Monday, February 20, 2017

'Remembering Patsy and her friends'...





 


















What can you say about Patsy Cline? Words cannot describe her unmatched
talent. Her incredible career in the recording industry and live performing
touched thousands of people in the late 50’s and early 60’s.  Her biggest years
were from 1957-1963, she was putting out hit after hit, packing theaters
across the country and performing on the Grand Ole Opry. If you were one of
the lucky ones out there to have seen her in person… you were truly blessed.
She was the first female country singer to be inducted into the Country Music
Hall of Fame in 1973. Her music touched the soul, whether you were a country
music fan or not. Sweet Dreams, Crazy, She’s Got You, the list is endless. We
lost her crystal clear voice when she was just thirty years old, and we were all
cheated because of her untimely death. Play her music, remember her, and
pass it on……

Cowboy Copus, a young man from Ohio who started is music career while
appearing on local radio stations, as so many entertainers did fifty years ago.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Copus was known as the Country Gentleman
of Song. He was a solid entertainer who played the circuits of fairs, country
music halls and special events. His hits included Signed, Sealed and Delivered,
Tennessee Waltz and Alabam. His band was known as the Gold Star Rangers.
Cowboy Copus was just 50 when he was killed on that foggy, rainy day in March
of 1963.

Hawkshaw Hawkins, born in West Virginia, a country singer who had a rich,
smooth vocal presentation. With a six foot five inch frame, Hawkshaw commanded
the stage when he made an appearance in his spangled outfit and boots. I was
lucky to see him perform at the Steuben County Fair in Bath, NY. My father who
had a country and western band himself loved Hawkshaw and took me to see
Him, I believe it was in August of 1960, perhaps 61.  Hawkshaw performed for
years on WWVA in Wheeling and his signature song was Sunny Side of the Mountain.
In 1962, his biggest hit was released, just three days after his death was
Lonesome 7-7203 and that song was huge for weeks and months to follow.
Hawkshaw was just 42 when he died, but his fans continue to enjoy him. 

Randy Hughes, a session guitarist had met Patsy in 1959 and soon after became
her manager. He was the pilot and owner of the aircraft flying the night of the accident.
Hughes, age 34, was also the son-in-law of Cowboy Copus. Hughes did hold
a private pilot’s license but did not have an instrument rating, so he had to fly by
visual flight rules only. Hughes bought the aircraft in 1962, less than a year before
the day of the fateful crash. He had only logged 44.25 hours in the Piper Comanche

and only had a total of 160.10 hours flight time in his career. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

'Once you're published'....



It's amazing how the world has changed since the
intervention of the internet... in all phases of living
it seems.

The world of business has taken on a whole new
level of selling, promotion and marketing...and I
found that out quickly after publishing my first
book almost two years ago.

Since the release of Undertakings of an Undertaker,
My whole being has changed it seems.  My
'slow mail' volume has increased, my internet
activity has soared significantly... and much
more ominous and less interesting are the
'offers' that I 'shouldn't refuse'.

I have received offers from other companies who
want me to do business with them, but that of
course would be at a nominal fee of just one
or two thousand dollars to be affiliated with them.

A publishing company in Atlanta this week
desperately wanted me to participate in a New
York book fair coming up in N.Y.C.... and it
was only going to cost me $2,000, taken in
payments for my convenience.  I've had
companies who wanted to make me T-shirts,
coffee mugs... small plastic caskets to
promote my book....ha... you name it,
the list is endless.

Some where in some of those offers, a legitimate
one might exist...but you wouldn't have
enough time in this life or the next to
find that 'needle in the haystack.'

So as I continue to work on book number two
for hopefully later this year...I have a new
'caution' flag up around me... like the
old robot on Lost in Space who used to
utter...Warning..Warning...

Sitting at an old manual typewriter a few
years ago seemed so much simpler... and
a whole lot stressful.  I think I still
have that machine somewhere.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

On Lady Gaga......




It seemed like just a couple of years ago that I

wasn't all that excited about Lady Gaga...she had

some pretty wild outfits... especially the 'raw

meat thing' she modeled awhile back....she does

know how to get attention, that's for sure.  But

last year  when she did the anthem at the super

bowl... I  all of a sudden took notice... and

started  to  listening to her.  She is an incredible

talent, on the piano and at the microphone.  And

this year's super bowl halftime I thought was an

outstanding performance. The visuals, the

overall presentation; everthing I thought was

superb... and that from me, a cranky old

white man who really 'isn't with' the modern

times at all.  So Lady Gaga; my old hat is

off to you!  Great job... keep pounding out

the good stuff for us....you will inspire a lot

of new performers I am sure.