Bob Haydon Plans Chamber Benefit

Former Steve Miller band mate and Bluegrass recording artist Bob Haydon will bring a brand new show to the Wills Point Community Center on Saturday, January 17.

"This is not like anything I’ve done before, and it’s a little hard to describe," Haydon said from his home in Yantis. "This is a one-man show that includes comedy and stories along with the music. I approach this as if the audience is sitting in my living room and we’re playing a little music and having a visit."

Haydon will have a lot of material to draw from. He has played professionally for much of his life, beginning in the early 60’s when he met Steve Miller.

When Haydon’s family moved from the Washington D.C. area to Dallas, he enrolled at St. Marks High School. That was where he met and began playing with Steve Miller, at the age of 13.

"By the time we were 14 we were playing every weekend," Haydon said. "We played colleges all over Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Sometimes we’d play at a party and some of the students would say ‘we’re having a party at our place, come over there and play.’ We’d wind up playing all night."

The band released a single called "Suzanne" in 1964 that was ranked No. 3 in Texas, which led to a tour with the Beach Boys.

"Our demo was playing in a studio in the same building as KLIF, and Ron Chapman, who was going by the name of Irving Herrigan at the time. He was walking up the steps past the studio and heard it," Haydon remembered. "He told the studio that if we made records of the song that he would play it."

The owners of KLIF had stations in Austin and Houston, and the airplay led to the ranking, and when the Beach Boys came through Texas promoting "Fun, Fun, Fun" the band was asked to join.

"They were just teenagers at the time, and were great guys," said Haydon. "They would sit off stage while we were on and play poker with their dad. Mike Love was the friendliest guy in the world."

Steve Miller moved on to Madison WI. and Haydon eventually got married and briefly got out of the music business. He returned as a bluegrass banjo player in 1970, and spent the next decade playing festivals every weekend.

Haydon’s music activity slowed down in the 80’s and 90’s, but in 1998 he decided to record an instrumental record. With a few other musicians, like Steve Miller, and renowned Dobro player Mike Aldridge, Haydon recorded "Collage."

"It got airplay on 2,000 stations in the U.S. and Europe," Haydon said. "It ranked higher than any other bluegrass instrumental. It was a really good record. It did really well."

He has since released "Careless Hearts," which included some tracts from the Collage sessions, as well as other previously recorded material. Beginning in 2004, health problems limited Haydon’s public performances, but he recently decided to put together his one-man show.

"I decided that I’m just going to have some fun, and maybe help some chamber of commerce’s raise some money," he explained. "And it really is the purpose for this show, have some fun and help the Wills Point Chamber raise some needed funds, so it would be great to see some folks come out.

Showtime is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 17. Advanced tickets, available at the chamber, are $10 each, or $15 for two. Admission at the door will be $15 per ticket.