May 10, 2010

This was a busy week. Final exams here at Kennesaw State, posting grades, and getting ready for two weeks away from the class room before the summer semester begins. I spoke to a group of retired Georgia educators in Macon last Wednesday and told them that next to the guidance I received at home, my teachers were the greatest influence on my life. I can remember every home-room teacher, every coach, every band director, every principal that helped shape many of us. I was sad to read about the passing of Coach Harris who was the Red Devil's football coach when I was in my early years of elementary school. He also coached "midget football". The political correctness police would call it "little people football." In the 5th grade I went out for football. Coach Harris was wonderful. I got a uniform with the number "5" on the front and back. "Hey, that's Paul Horning's number of the Green Bay Packers", I thought to myself. First day of practice I was appointed to the position of tackling dummy. It didn't take long for me to be dead last on the depth chart for the Tallapoosa Red Devil Midget Football team. I think after about two weeks I decided that I probably would never be a tight end for the Baltimore Colts and that I was better at watching football than playing football. Turning in my uniform was a tough day. "I'm disappointed you didn't stick it out, but whatever you do, find something that you like to do and stay with it" were the words of Coach Harris. My mother explained to me that the next thing I endeavored to do that I would not have the option to quote "quit." It should be noted that in recess in those days I was world class at dodge ball and Janice Arnold and sisters Joy and Joann will tell you about my skills in neighborhood badminton contests. I took the Stokes Street crown in 1962. I also loved playing touch football in Ray Hitchcock's back yard. James and Johnny Brooks, Scotty McClain, Buddy Bentley, and Keith Hughes and I would sometimes play touch football up into the evening until my grandmother would call the game over because of supper. Some of my favorite neighbors we had in Tallapoosa growing up on Stone Street were the Kilgores. Bobbie Kilgore made the best yellow meal corn bread known to man. Arvil Kilgore worked at Lockheed in Marietta and Bobbie always made sure his dinner was ready at 5 p.m. when he got home. Their son Billy Wayne taught me how to play "Monopoly". Billy Wayne Kilgore hosted marathon games of the Parker Brother board-game. Billy Wayne was the Bernie Madoff of the game. Advice to anyone who may want to play the game of "Monopoly" with Billy Wayne, remember to not let him be the banker. I'm just sayin'. Billy Wayne was always listening to Joe Rumore on WVOK out of Birmingham in those days. Joe Rumore was a great influence on me to be a disc jockey. His warmth and sincerely came across the "Mighty Six-Ninety." How many of you can remember the syndicated Country music television shows on Saturday afternoon from the 1960's? "The Wilburn Brothers" that gave early exposure to a young teenage Patty Loveless, "Flatt and Scruggs" program sponsored by Martha White Mills was another part of Saturday afternoon viewing with Lester and Earl singing songs that still are in my heart to this day like "Salty Dog Blues" written by Zeke and Wiley Morris of Asheville, North Caroling. Porter Wagoner's show was a favorite with his sincere recitations at the end of the show. Porter's "Skid Row Joe" was a fan favorite. Porter also believed in a young girl from Sevierville, Tennessee named Dolly Parton. When she left Porter around 1974 to go out on her own, lore has it that she wrote and recorded "I Will Always Love You" as a tribute to all Porter did for her career as a singer and a songwriter. The song was in the movie "The Bodyguard" and Whitney Houston's version helped the soundtrack to be as successful as the movie was. Saturday afternoon also had "Whispering Bill Anderson" and his show. Bill Anderson is a dear friend and has written number one songs for the past 6 decades. Bill hosted the Georgia Music Awards for a number of years before they let a Tallapoosa boy host it for about 10 years while Bill played the Opry in Nashville. Speaking of the Opry, it was heart breaking to see the images this week on the flooding of the Cumberland River in Music City putting the Ryman, the Grand Ole Opry House, and much of downtown Nashville. Did any of you remember when CBS first aired "Hee Haw?" I thought of it as being "Laugh In" for rural folks. It was a hit and even when CBS canceled the series it went into television syndication and was in production for many more years. The show can be seen on RFD Television along with Porter Wagoner's classic shows.Saturday night viewing at my grandmother's house and at my Aunt Freddie and Uncle Henry's domain was "The Lawrence Welk Show". I thought there was too much dancing on it, but I was hopelessly in love with the Lennon Sisters. Myron the guy with the accordion was annoying. These days I watch a lot of TV Land. If I was in charge of the parent company of TV Land and I should be, I'd put on an "Andy Griffith Channel." Am I wrong or is network situation comedies on now not as good as the ones many of us baby boomers grew up with? The last network television comedy show that I thought was funny had Jerry Seinfeld as the central character. "Seinfeld" was voted by the folks at TV Guide as the best television show ever.It debut to dismal ratings and it would have been canceled if it wasn't for a high up at NBC refusing to take it off the air. The gamble must have paid off. "Sienfeld" had great ratings and left the air on top. That show was perhaps the best show ever on television. My second pick would have been Officer Don's "Popeye Club."

Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and is on the administrative faculty at Kennesaw State University. Comments can be sent to P.O. Box 1001, Tallapoosa, GA 30176 or via email at rhubarbjones@aol.com or rhubarb.jones@yahoo.com