A Shakey’s Remembrance
The Landry Family Band on the evening of June 17, 1976. We were playing the song “Mountain Music” with Bob on the guitar, Karen on the ukelele, Van on the bass, Al on the guitar, Jamie on the jug, and Betty on the piano.
Our family started playing at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Wednesday June 16, 1976. We called ourselves the Landry Family Band. This photo was taken on our second night of playing on June 17 – before we had the uniforms that show up in the later photos of our performances.
The anniversary almost slipped by me! I had intended for the 40th Anniversary of playing at Shakey’s to be the main story for my Throwback Thursday series for today. I didn’t think about it when I started my Wednesday evening preparations. I’m kind of glad that I forgot, because I really like the feel that the story about my mom and her grandfather evokes. But if I had remembered, that story would not have been written. So we have an extra installment today. More for everyone!
 Van Landry singing at Shakey’s on Jan. 7, 1978. |
 Bob on the trombone, Jodie on the bass, and Rob on the trumpet were all part of the Landry Family Band. This photo was taken December 23, 1978. |
 Karen was at Shakey’s the most. Besides singing there with the family, she also worked there while she was in college. Here she is on Dec. 23, 1978. |
Jamie singing at Shakey’s on April 21, 1978. |
This was one of the few times that the whole family was there. It was just before Christmas in 1978. There’s Bob on the bass, Jamie, Van with trombone, Karen, Rob singing, Jodie with flute, Al with guitar, and Betty on the piano.