You Never Even Called Me by My Correct Name — 1975
by Paula Bosse
Photo: Buddy Magazine
by Paula Bosse
Every time I come across this photo I clipped from an old Buddy magazine, I laugh. I don’t think I’ve ever considered the word “disgruntled” as an adjective to describe David Allan Coe, but I think we’d all be pretty disgruntled if we were the headliner at the Longhorn Ballroom, and they couldn’t even spell our name right on the marquee.
A disgruntled David Allan Coe points to the marquee with his name misspelled in front of the Longhorn Ballroom. Photo by Stoney Burns.
If you aren’t familiar with the excessively “colorful” David Allan Coe… well… you’re probably not a fan of the extreme side of Outlaw Country Music. I swear I heard “You Never Even Called Me by My Name” every single time I went to the Lakewood Landing, back when I went there a LOT. I hope it’s still on the jukebox. You can’t call yourself a true Texan unless you’ve sung along to this song in a packed bar. (You can listen to this legendary DAC song on YouTube here — listen all the way through!)
And speaking of Buddy, enjoy this Shiner Beer ad that appeared in its pages in 1975:
And still speaking of Buddy, I understand that all (…ALL!) (…or almost all…) back issues — going back to the first issue from July 1973 — are in the process of being fully scanned and will be coming soon to an internet near you. This is such an important cultural archive of Texas music (and Dallas music)! There is a very large selection of Buddy at the downtown Dallas Public Library, but there are gaps in the collection. I look forward to wandering through the back issues when the archive is up and running!
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Sources & Notes
Photo of David Allen Allan Coe is by the legendary Stoney Burns; it appeared in a May 1975 issue of Buddy magazine. The Shiner ad is from an April 1975 issue of Buddy. Both issues are from the very large collection housed at the Dallas Public Library.
Buddy is still going strong, after 53 years. (And so is the 86-year-old DAC!)
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Copyright © 2026 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
At one time during the mid-70s he was sing the song live on KERA. On the last verse he sang “…you never call me by my f**king name”. I was recording it. Years later in the ’90s he played one night at Stampede on 635 across from Valley View Mall. I told him about that night and he said he never got asked back.
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correction…singing the song…
Didn’t mean to be anonymous…terryrippa@att.net
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Correction: …singing the song…
Didn’t mean to be anonymous… terryrippa@att.net
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We are all far too polite to acknowledge the person standing under the longhorn.
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I won’t say I met DAC – ‘encountered’ is more like it – in the ‘70s at Arnold and Morgan in Garland while trying out an Epiphone guitar. I think he was trying out some Fender or other. It was when ‘You Never Even Called Me By Your Name’ was all over the radio. He came in wearing tight black leather pants, head covered by a black bandana, and no shirt. His body odor was almost overwhelming. His behavior was unpleasant, to say the least. The only other celebrity I’ve ever encountered that was as unpleasant – minus the b.o. – is Tommy Lee Jones, whom his friend Barry Corbin candidly (and accurately) describes as having the social development of a badger. Right here I must admit I still love DAC’s music, and will watch TLJ in anything he’s in. They’re both damn good at what they do.
As always, Paula, I love your post. Hope ‘26 is treating you well (or at least better).
– Steve Schaffer
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’You Never Even Called Me By MY Name.’
Damn Otto Korrekt.
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