Tiny Moore
First highlight in the fresh career of the band was the European tour in 1986 with Tiny Moore. Mr. Moore was one of the original Texas Playboys who played with Bob Wills and Merle Haggard on fiddle and e-mandolin. Invited by Berry, Tiny came, for the first time in his life, to Europe and showed great enthusiasm for Europe and the band. For us the vital grand man was a well of information and inspiration. We appeared live on Dutch radio. Home tapes of this show still seem to go from one fan-hand to another worldwide. An absolute hit was the gig in the famous Paris jazzclub New Morning. The place was packed with fans only. Tiny’s mouth fell open, amazed by so many people who knew everything about him and cherished all his recordings. Needless to say the roof went of. It was a great honor for Panhandle Swing to tour with Tiny Moore and the band is very proud that we were able to give him a few memorable nights. The more because this appeared to be the grand man’s last journey. Tiny Moore died in 1987.
The 1990’s
In the '90’s there’s little work and the band plays only with four or five pieces.
New kick-off
In 2003 Berry is lucky to find a couple of new soloists, partly skilled by himself. Now Panhandle Swings better than ever. Finally Berry reaches what he aimed for all those years: a big band worthy of Bob Wills, in short the European answer to Asleep At The Wheel.
Bob Wills Memorial
The results showed. The 1# Bob Wills Memorial on March 6 2005 in the Amsterdam Paradiso was a great event. Panhandle Swing accompanies three guest singers among whom radiostar Ruud Hermans and Cor Sanne. Soon after this show PS is invited by the North Sea Jazz Festival to come play in The Hague that year.
CD
In July 2005 the band record their new CD “Panhandle Swing play the hits of Bob Wills”, featuring the same three guest singers from the Paradiso show. For the occasion the band is extended with trumpet and sax player. The new CD will be presented on September 25 in Kampen Holland.
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