Over in San Marcos, Pappy Selph was telling Cliff Bruner and Ruth some kind of story one time, I don’t know what kind of story it was. So Ruth knew the background of it and knew what the truth was. So when he got through telling it, she said, “Pappy, you know that’s not true.” She said Pappy looked at her for a little bit, and then said, “Well Ruth, you know it’s not true, and I know it’s not true, but THEY don’t know it’s not true.”
I’d like to do a religious album. I like the gospel music. Like yesterday, I did a medley with a verse of each one: When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, In the Sweet By and By, and then I’ll Fly Away. We did that yesterday to close. When we do it, it’s got a beat to it, you know. I like songs like that, but I also like In the Garden - I think that’s a beautiful song. Also, Just a Closer Walk With Thee. That’s a great, inspiring song. Also, He Touched Me. But you know, they’ve been recorded so many times.
I don’t know if I’m really capable of doing those songs. My voice isn’t getting any better, you know. I just praise God it’s as good as it’s been through the years. Because a lot of people, when they start getting old, their voice gets old. But my voice hasn’t aged with my body - at least it doesn’t seem like it to me. I know I can’t do the songs in the key that I used to do them in. I have to lower the keys. I used to do Milk Cow Blues in A, and now I have to do it in G - I have to drop it down or drop it back on the guitar.
I like some of the gospel quartet music. Ellen likes it. We’ve gone to see the Florida Boys several times, and I’ve got some kinfolk up in Stephenville - man, they go anywhere they can to see the Florida Boys. Ellen watches Bill Gaither on the television. I used to like the comedian they had on that show. My kinfolk used to come to Fort Worth when they would have these gospel things over at the Will Rogers Auditorium, and they’d come by and pick up Ellen, but I wouldn’t go, I would just stay home. I just didn’t like it that much. But I’ve gone to see the Florida Boys a number of times, and I watch the Gaithers sometimes. I don’t like high tenors, especially if they have too much vibrato. I don’t like anybody who sings and shakes it to death with their vibrato. I know that’s popular, especially in classical music. In fact, in our church, the song leader used too much vibrato. I like just enough vibrato to give a true tone. But too much of it, especially when it is too high, just drives me up the wall.
Cecil Brower’s pet was the tremolo mute on his violin. It had a stainless steel shaft several inches long with a stainless steel ball up here, and then a stainless steel piece that had a couple of grooves in it, and that fit right down on the fiddle bridge. If Cecil would be playing, and it wouldn’t be vibrating enough, he’d reach up and touch that ball so it would vibrate faster. When it starts losing speed, the vibrato slows down. That’s why I didn’t like it, because you couldn’t control the speed like you can now on today’s amplifiers. It was a novelty. He did use that in the live performances also. When he would be playing at Crystal Springs, and it wouldn’t be vibrating enough, when he had the chance, he would hit that ball up on top. It was kind of like that toy duck that sips the water, swinging back and forth. The ball swinging back and forth created the wavering tremolo effect. Most people don’t know what that sound is - they think it’s a defect in the record.
LP’s:
Cliff Bruner’s Texas Wanderers - Western Swing 1937 - 1944
(Texas Rose TXR 2710)
Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies 1934
(Texas Rose TXR 2706)
Dave Edwards and His Alabama Boys 1937
(Texas Rose TXR 2707)
Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies - Taking Off
(String Records)
Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies
(MCA Collectables Series)
W. Lee O’Daniel and His Hillbilly Boys 1935 - 1938
(Texas Rose TXR 2702)
Milton introduced the “Battle Dance” to help other bands. Bob Wills was down in Waco, and wasn’t doing too good. So Milton booked Green’s Terrace down there, which was one of the biggest places in Waco, for both bands to play, to help Bob out. He even let Bob take top billing there. Because of that, a lot of people think that Bob was above Milton, but back then, Bob Wills wasn’t even known at all in Texas.
The crowd at Milton's funeral was the largest crowd ever seen at a funeral in Fort Worth at that time. The Star-Telegram estimated about 3,500. Later, the funeral of a well-known minister, Rev. J. Frank Norris, was said to have even more. The Bewley Mills Chuck Wagon Gang members sang at Milton's funeral.
Perry Cotton Club, Big Springs, Texas
Milton typed his own letters at this desk and portable typewriter. He bought that desk not too long before he died, and he typed two copies of all his correspondence: he didn’t use a carbon. I don’t know why he did that.
Milton’s senior year picture
Herman Arnspiger was an original Doughboy - he, Derwood, Milton and Bob. Sleepy wasn’t an original. But W. Lee O’Daniel fired Herman and they hired Sleepy. Now look at the inital “H” on Sleepy’s sleeve there. That’s Herman’s sweater. They gave it to Sleepy!
Milton sang with a trio for Burrus Mills before the Doughboys.
Photo of Milton wearing the western hat. The writing on the side of the top of the hat was commemorating the Texas Centennial (1836 - 1936). They gave them those hats. Milton knew a guy at Leonard Brothers Department Store. Right before they went to New Orleans for that marathon recording session, he called this guy and they went down there on Sunday and they opened up and they sold each one of them a pair of cowboy boots. That was the first cowboy stuff that they wore.
Barbara Martin interviewed Adolf Hofner, and she asked him “Who did you pattern your band after?” and he said “Milton Brown. He just had more polish than Bob Wills did.”
Dave Stogner patterned his band after the Brownies. He was raised up in North Texas, but he headed out to California and played out there and made his home out there.
Photo of Roy Lee and Ellen was made when I played out on the Mansfield Highway.
Milton’s tombstone: In the middle is a microphone, shaped the way they were back in the Thirties. These are 2 radio towers, with wires going across from the towers. One of his fans bought that and paid for it herself, shortly after his burial. She came to my mother and dad, and said that she had never gone with Milton Brown, and that he probably didn’t know her, but she was a fan of his, and she wanted to know if they would object to her providing the monument.
Rose Carnes was a member of the Chuck Wagon Gang. There were Rose, Anna, Dad and Jim. They sang at Milton’s funeral. They’re all gone now. Anna passed away not long ago. They were from Fort Worth. When I take Ellen to the beauty shop on Friday, I go over to Rusty’s Music Store. Rusty Carter is Jim’s son. Some of their family developed this new subdivision over here. And then W. Lee O’Daniel’s old farm is just right down the road here. I never knew all that when we moved out here.
Here’s an ad for that Pontiac like Milton had. That car cost $730.