Betty always enjoyed music and hoped to
someday play the piano. In 1957 they bought their
first piano and she immediately began a self-taught mission
to play back up for Norman on his fiddle. Jerry
Thomasson was living with them at the time to finish his
senior year in high school. Norman and Jerry helped
Betty tremendously in learning chords, rhythm and
progression. They had a reel to reel tape recorder
that she nearly wore out running the tunes back and forth
trying to learn the changes. Little did she know it
was recording in a different key and she had to transpose
the changes when they sat down to play.
The years to follow were busy with
music. In 1968 Norman and Betty, Norman's brother
Vernon, and their nephew Mike were invited to Washington,
DC by Texas Folk Life. They played on stage at
the Ford Theatre and entertained along with Ace Reid and
Hondo Crouch among other Texas cultures.
Betty has received several honors in
her pursuit of music. She was the first female to win the
accompanist division at the TOTFA in Burnet, Texas.
She was invited to the Grand Master's Contest in
Nashville TN to help judge, and was voted as favorite
accompanist at the TOTFA in 1996.
Other highlights include being asked to
be a back-up musician on ten recordings, all of which have
been Texas style fiddling. In the 1970's Norman,
Vernon and Benny Thomasson were guests on the Porter
Waggoner Show with Betty and Jerry accompanying them on the
stage of the Grand Ole Opry. She has also entertained
at the Hemisfair in San Antonio, the University of Texas in
Austin, the Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago, and
the State University at Minot, North Dakota.
Some of the greatest guitar players,
fiddlers and musicians have encouraged Betty to play and
keep playing music. She has learned something from every
musician whether it be a chord, note or a tune. "I say
it is a God given talent for which I am always thankful to
have and enjoy sharing with all musicians and good
listeners."
Music was always the center of
entertainment in Norman and Betty's home. Betty
fondly recalls lifelong friendships with many people that
began simply through the enjoyment of music.
| |||||||||
