Marion Franklin Bandy, Jr.
Better known professionally as Moe Bandy

Country music singer

He was most popular during the 1970s, when he had several hit songs, both alone and with his singing partner Joe Stampley.

Marion Bandy, who was nicknamed Moe by his father when he was a child, grew up in the home-town of the legendary Jimmie Rodgers. He later stated: "My grandfather worked on the railroads with Jimmie Rodgers. He was the boss of the railway yard in Meridian and Jimmie Rodgers worked for him. He said that he played his guitar all the time between work."

The Bandy family moved to San Antonio, Texas when Moe was six years old. His mother played piano and sang. Bandy was taught to play the guitar by his father, but made little use of the ability until he was in his teens. His father's wish that Moe also play the fiddle never materialized.

He made some appearances with his father's country band, the Mission City Playboys, but generally during his high school days, he showed little interest in music but a great deal in rodeos. He tried bronco-busting and bull-riding and by the time he was 16, he was competing in rodeos all over Texas.

Career success

In 1962, tired of the bruises and fractured bones, he began to pursue a career in country music. He assembled a band that he called Moe And The Mavericks and found work playing small beer parlors, honky tonks and clubs over a wide area around San Antonio, Texas. When he was young he tried to sound like Hank Williams and George Jones - "I even had my hair cut short like his".

Although work was plentiful, the pay was poor and during the day he worked for his father as a sheet metal worker. This was to last for the next 12 years, during which time he made a few recordings for various small labels. In 1964, he had his first single, "Lonely Lady", on the Satin label, but it made little impression. He did manage to get his band a residency on a local television program called Country Corner and in this capacity, he provided backing for several touring stars.

In 1973, he went solo when record producer Ray Baker, who had listened to Bandy's demos the previous year, suggested he come to Nashville. Bandy managed to obtain a loan and recorded a song called "I Just Started Hatin' Cheatin' Songs Today". Initially released on Footprint Records with a limited pressing of 500 copies, it soon came to the attention of the Atlanta-based GRC label. In March 1974, it entered the US country charts, eventually peaking at number 17. Other hits followed, including "It Was Always So Easy To Find An Unhappy Woman (Till I Started Looking For Mine)" and "Don't Anyone Make Love At Home Anymore".

In 1975, a song written by his friend Lefty Frizzell and Whitey Shaffer gave him a number seven country hit, firmly establishing his reputation. "Bandy The Rodeo Clown" was to become not only one of his own favorites but also one of his most popular recordings. (Shaffer was greatly amused by the way Bandy pronounced woman as "woh-min", and began to send him songs with the "woh-min" in them.)

Bandy sang in a simple style that extracted the utmost from his songs of lost love, sadness and life. Although by no means a Hank Williams sound-alike, he showed a very distinct influence in his method of putting across his honky tonk songs. He met with immediate success at Columbia Records with Paul Craft's "Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life" and quickly added further hits, including "Here I Am Drunk Again".

From 1977 through 1979, he was a country chart regular with singles such as "I'm Sorry For You, My Friend" (the song Williams had written for their mutual friend Lefty Frizzell), "Cowboys Ain't Supposed To Cry", "That's What Makes The Jukebox Play" and a duet with Janie Fricke, "It's A Cheating Situation".

Duets

In 1979, he achieved his first solo number one with "I Cheated Me Right Out Of You". Also during 1979, Bandy joined forces with Joe Stampley and recorded a tongue in cheek novelty single: "Just Good Ol' Boys". The song went on to top the country charts, and it led to a continuation of the partnership over the following years. The duo commonly, known as "Moe and Joe", had more novelty hits between 1979 and 1985, including "Holding The Bag", "Tell Ole I Ain't Here" and "Hey Joe (Hey Moe)". In 1984, they ran into copyright problems with their parody of the Boy George/Culture Club phenomenon that was so hot on the pop music charts at that time; "Where's The Dress" used the introduction from Culture Club's hit "Karma Chameleon". Referring to the matter later, Bandy said, "He didn't appreciate what we'd done and naturally he sued us. We paid him money, but I didn't like the way he spent it. During the 1980s, Bandy maintained a steady line of solo successes, including "Yesterday Once More", "Rodeo Romeo", "She's Not Really Cheatin' (She's Just Gettin' Even)" and "Till I'm Too Old To Die Young", and several others.

Bandy also registered duet successes with Judy Bailey ("Following The Feeling") and Becky Hobbs ("Let's Get Over Them Together"). Over the years, he maintained a touring schedule estimated to average between 250 and 300 days a year, and appeared on numerous network television shows. In later years, he cut back considerably on his schedule. He was never a regular Grand Ole Opry member, but has made guest appearances from time to time.

Later life

Bandy summed up his music when he said, "I really think my songs are about life. There's cheating, drinking and divorcing going on everywhere and that's what hardcore country music is all about." He added: "If I'd done all the things I sing about, I'd be dead."

Critics reviewing some of his later recordings wrote that it was strange that, when more artists were actually recording his type of music, some of his recordings were spoiled by string and or choir arrangements, and advised that an immediate return to his roots was necessary. Bandy opened his popular Americana Theatre in Branson, Missouri in 1991.

Moe, along with his brother, Mike Bandy, a six time NFR bull riding qualifier, were inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2007.

Presents

~MOE BANDY~
TEXAS LIVE

The Legendary Moe Bandy
is coming back to his home state of Texas

I CMA AWARD
1 AMERICAN VIDEO AWARD
4 ACM AWARDS
5 GOLD ALBUMS
40 TOP TENS
10 NUMBER 1’S

Also has been inducted into the prestigious Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, A six time NFR bull riding qualifier

Not many people get a chance to live out
their life’s dream, especially in the field of entertainment. Country Star Moe Bandy happily counts himself as one of the fortunate few. In a career that spans over 3 decades, Moe has achieved success at every level of country music.

 Today Moe is performing all over the country and singing better than ever.  Just check out his new recording and you'll see for yourself. When this project raised, Moe had no doubt or hesitation, he wanted to do this history in the making in his home state of Texas.

Come join the amazing event in history
Presented by Sweetsong Nashville.

  Graham Central Station is very proud to be hosting this amazing honky tonk event in history, along with Littlebit Promotions is honored and excited to present this worldwide media coverage and invitation.

Bandy The Rodeo Clown
I Just Started Hatin' Cheatin'

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SweetSong Nashville