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Wednesday, August 18,
1971 was Robert Redford's 34th birthday. Georgia's first lady Rosalynn Carter
celebrated 44 years, and NFL great and New York Jet Matt Snell was 30 that day.
It was a significant day as I recall. It was the first day of classes at
Jacksonville State University. Jax State had been on my radar since Tallapoosa
High School Red Devil band director and JSU alum Jimmy Couch took the band on
the bus referred to as the "Red Goose." That day Mr. Couch took us over the
mountains and hills to get to Jacksonville and it was Band Day. I saw the
Marching Southerners for the first time that day. I knew then that I wanted to
be on that drum line one day. That hot August day back 40 years ago I
passed the rigorous audition. They handed me a pair of Zildjian cymbals and told
me to learn the parts of the tenor and bass drum as well as to make the cymbals
ring as loud as I could and keep them shined like brand new money. The Marching
Southerners were led by a great man. Dr. David Walters who was also about the
nicest person I ever knew. Two of the greatest college band directors from
Alabama schools. JSU's Dr. Walters and the great Dr. Johnny Long at Troy
University. I found out what discipline was all about at Jacksonville
State. I remember that all I thought about was being in the Southerners and the
pride that was instilled in all of us that were members of that wonderful group
of
musicians. That was 14,610 days ago. In between band practices there were
classes in political science, biology, and civil war history or "the war
of northern aggression" as Mrs. Rambo referred to it in 6th grade. In the class
that was all about Generals Lee, Sherman, Grant, Longstreet, Burnside, Jackson
and McClellan and covering everything from the first shot fired in Charleston
harbor, Shiloh, Bull Run, Sherman's march to the sea to the surrender to General
Grant at Appomattox. It was taught by a retired colonel who knew his stuff His
shoes were spit shined and he lectured the class without notes. He didn't need
them. Dr. David Childress' knowledge was inspiring. I got an academic humbling
in his class. In that class there was James Folsom, Jr. who became
governor of
Alabama and Randy Owen who had a band with his cousins that played around
northeast Alabama. They became the most successful group in the history of
Country music. Super group Alabama sold millions of recordings and are members
of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Their early hits were all produced by
Haralson County's Harold Shedd. Why isn't there a road named for him in this
county? I could never forget that history course because there were only
thirteen students. I also could never forget a sweet girl from Oxford who was
pretty as a peach and in that class. I got the courage up to ask her out.
I remember her saying she'd go out with me when pigs fly. It was during my time
at Jacksonville State I tried to get my first job in radio. I went to every
station in Anniston and was told "get some experience" before I came back. I
remembered listening to WPID in Piedmont and drove up there to see if they'd
give me a shot. Terrance Gladden was the owner and manager and when he found out
I was from Tallapoosa he got excited and asked me to start the next day. Mr.
Gladden was a 1955 graduate of Tallapoosa High. We would talk about Tallapoosa
being a
wonderful plce to grow up. It still is. I was reading the paper in Panama City a
couple of weeks ago that condos on the beach had been marked down from $1.2
million to $850 thousand due to the economy. I thought to myself, if they
were a $5 dollars a dozen, I still couldn't afford it. Happy birthday to
neighbor Marcie Glaze who turned 21 again on the 13th. Wasn't the weather a lot
more tolerable this past Monday and Tuesday? Wednesday was the start of the Fall
semester at Kennesaw State. People ask me if I like teaching and do I miss
radio? I tell them that teaching is exciting and that I miss the checks from
radio. Most men I know love gadgets. I was given a Kindle for my birthday. I've
so far downloaded the Bible, the classic works of Mark Twain, books by Dr Billy
Graham, Ole Miss professor and Civil War historian Dr. Shelby Foote and several
books on one of the greatest leaders and communicators of all time, Coach Paul
"Bear" Bryant. A book written by the radio voice of the Crimson Tide Eli Gold
about thirty-six men whose lives were changed by Coach Bryant. They all said
that that he was tough and demanded 150% everyday. He preached preparation and
to try to improve 10% each day in everything you do. Coach Bryant said that give
it everything you got in everything you do. He demanded it of himself as
well his coaches and players. I am excited because the season opener with Kent
State in Tuscaloosa is just a couple of weeks away. I hope to get up with Leon
and Craig Rutherford tailgating over in T-Town. Dr. Wes Wicker the Vice
President of Development at KSU is an Alabama graduate who is close friends with
two of Bear's boys, Marty Lyons and Barry Krauss got to meet Leon and Craig and
baby brother Joey a few years ago after a game in Knoxville and he raved about
their barbecue. He said the Rutherford boys knew their way around a smoker.
Craig told me that once back in '73 when Bama lost to Notre Dame 24 to 23 in the
Sugar Bowl in a game referred to as the "game of the century", that his daddy
cried until kickoff the following September. College football fans in the words
of Hank Williams, Jr. "are you ready for some football?!?!" Let's tee it up!
Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and a Distinguished Lecturer in the
Department of Communication and Director of Special Projects in the Office of
Development at Kennesaw State University. Previous columns can be found at
www.tallapoosa-journal.com Commentaries can be heard after the "Tradeline"
program weekdays on WKNG 1060. Comments can be sent to P.O. Box 1001,
Tallapoosa, GA 30176 or via email at
rhubarbjones@aol.com
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