Recently I was honored to share the pulpit for a home going celebration of one of my late mother’s friends. Van McFall was among the close-knit group of moms within the circle of my childhood that I remember well. The mothers were Pearl, Van, Mary Burgess and Nettie Fisher. They got into all kinds of […]
The winds pounded upon the side of the house sitting in the shadow of Gravelly Spur Mountain and seeped beneath the cracks around the windows and doors letting the chill of winter in the walls warmed by the wood stacked and burning in the fireplace. The sound of bells tinkled as they were pulled from […]
Dolly and Stella Parton are coming back to NBC on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. (E.S.T.) with “Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.” Both sisters make special appearances in the film, while Dolly introduces the film and serves as narrator. The greatly anticipated Georgia-lensed sequel to last year’s “Coat of Many Colors” is […]
As I have surfed through social media and watched news reports of late highlighting the actions displayed following our elections, it has broken my heart to see that we are at the point when men and women cannot be more effectively self-governing with their words and actions. Many years ago, I penned the following thoughts […]
The gentle falling of snowflakes takes me back to the days when cold weather would bring a tough decision at the old family homestead. Being cold in the winter was a common experience, since the only heat came from a fire in the main room. Grandma would always be the one up early to get […]
As I place these words to paper, the outcome of the 2016 presidential election is yet to be decided. I would like to join the throngs of those saying the rhetoric has made this one of the worst election seasons in history, but I know as a student of history many before have been as […]
In the valley below the Gravelly Spur Mountain there was a partnership of sorts between the humans and the animals that worked the farms to create the crops that helped feed them all. There was no more needed partner than the mules that helped to cut the furrows straight along the curves of the mountainsides […]
Songwriting icon and legendary performer “Whisperin’ Bill” Anderson released his new autobiography Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music recently. In addition, listeners can sit back and enjoy a NEW audio book narrated by Bill Anderson. The audio book bundle also includes a Bonus CD featuring 10 never-before released self-penned acoustic recordings by […]
Often as an entertainer, I get the chance to share some time with other talented musicians. I was afforded that opportunity recently while spending a couple of hours with a talented group of musicians from England. While I heard them jamming with a different line up than their norm with their bassist playing banjo, the […]
While America’s media concentrated upon candidate negatives and battles in community streets, I was honored to spend some amazing hours away from these talking heads and among some of our country’s most amazing people. They had not gathered over political policies, perceived injustice had not placed them on opposite sides of a demonstration. Music had […]
