As of precisely 00:01 hours this very morning train horns went silent forever in El Campo, Texas. Shannon Crabtree writes in the El Campo Leader News "You’ll still be able to hear the train a comin,’ but those lonesome whistles won’t be a blowin’..."
There was another silence a few years back. On Saturday morning the 23rd of June 2007. Bobby Jones, the "Polka King" of Wharton County didn't come to work at radio station KULP and he hasn't been heard from since.
Wharton police found some car tracks leading down to the Colorado River and a license plate from his car but that's all. The river was high and it was a long time before the search could really get under way in the river.
Race: White Sex: Male DOB 8/13/1958 Age Missing:48
Height 5ft 7 in Weight:185 lb
Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Green
last seen: 6/22/2007 in Wharton County.
May have been traveling in a red 1993 Chevrolet four door
Lumina bearing Texas plates F37YHR.
There was a lot chatter about all this for a while. Gossip and such too. Maybe too much chatter and too much gossip. Last time, I mentioned a certain silence between me and Clint Robinson about this. Some of us just don't talk about this much anymore. We would probably rather take a few seconds of silence and remember this fellow who was once among us. Other than that the public liked the man and he played pretty good music, the fact is, this is about all we know. Anyone with any further information about what happened to Bobby Jones ought to call the Wharton County Sheriff's Department at 979 532-1550 and let them in on what they know.
Jim Bordelon, an obvious fan, wrote a poem
Bobby Jones is Still the King
(Read with the song Bob Wills Is Still The King in mind)
Bobby Jones |
Are the places we call home
And since we live in Texas
There is no need to roam
We grew up ’round polka dancing
And the girls we love to swing
It don’t matter who’s playin’ polka
Bobby Jones is still the king
Well I can still remember
The times we danced all night
And if Bobby Jones was playing
Everything would sound all right
You can listen to the Dujka Brothers
And the “Ravens” and “Hobos” sing
But no matter who’s in Texas
Bobby Jones is still the king
From the 88 Lodge in Houston
All the way to San Antone
To the KC Hall in Sealy
To a place we call Sweet Home
In every hall in Texas
And everywhere in between
When polka music’s playin’
Bobby Jones is still the king
When you hear the polka music
You dance with a three-step pace
The sound of Bobby’s accordion
Puts a smile on every face
No matter what band is playin’
When the polka music rings
And you’re talking polka music
Bobby Jones is still the king
Well if you ain’t never heard him
Well you just haven’t heard the best
But if you’ve heard his band a-playin’
You know he’s better than all the rest
It’s the home of polka music
Where the bands make your heart sing
But no matter who’s in Texas
Bobby Jones is still the king
I don't know about Bobby Jones being "The King" and all that, but whatever you thought about Bobby, there is no doubt Bobby Jones was one of ours and he was a pretty good musician. I think about everybody misses that big old smile he usually had when he was out among us. Here is a video Dennis Svatek came up with over on his Texczechpolka channel on YouTube. Dennis tells us that this was Recorded at the SPJST Lodge 88 in Houston in May of 1985. This has Bobby Jones - Accordion and vocals, Dennis Svatek - Trumpet, Joe Zetka Sr. - Trumpet, Teresa Zetka - Bass, Joe Zetka Jr. - Guitar, and Harvey Fajkus on the Drums.
do sljedeći put, blagoslov - until next time, blessings,
Canovals a.k.a. Slavonac
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