| Chief Master Sgt. Calvin "Cal" Golden, USAF retired, born Aug. 28, 1928, in Cedar Glades, died Aug. 23, 2012. Cal was an internationally known square dance caller for over 40 years and started his career while stationed in Colorado Springs. He was Colorado State Champion Caller in 1949 and in November he transferred to March AFB in Riverside, Calif. He helped organize the European Square Dancers and Callers Association in 1955, and in 1968 was elected president of the European Callers Association. For three years he headed the staff of the European Square Dance College in Germany. In 1958, at the request of the State Department, he appeared as the featured square dance caller at the World's Fair in Brussels, Belgium.
He has called in all 50 states and Province of Canada and in 18 foreign countries. He has recorded over 125 records, eight albums and written three square dance books.
It was believed that Cal was the only sergeant who told a 4-star general what to do. ... The general did it and enjoyed it because he was square dancing.
Cal was inducted into the Square Dance Hall of Fame in 1978. Cal retired from square dancing in 1986 due to ill health.
Cal never met a stranger and all will remember his good sense of humor. Wherever he traveled and to all the places he was stationed, Cal took Arkansas and square dancing with him. He was a True Arkansan.
The term "Arky style" was coined by Cal Golden. After a long career in the
Air Force, Cal retired to Hot Springs, Arkansas which was his childhood
home. Cal toured as a modern western caller all over the world. He was known
as a flamboyant dresser. His rhinestone studded suits would rival any that
graced the stage of the Grand Old Opry. At the time he first used the term
"Arky" it was pretty unusual to have part of the square half sashayed and
the other half normal. Cal would show the figure and say "that's the way we
do it in Arkansas!" Thus, Arky Style was born.
Another VERY famous feature of Cal's calling was his use of more different
patter than probably any other caller in the world, such as
"Swing that lady with a hole in her stockin', Knees keep a knockin, petticoat a floppin'"
"Swing with Mary, Swing with Grace, Allemande left with old Prune Face"
"It ain't a goin' to rain, it ain't a goin' to snow, All join hands and away we go"
"Some girls are pretty, and some are not, but boy, you're stuck with the one you've got"
"Promenade and don't be slow, Where we're going nobody knows"
"Hurry up girls, don't be slow, kiss the caller before you go".
There were over 500 of them published in his "Square Dance Patter Book" published in 1951.
Cal was honored with Callerlab's Milestone Award in 1981 and with the Gold Card in 1991.
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 Recordings by Cal Golden:-
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America The Beautiful Singing Call, Gold Star 715 -
Arkansas Star / Sioux City Sioux Singing Call, Old Timer 8040 -
Barnacle Bill Square Singing Call, Old Timer 8067 -
Big City Singing Call, Gold Star 708 -
California Sunshine Singing Call, Gold Star 702 -
Driftwood Singing Call, FTC 32005 -
Driftwood Singing Call, Gold Star 711 -
Elbow Swing / I'll Swing Yours, You Swing Mine Patter (two instrumentals), Old Timer 8039 -
God Bless America Singing Call, Gold Star 712 -
Golden Rocket Singing Call, Gold Star 701 -
I Saw The Light Singing Call, Gold Star 703 -
Jingle Bells Singing Call, Gold Star 713 -
Johnny Boy Singing Call, Gold Star 705 -
Loose Talk Singing Call, Gold Star 704 -
My Heart Skips A Beat Singing Call, G & W 710 -
My Heart Skips A Beat Singing Call, Gold Star 710 -
New Alabama Jubilee / New My Pretty Girl Singing Call (two instrumentals), Old Timer 8157 -
Oklahoma Hills Singing Call, Old Timer 8072 -
Preachin' Up A Storm Singing Call, Gold Star 717 -
Shirley Jean Berrell Singing Call, Gold Star 709 -
Steel Guitar Rag Singing Call, Gold Star 700 -
Summer Sounds Singing Call, Gold Star 716 -
Take Me Back To Colorado Singing Call, Old Timer 8143 -
Texas Plains Singing Call, Old Timer 8069 -
The Easy Way Singing Call, Gold Star 706 -
Tijuana Rose Singing Call, Old Timer 8180 -
Too Old To Cut The Mustard Singing Call, Old Timer 8066 -
We'll Dance Till Sunday Morning Saturday Night Singing Call, Old Timer 8165 -
Your Cheatin' Heart Singing Call, Gold Star 714
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