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Click here to submit your Robert Ealey memory.
Now Singing the Blues Myself
As a youngster in Fort Worth growing up on the Near Southside, I remember sneaking into the 40/50 Club on Fabons Street to hear the blues and being chased out by its owner. I didn't know who was singing when, but I knew I liked what I was seeing and hearing. As a young man I decided to visit the Bluebird to see what caused people from all over... to come to a small hole-in-the-wall "house" converted into a club in Como, on Horne Street. I saw Robert Ealey and I never forgot how much he gave to every song. There was more than sweat pouring from him and the energy that he filled the space with, was thicker than the smoke that also filled the room. I saw the looks on people's faces and listened to the responses people made to the words to his songs. It reminded me of "church." I never forgot that and now that I find my own self singing the blues around this town... I realize the significance of this legacy... and I can only hope to continue to uphold the standards set by people like Robert in their dedication and in their giving to this community of "church" some of us come to know as the "Blues."
When Robert Came to My House
I remember back in the early '70s seeing Robert and the Five Careless Lovers at the old HOP on Berry St.... They had the joint a-jumpin' (like they always did!) and we had a blast late into the evening!
My wife and I had recently purchased a little house on the west shore of Lake Worth, and we were working on improving the place, as our small budget allowed... One of the things we decided to do was improve comfiness by adding insulation, and we contracted with Sears Home Improvement (We could put it on our Sears card!) to have a crew come out and add blown fiberglass to our attic, and the installation was scheduled early the morning following our late night at the HOP diggin' on Robert!
Right on time at 9:00 AM this box-bed bobtail truck comes rollin' down our dirt drive, and I go out to meet them, slightly bleary eyed and hung-over...
There was an older black gentleman driving this rig with a couple of young chicanos riding along, the driver chomping on the short remains of what was once a cigar... As I showed them attic access, I kept feeling there was something familiar about the driver, and I finally told him he looked awfully familiar... and he said "I'm Robert Ealey son!" and my jaw dropped to the floor!
We spent the rest of the morning enjoying the scenary of my one and a half acre waterfront back yard while knockin' down a few cold ones and enjoyin' "other" refreshments as Robert explained to me how hard it was to make a living wage in the music business, while his helpers knocked out the insulation job!
I was amazed that he had the stamina and commitment to his music to perform almost every night and still show up for work the next morning! He had to really love his music to do that, and anyone who's heard Robert knows HE DID!
-Bill Bellomy
Loved it when Robert said, "Neck tie" for next time! So many BlueBird memories of Reg and The Juke Jumpers, Freddy, Albee, xtc... and the coffin handle on the girl's restroom wall! ThX!
