Pee Wee Crayton: Red Rose Boogie

Here is a short clip of Pee Wee Crayton. Crayton was the house guitar player at the Bilikin in Des Moines until he moved to LA. According to Mel Harper who owned the club, he hired guys for a month, or more because he felt that having a house band, or player helped build an audience. Mel brought in big time artists to play at the Bilikin, and Crayton was no exception. Of course lucky for us Pee Wee moved on, because his replacement was none other than Jimmy "The Midnite Cowboy" Pryor. Jimmy came for two weeks and blessed us with 45 more years of great blues!

WOW! CHECK OUT THIS SITE NOW!!!!

WOW! If you love Des Moines history then you need to look at this site. This is the coolest place I have found on the net. Tons of old photos and a film that will soon come out about the old theaters in Des Moines. I hope that they find something on the old Bilikin from Center Street. It was originally a movie theater know as the Lincoln before it became one of the hottest nightclubs in the Midwest. They also have a linked site to a recreation of the roller coaster at River View Park. It will bring back fond memories to the over 40 set:-)

I will post a preview of the upcoming movie shortly.

My friend Jimmy

I figure my first real post should be about my hero Jimmy Pryor. Jimmy was one of the great Pre-war Post-war bluesmen who ever called Iowa home. Jimmy played the blues starting sometime in the late 20s, and continued until his death last year. He started out working in the coal mines of West Virgina and then played in the coal camps with his band the Four Aces. Jimmy played Guitar, Piano and sang. He joined the army during WWII and became a truck driver for the Red Ball Express. Dodging German bullets and bombs he returned home. He eventually moved to Detroit where he formed the Jimmy Pryor Band. In 1960 looking for more excitement than what was happening in Detroit he was booked in the 24/7 Bilikin Theater located just north of downtown Des Monies on Center Street. Jimmy was booked for two weeks to replace Pee Wee Crayton who had moved on to LA. Jimmy's two week engagement lasted 40 years! In the 1970s during the dark ages of the blues Jimmy played country western music. His favorite club was the Pines on the far northside of Des Moines. He was beloved by the country music fans that they named him to the cowboy hall of fame, and called him the Midnite Cowboy. Jimmy returned to the blues full time in the 1990s. He started out with the Sunday night Showcase at the Hull Ave Tap with Tom Gary. He also helped form the band Fat Tuesday with Scott Long, and John Wood. For a couple of years Jimmy played with both Fat Tuesday, and the Tom Gary Blues Band. Eventually he played exclusively with Fat Tuesday, and enjoyed great success playing in blues festivals around the Midwest. The last gig that Jimmy performed at was at the historical building of Iowa. Jimmy was honored for being featured in Living Blues. Jimmy sat in with the Blues Instigators and sang a medley of his favorite songs.