Today we'll move into the modern era of the Delks.
I asked Joe Delk for some background on The Delk Band, and here's what he provided:
"My dad, Forrest Delk started playing for dances in 1934 and this year, 2009, makes it 75 years that our family has had the honor of playing for country dances here in New Mexico. My mother tells me that I went to my first dance when I was two weeks old.
My sister, Linda, brother, Jimmy and I grew up going to school during the week, working cattle on the weekend and going to dances on Saturday night. As I look back now, playing for dances was something my dad did not only for his enjoyment but because it was what he did for our community. . .a way of life. Now at 61 years, I am trying to carrying on the tradition that my dad started.
My brother and I started playing with my dad when I was twelve years old and we played for dances throughout southwestern New Mexico.
My wife, Diane and I married in 1968 and were blessed with three sons, Neal, Mark and Byron. Needless to say, the boys started going to dances with us at a very early age. I made sure that there were instruments around so the boys were exposed to fiddles and guitars early on.
Neal picked up the guitar, Mark the drums and Byron the bass guitar and with me on the fiddle, we had a band and we named it simply “The Delk Band”. The first dance we played for was in Truth or Consequences, N.M. in July, 1984. I will never forget that night.
Here I was with three boys ages 12, 11 and 9, about to play the first tune we ever played at a dance. The tune I selected to start with was Maiden’s Prayer. As I looked at the crowd waiting for us to begin, I looked at the boys and I wondered to myself, what in the heck do I think I’m doing? I was so nervous that my hands were shaking almost uncontrollably. But, I had to get started because our crowd was eagerly waiting for us to begin.
I placed the fiddle under my chin, looked around to make sure Mark was ready and I drew the bow across the “D” string playing the first note of the song. My right hand was shaking so bad that the bow started bouncing on the string and I could not get it to stop. But I had no choice but to keep going. I played the first several bars of Maiden’s Prayer with the bow bouncing all over the place. It was pretty bad.
Gib and Johnnie Jo Bartlett were the first people on the dance floor. I will be forever grateful.
Thankfully my boys helped me get through that first song and we went on and played for those folks in Truth or Consequences for the next ten years.
My dad could not have been more proud of his grandsons especially when he would get on stage and play with them. The boys and I will celebrate 25 years of playing for dances this coming July."
A great story, and a great family. A story that will be continued this Saturday at the "Cowboy Dinner & Dance" in Capitan, NM. For particulars, go here.
The Delk Band, as a unit, has never cut a cd, but Mark Delk has recorded an excellent album with 13 great tunes. The liner notes to the album state "Dedicated To The Memory Of My Grandfather, Forrest Delk." In the notes Mark says, "I will be forever grateful for the love and encouragement I've received from each of my grandparents, but especially from 'Grandpa Delk'who instilled in me the love of 'good dance music.' It is with a happy heart that I dedicate this CD to his memory."
I really like Mark's up tempo rendition of "Bummin' Around", but FileFactory didn't. I could never get it to sound just right, and rather than risk Mark coming over here and tipping me over in my wheelchair, I'm going with "Milk Cow Blues."
Mark's CD is distributed by Bootheel Productions, PO Box 879, Mesilla Park, NM 88047 (575) 524-1233.
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