THE DOODS WALLOP
Story by Rani Birchfield. Illustration by Gary Oliver.
F
or a while, they were the only
country band west of the Pecos.
Playing fairs, festivals, communi-
ty events, business openings and mix-
ers, weddings, not to mention honky-
tonks, the Doodlin’ Hogwallops have
been one of the go-to bands for live
music in the Big Bend region. With a
variety of country, blues, and folk
music, ‘honky-tonk band’ may be the
best description for them. Most of us
have stumbled across the Hogwallops
even if we don’t frequent local bars as
they are a steady supporter of commu-
nity events.
10
Cenizo
Neil Trammell, Chris McWilliams,
Todd Elrod, and Robert Halpern
currently comprise the Doodlin’
Hogwallops, but for a decade, it was
just Neil, Chris, and Todd. Although
the trio are considered the “Official”
Hogwallops, over the years about 40
musical talents have joined them
including Border Patrol agents, tran-
sients, Sibleys, and others who went on
to do their own thing like Jim Keaveny
and some of the Pinche Gringos.
These “extras” added energy and flair
to the Hogwallops, doing everything
from drumming or playing bass, to
First Quarter 2015
pulling instruments off of Harry’s wall
at the Tinaja and jamming out with
them. Neil says after fine-tuning his
bass playing skills, he put six bassists in
the area out of part-time work.
The musical bonds of brotherhood
between lead Neil Trammell and
Todd Elrod were formed 14 years ago
in Terlingua during a 20-gigs-in-15-
days whirlwind “tour” that included
rocking out to AC/DC, breaking
down on the side of the road, and eat-
ing fungus, thereby cementing their
friendship. Chris McWilliams joined
the duo a couple of years later after
The Doods
insisting they take music lessons. Two
years ago they added Robert Halpern
of Presidio as drummer. Robert gives
the band a solid backbeat and the
rhythm they crave as well as the fourth
man which sharpens their band from
pickers and partiers to country band.
In the early days, the Hogwallops
played once a month at the Gage
Hotel in Marathon. The $200 fee they
earned just covered their rent. Trading
guitar lessons for brisket from Between
the Buns, a now-defunct BBQ truck in
Alpine, afforded the young band some
steady meals. The smoked brisket