Book traces 50 years of local music

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August 30, 2010

BY MARY WICOFF Commercial-News The Commercial-News Mon Aug 30, 2010, 03:00 AM CDT

DANVILLE — During the past 50 years, country and gospel performers in the Illiana area have taken some interesting musical journeys. Much has changed, however, and those artists are getting older.

“If we’re going to tell our stories, we’d better do it now,” said Tony Shuman of Wallace, Ind., a longtime musician with the Highway 341 Band.

Shuman came up with the idea of putting those stories into a book, and he’s being helped by Herb Wiese and Denny Palmer, both of Danville and members of Spice.

“Fifty Years of Entertainment in the Heartland, 1960-2010” is under way, and Shuman hopes to finish it by next spring.

The book uses Danville as the hub and branches out in a 50-75-mile radius into Indiana and east central Illinois.

Danville was a “hot spot” in the past, Shuman said, adding, “There was music, mostly country music, on every corner, club and bar.” Main Street was like Music Row in Nashville, Tenn.

When the bars closed in Danville, the musicians went to Belgium or Westville, where the honky tonks stayed open longer, he said.

“It was an exciting time, and the world seemed to be a much better place,” Shuman said.

In the book, he notes how times have changed — from the venues to the fashions. Musicians used to play on their front porches, and then clubs, into the early hours. Now, cowboy churches, jam sessions at local churches and restaurants are the norm, and the evenings end earlier.

Shuman also writes about the “Porter Wagoner” look that many performers adopted in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. That was followed by leisure suits, bell bottoms, ruffled shirts, and for the women, shorts and tall boots. Blue jeans and cowboy hats for both sexes are still in style today.

Palmer, a member of Spice, also noted another change. In the past, performers belonged to the American Federation of Musicians Local 90. That was one way for performers to connect and stay in touch.

Palmer is helping with the book, but noted it was Shuman’s idea and he’s spearheading it.

Shuman has the names and addresses of about 150 local musicians from those days, and he’s trying to locate 40 others.

“There are musicians out there we’re trying to find, and we don’t want to forget them, if possible,” Shuman said.

Shuman owns the Highway 341 Country Café in Wallace. In his band, ages of the members range from late 60s to 83, he said, but they still did 180 shows last year.

Many of the musicians who reigned in the past 50 years are older now. Shuman wants to reach as many as possible and encouraged people to contact him.

FYI

Musicians who want to be included in the book “Fifty Years of Entertainment in the Heartland” should call Tony Shuman at (765) 397-3366, Denny Palmer at 474-1508 or Herb Wiese at 446-0765.

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