Take Me Back to Tulsa

     

When I was a kid, I learned that, when he was in his early 20’s, my dad had disappeared for seven years, and over time I realized that he’d spent most of that time in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So, when I decided to write a novel inspired by his life, I knew I’d have to make a trip to Tulsa. Before that, I spent time researching Tulsa on the internet and talking with various historians in the area in order to formulate an itinerary for my trip. 

            On one occasion, when I told a lady at the Tulsa Historical Society Museum that my dad had always talked about seeing Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in person, she said, “Oh yes, Cain’s Ballroom. That place is still going.” And so it was. It still looks much like it did in the 1930’s too!

When Bill and I went to Tulsa we met some friends and attended a show. We also bought a book at their office—Twentieth-Century Honky-Tonk, by John Wooley & Brett Bingham (2020). Cain’s is often referred to as “the Carnegie Hall of Western Swing,” and our visit there helped me understand a lot about why my dad said (and did) the things he did when a Bob Wills song came on the radio. If you’re unfamiliar with Bob Wills, go to YouTube and hear a little of his music (https://youtu.be/uUPrVzNb8_g).

 CAIN'S BALLROOM

https://www.cainsballroom.com/