Music

Fiddlers

One of the more valued members of community in the age before electronic entertainment was the fiddler. All that was needed for a dance was a fiddler and a house. The furniture and rug would be removed from two rooms, and the fiddler would stand in the door between the rooms.

Well-known fiddlers in the Burke are in the early to mid 1900s included:

Will Ivy
Will Kirk

Big B Jamboree

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, local amateur country musicians used the abandoned Burke School auditorium for jam sessions. This evolved into a large monthly show which drew attendees from around East Texas. The show became so large that members of the community expanged and redesigned the stage area for easier access.

The auditorium has now been torn down.

Talent Shows

Talent shows were occasionally presented at school auditoriums. The author recalls visiting talent shows at Diboll and Fairview School auditoriums. The author recalls seeing Joe Jackson, one of the members of the talented McClendon family, sing "Honky Tonk Man" at an amateur talent show at the Fairview School auditorium. Joe was quite a singer and made a recording. Joel Baker, though not a singer, was known for appearing in the shows and pantomiming Elvis Presley complete with all the wiggles and moves.

Sources:

Elroy Murrah, Personal Recollections as told to M. Lee Murrah
M. Lee Murrah, Personal Recollections