I've written several pieces detailing what I loved about South Texas, where I lived for a couple of years in El Campo. First and foremost, I loved the culture -- one part Mexican, one part Czech, one part Danish, one part German, one part country.
Great food, great drink, great people, great music.
Now, one of their most beloved ambassadors has gone missing. Bobby Jones, the Wharton County Polka King, hasn't been seen for nearly a week, and locals fear the worst.
I never knew Bobby while down in El Campo. I was far too busy drinking beer to actually *meet* anybody; however, I was quite familiar with his band and with the tie of polka music to the area.
Oddly, I scoffed at polka when I moved there, but then it grew on me.
The story I linked to really makes it sound like Jones was depressed, which means he might have been looking to commit suicide. Who knows. Maybe he was having a nervous breakdown or a midlife crisis. Nevertheless, in case his travels took him to Oklahoma, I wanted to post this just in case you see a Lumina with Texas plates rolling around Oklahoma City.
Unfortunately, I suspect this story won't end well. However, for everybody who might scoff at seeing the headlines associated with a "missing polka king," I'm here to tell you, this is a big, big deal in those parts -- and, as I noted from my experience there, with very good reason.
Labels: news
Yes, people may scoff at a missing polka king, but you don't miss something or somebody until they are gone. I live in Houston and every morning while my father drove me to work, we listened to Bobby Jones' polka show from 1390 KULP out of El Campo. The station's sound wasn't clear given the distance, but we still listened to that good music that one could only listen to over those air waves played by Bobby Jones - like the John Deere Polka. There will be alot of sad people in this area if a that red 1993 Lumina F37 that will be pulled from the Brazos River contains a body of the 48-year-old Bobby Jones. We might never know what demons that tormented his mind.
www.bobbyjonesband.com
No doubt -- you are right on. I used to hang out with Bob and Clint-o from KULP from time to time while I lived in those parts, and I even went to a couple polka-fests -- again, eating tons of great Mikeska's barbecue and drinking a ton of Shiner.
Like I said, that's a unique, interesting, fun local culture they have in those parts, and Bobby's a big part of it ...
Watching this Bobby Jones thing unfold has been a bit difficult. Never knew a word of Czech but really enjoyed the music,dancing, fine folks at any polka dance. For Bob, Harvey and the others, just hang in there.
It seems they indeed found his license plate near the tracks the lead into the Colorado River. We're hoping his car isn't in there, and if it is that he is somewhere safe. They officials have found a car at the bottom with sonar, and seem to believe it is Bobby's car.
He's a dearly missed person right now, and we're praying for his safe return. You can keep up with the El Campo Leader News as they will have any info related to Bobby posted there I'm sure: http://www.leader-news.com/
Keep praying for Bobby to come back and bring us the Polka, and daily Trading Post.