2/ The first Billboard magazine ad for “Pledging My Love” ran on Christmas, 1954. That night, Johnny Ace accidentally shot himself in the head. He was only 25 years old. Big Mama Thornton was there and provided a statement to police, quoted below. A devastating loss.💔 #JohnnyAce

Congratulations to Willie Nelson on his long overdue induction into the #RockHall!! 🎉 Willie’s recording career began at ACA Studios in Houston, with my grandpa Bill Holford, chief engineer and owner. Here’s an old thread about it. #WillieNelson (Btw I am also Nicole on Wheels ♿️🦓🏳️‍🌈🐉.)

RIP Tommy Smothers 💔😭 The Smothers Brothers gave me endless delight as a child. I came to understand & appreciate their activism later. Only a few years ago, I learned that my Grandpa Bill Holford, ACA Recording Studios knew them & engineered some of their recordings. I wish he’d told me stories!

I love that they have a Muppet playing an upright bass right in front of Kenny Rogers, because that used to be his instrument! I learned this when I discovered he played it on some of the songs Mickey Gilley recorded at my Grandpa’s studio! He played jazz too. Bill Holford, ACA Recording Studios

Post an underrated guitarist Barbara Lynn! My grandpa Bill Holford recorded a couple of songs for her at his studio (ACA in Houston). He also recorded lots of Clarence Gatemouth Brown, with whom she plays live in this great 1966 clip! 🎸 youtu.be/U6Y7sEO7Low?si… Bill Holford, ACA Recording Studios

#MayItBeJazzOrBlues 19: Food Not really blues or jazz but couldn’t resist sharing probably my favorite food song! Little Richard (As The Tempo Toppers & the Deuces of Rhythm): Rice, Red Beans, and Turnip Greens Recorded at ACA Studios on Feb. 25, 1953. youtu.be/90mdxzjum_0?si…

I’ve been neglecting this account! So here’s another of my favorite early B.B. King songs engineered by my grandpa! “Woke Up This Morning” youtu.be/amLdS7KFEFo?si…

RIP Bob Newhart! 😭💔 My grandfather Bill Holford, ACA Recording Studios recorded Bob’s legendary first album live in Houston in 1960! He adored Bob. They recorded 3 shows over Fri/Sat & then edited together at Grandpa’s studio. It became the first comedy album to win a Grammy for Album of the Year!

RIP Bob Newhart, a wonderful man and a truly hilarious person off-stage as well as on!

B.B. King Photo by ©Kevin Westenberg

"Zydeco is one of a kind... You won't find somebody playing the washboard and the accordion the way we do with the Zydeco music. So, that’s why I’m very determined to keep the tradition going." americanbluesscene.com/2024/07/buckwh…

Wait, some cars had record players that played 45 rpm singles with CD-style insert/eject?! Just saw Jean-Paul Belmondo using one in the 1964 film “Échappement libre” & I’m stunned! I don’t recall seeing this before. How did they not skip all over the place? Or maybe they did? 🎶

Young B.B. King poses for a portrait in Memphis. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives

🙌 SEVENTY ONE years after Willie Nelson began his studio recording career at my grandfather’s studio in Houston, he’s coming out with a new album. Incredible! (Link to old thread in next tweet.)

Willie Nelson & ACA Recording Studios (my grandpa’s place), a 🧵

to carry out some mysterious step-ladder-related experiment. So anyway, Christmas Day. Finally the meal is over, the adults have had their smidgen of annual cognac from the locked cabinet, and Grandpa has his Santa hat on in front of the big tree, distributing gifts one by one.

Rarely on here nowadays but accidentally clicked X while listening to Willie Nelson & this popped up! Perfect. I listen to Willie even more as I lose my sight. Brings me peace. He worked w/ my late Grandpa,on my mind all day as his last sibling just passed.🕯️

My grandpa Bill Holford used to engineer sound effects like this too, alongside his work in music. I used to have an old Houston newspaper article about his obsessive quest to create certain sounds, but I can’t find it now. It was fascinating!