Dusty Chaps - Tucson's Lost Treasure - Heat Stroke & Honk Tonk Music
3.09.09
These guys were the greatest Little Band on the Planet in 1970's Tucson. The need to eat regularly and raise families put an end to their marvelous performing days. I have looked far and wide for a copy of their album, to no avail, and just now found these two gems posted on YouTube. Loved them then, and love 'em now. Thanks, boys.
Their wonderful squeezebox man, Peter Gierlach is still around, the witty and hardworking horticulturalist is a regular contributor to KXCI with his Growing Native show! Tucson Weekly has a great article about
Go to Tucson's wonderful listener supported radio station kxci.org for Petey Mesquity's wonderful podcast, Growing Native.
HEAT STROKE
1/1/2010 Here is an mp3 of Heat Stroke...the clip was removed from YouTube.
76.23.237.91
HONKY TONK MUSIC
7/26/2009 I lived in Tucson in the 70' and would stop by the bar that Dusty Chaps stared in. I worked for Defco Construction Co off Grant Rd. I purchased their album and loved it. Heat Stroke is still played (by me) and I have been known to sing it when Palm Springs tops 118. Thanks for the good times! Wade Loudermilk
99.174.238.21
1/1/2010 I too followed the Chaps as they played around Tucson in the mid to late 70's. Two places I recall (though not by name) is the night club on Tanque Verde near Kolb (Bob Megan was the other band that played there routinely) and a small bar in the 6000 block of E. Speedway.
I bought their "Honky Tonk Music" album but never could find "Domino Joe". Still kicking myself on that one.
They were always a pleasure to stop and listen too, not too mention close to home so I had less chance of a DUI then.
98.166.137.244
1/1/2010 Here is an mp3 of Heat Stroke...too bad it was pulled down from YouTube.
76.23.237.91
2/13/2010 me too. was a U of A Grad student...went to The Embers (Speedway) often..even learned the dance..Went out with same girl as Ted Huckleby (Chaps slide pedel steal guitar)and when she went back to NJ we both dated her roommate.The lead singer (George Hawke attended The Juiiard School of Music (or so I've been told). None better.
Charlie Case (PhD class of '83)
68.117.194.19
4/13/2010 hot damn, i too went to the bar to hear these guys!1970's
Anyone know where an album is???
75.148.90.125
6/17/2010 Great news! Both albums were rereleased on a single CD. A friend found it on Amazon. Happy to say I still have my original copy of "Domino Joe". (I believe it was The Pawnbroker on Tanque Verde a previous poster was thinking of).
68.231.113.82
9/3/2010 I too am from Tucson and a long time member of the dance scene (Embers, Oxbow, Stumble Inn, Red Eye Saloon, Pawnbroker, Boondocks). I was and still am a Chaps fan. My wife favored Straight Shot, Frank and Woody and Loose Boots. We live outside of Pensacola. I have converted to CDs's and mp3's: All Chaps albums, Frank and Woody, Bob Meighan, Ned Sutton and Loose Boots.
Jay Zaslaw
Carol Walton Zaslaw
(9-3-10)
173.21.46.243
10/16/2010 Great memories of being 19 (low drinking age in those days) and hanging out at the Poco Loco and Stumble Inn and dancing to the Chaps. Thanks for all those good times!
71.223.205.67
10/16/2010 you can get domino joe via amazon.com. it wasn't cheap but is now available. I used to play and sell their music in the Korvettes in Albany NY and play the music on WRPI--late 70's. I used to introduce Domino Joe as Tommy for the tequila crowd. It's still true. Great unknown album.
71.162.150.16
10/20/2010 Here's one Valley boy who was lucky enough to see the Chaps on a couple of occasions; once for sure at the old Dooley's on Apache. I have my trusty Honky Tonk Music LP stored away but my ripped CD is so bad that I'm going to either have to dig it out or just break down and buy the double-disc. Have never heard Domino Joe! Used to go around singing Heat Stroke when I was in college at UC Davis and everyone was bitching about the heat. :-) Heat? This ain't hot! Man, for the good old days of KDKB with Nina Joy, Bill Compton, Wonderful Russ and the gentle giant, Toad Hall. The local people really got treated well by them.
Lyle Knox
Chandler
70.190.234.71
12/15/2010 I was born at Davis-Manthan AFB in 1974. My folks were big Dusty Chaps fans and everybody that visited them there was a fan when they left (I have a Honky Tonk Music album inscribed to my grandmother!). I left Tucson when I was 9 months old when, but the Dusty Chaps are in my blood. Through all my music "phases", disco in the late 70's, rock in the 80's, what ever the hell we call music from the 90's and double naughts, I've always enjoyed pulling out the old Domino Joe or Honky Tonk Music album. To this day, whenever my Dad puts the Chaps on the stereo, he and my Mom will still cut a rug!
Nowadays I listen to talk radio most of the time, but I love to find a little nobody band in a hole-in-the-wall country bar and think about how cool it must have been to see the Dusty Chaps back in the day. Two years ago, I bought a USB turn-table for my old man for the express purpose of digitizing the Dusty Chaps albums for the family to share. A fine investment. I'm listening to Domino Joe right now with my son.
70.114.179.15
4/13/2011 I'm french and i discover DC in 1978.Fabulous. And then this year i find cd.I have always my 2 lp.Have you news musicians?
89.224.169.242
9/12/2011 I remember doing the 4 step to the Chaps at the Stumble Inn in Tucson. Heat Stroke every summer since then. They should have a re-union!!! Richie (Dadeo) J.
RSS