Daily Grist–A lesson for those who think they have a lot of authority; try to order somebody else’s dog around… JD Rhynes
This time of the year always brings back a lot of good memories for me, and it always has to do with music. Bluegrass music to be precise. Looking back over my lifetime of memories, I would say that about 50% of my memories have to do with bluegrass music in one way or another. Jam sessions, band practice, performing with bands, traveling with bands to and from gigs, talking with promoters of bluegrass festivals and other venues looking to book performances for the band, etc. etc.. Some of my most favorite memories are the times my bluegrass buddies and I played for family get-togethers where everybody brought food for the party, and there was usually enough food there to feed a division of US Marines, the dessert table alone was a thing of beauty, as my buddy Vern used to say.
I will never forget the time back in the early 70s when my uncle Luther and aunt Gladys was visiting from Arkansas. My uncle Luther was the next oldest after my mother on her side of the family, and my aunt Gladys had the driest sense of humor of any woman that ever lived. She could make the proverbial wooden Indian die laughing, but that’s another story for another time. We all got together at my uncle Jack’s house in Stockton California that cool spring evening to play music and enjoy some good country vittles. Supplying the music that night was Vern Williams, his son Delbert Williams, Keith little, and myself. When Keith hit that first lick on “Ol Cackler”and launched off into a fast version of foggy Mountain breakdown, my uncle Luther’s face lit up like a big Christmas tree ! My aunt Myrtle and my uncle Monty were there also that night, my aunt Myrtle was my mother’s youngest sister. my uncle Monty was from Waycross Georgia, believe it or not, the Georgia town made famous by Hank Snow in the song “Millers cave”. Needless to say, we had a very bluegrass appreciative audience that night. Back then, Delbert was playing fiddle for the band and when he and Keith and Vern got through tearing up Foggy Mountain Breakdown, we had worked up a real good sweat by then.
My buddy Vern used to sing a version of the gospel song “Were You There”that used to tear me up inside. My aunt Gladys asked if we did any gospel songs? In that dry Arkansas humor of Vern’s, he answered; oh we do one or two, clamp it up in B flat boys and let’s do, were you there. We did that song in four-part harmony and when Vern would hit that high tenor on the chorus, I would get goosebumps on my neck you could hang your hat on ! After the first verse and chorus of that song there was not a dry eye in the crowd, and my aunt Myrtle and aunt Gladys were crying like babies. God I miss those times ! Nobody could sing that song but my buddy Vern !
You have to excuse the interruption here, my monitor got a little fuzzy and I had to wipe the tears off of it. That was a wonderful time that will live in my memory forever. Vern said his favorite memory of that night was the custard pie, and the pecan pie with homemade ice cream.
We always had a potluck dinner this time of the year either at my house, or Vern’s place and there was usually eight or 10 musicians there. One of my very favorite memories is this; the first song we would always play would be Tex Logan’s famous composition of Christmas time’s coming, and after a night of music, wonderful food, various adult beverages, the last song was always played about two or three in the morning and it was always Christmas times A’coming. In fact, one night we played that song about four or five times at the end of that party. Vern said; sometimes I just can’t get enough of that purty little song ! In my memory I will never get tired of listening to him sing it. What wonderful memories.
Here is wishing a very healthy and prosperous new year to all my bluegrass family, I love you, Yer friend JDRhynes
