of my late son Graham. This great poster, designed by ZACH’s Rona Ebert, with photo by Kirk Tuck, captures that most special occasion.

What Now?

I’ve got lots of reasons to be grateful. I’m not getting any younger, but Covid has kept me locked down and out of trouble, with plenty of time to be creative…If I so choose. And, I’ve so chosen. I’m playing a lot, expanding my playlists, and am working toward at least some house concerts, if not some larger band gigs. I’m blessed to live in such a musical town, and I’m inspired to take advantage of that while I can. For those of you who are unfamiliar with my past efforts, go to “Dan Bullock Music” on YouTube and enjoy some videos from our last concert. My great band raised my game considerably. What a humbling honor for me. Stay Tuned.