Ernest (Ernie) Walker Interview

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Interview with Ernie Walker: Interview with Ernie Walker
Transcription: DP - Don Parteka - [I believe the ANNOUNCER is DON PARTEKA] MM - Mitch Minton EW - Ernie Walker [Transcribed by Norma Alexander] TODAY'S COUNTRY 99.3 96.7 WATZ COUNTRY GOLD WITH ERNIE WALKER DP: Well, we're havin' a ball with this Sunday morning programming, right here Today's Country 99.3, 96.7 WATZ and, and Mitch Minton when you called me this morning you said you're on your way in, you're bringing the ham and eggs and we're gonna have a, a fresh pot of coffee and ah, ya, you mentioned a buddy of yours that ah, we thought we'd maybe ah, ah, get him ah, [laugh] well, I , I know a lot of folks know this guy, why don't you go ahead and talk about Ernie Walker. MM: Well, I haven't seen this guy in probably thirty, thirty-five years. A local star here and ah, we dug him out of the snow bank up in Hillman where he's been winterin', and ah, got him out and I says "Ernie, come on down to the radio station. You gotta let people know you're still alive." DP: Yes, well tell me a little bit about Ernie Walker Who oooo, eeee, hee ah, was a local entertainer and song writer in Nashville. right? MM: Yeah, he did a very good job. He cut a couple good records down there in Nashville. I guess on the Bayou Label in the old days, in the 70's. He used to sing a lot at the Eagles and Cedar Grove and some of your other local pubs. DP: Song writer for BMI, as well, I understand. MM: Yep, and ah, you know, he's he's a very, very, good singer, he could do a hundred, hundred and twenty five songs without ah, you know any sh, sheet music in front of him so he, he had somethin' goin' for him. DP: Yeah, well and, and ah, I'm just so excited to meet this guy here after the break and I, I understand he's gonna bring his guitar and, and we're gonna do a little pickin', a little singin' and have a ball with it. MM: Yep, we're gonna try to do it live there, we're not gonna monkey around, no cassette tapes or 45 records we're gonna put Ernie right here in front of this microphone and turn him loose. DP: Today's Country 99.3, 96.7 WATZ Sunday Morning Country Gold and ah, now Mitch Minton has stepped off to the side and ah, well, we brought this other guy here into the studio. Ernie Walker's with us here this morning. Ernie brought his guitar. From what I understand, you're kind of a local legend around these parts and you used to play in a lot ah, local joints and ah, do a lot of entertaining. And one time you owned a, a stable here in town, is that right? EW: That's true, yes. Had it back in seventy-four, seventy-three, four, seventy-five. [music in the background] DP: Good ta, good to have you here on Sunday morning Ernie and ah, ah, yu, as Mitch introduced you before we took the break, ah, you've done a lot of song writing, and you've played with a lot of big stars ah, yu, you were at one time doin' some ah, recording and ah, songwriting for BMI. EW: Right DP: And ah, here tell me about how you used to try to get some of the bigger stars to, to play some of your songs. EW: Yeah, I try to. You know, you try to get them to do it, but you know. DP: Yeah. EW: Sometimes they'd do it. I don't know I, I had alot of my songs played like out in Texas, and ah, out in Alaska. DP: Sure. EW: Florida. Didn't make a lot of money though. So, I had to stay with the cable's place in Tulsa. DP: Yeah, [laugh] Well aye, an, and now a days you work in the summer time on Mackinaw Island. EW: Yeah, I drive horses, yeah. DP: And ah. Waa, waa, waa, Now, I know a lot of folks. Well, they, they can't actually see us here in the studio but I want you to put in mind how Ernie Walker came to the studio here this morning. He's got his old guitar, he's got a pair of blue jeans on, he's got a kind of a levi type vest on and a straw hat. This guy is the only cowboy that I've ever met that has a blue tooth cell phone hooked in your ear. EW: [laughter] I forgot it was there, man. DP: Yeah, well we're gonna have some fun here and, and ah, you brought your guitar, and I thought maybe this might be quite unique Mitch invited you to come on here. And, ah, yu, you, you played some songs. Yeah ,I know you got some funny ones and you got a couple of real nice melodies. Why don't you play a clip off that one ssss, that, that song you played for us a little bit earlier, before we got on the air. EW: Oh, yeah. DP: What was the name of that one? EW: My little girl. DP: Yeah, why don't you do a piece of that for us. EW: My little girl, pretty as you can see. Looks like her mother. The world took away from me. She sits there starin' out the window pane. So I'm gonna take her where everything is clean. Me and my little girl we're goin' up North. She's gonna see snow she never touched before. Me and My little girl we're goin' up North. She's gonna watch snow make a blanket of white. Pickin' icicles hangin' from the roof . Blow on the window, watch Jack Frost do his work. Me and my little girl, we're goin' up north. She's gonna see snow, she never touched before. We're goin up North. And that's where we're gonna stay. because in the spring, everything'll be ok. Cause, I believe when everything is white. Gonna help my little girl, then everything will be alright. Me and my little girl we're goin' up North. She's gonna see snow she never touched before. DP: Yeah, that's country there. Ernie Walker right here on Country Gold. Ah, yu , you've been out of the area for some time now. You're back, is that how the story goes? EW: Yeah, I travel. I work maybe twenty, twenty-five states as a telephone guy. DP: Ah-huh. EW: And I played mu, music in any, any hall they put me in, you know, I just, you know, just pick up the guitar and start strummin'. DP: Sure. EW: I did some good things before I had all of the fun. DP: I suppose you have a lot of fun on Mackinaw Island, not only EW: Yeah. DP: with the guitar but with the horses and that and EW: oh, yeah, I enjoy it, yeah a DP: people EW: lot of different people. Huh? DP: You ah, had a, had another little song there you did for us. EW: You kind of liked that song, huh? DP: Yes, I did liked that a whole lot. EW: Alright. DP: Let's try that one. EW: Called "County Fair Song" Back door hinge is busted. Needing some repair. Back steps they are leanin'. But they'll do this year. The pump is needin' primin'. It is pumpin' air. But I'm getting' all dressed up. I'm goin' to county fair. Yes, I'm goin' to the county fair. Where they sell that cotton candy. Hear the barkin' of the carnie. Holdin' up a teddy bear. Down at the cattle barns I met a perty lass. She just won a blue ribbon With her heifer calf. I put my best foot forward And took her by the hand. And walked her through the carnival This man made fairy land. Yes, I'm goin' to the county fair. Where they sell that cotton candy, Hear the barkin' of the carnie, Holdin' up a teddy bear. Carnie talked me into Throwin' at the cats. Cost me fifty cents to knock three off the rack. It took four dollars To win that teddy bear. And give it to my girl At the county fair. Yes, I'm goin' to the county fair. Where they sell that cotton candy, Hear the barkin' of the carnie, Holdin' up a teddy bear. DP: Yeah! EW: Yep! DP: Alright, I like that Ernie. EW: [laughter] That was a long time ago. I think I played that back, I can't remember, at the, at the fair. DP: Yeah! EW: They had some politicians on a, on a wagon, on a, they had all the politicians. I said them mules have a lot to pull, man. DP: Yeah. EW AND DP: [laughing] DP: Well, ah, tha, that, that's great. Yea, would some of y, y, your ah, finest experiences you've ever played on stage, where you been? EW: Oh, I've been, I've played in, played in down Detroit DP: Mm-hmm. EW: I play at, play at a place called "The Elbow Room" and ah, I've played up here when I first started. I played at 32. It was called Bojangles 2. Do you know where that on 32?. DP: mmmm. EW: And I played I started out with twenty bucks a night and I played five nights a week. DP: Yeah, and you're in the big money. EW: No, I'm makin' good. I played from four to ssss eight and the rock band come after me. DP: mm-hmm. EW: But they couldn't, I got a lot of country people comin' and they kind of left if there were a rock band come in. And then we had the good guy that come played later on with ah, oh, you know his name. And I, I know it really well. You tell me what it is. DP: Mmmm EW: He plays rock-n-roll [inaudible] tonight. Yeah, Sonny who? DP: Donny? EW: Donny, yeah. DP: Donny Hartman? EW: Yeah. DP: Yeah, OK. Mmm-hmm. EW: Great. I didn't have to worry about him cuttin' into my music. DP: Right EW: Oh, he played rock. 'Cause he couldn't play more, each he had a hard time playin' three chords. He had to play more. DP: Yeah EW: And he was really good. I played. DP: Donny is EW: He played. DP: good. Yes. EW: Years ago still playin' DP: Good friend of ours. Yeah. EW: He's great. DP: Mm-hmm. EW: He could really hit that guitar. DP: You ah, you mentioned somethin' about ah, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge down in Nashville, you've had some experience and times spent down there. EW: Yeah, I went down there and played, and, ah, the last time I was there in seventy-five. I had one song in my pocket and ah, Willy Nelson was there playin'. And ah, I had kept it in my pocket, I didn't give it to him but Toosie was sick, she wasn't feelin' good. So I guess right behind was ah, Grand Ol' Opry, and he used to come in the back door and they'd go in Tootsie's lounge and they'd have their beers and talk and all country singers. And Patsy Cline used to like to sit in there and she was after ah, Willie Nelson and she'd be after a set with song writer called Har, Harlan Howard DP: Yes. EW: and ah, I was in there, he played a, a gig for and, and she passed away a little bit later, from there, but she was really good. She was, if you had ever went in to Tootsie's Lounge the whole place was covered with pictures. DP: Yeah. EW: and dollar bill signs. DP: History EW: What a place, hey. DP: Nostalgic, yeah. EW: Yes, see I can't say that anymore. DP: Yu, yu, you ah, you wanna rip off one more song there while you got your guitar. [instrument strumming] EW: You want that one? [squeaky screen door sound] DP: Here we go. [instrument strumming] EW: I got troubles on my mind, I can't handle. And those troubles keep me tossin' every night. I lay awake imagine what you're doin' I don't know, I just don't have the right. I don't have the right to all the good times. That we had before. and I don't have the right to love you. Or to hold you, in my arms, anymore. Troubles didn't start because we cheated or we lied. It happened just because your love for me had died. And I don't know the reason, so I toss and turn each night. Just because I don't have the right. I don't have the right to all the good times. That we had before. And I don't have the right to love you. Or to hold you, in my arms, anymore. So I had to tell myself it wasn't over. And the hurt in me would surely pass. Time's told another story, And I don't have the right to ask. I don't have the right to all the good times. That we had before. And I don't have the right to love you. or to hold you, in my arms, anymore. DP: I like it. Thanks Ernie for stoppin' in here today. This has been a lot of fun. EW: You're welcome. DP: You want, you got pa, big plans, ah, with family and friends a little bit later on? this Easter Sunday. EW: I got , I got to head for Kawkawlin. My daughter there she's invited me for dinner. DP: Oh, well, that'll be nice. EW: Kawkawlin DP: Yeah, haha. Well, that'll be, that'll be a good time. TODAY'S COUNTRY 99.3, 96.7 WATZ, "The Country Gold Show" live right here, Ernie Walker and his guitar. We surely enjoyed it. EW: Thank you.
Creators: Walker, Ernest, Performer; Alexander, Norma
, Transcriber
Media Type: Audio; Image
Item Type: Interviews
Description: The music and words of local country music artist, Ernest Walker.
Subject(s): Music - Country
Personal Name(s): Walker, Ernest ; Walker, Ernie
Language of Item: English
Copyright Statement: Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
Contact: Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
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