Photo Essay: The heart of Oildale - By N.L. Belardes
Photo Essay: The Heart of Oildale
by N.L. Belardes
Day 3: Buck Owens memorial outside of the Crystal Palace.
The media gathers for an interview.
News crews position themselves for media coverage.
Gloomy days continue outside on Buck Owens Boulevard.
I can say that I actually once lived in Oildale for a few months on McCray Street. It was a little house where a dancer lived. Ahh Venice... but that was years ago. It's rare I travel through Buck Owens' old stomping grounds where he was once a young punk of a kid in the heart of Oildale. Unfortunately I never did any writing there, though I used to play hockey in an Oildale league for a couple of years before vandals ruined the rink and the league owner skipped town with everyone's fees.
Crossroads in the heart of Oildale...
The old Buck Owens recording studio remembers Buck. The engineer inside once produced a Devo song...
Where does the door to the old studio lead now?
On North Chester Avenue on a main artery that eventually heads out of Oildale.
I hear there's country music at the Kern River Belle.
I'm sure Buck Owens stepped inside of Trouts Bar a time or two. I saw Red Simpson perform there on a potluck night... According to reports, the day this photo was taken led to an exciting night of music that celebrated Buck, saw lots of dancing, and also honored Red Simpson who normally played on such Honky Tonk nights.
The famous Honky Tonk, the Blackboard, was in this area.
Is this where the Blackboard stood? It was torn down and never replaced.
The Oildale Express is coming for you...
by N.L. Belardes
Day 3: Buck Owens memorial outside of the Crystal Palace.
The media gathers for an interview.
News crews position themselves for media coverage.
Gloomy days continue outside on Buck Owens Boulevard.
I can say that I actually once lived in Oildale for a few months on McCray Street. It was a little house where a dancer lived. Ahh Venice... but that was years ago. It's rare I travel through Buck Owens' old stomping grounds where he was once a young punk of a kid in the heart of Oildale. Unfortunately I never did any writing there, though I used to play hockey in an Oildale league for a couple of years before vandals ruined the rink and the league owner skipped town with everyone's fees.
Crossroads in the heart of Oildale...
The old Buck Owens recording studio remembers Buck. The engineer inside once produced a Devo song...
Where does the door to the old studio lead now?
On North Chester Avenue on a main artery that eventually heads out of Oildale.
I hear there's country music at the Kern River Belle.
I'm sure Buck Owens stepped inside of Trouts Bar a time or two. I saw Red Simpson perform there on a potluck night... According to reports, the day this photo was taken led to an exciting night of music that celebrated Buck, saw lots of dancing, and also honored Red Simpson who normally played on such Honky Tonk nights.
The famous Honky Tonk, the Blackboard, was in this area.
Is this where the Blackboard stood? It was torn down and never replaced.
The Oildale Express is coming for you...
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Monday, March 27, 2006.
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That bus reminds me of the last scene in Ghost World.....
Matt
you're an awesome photographer...
Love your writings and now I see your a good photog as well..
and you featured my OD..bless ya dude..I live here amongst the crackheads and bicycle-riding adults that can't or won't find a job. It looks like you actually took one of those pics from my corner..won't say which..eddie might send his boyz out for moi :P
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