There are many stories concerning the iconic tune Sweet Home Alabama. One could spend countless hours online researching the various theories of the song’s meaning, the “feud” between the band and Neil Young based on his songs "Southern Man and "Alabama" or what Skynyrd thought about Alabama Governor George Wallace. Possibly even more intriguing are the stories of how the song … [Read more...] about The Story of the Anthem Sweet Home Alabama
Music
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Incredible Patsy Cline
In my opinion, many have tried to sing like Patsy Cline, but few have ever come close to matching that beautiful voice. She was born Virginia Patterson Hensley, on September 8, 1932, in Winchester, Virginia. From humble beginnings and through a relatively short but sad life, this lady gave us wonderful music that is still popular over fifty years after her death. Her mother, … [Read more...] about Ladies and Gentlemen, the Incredible Patsy Cline
The Red-Back Hymnal and A Good Church Singing
We drove the two-lane road up and down hills flanked with woods and occasionally passed a large stand of cotton, the full moon slowly rising on the horizon against the backdrop of a pink Tennessee sky. We pulled into the freshly mowed grass parking lot and lined up our car next to the others who’d beat us to Denmark Presbyterian Church in Western Tennessee. The whitewashed … [Read more...] about The Red-Back Hymnal and A Good Church Singing
James Quill Smith; Hometown Rock Star
James Quill Smith may not sound familiar to you. I asked my friend of fifty years, Kay Smith Payne, to tell me a little about her older brother. She shared two 4" ring binders full of newspaper articles, playbills, pictures, and all sorts of memorabilia that she had carefully kept of her only sibling. James Quill Smith, or Smitty as he preferred to be called, was born in … [Read more...] about James Quill Smith; Hometown Rock Star
The Grand Ole Opry
It could be the most valuable $140 check in the world. At a glance, it doesn’t seem like a lot of money, yet its payment has launched careers, created celebrities, and changed the landscape of the music industry. That check, based on the union scale, is what each and every guest receives for an appearance on Nashville’s famed Grand Old Opry stage. Whether you are a new artist … [Read more...] about The Grand Ole Opry
