The Hub City Movers was an eclectic American band, formed in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

in September 1969. The original members were Jerry Barnett, Stuart Ervin,

Jimmie Dale Gilmore Jimmie Dale Gilmore (born May 6, 1945) is an American country singer-songwriter currently living in Austin, Texas. Life and career Gilmore is a native of the Texas Panhandle, having been born in Amarillo and raised in Lubbock, Texas. His ear ...

, Stan Poytres, Charlie Sauer, and Ed Vizard. Ervin left late in 1969. Poytres was replaced by Ike Ritter in January 1970. John X Reed joined that spring. The band was prominent in the last stages of the Vulcan Gas Company (1967–1970).

The Chicken Song

Soon after the founding, the band began setting "Set My Chickens Free" by

Gilbert Shelton Gilbert Shelton (born May 31, 1940) is an American cartoonist and a key member of the underground comix movement. He is the creator of the iconic underground characters '' The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'', '' Fat Freddy's Cat'', and '' Wonder ...

to music. The adaptation begins as a talking blues by Barnett, followed by vocal chorus by the band, clucking sounds and noisemakers in the style of

Spike Jones Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965) was an American musician, bandleader and conductor specializing in spoof arrangements and satire of popular songs and classical music. Ballads receiving the Jones treatment wer ...

. The B-side of the 45RPM release is the Al Strehli composition, "I Can't Know Tomorrow", Gilmore's first commercial recording.

David Carradine David Carradine ( ; born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor, director, and producer, whose career included over 200 major and minor roles in film, television and on stage. He was widely known ...

released a version of The Chicken Song in 1975. In 1983, a Danish comic "Slip Hønsene Løs" included a flexible disc release of the Hub City Movers recording as "Set Your Chickens Free".

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

recorded "Set My Chickens Free", on his studio album ''

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

''.

Armadillo World Headquarters

June 13, 1970, soon after the closing of the Vulcan Gas Company, the Hub City Movers were playing the Cactus Club, 415 Barton Springs Rd. Eddie Wilson, Gilmore and Reed were outside during a break, when Eddie first laid eyes on an abandoned Army Reserve Armory next door that was about the same size as

The Fillmore The Fillmore is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California. Built in 1912 and originally named the Majestic Hall, it became the Fillmore Auditorium in 1954. It is in Western Addition, on the edge of the Fillmore District and Upper Fil ...

. The Armadillo World Headquarters had its grand opening, with Hub City Movers opening for Shiva's Headband, less than two months later. The Hub City Movers disbanded in October 1970.

External links

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References

{{Reflist 1969 establishments in Texas