Who managed Billie Garner's supper club?

Answer 1

Billie Garner herself owned and managed the night club "not a honky tonk" as Toby Keith called it in his song.

Located about 1520 Rogers ave in Fort Smith Arkansas next to the old St Edwards Hospital.

Keith's grandmother "Hilda" was a waitress at the club for many years and didn't buy the place till the last year it was opened around 1977. Until then she was a only a waitress. Toby likes to claim his grandmother owned the place making it sound like she owned it a long time and he set in with the band often.

In fact he claims to have set in with The Band "Paul Lewis Supper Club Band" but actually he was about 13 yrs old and only set on the band stand a couple of times.

His recollection that he set in with bands that came there to play is more incorrect information.

Paul Lewis's band played at Billie Garner's as the house band for about 16 years. Tuesday through Saturday night from 9pm till 12pm, Paul Lewis on Sax, James Shophie on Sax, Clarinet, and was backup singer in the band. Dorothy Gibson was the pianist. Foster Merts was the drummer. Herby Echols on trumpet and Bob Land on the bass but the guitarist and lead singer was the back bone of the band. Paul Flippen. Flippen had an old school voice that rivaled the best. After Paul's death in 95 the band broke up.

This band was the best of the big band era band in the country. I guess this is why Toby used the idea of being part of this club but in fact was not.