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Moulton in Lavaca County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
 

Adolph Hofner

 
 
Adolph Hofner Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, January 2, 2021
1. Adolph Hofner Marker
Inscription.

Adolph Hofner was born in Moulton in 1916 and became an early pioneer of the musical genre called Western Swing, popular in the late 1940s and 1950s. His musical repertoire encompassed Western Swing, Pop, Blues, Country, Jazz and traditional Czech Folk songs. Hofner first came into musical prominence in the late 1930s with the Oklahoma Playboys. In the early 1940s, he and his younger brother Emil (nicknamed "Bash") formed their own band.

In 1941, Hofner became the first to record the popular fiddle breakdown, "Cotton-Eyed Joe for Okeh Records. The song has become a Texas Dance Hall standard. "Maria Elena," another folk ballad recorded in 1940, became Hofner's first and biggest hit. In 1950, he signed with the Pearl Beer Brewing Company and changed the name of his band to Adolph Hofner and the Pearl Wranglers. In the San Antonio area, Adolph had a radio show starting in the mid-1950, and played with his band every Saturday night for more than twenty-five years at the Farmer's Daughter Dance Hall until 1993, when he suffered a stroke. Adolph and Bash recorded for such major record labels as Columbia, Decca, Imperial and for the smaller Sarg Record Label in Luling, Texas.

Hofner died on June 2, 2000, and at the time of his death was survived by his wife, three children and various grandchildren. His peers recognized
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his pioneering work in Western Swing. Both Adolph and Bash were inducted into Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame, the Texas Polka Music Association Hall of Fame and the Country Music Association of Texas Hall of Fame, among others.
 
Erected 2017 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18625.)
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical date for this entry is June 2, 2000.
 
Location. 29° 34.458′ N, 97° 8.72′ W. Marker is in Moulton, Texas, in Lavaca County. Marker is at the intersection of South Main Street and West Moore Avenue on South Main Street. The marker is located at a small park on the southeast side of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 102 South Main Street, Moulton TX 77975, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Boehm Store (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Moore Hotel (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Moulton Masonic Lodge (about 700 feet away); Zion Lutheran Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Moulton (approx. ¼ mile away); Sam and Will Moore Institute Bell (approx. 0.3 miles away); Site of the Camp of the Texas Army
The Adolph Hofner Marker is under the tree at the small park image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, January 2, 2021
2. The Adolph Hofner Marker is under the tree at the small park
(approx. 0.3 miles away); Sam and Will Moore Institute (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Moulton.
 
Also see . . .
1. Adolph Hofner. This is the story of the timeless King of Texas Hill Country Dance Hall Music - Adolph John Hofner (June 8, 1916 - June 2, 2000). Adolph Hofner grew up in the Czech-German Hill Country community of Moulton, Texas, listening to Czech and Hawaiian music that he and his younger brother Emil endlessly played on their family's phonograph player. When he was ten years old his family moved to San Antonio. He, Emil and Simon Garcia formed the Hawaiian Serenaders and began performing locally at small ranch and house dances. Source: Cowtown - Birthplace of the Western Swing (Submitted on January 8, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.) 

2. Western Swing. It is dance music, often with an up-tempo beat, which attracted huge crowds to dance halls and clubs in Texas, Oklahoma and California during the 1930s and 1940s until a federal war-time nightclub tax in 1944 contributed to the genre's decline. Source: Wikipedia (Submitted on January 8, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.) 

3. Jimmie Revard and His Oklahoma Playboys. Over the years
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critics have noted that although the group’s fame was largely limited to the Lone Star State, its blues and jazz-inflected string-band sound make the Oklahoma Playboys a remarkable example of the eclectic blending of musical genres found throughout the Southwest.  Source: The Handbook of Texas (Submitted on January 8, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 8, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 238 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on January 8, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024