Appliance Stores Replaced Discos but Nightclub Fever Still ... · the Spurs, and with the big three...

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but Nightclub Fever Still Burns In His Dreams...

Appliance Stores Replaced Discos...

FREEMAY, 2012

• 2 • Action Magazine, May 2012

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Action Magazine, May 2012• 3 •

Jacques Strap..........................................3

Ronnie Branham......................................6

Sam Kindrick...........................................5

Everybody’s Somebody..........................9

Scatter Shots.........................................10

• DEPARTMENTS •

• FEATURES •

Editor & Publisher..................Sam KindrickSales.......................................Action StaffPhotography............................Action StaffDistribution...........................Ronnie ReedComposition.......................Dan Cardenas

Volume 38 • Number 5

By Jacques E. StrapAction sports analyst

They left Tim Duncan off the all starlineup for the first time ever, and nowwe are seeing the results. Timmy must have been pissed. The 36-year-old big boy is now play-ing like the colt who led the San Anto-nio Spurs to five NBA championships,notching many a 20-point-plus gamewith dunks, steals, a newly-refinedmid-range jumper, and that brand ofrugged defense that has defined theSpurs since Duncan’s arrival. AndDuncan has even lost his foul shootingyips. Point guard Tony Parker is havinghis best year since the Spurs draftedhim 11 years ago, and Manu Ginobili,the whirling dervish from Argentina, isat long-last injury free and beginning tohit his incomparable stride as the NBAplayoffs begin. So now it’s time for old Jacqueshere to weigh in with a prediction forSpurs basketball in the spring andearly summer of 2012. It’s all but a no-brainer. Barring injury to the Big Three--Dun-can, Parker, and Ginobili--the San An-tonio Spurs will win the westernconference championship, then go on

to defeat the eastern conferencechampions for a sixth NBA title. This prediction is neither far-fetchednor extravagant. And the key to it isdepth. With the late additions of Boris Diawand onetime Spur Stephen Jackson,the team added experience to itsyouthful cadre of surprising basketballdiamonds in the rough. Nobody expected Gary Neal andDanny Green to emerge as the dan-gerous long ball threats they have be-come. And their short games areequally as good. Neal has even developed as a cred-ible point guard who sometimes subsfor Tony Parker. And the George Hill fans have fallensilent. Those who threw verbal rocks atGregg Popovich and R.C. Bufford fortrading Hill for rookie Kawhi Leonardare now seeing the method behindwhat we once viewed as managementmadness. Leonard is a far better fit than thepopular Hill, and the rookie from SanJose State has proven to be the de-fender that Popovich envisioned andthen some. With his quick feet, impossibly long

arms, and hands that are bigger thana catcher’s mitt, the 20-year-oldLeonard has turned out to be a betterscorer than expected in his startingrole with the Spurs. And when he snaked the ball awayfrom Kobe Bryant, the San Antoniocrowd went wild. Now let’s go on down the line. Matt Bonner is as solid as ever, hav-ing probably his best year as a Spur.The Red Rocket is always capable ofbreaking a game open with his 3-pointbombs. DeJuan Blair is short for a postplayer, but his ferocity under the bas-ket is perfect for many situations. And, finally, the 6-11 Tiago Splitterhas learned the Spurs system, andworked himself into top physical shapeas the team heads into the playoffs. He did a credible job guarding the 7-foot Andrew Bynum as the Spurs beatthe Lakers two out of three, and theBrazilian’s length will give Duncan thehelp he needs as the Spurs test teamswith bigs like Bynum and Pau Gasol. Boris Diaw, who played high schoolball in France with Tony Parker, bringsdefensive muscle and a surprisinglygood shooting touch to the team. Diaw has played some good de-

fense, and he is making half of his 3-point attempts. While Jackson has appeared rustyand a bit off his rhythm in recentgames, Popovich and the older Spursknow what Jack is capable of. He is an inspired and unselfishplayer who loves playing back with theSpurs. And he is capable of breaking agame wide open at any time. So there you have it. Name a team from either confer-ence that can beat the Spurs over a 7-game series. Sean Elliott said it and I believe him. With the depth and bench talent ofthe Spurs, and with the big three ofDuncan, Parker, and Ginobili eachscoring 20 points or more in a game,there isn’t a basketball team on theplanet capable of beating San Antonio. Dwayne Wade, LeBron James,Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Du-rant, and Blake Griffin are superstarswho might be leading their teamsagainst San Antonio. But none of them can get there if theBig Three are banging it on all cylin-ders. So get ready for another river pa-rade in June. The new NBA championswill be waving from the boats.

Jacques E. Strap says Spurs will win it all.


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Action Magazine, May 2012 • 5 •

Rick Perry said, “You can’t haul hay in a Prius.”This may be the most significant and intelligent statement that Governor

Good Hair has ever made.He was responding, of course, to the Democratic administration’s advocacy

for energy saving vehicles--i.e. electric cars and electric/gasoline powered hybridslike the Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, Honda Insight, and others.

My old cowboy grandpappy would have sooner been caught dead in thebrush before driving a halfbreed motor car that whirred and whined like an electriceggbeater. There were no hybrid cars on the market during grandpa ShinnyChenault’s lifetime in the cedar brakes around Junction, but I knew him well enoughto accurately predict that he wouldn’t cotton to a Toyota Prius or a Ford Fusion if hewere here today.

Hard of HearingGrandpa Shinny was as deaf as a rusty crowbar, and he always swore that

his hearing loss was the result of driving a Model T Ford truck without a muffler. Eardoctors were skeptical of this assessment, however, opting instead for a diagnosisof a hereditary disorder or even an undetected or forgotten injury from childhood,but Clarence Chenault stuck with his mufflerless truck theory until his passing, andI never had any reason to disbelieve anything he said.

All of which, in a rambling and roundabout sort of way, brings me back tothe subject at hand--newfangled hybrid cars that run off both gasoline and electricityfurnished by under-the-hood batteries.And more specifically, of course, the seem-ingly unbelievable and outrageous fact that I now own one of the contraptions.

It is a 2010 Toyota Prius which had slightly more than 14,000 miles on itwhen I broke down and purchased it last month from Toyota of Boerne.

Like many Americans who are down-sizing their modes of transportation, Iwas driven into the quagmire of energy-efficient doodlebugs by the forces that be.

Blame the skyrocketing price of gasoline on the oil companies if you will.Blame it all on Obama if you be of that persuasion. Or blame it on the devil if thereis no other suitable scapegoat handy.

To borrow a line from Tim Duncan, I can only say that “it is what it is,” andmy 5-foot wife Sharon and I had no choice but to start dealing with a monster thatshows no signs of retreat.

Stumps and RocksYou can’t haul hay with a Prius. Rick Perry was right on that account. And a

Prius wouldn’t be much for pulling a trailer load of firewood, or for stump-jerking andcarrying away large rocks. And that’s why I will hold on to my 2006 Toyota Tundratruck as long as I possibly can.

When we moved into our current home in the Bulverde-Boerne area, I useda big chain and my 4-wheel-drive-truck to yank out a boxwood hedge that encircledhalf of the large front porch on the home we had purchased.

There were 48 old boxwoods in that hedge, and everyone of them had rootsthat must have reached halfway to China.

You can’t haul hay in a Prius, and the little Japanese hybrids wouldn’t be

suitable for pulling up boxwood hedges or just ordinary wild persimmon bushes forthat matter. And for this reason, I must hold onto my truck at all costs, for if gasolineprices continue to soar as the economy plummets, who knows. I might one day haveto pile my wife, dogs, cat, and some chickens in the truck and take my chances withthe cartels down south of the border.

C h i c k e n L i t t l eThe gasoline crunch hit us like a final wrecking ball.

I felt like Chicken Little fleeing from the falling sky. The total costs for both me and my wife had started crowding a thousand

bucks a month. The Xterras will get 16 or 17 miles per gallon on a good day, andthe Tundra pickup truck drinks gasoline like a sponge. Maybe 15 miles per gallon.

Until trading for the Prius, I owned one 2003 Nissan Xterra and the 2006Tundra, while my wife also owns a 2003 Nissan Xterra and a 1993 Oldsmobile Cut-lass that belonged to her late mother.

I must have an SUV for transport of thousands of copies of Action Maga-zines. The wind and weather make it impractical to haul magazine bundles in anopen-bed pickup truck.

I had heard of the Toyota Prius and other hybrids now on the market. I neverthought I would ever even consider one of the high-tech machines.

But shortly after putting $70 worth of gasoline in my Xterra with 173,000miles, I Googled Toyota and came up with Toyota of Boerne.

When I reached the big dealership, a nice-looking young car dog by thename of Esteban Segovia stepped out to greet me.

“Segovia?” I said, hoping to get him off guard a bit. “You have a famousname.”

“Famous name?” He was genuinely unaware of any connection with the fa-mous.

“Andre Segovia,” I prompted. “The greatest classical guitar player the worldhas ever known.”

“What band does he play with,” Steve Segovia asked.

A Dead Spaniard“Well,” I said lamely. “He doesn’t play with any band. He lived in Spain and

now he’s dead. But he was playing long before your time.”“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Esteban Segovia the Toyota salesman. “I have a

Prius here that you will fall in love with.”He was right. I went for it. He gave me a fair trade price on the Xterra with

173,000 miles, no shuck and jive or watermelon bullshit associated with the SnidelyWhiplashes of the used and new car industry. I reciprocated by dropping the AndreSegovia trivia and breaking out the checkbook.

My late grandfather wouldn’t believe it, and I’m having trouble myself. At this writing, the Prius was getting over 50 miles-per-gallon. But stay tuned.

If the damned thing blows up on me, I will pass along a report.


By Sam Kindrick The thunder of that original disco beat gath-ered Ronnie Branham in and held him trans-fixed. It was 1972, and the location was Aca-pulco, Mexico. Branham was a fledgling nightclub operatorfrom San Antonio, and he had just set foot inthe first discotheque he had ever seen. It was a nightclub wonderland calledLeclub. Spinning mirror ball lighting bedazzled andamazed as Branham watched a sea of beauti-ful young people literally pulsating on a greatpolished dance floor. Bay Rum, Channel #5, and airborne testos-terone are a powerful mixture. Plunging neck-lines and thigh high miniskirts were the order. “I knew then that this would work in San An-tonio,” Branham said. “I knew I had to have adiscotheque.” Little did he know at the time, but RonnieBranham was destined to become the DingDong Daddy of a San Antonio disco empirethat would stretch over almost two decades. The Branham human hide female “meatmarket’ era was in full swing, and the rest is aheady part of San Antoniohistory. Ronnie Branham--with vending machinepartners Malcolm Gildart, Alex Habeeb, andJoe Friesenhahn-- opened that first San Anto-nio discotheque in 1974 with search lights rak-ing the sky. The Tiffany Palace, a block off ofNorth San Pedro Avenue, was the glitzy blingflagship of what was to become a nightclub dy-nasty of the 1970s and early 1980s. “We opened, remodeled, renamed, and op-erated a total of 45 nightclubs in San Antonioand later in Houston over those years from1971 until 1988 when I finally got out,” Bran-ham smiled. “The way it worked, the vendingcompany people built the clubs and did themajor remodeling when we changed namesand switched formats.” While Branham was to later join forces withJohn McCormick and others in several Hous-ton clubs, his initial bankroll people in San An-tonio were Malcolm Gildart, who ownedAllcoin Equipment Co., and partners AlexHabeeb and Joe Friesenhahn, owners of TheEldorado Co. In those days, the guys who gotfirst count on all jukebox, pool table, and othernightclub machine proceeds literally had moremoney than they knew what to do with. They were the big bankroll people, but ittook Branham to make it all work. Gildart and Habeeb are now deceased,while Friesenhahn is out of the industry and liv-ing in California. Branham now owns ScratchN Dent, the largest independent appliancecompany in Texas. A onetime sales manager for automobilemagnate B.J. (Red) McCombs, Branham at-tributes his business acumen to the billionaireFord dealer. “I learned a bunch from Red,” he said. Ronnie’s first car sales job was on theSouthside for Don Hickman, who was to even-tually become owner of North Central Ford. “Don introduced me to Red,” Branham

said. “Red had satellite lots all over town.” Branham’s flair for flash, dash, expensiveautomobiles, and outlandish promotionalschemes came naturally. He hired Neka (now Scarbrough-Jenkins)to be his first choreographer and inhousedance instructor. With dance partner Alfonse,she taught the Latin hustle in the Branhamclubs, and when Ronnie and Alex Habeeb ven-tured into the male strip business, Neka waspressed into training some of the young studswe derisively referred to as “dick dancers.” Branham noted that Neka has always ex-celled at what ever it was she might be doing.She was a great dancer and teacher, he noted,and she has few peers as a photographer andportrait artist. He said she was a natural for thediscotheque atmosphere. “The Travolta movie Saturday Night Fevercame out right after we opened the TiffanyPalace,” Branham said. “It later became theHallelujah Hollywood, Showcase, and AdamsApple. I was driving a bunch of Excaliburs anda Rolls in those days, and I even had a Ger-man-made Auburn Boattail Speedster with ahot pink interior. I figured if I was going to bein the disco business, I might as well go at itwhole hog and have a bunch of fun in theprocess. People out of the disco scene justwouldn’t look right in some of those cars.” For the most part, Branham shied awayfrom live music, but he once booked Steppen-wolf at his Showcase Club, Kinky Friedman atthe Deja Vu, and Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffet,and David Alan Coe at his legendary LongneckClub. Also Alex Harvey, the great but relativelyunknown songwriter who penned such mon-ster hits as Ruben James and the TanyaTucker hit Delta Dawn. Ron Singletary, an old associate from thecar dodge, managed the Longneck for Bran-ham, and Singletary was in charge when AugieMeyers recorded his Live at the Longneckalbum. And the Ronnie Branham promotional ex-travaganzas were the fodder for legends in ourown minds, and I must admit my part in a mo-torcycle jump fiasco involving local daredevilEven Steven. “It was in the Deja Vu parking lot,” Branhamrecalls. “Even Steven was to jump a series ofparked Thunderbirds, and I can distinctly recalla bunch of Bandido bikers who showed up forthe festivities. I was apprehensive about thepresence of outlaw bikers, but there was nocause for alarm. When Even Steven’s bikereared up and pitched back over on top of him,the Bandidos fell off of their motorcycles laugh-ing.” Then there were the arm wrestling tourna-ments for both men and women in Branhamdiscos. Bobby (Kid Death) Thomas, a local boxerand one of the more colorful characters tosashay through the Branham joints, was amale arm wrestling champ who was suckereddown by a lady counterpart. “She wasn’t as strong as Bobby, but shewas so fast that she had his arm down beforehe knew what was going on,” Branhamlaughed. “Bobby was fit to be tied, and we

never let him live it down.” Thomas was later shot and almost killed infront of Sugar Daddy’s, another disco whichBranham co-owned with Ernie Hoessley. Butthat is a whole different story and there is notenough space to deal with it here. At age 72, Branham’s penchant for flashycars has never waned. In addition to a cus-tomized midnight blue Toyota Tundra pickuptruck, he owns a rare red Cadillac convertiblesports machine with 400 roaring horses underthe hood, and a 1971 Rolls-Royce stretch lim-ousine which has been completely refur-bished. “I’m getting up in my years now, and I fig-ured I might get a driver to chauffeur mearound in that limo,” Branham cackled.”But notfor a while now. I still like to rev the Caddysports machine up and let her rip on occasion.” Yesterday is history, okay, but tomorrow isstill a mystery with Ronnie Branham. And asthis piece was being written, Branham andMarty Egan, another sidekick from the night-club world, were in Las Vegas scoping out a$30-million topless club called Treasures. During his disco heyday, Branham hostedPlayboy Magazine “strip-offs” and autographparties with various centerfold bunnies fromthe magazine. And while he did open a maledance club called Adams Apple to competewith the once-popular San Antonio male stripjoint known as Labare, he has yet to own andoperate a topless club featuring femaledancers. This could change. Indications are that Branham might be aim-ing toward a return to the nightclub industrywith a female strip operation. When asked point-blank if he were contem-

plating a return to the nightclub scuffle, Ronniehemmed, hawed, and discoursed about theimproved quality of female torsos in the tittybar industry as he finds it today. So go figure. “After graduating from Thomas JeffersonHigh School, I attended San Antonio Collegefor one year, then went to work for Metropoli-tan Life selling insurance,” Branham recalls. “Iwas 18 at the time, and had to alter my birthcertificate in order to qualify for a license. Bythe time I turned 21, the legal age limit for a li-cense, I was already a district manager witheight guys working for me.” Branham started selling Fords for Red Mc-Combs on one of Red’s southside lots, quicklybecoming McCombs’ top salesman and thenbecoming sales manager. “Red’s philosophy was simple,” Branhamsaid. “If you worked hard and could sell, hesaw to it that you made more money thansales people with all of his competitors. I stillmeet with him for lunch once or twice a year.He is a close friend and he is the greatestteacher I ever had.” The pzazz and the money attracted RonnieBranham to the nightclub industry. “My first club was the Union Jack on Mc-Cullough Avenue, and you remember it be-cause you were there,” Branham said. “Mywife Carol was the day manager and main bar-tender. Carol and I have been married for over40 years now, and she is still as pretty as shewas the day I met her.” From the Union Jack, Branham establishedThe Wild Turkey on San Antonio’s Southside.Also the Robbers Roost, partnering in thoseSouthside ventures with John Fitzpatrick. Andthere followed a string of Northside clubs and

One Time Disco KingBranham says he is

again getting the ‘Itch’

Ronnie Branham has done well with his three Scratch N Dent Super Stores in San Antonio

eventually the Houston operations. In San Antonio, I can recall Tiffany Palace,The Showcase, Wild Wild West, Deja Vu, SugarDaddy’s, The Longneck, and Last National Bank,not necessarily in that order. With partners in Houston, Branham hadFaces, Tobasco Beach, and Buffalo Wings.Faces was the 20,000-square-foot monster thatBranham and John McCormick eventually con-verted to Paradise Beach. “When we opened Faces,” Branham recalls,“I gave away 1001 diamonds, one to each of thefirst 1001 customers through the doors. Theyweren’t expensive diamonds, but they lookedgood, and the disco crowd went wild over the di-amond giveaway. “And it was at Faces that we hosted the re-gional finals for Playboy’s Great American Strip-Off for three consecutive years. Faces was not astrip club, but the magazine conducted thesepromos in select nightclubs around the country,and it didn’t cost us but about a thousand dollarsto put one of these deals on. I figured the adver-tising value was well worth it.” After the death in San Antonio of KennethWayne (Cotton) Stout, his best friend and arugged manager and trouble-shooter for theclubs, Branham dropped out of the business fora couple of years before moving on to Houston. I recall Cotton well, for it was Stout who choseme to preside over his eventual funeral serviceat Porter Loring Funeral Home on McCullough. Dying of pancreatic cancer in 1980, and los-ing his great mop of curly hair due to chemother-apy, Cotton showed up at the Action Magazineoffice with Branham one morning to discuss hisimpending demise. I recall Stout dropping big fistfulls of his fallinghair into my office wastebasket, and I will neverforget the catch in Ronnie Branham’s voice whenhe was to eventually deliver the most unusual re-quest I had ever heard. It came immediately after

Cotton’s Stout’s death. “Cotton told me just before he died that hewanted you to conduct his funeral service,” Bran-ham told me. “He said he just wouldn’t be com-fortable with a preacher, and that he knew youwould do a good job.” I could not and did not refuse, and I will neverforget that scenario at the funeral home immedi-ately prior to Cotton’s service. I had just left the hospital against doctor or-ders after undergoing an emergency appendec-tomy. And the fact that I had busted my stitchesearlier that morning helping some damsel in dis-tress move a couch into her apartment did noth-ing good for my appearance as a funeralconductor. I was bleeding through my suit coat, and I re-call Porter Loring himself nervously asking mehow I planned to conduct Cotton’s funeral serv-ice. “I don’t have any idea,” I answered. “This willbe the first funeral I ever preached.” Porter’s face turned a light shade of green,but we got through the service without a hitch.And Cotton’s son from Oklahoma personallythanked me for saying those last words over hisfather. Cotton was a rough customer with a big heart,and Branham says he always got first count onthe money from as many as 13 clubs simultane-ously due to Stout’s imposing presence. The Southside enforcer and manager of theWild Turkey was a former Oakland Raiders line-man by the name of Alan Reece, also now de-ceased. “Not many of those toughs on the Southsidewanted any part ot Alan Reece,” Branhamlaughed.

continued on page 13

Action Magazine, May 2012 • 7

Branham relies heavily on son Beau Branham,vice president of the family corporation.

The Branhams with one of their paint horses.

Carol Branham with paint donkeys she and husbandraised.




Try Bobby J’s John T. Floore Coun-try Store is not the onlylive music hangout inHelotes with an open-airpatio. Try Bobby J’s forsome hot country pickingand some of the besthamburgers in this partof Texas. “Our outdoor patio hasreally become popular,”says Beth Sfalos, ownerof the Helotes restaurantshe started almost 14years ago with her latehusband. “We have

some really good bandsbooked for the month ofMay, including Mike LordIII.” Beth Sfalos, with herson Jeremy serving asgeneral manager, is car-rying through on her late

husband’s dream, ahamburger heaven in thestill-quaint hamlet ofHelotes. L i v emusic at Bobby J’s issomething new, and anaddition that Beth Sfalosis certain that Bob wouldapprove of. When Bob Sfalos be-came ill with cancersome four years ago, hetalked before his death ofselling the business. Butwife Beth said she could-n’t let it happen. “It was Bob’s dream,”she said. “It meant too

much to both of us. Icouldn’t let it go.” Bob and Beth wereboth real estate brokersbefore they married, andBeth sold the Bobby J’sland and building to Bobbefore they married. They leased the build-ing and land for years,deciding to establish therestaurant after Bobwalked in one day andtold Beth he wanted toopen a restaurant. Hewas retiring from real es-tate. “But I can’t even

cook,” she protested. Bob Sfalos had ownedrestaurants before thetwo were married, and hewas determined. “We went all over theState of Texas looking atrestaurants,” Beth re-called. “We finally settledon Bobby J’s Oldfash-ioned Hamburgers.” Beth recalls going towork for a major corpora-tion to help Bob pay forthe restaurant. “When he died on De-cember 10, 2009, Iplunged into the busi-

ness,” Beth recalls. “ I stillwork 12 and 15-hourdays six days a week.” She and Bob JamesSfalos were together 29years and marred 23years. “Bob was an excellentbusiness man,” Bethsaid. “He schooled me asa business partner, andhe trained my son Je-remy in the restaurantoperation. We want tokeep the dream alive.” Rolling Oaks Richard LaBiche hasfinally succeeded where

BETH SFALOS

MAY BAND SCHEDULEMAY 3 THURS KARAOKE KOUNTRY 7:30-11:30 NC KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10PM

MAY 4 FRI GERONIMO 8-12PM $7 KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10PM

MAY 5 SAT VINYL 45'S 8-12PM $5

MAY 6 SUN MEGAN STENDEBACH'S MEMORIAL GOLF CLASSIC FOR THYROIDCANCER RESEARCH, THYCA, AT 9AM BEING HELD AT NORTHCLIFFE GOLF CENTER.THIS IS THE 11TH YEAR AND WE HAVE RAISED OVER $114,000 TOTAL. IT'S A 4-MANSCRAMBLE AND IS $75/ PERSON. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 210 651 5812.

MAY 10 THURS KARAOKE KOUNTRY 7:30-11:30 NC KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN

MAY 11 FRI CACTUS COUNTRY 8-12 $7 KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10PM

MAY 12 SAT FREE JUKEBOX ALL NIGHT. DANCE TO YOUR OWN MUSIC.

MAY 17 THURS KARAOKE KOUNTRY 7:30-11:30 NC. KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN

MAY 18 FRI JAKE HOOKER 8-12PM TICKETS $25- LIMITED SEATS. CALL 210 6515812 FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION. KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10

MAY 19 SAT THE WHOOSITS 2-5PM NO COVER. NACHOS & BURGERS SERVEDFROM 12NOON TO 6PM

MAY 24 THURS KARAOKE KOUNTRY 7:30-11:30 NC KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10PM

MAY 25 FRI TWO WAY STREET $5 8-12 KENNY'S KITCHEN OPEN 5-10

FRIDAY JUNE 1 WE WILL BE HONORING BIG SAM BAUDER ON HIS RETIREMENTAFTER 49 YEARS WITH SOME OF THE FINEST MUSIC IN THE COUNTRY BY GERON-IMO TREVINO AND HIS TERRIFIC BAND 8-12PM $7. FOOD AVAILABLE. EVERYONEWELCOME

others have failed withthe Rolling Oaks GolfClub Bar and Grill. With the sports barunder the direction ofmanager Lisa Olsztyn,live music by the likes ofRuben V and other tal-ents have started to visi-bly turn the place around. “We are working at it,”said LaBiche. With live music onweekends, Rolling Oaksfeatures karaoke onWednesdays, along withlive standup comedy. And when the ink isdry on this piece, Rolling

Oaks Sports Bar and Grillwill have a license toserve liquor-by-the-drink.

Ladd Roberts It’s been 35 yearssince Austin LaddRoberts was renderinghis own brand of Texasmusic at the Bijou Clubon San Pedro Avenue. With his picking part-ner Patti Pannell, Ladd isback in this part of thecountry with a traveltrailer he has parked onthe Junction Highwayjust outside of Ingram. “Where in hell did 35years go,” Roberts asks.

“It is mind boggling.” The fifth generationTexan allows that it isgood to be home, mes-saging us with an emailwhich said: “I’ve been caught inthe land of cash, flashand trash. California, forthe past 10 years. Patti’sfamily is from Boerne andI have always loved theKerrville area, so here Iam. And I have a greatrelationship with Dr.Kathleen Hudson of theTexas Heritage MusicFoundation at Schreiner

University. And they arepitching my one man mu-sical (stories and songsof Texas heritage) andare the main reason Isettled back here.” Ladd and Patti will beplaying the Dog andPony Restaurant inBoerne on May 12 andJune 2 and June 22.

Barroom Boutique Janyce Hanefeld,longtime bartender wholast worked for the lateMike Sfair at Sfair’sCocktails on West Av-

enue, is back on thenightclub scene. But this time Janyce ispushing bling instead ofsuds, and the boutiqueshe and Kristina Demelare operating in RobertDemel’s Crazy D’s Sa-loon may be a first of itskind. Janyce, who is theniece of the late Joe (TheGodfather of Rock andRoll) Anthony, has part-nered with Kristina(Ramirez) Demel with thebarroom boutique theycall Blind-cetera.

“We have the blingand other stuff,” Hanefeldsaid. “Kristina and I haveworked a bunch of clubstogether. She has beenbehind the bar at RodDog’s, Schooners,Finnegins, BroadwayBar, and Crazy D’s. It’sfun now sitting here sell-ing our bling and listeningto good live countrymusic.” Robert Demel, ownerof the club, is a top handwhen it comes to beltingout country tunes.


MAY BANDSMAY 1MAY 4MAY 6MAY 8MAY 13MAY 15MAY 18MAY 20MAY 22MAY 27MAY 29

TUES: CARLTON PRIDE 6-10PMFRI: NICK LAWRENCE $5 COVER 8PMSUN AFTERNOON: SMOKEHOUSETUES: DRUGSTORE COWBOYS 7PMSUN: ANDREA MARIETUES: NELSON 7PMFRI: DERRINGER $5 COVER 8PMSUN: DEANOTUES: LLOYD BONHAM 7PMSUN: BLUE GRASSTUES: TWISTED FATE 7PM

Scatter Shots Cont. 14

9am to 6pm Tuesday - Friday9am to 4pm Saturday


SATURDAY 8:00 - 12:30 p.m.SAT 5TH BROKEN DUCK FEETSAT 12TH THE RETURN OF NATALIE

ROSE WITH BEAUTIFUL MINDSAT 19TH T. KAYE & SWEETFIRESAT 26TH DEEP WATER

MAY BANDS 2012

LIKE US ON FACEBOOKwww.facebook/txs46

Chicken Fried SteakJuicy Char-Grilled

BurgersSpicy Catfish

Fish TacosZesty Nachos and

More!9 Miles North of Loop1604 off Blanco RoadAll New Highway!!

www.spechts.com830-980-7121

GoodEats!!!

Specht’s HoursMonday - Tuesdays ClosedWednesday 4:00 - 9:00Thursday 4:00 - 9:00Friday 4:00 - 10:30Saturday 11:00 - 10:30Sunday 11:00 - 8:00

Every Thursday Jerry Kirk

May Live Music

GENUINE TEXAS

LANDMARK

WITH MIKE LORD

FRIDAYS 7:30 - 11:30 p.m.FRI 4TH T. KAYE & SWEETFIREFRI 11TH BOBBY JORDAN & RIDGECREEKFRI 18TH 2 WAY STREETFRI 25TH RICKY ADAMS BAND

SAT 12TH COME SEE NATALIE ROSE ON HER WAY TO STARDOM.

May 4May 5May 11May 12May 18

May 19May 25

May 26

Rusty Martin & Doc GJeff CrislerSylvia & TracyWhisky ShiversAustin Ladd Roberswith Patti PannellThe WhipplesThe Isaacks Jim & JohnThe Flyin’ A’sEvery Wednesday Jim & Lynnie

Every Sunday Open Mic with Mike Phelan

Alan BrownReadsAction

Here’s what Brown has tosay about Action editor

Sam Kindrick:I have recognized Sam Kindrick’s brillance, insight,and unfettered stance to tellthe truth in any situation sincehe worked for the San AntonioEpress-News. Sam is a word-smith who turns the writtenpage into art. He is a greaticonoclast. Sam is a personthat I consider a soundingboard for almost every situa-tion that life throws at me. Igreatly respect and honor hisfriendship and support.

Alan Brown

Alan Brown is a San Antoniocriminal defense attorney whois nearing legendary status inthe State of Texas. Recog-nized by Texas Monthly as a‘Super Lawyer’ over the past 5years, Brown is known forsuch legal feats as the acquit-tal he won in the Johnny Ro-driguez murder case. The jurytook 30 minutes to come inwith the not-guilty verdict. Thiscase is but one of hundreds.

Advertising is worthless if you

have nothingworth

advertisingSam Kindrick


Branham’s lifestyle has changed some sincethose wild and wooly disco days. He visits withchildren and grandchildren, and his hobby is rais-ing paint donkeys and some paint horses on hisranch between San Antonio and Seguin. Branham’s kids, Rhonda and Robin, are girlsby his first (and now deceased) wife. Anotherdaughter from that union, Royce, died of breastcancer. Ronnie’s sons are Mike and Beau, withboth Beau and another daughter, Amber, comingthrough the union with Carol. “My life has been like an elevator,” Branhamsaid. “Up and down, but I feel very fortunate tohave had the succes I have been able to enjoy inthe ventures I have undertaken.” Branham left the nightclub industry in 1988simply because he was flat broke. “My partners had turned the Houston club overto a management company, and everything man-aged to go straight to shit before I realized whatwas happening,” Branham recalled. “I got backhere in San Antonio and started selling what wasbasically a bunch of junk household appliances atthe time.” Branham’s fortunes then went up like a rocket. Now he is the number-one independent re-tailer of household appliances in Texas, boastingScratch N Dent Superstores at three San Antoniolocations. He has a general manager, Joseph Branham(no relation), and his son Beau is vice presidentof the company corporation, Appliance RecyclersInc. There are nine salesmen on straight commis-sion, and a comely lass by the name of KrystalBlack is the fulltime internet manager who man-ages the company website and fields calls on ap-pliance sales. The company retails major nameappliances which have minor scratches and dentsincurred at the factory. Savings to the consumeris significant. Although Ronnie Branham did dabble in livemusic on a few occasions, his overall philosophywas to eschew the band stuff in favor of the lightshows and tuneless whump, bump, bump of thedisco beat.

“Nobody in San Antonio has ever survivedvery long with live bands,” Branham said. “I knowthat live music is what Action Magazine is allabout, and I have nothing but respect and high re-gard for some of the musicians. What first at-tracted me to that disco in Acapulco was the massof money-spending people and the absolute ab-sence of any live music. I saw the way aroundhaving to pay bands that would eventually bustme. ” Reminded that his detractors back during the1970s and 1980s referred to his clubs as “nothingmore than meat markets,” Branham brayed withlaughter. “That ain’t a put down in my book,” he laughed.“I regard that as a compliment. The good lookinggals were out there in my clubs, and the guyswere in hot pursuit. Ain’t that what it’s really allabout anyway?” Branham and friend Marty Egan took theirwives to Vegas last month;. “The girls busied themselves with the slots,”Branham said, “while Marty and I concentrated onthe strip club. This is a $30-million monster thatrents rooms for $5,000 a night. There is nothingelse like it in the world.” Branham admits to spending a lot of time latelyin strip clubs like Perfect 10 and The Palace. “Call it a business survey if you like,” he grins.“I have always liked to look at pretty gals, and Iam impressed with the progress which has beenmade in the topless industry.” If presented with the right proposition, Bran-ham admits, “I might strongly consider getting intoa topless club operation.” Then he added: “If any of your readers are interested, youmight tell them that I am again getting the itch.”

Ronnie Branham behind the wheel of his high-poweredCadillac hotrod.

NOVEMBER BAND SCHEDULEWed Nov 2 @8PM Open Mike Jam Session

Thur Nov 3 @8PM Michael Anthony & Texas Nights

Fri Nov 4 @9PM Bill Ayers

Sat Nov 5 @9PM Burgundy

Sun Nov 6 @8PM Karaoke

Mon Nov 7 Big Screen Football


Thur Nov 10 @8PM Michael Anthony & Texas Nights

Fri Nov 11 @9PM Ray Reed

Sat Nov 12 @9PM Ranch Rock


Wed Nov 16 @8PM Open Mike Jam Session

Thur Nov 17 @8PM Cadillac Ranch

Fri Nov 18 @9PM Chilton Vance

Sat Nov 19 @9PM Ranch Rock




Thur Nov 24 @8PM Cadillac Ranch

Fri Nov 25 @9PM Burgundy

Sat Nov 26 @9PM Bimbo and Borderline


Karaoke Sundays at 8:00

Book Your Partywith us!

Follow us on facebookand visit us at

www.eaglesnestpub-sa.com

New Hours:2 PM - 2 AM (Mon - Fri)12 PM - 2 AM (Sat - Sun)

12130 O’CONNOR RD. SATX 78233

TEXAS HOLD’EM TUESDAYS @ 7:00 PMCOUNTRY DANCE LESSONS

WEDNESDAYS @ 7:30 PMBIKE NITE THURSDAY

19TH RAY REED24TH FREDDY CRUZ AND THE

NOBLE OUTLAWS25TH JEFFREY CHARLES 26TH LOS TOVARES31TH MICHAEL ANTHONY & THE

TEXAS NIGHTS

MAY BAND SCHEDULEMON - CROWN

TUES - JAGERBOMBWED - WELL DRINKS

THURS - DOMESTIC BEERFRI - JACK DANIELSSAT - HOT APPLE PIESUN - JOSE CUERVO

DAILY DRINK SPECIALSCOME CHECK OUT ONE OF SAN ANTONIO’S NEWEST PUBS.

3RD FREDDY CRUZ AND THE NOBLE OUTLAWS4TH BURGANDY5TH MARIO FLORES10TH MICHAEL ANTHONY & THE TEXAS NIGHTS11TH FELIX TRUVERE AND THE OPEN ROAD BAND12TH PAINTED PONY (ROCK NIGHT) 17TH CADILLAC RANCH18TH BIMBO & BORDERLINE STEAK NIGHT THURSDAYS!

Branham Inteview Cont. from p.7


Scatter Shots Cont. from p.11

Cinco de Mayo Officials of theSan Antonio Enter-tainment Network,Inc., have an-nounced that his-toric Market Squarewill host its largestever Cinco de Mayocelebration fromMay 4 through May6.

Yvette Ramirez,festival director, saidthe celebration is atradition in San An-tonio and for most ofthe border region. The program willfeature conjuntostyle music, mari-achis and ballet folk-lorico groups. Band directors,

dance groups, andconjunto bands whowould like to partici-pate in this year’scelebration areurged to contactFred Diaz at (210)733-0120.

Late Letter This email camein too late for the

last letters-to-the-editor column in Ac-tion. Writes Vic Silvers: Sam, let me pref-ace this by sayingthat you are a dyingbreed of journalists.You are frank andhonest in your re-porting, be it good orbad and I appreciatethat. I read your articlein the April issueabout the San Anto-nio Rose Live showthat recently closeddowntown. Theshow itself wasgreat but I believethat the productioncould have made it

longer if the showshad been updated. Traditional coun-try music did not diein 1988. This is thethinking of somepeople. There is stilla lot of this type ofmusic being made,but it is not heardbecause of what isbeing programmedon the airwavestoday that they callcountry music. But this is anotherstory for another time. There are a lot ofknown “stars” in thearea that couldhave appeared andgiven more of an up-

date to the show. This is just my twocents worth. Spendit as you wish.

Benefit Success The benefit forcancer stricken ex-bartender ValerieAndrews at the Ea-gles Nest Pub inMarch was a rous-ing success, pack-ing the place withpeople and raisingover $7,000 to helpdefray medical ex-penses. “We want to thankeveryone who con-tributed,” said TraCoggin, organizer ofthe event. “Valerie isgrateful, and weare happy to hearthat the chemo ishelping to shrinkher colon tumor.” Tra operatedTra’s Country in thesame locationwhich is now theEagles Nest undernew owners andoperators.

Indoor SmokingAllowed!

KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAYWITH LARRY AND MADONNA

BEST KARAOKE SHOW IN SAN ANTONIO!

After being

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Action Magazine, May 2012 • 15 •

4TH MOJO SAVAGE5TH 4 COUNT11TH HIGHER GROUND12TH FLIPSIDE

18TH 21 BLACK19TH CHARLIE BRAVO25TH RADIO ACTIVE26TH SPIT FIRE

LIVE MUSIC IN MAY

Frankly Speaking - Gambling - I love it! I gotwice a month. Sometimes to Eagle Pass (close, a fun wayto kill a day) and sometimes to LA and Las Vegas. Just a

few thoughts! Anyone who tells you they have a system isan idiot - Anyone that tells you they win everytime is aliar. Some say gambling is wrong that its a sin! Well I’dlike to agree with them, but then we’d both be wrong!

These are just my opinions, but I’m usually right... NowI’m not saying to gamble away money you need for food,but if you have a nice car and the seats recline, then itsokay to blow the rent money! (Now in case you don’t

understand humor - That’s a fucking joke) So, if you can’t afford to lose, stick to booze. Frank...

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HappyMother’sDay toall you

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ColdestBeerand

HottestBartenders

in SA!KAREN KROOSS, GEN MGRBRIA LATTIMORE, ASST MGR


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