TEXAS TREASURE
MUSIC FROM YESTERDAY
Shiner Hobo Band KEEPING THAT OLD-TIME FEELING ALIVE IN SHINER AND BEYOND by Emily Henderson magine life at the close of 1918. World War I had just ended and soldiers were returning home. Families and communities that had been separated were reuniting, and people felt like everyday life was worth celebrating once again. Local Texans were trying to get back to life before war, which included dances and live performances. The sounds of old-time music hadn’t filled the streets like it had before, with most bands being disbanded as members went off to serve the country. With their return, so did the happy-go-lucky songs and feelings of the past.
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The original Hobo Band was comprised of a local group of musicians that banded together shortly after the end of the war to play for civic events, weddings, and church picnics. Proud of their Czech and German heritage, they played oom-pah-pah music and dressed in hodgepodge clothing with patches sewn on. Displaying even louder personalities, they were quite the entertaining bunch! This playful behavior personified the Hobo name, and the men had fun with the label. They quickly became sponsored by the Spoetzl Brewery – who is still their sponsor today – and were provided a keg of beer for each performance. Mr. Spoetzl himself would even join the band for local parades and hop from bar to saloon, giving out free Shiner Beer. Top photo, to go along with their hodgepodge attire, their band sign is made up of pieced together license plates. Sitting in the background playing accordion is the current oldest Hobo member, Edmund Caka, still playing at the age of 93; middle, David Kocurek, Hobo President and clown, interacting with the crowd and displaying that classic Hobo personality; bottom, “In heaven there is no beer. That’s why we drink it here. And when we’re all gone from here, our friends will be drinkin’ all the beer.”
SHINER, TEXAS |
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