In 1974, the year began with a "Bluegrass Open House" on the ranch intended to publicize the Bluegrass Festival that was going to premier in the fall.
The 3rd Kerrville Folk Festival was lengthened to 4 days and the staff was 25 volunteers.4
Tony Simmons bought a ticket, but got drafted onto staff before he got across the parking lot. He worked on the overnight "mixmaster." there was no in-out gate, there was gate situated between where the ticket booth is and the present outhouses.
"Allen Damron did a coffeehouse concert at Lamar University in Beaumont in (I think) March of '74. We were in the process of putting a non-commercial station on the air, the first (Intentionally) non commercial in Southeast Texas. I was to be the station's music director, and introduced myself to Allen at the show. He invited me to the festival on the Memorial Day weekend, so I went! My most vivid memories are arriving at the ranch and parking somewhere near where the comm shack stands today. (or where it stood last time I looked, anyway) When I got out of my car, I heard hammers a-hammering nearby. Since I had a hammer too, I seized it and went to join the fray. I recall helping to nail the front boards of the stage in place and meeting long-time stage manager Mack Partain. The other vivid memory I have is trying to get backstage by showing my KVLU business card, and doing the 'don't you know who I am' routine. Security wasn't having it, so I stayed out front. Some things just never change, do they? hehehe!"Other festivals in 1974 included the 2nd Kerrville Ragtime Festival, the 1st Bluegrass Festival and the 1st Glen Miller Orchestra Chamber of Commerce Benefit. Allen Damron was featured at a show called the Kerr County Days 1974.
Bob Crockett 5
"I met Allen Damron when he was playing at Richard's Lounge in Harlingen sometime in late 1973, early 1974. He somehow talked me into coming to see him play at this one night performance (Kerr County Days 1974). I got to the ranch early in the afternoon, no one was around except the sound man setting up. He needed help, so i helped. That is how I started working on stage. I had to convince Mack that I could do the job at Folk the following year (officially my first festival), and have continued to stage manage most years since."
Brian Urban6