Tabby Crabb and The Urban Cowboys

Tabby Crabb
& The Urban Cowboys

"If I say its gonna rain, you'd better bring your umbrella!"
Mickey Gilley 1980

Gilley and TC leave LaPorte, TX for Lakeland. Ron and TC before a big show. (Rocky Stone Photos)

Urban Cowboy (Paramount) starring John Travolta and featuring the music of The Urban Cowboy Band, The Bayou City Beats, CDB, Boz Scaggs and others. Paul Cox and I got jobs as extras in the film and eventually I won a nice spot on the dance floor as "TC" with the large contingent of Cotton-eyed Joe Dancers.

It was around this time that I started sitting in with, and eventually being asked to join the music department at Gilley's Club but mostly spent my time as a Cotton-Eyed Joe dancer during the filming. I sat next to Jim Bridges (the director) during the screening in Houston for the Gilley Bunch. Being a part of the Urban Cowboy was a very positive experience.

For years Mickey's band was called The Red Rose Express and Johnny Lee was sent to the club while Kenny Fulton took his place on the road during the filming of the movie. It was later after I joined the band that we came to the conclusion that we should change the name of the band to the Urban Cowboy Band. I suggested it to Johnny Lee one day at Gilley's Studio and he told Gilley about it. I loved my days with Gilley and Johnny Lee. It was one dream come true for me and I owe both Mickey, Johnny and the rest of the original band so much for taking me along and to the Bayou City Beats for accepting me into their band when I was done with the road show.

Mickey, Johnny, Norman Carlson, the late Rocky Stone, Mike Schallacci, Sidney Pomonis, Ron Levine and road manager Terry Rhinehart, Robert Herridge, "Roach", Terry Westbrooks, Bob Tuttle, Kenny Fulton, Steve Michaels, Carroll Gilley, the late David Ogle and later on Eli Nelson and the late Larry Bob Laeman (both the UCB and BCB) were great people to work with and they all taught me more about music than I'd learned in 30 years before.

Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places

Tabby and Johnny Lee in 1980

Gilley's Studio was going great guns during this time and shortly thereafter. I got to play on a lot of records that I feel are directly related to the Urban Cowboy. Mike Taylor was assistant engineer and Bert Frilot who ran the studio became close friends. Bert quickly became one of my heroes and when I finally got called in on one of his sessions I knew I had arrived as a musician in view of all the hits Bert had engineered and produced. Actually, Bert is the man who pointed out the way of taste and "less is more" to me, a quality which has helped me greatly in Nashville. Taylor is still working for Gilley at one of his nightclubs and Bert who passed away in 1999 was president of a record label in Lake Charles and very active on the world wide web. His cyber shop Pure Cajun is now being run by his daughter.

Onstage left to right the Original Urban Cowboy Band: Rocky Stone, Ron Levine,
Mike Schallacci, Sydney Pomonis and Tabby Crabb from the album jacket, Down At Gilley's

Down At Gilley's (Astro/Warner) The Urban Cowboy Band (cover above)

Sam Neely (Gilley's Records) I was really excited to get this call. Sam's records a few years earlier in the 70s were some of my favorites. We continue to be friends in the late 90s and Sam will remain for always one of my favorite people. He's a true gentleman in every way and his family is beautiful too.

Cowboy Blue (Red Dot) The Brown Brothers Band hired me away from Gilley's Club after almost two years with both the road band and the Bayou City Beats. It had been a tough go up to this point. This was before the food alergies were discovered that kept me in constant pain with stomach cramps. I'd go for days without eating because it always made me feel better but I couldn't figure out why. Once I found it I gained 75 pounds.

Floyd Tillman (Gilley's Records) Floyd Tillman. A legend down in Texas. Again, I was just happy to be there playing some piano and pedal steel and making a few dollars.

Billy Goat In The Bitterweed (with Robert Herridge)(Red Rose Music) Robert was known as The Little Fiddler at Gilley's nightclub. He and I became friends and collaborated on this fiddle tune. I've always loved a good fiddle tune and this one lives up to its name.

I'm Not Over You (Curb Records) Johnny Lee (written by Sam Neely). By then, though Johnny continued to be a great singer, his records weren't hitting number one anymore and the money just wasn't there.

T.C. Roberts (my stage name in Gilley's organization, my dad's sister, Betty, came up with it.)

Thank you all for everything. Peace.