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Billy Beeman 1954 - 1968, Bobby Beeman 1959 - 1968,
Rachel Beeman 1957 - 1968, Dave Bourne 1959 - 1962
Jim Eisenberg 1954 - 1957, Eldon Eklund 1954 - 1968, Dick Goodman 1954 - 1959,
Bill Hazel 1961 - 1962
Vern Jackson 1958 - 1962,
Don Richardson 1956 - 1962, Chuck Strickland 1960, Harvey Walker 1954 -
1968
Dee Woolem 1954 - 1957
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In late 1954 while under the leadership of Dick Goodman,
we decided the name for our band would be "The WAGONMASTERS." We put on more than 9,000 shows in Ghost
Town's Wagon Camp at Knotts Berry Farm. Dick Goodman modeled the vocal harmonization around the sounds of his Idols,
The Sons of The Pioneers. Dick would never let us loose
sight of a good vocal blend. Once a good blend was achieved, no on in the group was ever satisfied with less. I became Leader in 1959. My background
was as fiddling leader and business manager for my Family Band, "Shirley and The Beeman
Brothers." I always stressed the importance of
excellence in musicianship. I insisted we practice our
instruments until all
accompaniment parts became automatic. This allowed each of us to concentrate on vocal interpretation
and maintain eye contact with our audience. I tried to teach the importance of becoming a fine entertainer. We were
never pleased to be just a "good performer." Dick and I were inspired by "The Sons of The Pioneers," Andy Parker
and The Plainsmen," "Foy Willing and The Riders of The Purple Sage," "Bob Wills and The Texas
Playboys," "Spade Cooley," and others. A lifetime of
Successful Music Careers attests to this desire for excellence in all who were proud to be
known as "The WAGONMASTERS."
>Billy Beeman January 24, 2004
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The Wagonmasters 1990 Reunion Concerts
in The Wagon Camp
Celebrating 40 Years of The Wagon Camp and 50 Years of Ghost Town at Knotts Berry Farm
http://www.westernmusic.com/performers/hof-beeman.html
Click
to visit Billy Beeman,
Smiley Burnett and The Reinsmen
Induction into The Western Music Hall of Fame at Old Tucson Movie Studios,
Arizona, November 5, 1998
Contact Information
- Telephone
- 951-929-4342
- Postal address
- 551 N. Santa Fe #140 Hemet, 92543
- Electronic mail
- General Information:
thewagonmasters@msn.com
- Webmaster:
thewagonmasters@msn.com
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This web site is dedicaed to
the life and music of Billy Beeman founding member of The Wagonmasters of Knotts
Berry Farm 1954 and Leader from 1959 - 1968.Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm, Buena
Park, California. All Photographs from 1940s - 1960s by Billy Beeman &
Clyde Finley. Proceeds
from the purchase of any and all merchandise listed on Products pages 1 and 2 of
this web site are used to maintain the site; for research and restoration of
photographs and recordings of The Wagonmasters. Some money is used to research
each individual Wagonmasters contribution to our Uniquely American, ”Cowboy or
Western Music. ”All items either are or will become a part of the: Billy Beeman
collection # 20388 Southern Folklife Collection -
C. B.
#3926 Wilson Library -
University North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, NC 2751– 8890 phone
(919) 962 – 1345
