• History DeShazo Family
• Funny Stories You Will like
• From Drag Races To Buddy Holly

If you wish and work hard enough, sometimes, dreams come true. This one did. A Drag Strip in the middle of nowhere, almost, in a town called Big Spring. TX. Me and a bunch of young guys changed the town forever. Come on in and see the cars and the fun we had building a drag strip from scratch that became the envy of the "oil patches" of West Texas. 

The third annual  NHRA sponsored drag race in September 1957 was the largest yet. Oklahoma City was almost in the center of the U. S. and they came from almost every State in the union. There were 600 cars allowed in the event with hundreds more being turned down for violations of the code. It was a Lobor day weekend to be hold. The sport was cathcing on like wildfire. Come in and see the cars.

From the fifties through the sixties.  Some may remember these stories and pictures of the past, others can see what it was all about back then. Classic cars abound here. Some say the trends started in the sixties, I say it started in the fifties.  Take a look and see if you agree with me. I was there and I loved every minute of it and I bet you will too when you move around in this page.

Each time you look out our front door it seems to look different. That is what happens when your hours is 7500 feet altitude and a mountain at your front door that is 12000 feet. More than once I have snapped a picture or two out this door and be surprised how it come out. Here are some you can take a look at. It may make you want to visit here sometime.

This goes way back. Want to know why Buddy Holly might not have been discovered? Also, some unknown facts I am giving to this era for the first time. Here are pictures of old equipment and mementos from the sixties and analog studios when tape machines were the king of recording sound. Look at the hits that came out of the oil patches of West Texas. You won't believe it.

Where I was born. You won't believe this story. Me, a one eyed-bob tailed dog named Pat and some good old buddies - one I still converse with now and then. See what a couple of eight year olds can get into when they have too much time on their hands. By the way, you will want to know about the critter with the white stripe down his back who had a better aim than I did.

One should remember where he came from and his experiences along the life's way. I do here along with a name Commercial Credit that gave me most of those memories. Funny stories here about roads to nowhere, Harley Davidson motorcycles and company cars. If you are old enough and think back I bet you can come up with a few yourself. Good laughs at this one.

This is not the picture of it but it is close. How a barbed wire fence and this old car brought a grand son and grand father together and getting to know each other for the first time. It is funny how cars can be so close to you and keep memories alive for years fresh in your memory. This one had a special place in my heart because it became a 14 yr olds get-away cr.

They say traits are common in the family. It must be true, however, I just passed it along without keeping any for myself. See how it was passed along from generation to generation here. This goes way back to the 1900 era with my grand father. Pavarotti said "A Life In Music is a beautiful life." It has brought my family joy, join us.

H. L. changed his name in order to enlist in the Navy, long story but true. Child hood friends still call him H. L. but, new friends know him by Howard, Jr. You will want to look at this one. Our kids tell us we were never that young. Yes we were, and this video out of the past will attest to that.  You got to look at the limo we drove away in. That will convince you for sure.

My Father's Mother and Dad. Lassie died at birth and Dan remarried leaving me with two grandmothers. They all came from Alabama to Texas in the 1900's. They were jokingly called the "Dirty Dozen" for the family grew to twelve. It was an amazing family and when they all got together, which was often, the songs, dominoes and the ice cream freezer came out.

My wife Dorthy's family. They were Anson and Abilene, TX residents for years. In the story section you can find out how I became a part of the family. They were also a jovial family and maybe the reason I felt at home with them. Our wedding took place a the Altman home in front of the old fireplace. If you would like to know the Altman family come on in.

My Mother's family. They came from Mississippi to Texas in the 1900's also. Warren a number of acres in the little valley south of Abilene, TX and farmed there until retiring. He taught music and history in the little one room school house near his farm. Nannie help build the farm, loved her prize chickens and garden. I lived there more than at my real home. Everybody knew the Clarks.

It's November 11, 1944 and I am off on a trip which I have never been on and never expected to go on. We are still at war with the Germans and the Japanese, countries that I have only read about in school. I will carry you through the Navy boot camp and take you to Guam an island that I had never heard of until the Japanese took it on December 8, 1941 and we did not take back until July 21, 1944.