Yorks: Silver Eagles

The Context

This is the whole story, in as much as still pictures can show it, of
the beginnings of a most popular ongoing historical event. It moves from
the location and completion of facilities, through three days and nights of
open-air music, to the throwing of the last rose to the performers. It
sets out to weave together both things and people, audience and singers,
electricians and police. It carries a principle that setting the scene is
often as important as the performance itself, while remembering that a
whole lot of controversy was present then, adding depth to that wonderful
musical interest which remains central to an important annual celebration.
I didn't and couldn't have done this alone.

In 1974, I was a graduate student at Texas A&M, doing all the photography
that I could on the side. Willie Nelson was yet by no means the national
figure he has so rightfully become. I first encountered him as a stage
persona at a multi-star benefit for radio station KPFT in Houston that
winter. Commander Cody had just blasted out an overlong set, completing
more than twelve hours of music all told. Our audience group was tired, no
matter how good things had been. Yet, when a clean-cut (for the last time
in a good long while), coming into middle-age, simply dressed man sauntered
alone on stage and smiled, any discomfort was gone, instantly. There'd
never been anything like it. Sure, the electricity in the crowd around,
from those who were well aware of this man's talent, was important, but he
became even more special in that instant. That incredible smile, of
course, just foreshadowed music that met every bit of its promise.

1974 was the year of the release of Willie's first big-hit album,
"Phases and Stages". Meanwhile, nearby College Station, Texas World Speedway,
where I'd been recording Indy style and NASCAR auto races, had sunk
financially into something like the mire that their parking lot seemed to
become every time they scheduled an event. To recoup, several local
entrepreneurs gestated corralling the rapid growth of Willie's new summer-
fest of musical friends within the existing big crowd control features at
the track. I knew I wanted to record this burgeoning properly, to use my
larger format camera and go beyond the typical fuzzy/grainy images seen of
music in play, to make it into another form of art through the whole event,
from the first word that reached me. In May, old friend Dave Ringland
showed up at our student-shared house, saying that his crew was starting on
building the stage. I set out with them the next morning. What you have
before you is the result. Do please settle back with some good country
music (best of all, that of these performers), and use that aural counter-
point to even better see how it went in practical stereo.

The Photographs
[Note: only a few of the images themselves were possible to be presented in this on-line version]

1

Along the highway from Houston well before the show was scheduled,
one could find campers preparing next to the event's heralding. This part
of Texas that time of year was as always 'a might on the toasty side',
averaging highs just about 100 in whatever shade one can find. This year,
it had been dry for a good while, with fire danger considered serious. All
campsites were being watched more carefully than they might otherwise.

2

The last time the track had heard music: playing of the national
anthem before the start of an Indianapolis-style race at the Speedway the
year before, with all the leading championship cars in attendance.

Sun on muscles, with sweep of track and Texas sky. Beauty of strength
of body and wood, beginning of the erection that led to so many others. An
incredible intensity of sunlight translated into silver by glass.

4

So much of architectural record concentrates on its end, and perhaps
rightfully so. Yet, in that high sun, the fresh wood waiting and being
slid upward is also quietly impressive, quite worth remembering unfinished.

5

From plans, the products. The drawings are the literal ground here,
with the wood just beginning to reach above them.

6

A lot of the exercise is watching and smiling, as well as feeling the
more obvious thing happening. All things indeed in good time here. The
right preparations being made, with hard work not precluding enjoying it.
This picture has Dave at the post.

Threes and controlled angles were what I was taught make good photography.
Throughout this project, I was encouraged and directly aided by Tom
Heyde, a long-time photo pro who ran the town's leading studio, who espec-
ially liked this shot among my rushes. It represents both the realistic
sweat of the heat and the sense of a growing building. "Pick up the tempo"
says the song.

8

As the structure becomes more complex, so do those angles. The wood
itself can seem to reach for life again as the builders help it along.

9

Sometimes the simplest constructs can begin to feel a bit like
cathedrals. Here are the momentary flying buttresses for a coming son et
lumiere.

10

With the stage in the context of the oval of the track, the garages
for the racing cars in their emptiness behind, and a builder of the new
structure almost literally floating in the shadow. Even the sun's reflections
are astonishingly bright.

11

Embroidered initials on men's shirts weren't a common thing in this
time and place. When I saw this fellow arrive on the site, what clairvoy-
ant sense I have told me that this was a must. Not much later, Tony Joe
Varisco's satisfaction with this photo gained me the financing I needed to
complete this work, as well as the stage pass that made the rest immedi-
ately possible. He desired an original print record for himself and his
fellow promoters of their shared experience, with a copy promised to go to
Willie himself in thanks.

12

Once again, the reflection of sun on wood, with its drape on shapes
long taken from their deep forests, holding enough to keep from completely
bowing still.

13

The network begins to make a distinct space, shining despite the
afternoon's regularly growing clouds.

14

Lifting asphalt seen under real shade of competed roof. The pause,
the weight, the movement, are all palpable here, amidst the background of
peace.

15

Even more here, the pause of relationship with calmness, with evening
coming on, finishing of preparation near, Dave on the roof and cloud.

16

In the designated campsites, natural essence and preparation side-by-
side as well.

17

With proper recognition of the fire danger, with commentary in an
unexpected language.

18

The symmetry of track and its outside walls neatly framed a longer-
lasting yet more ephemeral phenomenon, a brief summer thunderstorm,
symbolic of other energies soon to be contained within.

Preparations of the most essential sort. Somehow the expectation of
the needs of 100,000 anticipated people become most apparent here, the
visible result of need for planning. It's all coming in order.

20

Security then follows in many minds. What amused me most in this
exposure is the empty holster on the fellow with the white hat's belt.
Part way is probably safer, if not always as satisfying. This was happening
at a time when A&M's football parking lot attendants were arguing for
the right to pack open revolvers.

21

I'm in this one, looking down into my Hasselblad in the background,
taken by fellow student, Wellborn housemate, and now respected high school
teacher, Bill McIntire. The local media were portraying the event as
drawing vast numbers of drug-crazed hippies or drunken rednecks (or both,
setting up an inevitable world-class brawl), depending on one's particular
set of fears, all bent on destruction of the community and everything sacred
or smashable in it. This filming of an evening TV news clip seems neatly
commented on at the time by the expressions on the roadies' faces.

22

Preparations of another basic sort for Texas summertime activity.

23

This couple was first in line to buy tickets. Yes, she did the driving, which
was even less common then than now. So much of the wonder in the event
lay in the people out front as well as those more openly on stage.

24

Hokey, perhaps, but nevertheless, the juxtaposition of horse and auto
racing visuals sums the physical atmosphere, with, of course, that ever
present sunlight.

25

Juice for the stage itself--one big fuse box to this artist used to
just three kilowatts a day! It takes quite a bit to reach out to so many
people, especially when they intend to make a good bit of noise themselves.

26

The silhouette of the final tools to do that reaching. The 10,000
watt amplifiers on each side seemed like a lot, until the physicist in me
realized that all that power was but a fraction of that released when I put
my foot into the accelerator of my old Lancia Flaminia. Truly, we do some
strange things in this country, and have even stranger perceptions of how
pieces fit together in our world.

27

No crucifixion here, just the handing up of a hammer for the lights
to come. Silhouettes never tell it all.

28

Like the commodes, the data input logistics of a major concert,
especially one with the literally hundreds of artists this one had,
can be impressive when grouped together.

29

In a mobile trailer was a complete sound studio, including this then
state of the art 24 track recording set-up, which had been used to record
several best-selling albums already, including Jerry Jeff Walker's "Viva
Terlingua". Like the others who were at these performances, I'd sure like
to hear some of the tapes made here once again.

30

The morning of the 4th dawns at last, under the low, fast moving
seacoast clouds that inevitably define the beginning day before the heat,
as they manage again to get this far inland. I was amused by finding this
young lady asleep on one of the old photo stands, from which I followed
several major auto races, as well as by the creative use of old parachutes.

31

The infield before the storm of sorts, that did not come from the
grey of the sky. Once again, the clue of things to be so soon is the
distribution of the waste cans extending into the distance.

32

Willie's car at the time. The sticker on the back windscreen was
reputed to have considerable irony in light of the singer's relationships
with the car's speed capabilities, his use of them, and the Austin police
department's repeatedly expressed feelings towards them. It may have been
that Willie just thought it funny.

The man himself, continuing the enjoyment backstage.

34

With David Allan Coe, "the mysterious rhinestone cowboy", well before
noon.

35

The "Midnight Special" program was at the time a major national TV
draw. On this camera, the schedule that the acts drifted around is taped
at ready.

36

Security, recorded by McIntire, where strong horses are not just for
show, and a good time is not so far away.

37

A large Hollywood based film crew was also on hand, using 35mm stereo
motion picture cameras used just before by Andy Warhol to do his "Franken-
stein". Their concert movie got a very limited release several years
later, being tied deeply in litigation as I understood it, but from watching
one filming dolly rise just inches from one of the beautiful sweet
young things who'd stripped for the heat and the exposure, following her
slowly from toe to head as she swayed gently with the music, it should have
been a good one. Each camera operator exuded the quiet intensity of the
genuine professional.

The opening of the gates. The sole bicycle has always made me
curious, providing a nice ebb for the general flow.

39

Settling in, with heat already in the nineties, and shade an illusion.

40

Zooming in a bit to the light/sound crew and their environs. More
solid workers.

41

What it had all been working toward, to obviously mutual pleasure.
Relaxation of this sort, that allows one to walk on stage before 50,000+
people with a program casually rolled up in one's pocket is well beyond me,
though I surely love the results, as so many others do.

41a

Willie's sister Bobbie has long played piano for and with him. Her
honky-tonk rolls are a thorough delight, and her generally quiet presence
deserves more applause than it often gets.

42

This is my definition of success in the art of the suntan. Zonker
Harris got nothing, as it were, on this couple! Attention, obviously was
not always focussed wholly on the stage.

42a

Bobbie at the piano again. The key here is the rose underneath, the
first of many, and appropriately focussed.

43

Willie and band, with hats and accouterments, in back and before.

44

Willie happily watching Jody Payne, Mickey wailing, and Bee Spears
keeping 'em both honest.

45

Mickey Raphael center stage.

46

Record of a flirt, I like to think at least. She takes a moment's
finding, but like all such things, worth the while.

No one could accuse Willie of favoritism, despite his commercial
sponsorship, putting to use offerings of the state's competing brands
tossed to him by the crowd.

48

Truly, a good time was being had by almost all.

49

Ditto, looking the other way.

50

Including Paul English, too.

51

Much rumor had floated before the show of confrontations to come
between pot-heads and alcohol devoted rednecks or a massive raid by the
law. Remembering the old dictums of dangers in mobs, and being of a
worry-prone upbringing, expanded by considerable experience in Viet-Nam
protest confrontations, I was among the unsure. This moment was a
thorough relief.

52

While the crowd was pretty complete in their approval of what was to
me an unexpected synthesis, the harp-player's face seems to read some
remaining dubiousness.

53

But beyond rumor was the music, ever satisfying.

54

Jody and Willie, silhouettes.

55

And Bee.

56

And Willie alone, with program, embroidery and conchas.

Willie brought old friends, like Floyd Tillman, the simple (in the
best of senses), courtly writer of, "Walkin' the floor over you" and other
standards, who was later so gracious to me when I visited his modest nearby
home.

58

Dave and Cathy Ringland, as observers. Good friends and always
generous, typifying the good I remember in Texas.

59

The only posed shot in this book. I saw this image just as he was
putting the dog down, and asked him if he'd mind raising her again. "Sure
thing", with another smile of the day.

60

John Hartford. Magic fingers and marvelous humor. I remain
especially taken by the "pamper item" sticker on his case.

Again Hartford. The last easy close-up I was allowed. Too many
stage passes had been issued for comfort. If I may have been among those
who trespassed on my deepest dictum that a photographer has no business
interfering in any way with the event he or she is recording, I apologize.
I sincerely remain hopeful that I was not. The best shooters are invisible at the
time.

62

First in a short set by Bill McIntire out in the crowd, this of the
synthesis of roper spirit and softer borderline drugs. Looking back among
this context of artists and their followings at work, William Blake's
aphorism that the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom may be seen
in both of its possible interpretations. Even given the friends I have
myself lost to heavy drugs, I can't help but suspect that Dr. Leary
still said some darned good things, if one can get past the hysteria to
listen, with his last, "Just Say Know". For most Americans, the truly
most dangerous activities will continue to be their use of the automobile
and other fuels, to themselves and to (or from) their neighbors, directly
and indirectly, along with the ever-present threat of nuclear weapons.

63

The statuesque lady that we all wound up recording.

64

More than one way to get in free, though some take a bit more effort...

65

which was appreciated by most, anyway,

66

including the late entrant.

67

Back to my own, and Sammi Smith, another link to an older tradition,
reaching happily to several new.

68

Dr. John Young (as I remember it), a veterinarian and one of the
promoters of the concert, backstage with his chief of security, with those
marvelously telling sunglasses, reflecting the goings-on.

69

Shade was appreciated, wherever and however it could be found. It
was HOT!

The local media's view was that only fringe elements crawled out from
under their rocks to attend. This is my response. More than anything else
(almost) that I enjoy seeing at an event is a true blend of appearance. Too
often, there's a clinging to little cliques, where all think we all need to
look just the same, even amidst this land of so much rhetoric of freedom.
Physically expressed differences, among other choices that harm no one,
would seem just exactly where that freedom comes home, shown so
appropriately here in this July fourth celebration.

71

And again.

72

Willis Allen Ramsey wrote some of the songs that helped Jimmy Buffet
on his way to commercial success. Jimmy is shown playing grateful backup
to an old friend in his set before the large crowd.

73

The original honky-tonk hero, Billy Joe Shaver, with Willie on to
sing harmony. More essential old-time picnic spirit.

74

At the end of the first night, my only exposure from the close-in
crowd's actual perspective, of a strangely clean-cut Jerry Jeff Walker,
appropriately blurry, just before I and my cameras were christened with out
of control beer. I kept on enjoying the music, but from a safer distance.

75

The local promoters, day two.

76

Never have I seen a man with a more appropriate drink.

77

Backstage, with the then-Mrs. Buffet watching her husband's band
warm-up. One of the prettiest ladies I've ever run across.

78

Buffet and band, having a traditionally good time.

79

Guy Clark, the marvelous songsmith, somewhat less relaxed than
Willie, set to play before the fans.

80

From another friend in our little group of journalim students at
A&M, Mike Sabin, comes this concurrent shot of trouble in the parking lot.
There were some amusing stories of Keystone tries to cut this short, but
the local departments did cut the blaze with enough despatch to keep it
from spreading far. This image captured something neither of us expected
at the time, a later-to-become-famous singer's own car, which was to be
immortalized in a recorded story as well as this hellish vision.
[Album cover copyright 1997 by Arista Austin;
its is reproduced here for reference purposes only]

Meanwhile, I waited and waited for Guy to open his eyes, but I really couldn't
blame a man then used to coffee houses and small bars for this approach to
the big stage. His music was marvelous, as always, nevertheless.

82

Two underage lassies from, as I remember it, Shreveport, typifying
the opening eyes of youth away from home.

83

A salute to the fourth, from an iconoclast with icons, noticed and
otherwise.

84

The discrete connection with Woodstock, John Sebastian joining the
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band unannounced, while the second day's light faded.

85

Sunset, with the 'Midnight Special' crew at work.

86

Waylon Jennings, whom the crowd had been waiting for, giving them all
their money's worth and then some. A flawless performance.

With Moon and band, looking every bit the storied outlaw, from before

88

and behind.

89

I didn't find out who this fellow was, but he was greeted as he moved
forward down in the crowd with as much enthusiasm as anyone up on stage,
and certainly has gained satisfactory help.

90

Michael Murphy was the night's most immaculate dresser. Here, he is
quite aware of the bigger camera, in one of his near-perfect moments as a
showman.

91

With all the visual clutter, the amazing thing is that this song was
a solo, an especially lovely one. This was one of the few real highlights
that the 'Midnight Special' actually aired, for they accidentally erased
their tapes of most of the evening. Too much of what was finally broadcast
was recorded late at night, after the live audience had gone and the
headline performers had been doing quite a lot of well deserved liquid-
based relaxing. It, and the national audience for it, missed the pure
excitement and related quality present here. 50,000 cheering people do
present a much stronger stimulus than any studio.

92

Doug Kershaw has a reputation as at times a bit of a prima donna,
quarreling on stage with his band and the like. Not at this festival,
however, where he totally ignored some pretty outrageous behavior by Leon
Russell (behind him here), and gave another perfect set. Leon actually
apologized for his behavior at the next year's KPFT benefit, an action I've
seen no other performer do.

93

Kershaw at speed, with Leon as a visual incarnation of Mephistoph-
eles. They did get their audience up and moving with them!

94

This picture should be viewed as a pair with the next, audience and
idol. This is appreciation personified.

95

But really, so is it in Leon.

96

Putting them together, with tripartite elements of Leon and Willie,
silhouetted movie filmers on the boom and disrobed beauties below, all
swaying in time to the perfectly amplified beat, and you'll have the
essentials of the second night's finale.

97

The full moon over the speaker platform and stage after the last
applause.

98

Performers' area backstage, still later. Bringing the accommodations
right on in.

99

Day three begins, with Asleep at the Wheel, keeping Bob Wills' swing
alive, and oh so well. Their old Greyhound bus outside, with the band's
name painted in big letters on its side, was one to give a moment's pause.

100

Amen!

101

The festival's official salute.

102

In the crowd again, a veteran watcher.

103

Perspective from the top of the Speedway stands, of the third day
survivors.

104

Yet, smiles still the order of the day.

105

With watching going on in both directions,

106

of performances going on below as well as above (in a perspective by
another friend, Jerry Walsh, the rest of whose marvelous pictures were
stolen from me before I could include them, and we've lost touch).

107

Coming closer to home, the Austin band, Greezy Wheels, taken from one
of the stands used by the 'Midnight Special' cameras when they were working.

108

As at other festivals of the era, a volunteer group provided first
aid and other relief. This worker, even in black and white, rather
obviously seems to need some of the sunburn lotion she was disbursing,
though she is carrying one of the two most popular more general remedies of
the day.

109

It was still hot, and more radiant surfaces were appreciated.

110

Professional cameramen enjoy freedom to do personal work sometimes,
too. He then passed the little camera down to me, so that I could zoom in
his own image back again. Good times came in some unexpected places.

111

Though, as the afternoon's heat peak came, when the music lulled, I
did admit feeling moments that were summed up here. Three days of high
intensity can be a bit telling.

112

Nevertheless, as evening darkened, the wind came up, and Bobby
Thompson's guitar was among those fitting well in with another rise in
spirits.

113

Backstage with local leaders, judging the goings on at first hand.

114

Rumor had it that Ricky Nelson was rousted sleepily from his motel
bedroom and a close encounter with a new female friend, but no one could
fault his show after the late arrival. Glitter from what was too soon to
become a lost era.

115

After a rousing performance of his own, a young musician hesitatingly
and respectfully greets Sammi Smith as one of his long time heroines, and
she glowingly praises him in turn. A quiet moment I felt privileged to
share.

116

From clout of then playing a highly popular 'Kung Fu' on TV, a
classic miscasting as a singer occurs. Dirt Band members who'd joined me
in my perch in a sound tower kept up an absolutely scurrilous commentary,
one that this final night's audience would have most thoroughly enjoyed.

117

Despite any moments of weakness, the night for many was a delight-
fully romantic summary, as good music so much ought to be.

118

As "Good Night Irene" is complete with Spanky McFarland leading
among others, one more sweet bittersweet parting begins.

119

The flowers and the notes tossed onto the stage floor become just
impediments so quickly, yet make such a fine ephemeral symbol of desires
and fulfillments, now at rest, but still in motion in memory. The music
itself lingers, more complete, "fire that burns in the mind" in Willie's
own words.

120

Going or coming, its all the same for some. The important thing is
finding the ones you want to be with.

Technical Notes

Except as indicated in the text, all images, developing, and original
printing was my own. Daylight work was done with a Hasselblad camera
employing 80mm or 250mm Carl Zeiss lenses, using Kodak Plus-X film, a K-2
filter, and with the camera generally tripod mounted. Night work saw the
same camera and lenses, but 1-stop pushed Tri-X and no filtration. Metering
was zone system (in so far as practicable) using a vari-angle Gossen
Luna-Pro. All film development was with Agfa Rodinal at 1:100 dilution,
taking the developer to exhaustion. Printing used condenser projection, an
80mm Schneider enlarging lens, and Agfa Brovira single graded papers,
developed in 1:3 Dektol, followed by light selenium toning, as per Ansel
Adams' suggestions and personal research.