Back in 1968 we were in a coffeehouse in Houston, Texas, listening to folk singers. The place was called “Sand Mountain”. A percentage of the songs were sure enough folk songs, but occasionally a more recently minted piece of work was presented. Among our favorites was one called “The Man in the Big Hat is Buying”. It began, “In a bar in Arizona, on a sultry summer day, a cowboy came in off the road just to pass the time away”. It was written, and sung by Texas singer/songwriter Stephen Fromholz ( affectionately known as Frummox ) from Clifton, Texas. It went on; “His shirt was brown and faded, and his hat was wide and black, his pants that once were blue were gray, and had a pocket gone in back.” He led into the song saying that he’d been to Arizona and stopped in at a bar called Harold’s Cave Creek Corral, when this rancher had come in, and told stories of old cowboy days. “He had a finger missing from the hand that rolled a smoke, but when he smiled and talked of cowboys, you knew it weren’t no joke!” The chorus was, “The man with the big hat is buyin’ , drink up while the drinking is free… Drink to my compadres and me!” It’s a good song, with a good tune. We’ve sung it for years, never thinking that it might be a real place.
So last week when I went to Arizona for a weeklong intensive training course in French classical horsemanship, I had to make a pilgrimage. I drove up the road to Cave Creek, and there in all it’s glory, still standing, still very busy (mostly with “snowbirds”),was Harold’s Cave Creek Corral!
I knew Harold. He had album cover with Stephen Fromholz. I knew Stephens music. Harold told me his story about him being at bar. Years later I wrote to Stephen and he corresponded many stories about Harolds. I still have emails from him and his sister. I’ll have to dig them out.
Wow! We want hear more about that! Stephen is one of our favorites. Get back to us on this.
Ah, yes Cave Creek AZ. That would be how far from Surprise AZ where a friend of ours lives? Chuckle.