REMEMBERING JOE

by Pam Hakala

Have you ever walked into a room and there was that one person who made you feel welcomed and loved?

My person was my stepdad, Joe Walenta: Proud United States Air Force veteran. Accomplished singer and talented musician. Dedicated and loving husband, dad, stepdad, papa, and grandpa.

My stepdad, Joe, was born in Fort Bend County in 1933 and lived and worked on the family farm. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a member of the 4-H club and track team in high school. Joe told many stories about growing up on the farm: Joe and his dad would attend meetings with other farmers to discuss the crops and meat each farmer had and they would devise a plan to share the crops and meats equally and everyone who participated benefited and no cash changed hands; a fond childhood memory Joe shared with his dad.

Joe served in the United States Air Force and was a proud Veteran, he joined in 1952 and was stationed at the Pentagon. He served as a Staff Sargent in the accounting department for the Air Force. During his four years at the Pentagon Joe received multiple letters of commendation.

He was honorably discharged in 1956. After his discharge Joe joined the Air Force Reserve and served another four years.

Joe took his first guitar lesson in 1963 at the age of 30 from a rhythm guitar player who had many years of experience playing on the road. Although Joe learned to play many chords, his heavy workload did not allow him the free time that was required to practice and learn to use those chords to play songs. As a result, Joe quit taking lessons and stored his guitar until after his retirement.

Joe married my mom, Cleta, in 1978. I was 24 years old and he accepted me, my brother and my sister as his own.

After 35 years, Joe retired from Dresser Industries and Joe and Cleta moved to Cedar Creek Lake to build their retirement home. Joe was the general contractor and did most of the construction himself. They belonged to several RV clubs and enjoyed traveling in their motorhome. He was a jack-of-all-trades and there were very few things he couldn’t fix.

After moving to Cedar Creek Lake, Joe met a local Opry member who was a guitar player. He invited Joe to join him at his home for weekly jam sessions. It was during these jam sessions that Joe learned how to put the chords together and actually began to play songs. This is also the place where he learned to sing. This group became known as The Country Gents. They played in local parks, restaurants, picnics, club meetings, wedding anniversaries, etc., anywhere they were invited.

The jam sessions lasted for about seven years and soon after Joe was a guest singer with a band he knew. When he got off the stage, a person approached him and introduced himself as Chock Chitty. Chock invited Joe to sing with his band, The Ranch Hands Band, at a local VFW. About three months later Chock asked Joe to be a member of his band. In 2005, Chock retired from the music business and turned the band over to Joe.

Joe & the band played Western Swing, Classic Country and 50-60’s Rock and Roll music and the band is still going strong today.

In the summer months Joe and Cleta traveled to Ruidoso, New Mexico and during the winter months they traveled to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

During their travels to the Rio Grande Valley, Joe met and played with several bands around the McAllen area, including the Bob Dolle Hall of Fame Variety Band and he also performed in a Bob Wills Tribute.

Joe joined the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest (WSMSS) and was inducted into the WSMSS Hall of Fame in 2016 in Oklahoma and was also inducted into the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame in 2017 in Washington State.

Only 10-12 performers each year are selected by the Swing Music Society to be inducted into their Hall of Fame.

Joe also recorded numerous CD’s and played with several bands during this time and The Ranch Hands Band continues playing every week at senior dances around the Mabank and Athens, Texas area.

Role models like Joe encourage us that no matter your age, we can always learn something new or pick up right where we left off!