Texas Divers.....HELP! What is Abilene Like?????

[rkr3000]

hey, Lake Allen Henry in Post is ok - boat needed (about an hour and a half away toward Lubbock). Lake Cisco is ok at about 10-12 ft vis (45 minutes drive). Of course, DFW airport is only 2 1/2 hours away - your ticket to the carribean!

We live in Abilene. PM us sometime.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Wasnt that written about Abilene, Kansas?

Willie

I think it was about Texas...when I lived in that neck of the woods many years ago, of course we sang the song a bit different...I guess the poster that started this thread probably got way more information than they needed...but just trying to make them feel welcomed


http://www.tamu.edu/upress/BOOKS/2006/specht.htm

The Women There Don't Treat You Mean
Abilene in Song
Joe W. Specht


Just what is it about Abilene—the one in Texas—that keeps
attracting the attention of singers, songwriters, and listeners alike?
Certainly Abilene is an easy word to rhyme, but there is more to
it than just "Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I've ever seen." The
name also summons up images of West Texas and of a town,
located between Fort Worth and El Paso, that offers a place for
escape, for romance, for fresh beginnings.
In The Women There Don't Treat You Mean: Abilene in Song,
Joe W. Specht surveys a potpourri of songs in which Abilene
plays a role. The tunes range from 1890 and "The Cowboys'
Christmas Ball" to 2004 and "The Jewell of Abilene." Specht
devotes particular attention to what is likely the most famous
Abilene-related number, "Abilene," the number one hit in 1963
for George Hamilton IV. He also touches on dozens of songs that
mention the city in passing.
Integrating comments and insights from several of the
songwriters, while relying on a variety of secondary source
material, Specht's narrative presents the reader with the
opportunity to better appreciate the fascination a disparate cast of
tunesmiths had and continue to have for Abilene. An assortment
of illustrations further enhances the text.
The Women There Don't Treat You Mean also includes a
special five song compact disc, featuring local Abilene
performers Slim Chance & the Survivors, Victoria Moore, Happy
Fat, Jamison Priest, and Greg Young, debuting their own versions
of "Abilene," "The Road to Abilene" (Jeff & Vida), "Way Out in
Abilene" (Lightnin' Hopkins), "The Jewell of Abilene" (Grey
DeLisle), and "Sweet Abilene" (Chip Taylor).

 

[ZzzKing]

I think there is a song about Abilene....

Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I've ever seen. The women there will treat you mean in Abilene, my Abilene.... Thank you Thank you very much

In the interest of full disclosure, the song is actually about Abiliene, Kansas. Now "T for Texas" is about Texas. Oh yeah, and Tennessee.

 

[danktex]

In the interest of full disclosure, the song is actually about Abiliene, Kansas. Now "T for Texas" is about Texas. Oh yeah, and Tennessee.

Kansas. That is a county in north Texas right?

 

[parrotheaddiver]

In the interest of full disclosure, the song is actually about Abiliene, Kansas. Now "T for Texas" is about Texas. Oh yeah, and Tennessee.

OK I guess we are both wrong...

http://www.abilenevisitors.com/visitors/abilenesong.html

"Abilene" Song
Songwriter Bob Gibson, came up with the 1956 tune, never even laying eyes on Abilene until several months before the city’s centennial in 1981 when he came here with the Kerrville Folk Singers.

Gibson said he had neither Abilene, Kansas nor Texas, in mind when he wrote the song. He used the name Abilene, because of the unique sound. He was sitting around singing, “Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I’ve ever seen”, when he decided, with fellow songwriter, Les Brown, to turn it into a full-fledged song. He said nothing rhymes with Chicago, his home town! Much of the song sums up things true to Abilene

 

[ZzzKing]

OK I guess we are both wrong...

http://www.abilenevisitors.com/visitors/abilenesong.html

"Abilene" Song
Songwriter Bob Gibson, came up with the 1956 tune, never even laying eyes on Abilene until several months before the city’s centennial in 1981 when he came here with the Kerrville Folk Singers.

Gibson said he had neither Abilene, Kansas nor Texas, in mind when he wrote the song. He used the name Abilene, because of the unique sound. He was sitting around singing, “Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I’ve ever seen”, when he decided, with fellow songwriter, Les Brown, to turn it into a full-fledged song. He said nothing rhymes with Chicago, his home town! Much of the song sums up things true to Abilene

Great research!!! I always thought it was about Abilene, Kansas because of the reference to Kansas City:

Kansas City, ain't nothin' free.
Nothin' in this town for me.
Wish to the Lord that I could be,
In Abilene, Sweet Abilene.

Of course Kansas City is in Missouri... Is there an Abilene, Missouri? No one is going to de-bunk my statement about "T for Texas" are they?

 

[ScubaTexan]

No one is going to de-bunk my statement about "T for Texas" are they?

I don't think T stands for Tajikistan...
:laughing:

 

[Willie]

Of course Kansas City is in Missouri... Is there an Abilene, Missouri?

There is a Kansas City, Kansas as well. It is a border city like Texarkana.

Willie

 

[bentex]

Wellllllll,
My lovely wonderful spectacular wife came home to tell me we are movong to Dyess TX. this summer.......Please tell me there is water close by.....

If you are moving to Abilene in the summer you are in luck because Dove season opens on Sept. 1. Abilene and the surrounding area is one of the best Dove hunting areas around. Not to mention Feral Hog, Deer, Quail, Exotics and more! It is a hot and dry climate, but never too hot to hunt!

Another benefit, golf is cheap in Abilene. Check out Diamondback Golf Club which is just south of town. Green fees are around $40.00 for a nice course considering the arid climate.

I have a hunting lease in Haskell which is about 60 miles North of Abilene. I also work Abilene as part of my territory several times a year.

Unfortunately you are out of luck for diving unless you want to dive stock tanks, brown lakes, or swimming pools. But a quick flight to Dallas gets you to Cozumel in about 2 more hours.

Good Luck on your move and welcome to Texas!

 

[mrjimboalaska]

Bentex,
Well I am a hunter, but whats the deal with the hunting lease's? Do you need to be Independantly wealthy man to Hunt? or is there public land easily accessed?
Back home in Idaho, access to great hunting on someones land was easy, I knew everyone, and the "lease" thing was not common practice. Except my pheasant grounds, 6 people, 5000 acres, only allowed to bring 2 friends at a time with you. $50 a year(I did milk cows for a year for the rancher after High School). Bobwhite Quail so fat they couldn't fly! usually shot 60 so pheasants a year and never kept track of the quail. Still the best kept secret back home, as my good bud took my slot when I left, along with 3 dozen bigfeet decoys!!