Lubbock’s Living Legends – ‘Landon’s Top 5′

Lubbock is home to more than just Buddy Holly. Although Buddy is certainly the most recognizable worldwide, many other talented (and living) individuals call the Hub City home!

Here are my five 'Lubbock Living Legends'...in no particular order:

Lew Dee

Lew Dee was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Reese Air Force Base. He started his broadcasting career with R.B. “Mac” McAlister in the sales department at KUKO and KUCO in Littlefield and Post in 1960. He went on the air for the first time on Littlefield’s KZZN radio that same year. In the late 1960s, he starred in a KSEL-TV show called “Lew Dee’s Saturday Night Theater,” hosting horror movies while he and fellow KSEL broadcasters were dressed in monster costumes. The show won a national award for most-viewed program on a UHF station. He was also vice president and sales manager for KSEL-TV and KSEL radio. His most successful radio show was “The TTO,” a 1960s KSEL show starring Dee and on-air partner Bill McAlister, Mac McAlister’s son. The show boasted listenership of 62 percent of the Lubbock audience. Dee worked on the air and in sales for KSEL radio and television until 1972, followed by positions at KEND radio from 1972 to 1988 and KKIK from 1988 to 1990 before he and Diana went to 98 KOOL in 1991. He is currently employed as a marketing adviser at Ramar Communications in Lubbock.

Joe Ely

The guy is a legend. It's that simple. I've always been saddened that more young (and old) people in Lubbock don't realize the significance of this incredible singer-songwriter. The dude has been on stage with SPRINGSTEEN! He sang with The Clash...and brought them along when he returned to Lubbock from his performance in London! Robert Redford even tapped him to write the soundtrack for the movie, 'The Horse Whisperer'. Do yourself a favor and catch his next show at the Cactus Theater. I PROMISE you'll be blown away...especially if he brings along his buddy Joel Guzman. Here's Joe performing one of his classic with 'The Boss':

Jack Dale

Jack Dale was the voice of everything Texas Tech sports for 50 years. Tech showed their appriciation by honoring Jack in several ways. As Jack wrote in his retirement letter in the A-J:

I really appreciate Texas Tech University for conferring an honorary doctorate degree on me during the spring graduation ceremony and naming the media center in the United Spirit Arena in my honor.

Thanks to the Texas Tech Athletics Department and the College of Mass Communications for dedicating academic scholarships in my name, and to the Alumni Association and the Red Raider Club for their help and recognition.

I personally owe a HUGE debt to Jack for giving me my very first job in radio. I produced 'JAck Dale's Sportsline' when I was just a teenager. I learned many things from Jack over the years. The main thing that I'll always remember: 'Spike Dykes in on the show tomorrow. Tuck your shirt in and sit up straight.'

Jack is still hosting 'Sportsline' to this day on 1340 KKAM. You can hear him every weekday morning from 7 to 9.

Don Caldwell

Without Don Caldwell, we wouldn't have seen great shows such as Three Dog Night, K.C. & the Sunshine Band, Chubby Checker and Chuck Berry come to Lubbock!

Don is the owner of the Cactus Theater in the Depot District. The Cactus is one of the few establishments that keep the arts in the forefront of the Lubbock community. Don hosts weekly open mic nights, appears on-stage with his sax during most of the Cactus specialty shows and produces locally directed plays and musicals.

I have even been a cast member in several of his productions. I was a disc jockey in 'A. Leon'. I played a disc jockey again in 'Vietnam: 1969'. I once again honed my acting skills on-stage in 'The Nerd'. I played...a disc jockey. Thanks Don!

Jerry Brownlow

Jerry is not only a true West Texas legend, but he very well be the nicest guy I have ever met.

As a teenager in Lamesa, Jerry played in the 'Brownlow Family Band' with his brother Randy, Mother and Dad. In 1977 he became a member of the Maines Brothers Band playing fiddle and writing, in my opinion, their best song, ' Break the Fall'.

Jerry tells the story behind the song to KQBR.com:

It was 1981. Sitting on the bedroom floor with his legs propped up on the dresser, singer-songwriter Jerry Brownlow says the lyrics and music to “Break the Fall” came simultaneously. He was using a 12-string guitar with only 6 strings to create one of the biggest hits The Maines Brothers Band has had in its thirty year-plus career. Jerry took the song to the rest of the band and asked his brother Randy, who was playing keyboard at that time, if he could play along, and together with the rest of the band they put the classic together.

In just a few days time, they played at Coldwater Country, a popular club at that time at the Loop and University. The song started and people started dancing, then Jerry says, “they stopped dancing and looked toward the band and started applauding”. It took off across the legion of fans, with one Houston radio station referring to the song as “the greatest song never heard”. But the boys wanted the world to hear it, so it was a definite on their album, “Panhandle Dancer.” It’s been around 30 years and it’s still new.

Here's the song as recorded by the Maines Brothers: