Cody Hubach

Austin country-folk troubadour Cody Hubach was a multi-talented artist, who built massive metal sculptures that filled his yard, wrote folk and country songs, played guitar, and performed throughout Central Texas. As a friend to Sonobeat co-owner Bill Josey Sr., Cody welded the huge frame for Sonobeat's home-built steel plate reverb. And, as a friend to Cody, Bill Sr. recorded the aspiring writer/singer, who in 1969 was one more struggling musician.

Cody Hubach reference tape box

Cody recorded three original songs in May 1969 at Sonobeat's Western Hills Drive studio in northwest Austin. The session was engineered by Rim Kelley (Bill Josey Jr.). Cody, who lived just beyond South Austin in the tiny rural community of Manchacha (pronounced "Man-shack" -- the Joseys lived there in the early '60s), wrote and sang songs about people, places, things, and emotions he knew personally. Hooley, intended as the A side of a Sonobeat single, is a generous and loving tribute to one of Cody's friends in Manchacha. The B side was to be Cody's Right Now Rhyme. The Sonobeat archives don't indicate why the single was never released but one reason may be that Sonobeat was then focusing on progressive rock bands and felt it couldn't successfully market another country-rock flavored single (Sonobeat released its first pure country single, by Ronnie and the West Winds, in 1968, long before Austin's progressive country movement took root).

Cody Hubach album demo tape box

But by October 1972, progressive rock was being replaced by Austin's progressive country movement, and Cody returned to record an eponymous demo album at the Sonobeat Studios in the KVET building on North Lamar in Austin. The album, produced and engineered by Bill Josey Sr., featured ten songs, including a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators' Spash 1 and a re-recorded version of Hoolie, and had a running time of just under 28 minutes. Although no test pressings of the demo album were made -- by 1972, Sonobeat was distributing its demos on audiocassette tape -- the Sonobeat archives don't indicate whether Bill Sr. followed his well-established pattern of circulating demos of Cody's material to the major record labels.

Among Cody's achievements were many self-released country-folk singles and albums, guest appearances on the albums of other influential Central Texas country artists, including Willie Nelson, regular performances at honky tonks and clubs throughout Central Texas, and an appearance as himself in Willie Nelson's 1980 feature film, Honeysuckle Rose. Austin Mayor Gus Garcia proclaimed October 24, 2002, "Cody Hubach Day" in recognition of Cody's efforts to establish Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World. In February 2003, Cody succumbed to cancer, leaving a legacy of songs written and sung from the heart.

Georgetown Medical Band

A Vulcan Gas Company regular throughout the late '60s, Georgetown Medical Band pioneered a folksy psychedelic sound featuring extraordinary guitarist Johnny Richardson. GTMB, as the group was known, was formed by students at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, a few miles up Interstate Highway 35 from Austin. Founding members included Richardson, Chuck Greenwood (rhythm guitar; vocals), Bob Snider (bass), Jim Abston (organ), who was later replaced by Gary P. Nunn, and Rick Cobb (drums). Bassist Bob Snider recounts that shortly after the band formed and was struggling to find a name, the group happened to drive past the Georgetown Medical and Surgical Clinic (now Georgetown Hospital) and, voila, the name "Georgetown Medical Band" jumped out at them. Lead guitarist Johnny Richardson recalls that the band even considered painting a big syringe on its van.

GTMB founding members in a Houston Chronicle newspaper photo

GTMB was an incredibly talented and popular Central Texas band: only a week after taking 5th place in Austin's 1968 Aquafest Battle of the Bands, GTMB took 1st place in the Teen-Age Fair Battle of the Bands at Houston's Astrohall, winning a $400 gift certificate from Fender guitars, $150 in cash, and a recording contract with International Artists Records (the Houston-based label for which the 13th Floor Elevators recorded). The band passed on the offer to record for International Artists.

GTMG master tape box

GTMG stopped in for a session with Sonobeat in May or June 1969. By then, the band had downsized to a quartet, and the personnel had changed: although Richardson remained on lead guitar, Gary P. Nunn (who left to join Lavender Hill Express) had been replaced by Steve Anderson, Snider had been replaced by Don Lupo (formerly of one of Austin's best known bands, the Babycakes), Cobb had been replaced by Ronnie Hudgins (formerly of Pall Rabbit), and Jeff Gant had joined on organ. Anderson recalls the session was recorded at Sonobeat's Western Hills Drive studio in Northwest Austin but that Jeff Gant didn't participate. The discerning ear can hear Sonobeat's steel plate reverb -- which was permanently housed at the Western Hills Drive studio -- on Anderson's lead vocal. Although Anderson recalls coming into the studio to record two songs, Sonobeat's archives hold the master tape for only one tune, which had been tentatively entitled Man is Too Young To Love but which Johnny Richardson, who composed the song, refers to now as A Child Lost at Sea. The song sounds as fresh today as when it was recorded 40 years ago. The sound bite we offer -- which shows off Richardson's imaginative and engaging Dobro noodling and Steve Anderson's multi-tracked lead and backing vocals -- may jog the memory of those who had the privilege of hearing Georgetown Medical Band perform live in Central and South Texas. Sadly, the band broke up in August '69, a few months after the Sonobeat session, which is likely the reason no single by the group was ever released.

Thanks to Bob Snider, Johnny Richardson, and Steve Anderson for sharing recollections about GTMB and its Sonobeat session.

Contraband

Contraband demo tape box

Rock 'n' rollers Contraband won the 1969 Austin Aqua Festival Battle of the Bands and, as one of its prizes, was awarded a recording session with Sonobeat. The Sonobeat sessions, conducted in late summer or autumn 1969 (the Sonobeat archives don't contain actual recording dates), yielded demos for Try, a cover of Janis Joplin's signature rocker with a funky lead vocal by Frieda Borth backed by dynamite harmony vocals by the whole band, and a cover of British band Free's mini-opus I'll Be Creepin', a cool rocker with a spectacular double-tracked vocal by Frieda. Contraband was formed by Frieda, George Rarey (guitars and bass, and later a member of Sirius, formed by founding members of seminal Texas psych band Bubble Puppy), and Kim Snider.

The group went through many rapid personnel changes, and at various times in its relative short life included guitarist Ralph Gebert, bassist Steve Hansen (at 6'2" and 120 pounds affectionately known as "Fat Steve"), and bassist Larry Nye (better known for his lead guitar with Steven Fromholtz's band and who now owns the La-Z-L Recording Studio in Kingsland, TX). Contraband was managed by radio station KNOW's drive time DJ and program director Mike Lucas (friendly rival to Sonobeat co-founder and Contraband session engineer Rim Kelley, who DJ'd on KAZZ-FM opposite Lucas; Lucas also managed Sonobeat superband Lavender Hill Express). Although there's no explanation in the Sonobeat archives why Sonobeat never released the Contraband recordings as a single, one plausible reason may have been the length of the tune I'll Be Creepin' (almost 7 minutes) since the capacity of a 45 RPM side capped out at about 5 minutes.

Thanks to Sweetarts' Ernie Gammage and former Contraband member Kim Snider for providing information about Contraband's members.

Next: 1970