Friday, March 27, 2009

The following ten images of Live Oak Cemetery in Selma are brought to you courtesy of M.


MATTIE




















courtesy of http://heybabydays.blogspot.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Medallion Sax man Johnny Cox was a helleva player




1968 Swingin' Medallion lineup: Front Row, Johnny Cox, saxophone; Jimbo Doares, guitar; and Joe Morris, drums; Back Row: Hack Bartley, saxophone; Grainger Hines, saxophone; John McElrath, keyboards; Charlie Webber, trumpet; and Carroll Bledsoe, trumpet






Medallions Johnny Cox and Hack Bartley at Medallion reunion in 1987




Medallions Perrin Gleaton, Johnny Cox and Freddy Pugh share memories in 2007


He was one helleva sax player! In a band known for horns, he stood out and now he joins Medallion band mates Steve Caldwell and Charlie Webber in the greatest horn section of them all! Johnny Cox died this past weekend in South Carolina. He had been suffering from lung cancer but his memory will be with us always. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him perform. It was in the Jacksonville Beach Coliseum, a venue long gone but forever etched in the memories of those who loved to see the bands of the Hey Baby Days in action. “Shotgun, git ‘em for they run “ “What Does It Take (To win your love)” “Hot Cha” Johnny was another Jr. Walker but don’t take what I say as gospel. Ask those who saw him perform. Yes! In a band where the “S” in Swingin’ stood for Saxophone, John Cox was nonpareil.


One of the stories that should have been in the book:

One of the mainstays of any Swingin’ Medallion shows is their presentation of Jr. Walker’s “Shotgun.” You know how it goes. The riveting song begins with a Medallion sax player playing the role of Jr. Walker. He blows the horn so hard that about halfway through, he doubles over on the floor, apparently passed out. Bandleader John McElrath asks “Is There a Doctor in The House?” Concern runs rampant as band members gather around trying to see if Jr. is going to make it. In the era of non-political correctness, there was always a Nurse Goodbody available to resuscitate the sprawling Junior. It seemed to always work because Jr. is so revived that he starts blowing the saxophone lying on his back and continues as he is pulled up off the floor by two band mates and held upside down still blowing the sax. It’s a Medallion trademark. It started way back with Brent Fortson and Freddy Pugh and continues today with Shawn McElrath. But Johnny Cox may be the only one of the Medallion sax players to ever be dropped during “Shotgun.” He was not just dropped to the stage but off the entire stage. It occurred at the Riverside Woman’s Club in Jacksonville, Florida. Johnny was smiling when he told me the story but I bet he wasn’t at the time as he missed several jobs as a result of the fall.

He apparently made a great recovery as he came back and continued to blow that horn from every angle with a great amount of passion and acumen.

Another ticket has been issued for “The Party to End All Parties” May Johnny Cox rest in peace.
Memorial Sevices:


Johnny Cox, original member of the Swingin' Medallions, who passed away
Saturday afternoon at 4:15pm at MUSC in Charleston. His body will be
cremated and there will be two memorial (celebration) services; one at Ocean
Drive Beach, and one in Johnny's hometown of Woodruff.

The two services to be held to celebrate Johnny's life are as follows:

Sunday, March 29, at 3:00pm, memorial services will be held at Lanford
Funeral Home Chapel on Main Street in Johnny's hometown of Woodruff, SC.

Sunday, April 05, at 11:30am, at The Pavilion at Ocean Drive Beach, A
memorial service will be conducted by Rev. Harold Beaver and Richard Carr.
After this service, everyone is invited next door to The O.D. Beach Club for
a celebration of Johnny's Life.
Posted by heybabydays at 2:09 PM 0 comments


posted by robertoreg at 8:00 PM

Thursday, March 26, 2009






All Three Images Courtesy of Buddy Henry



Joe Paul to Robert Register:

I'm trying to find some info about early Geneva, and am particularly interested in the location of Henry Yonge's Trading post.
Do you have any clues?
I would be interested in anything you have.

I found where Henry A. Yonge patented 40 acres in 1841, North and West of the "Junction", (just south of the old HW Laird House, if you know where that is), but i'm not sure that is where the trading post was.
I wonder, too, how long that trading post had been there--is it possible Panton Leslie had been trading with the local indians for years?
There is an old boat on the w bank of the choctawhatchee, about 100 feet north of its confluence with the Pea, that was put together with wooden pegs. A guy from the state archaeologist's office said it was probably built before 1750--and some bottle seller says he found a bottle with (or without?) a pentle that dated back even further.

Joe Paul


Robertoreg to Joe:

Probably the best place to learn about the layout of old Geneva at river junction is to go over the census records. I believe in the 1850 census, the census taker just walked down the street so the order of the families might give you a clue about the location of the trading post.

Seeing as how navigation from Pensacola to Geneva could be conducted without ever going out into the Gulf, some trader for Panton or Forbes probably had an Indian family there a long time before Yonge arrived.

There are Yonges associated with the company from the very beginning & a Henry Yonge was one of the founders of Gadsden County, Florida in the 1820s and was on the Territorial Council and was a charter member of Washington Lodge #1.

Friday, January 23, 2004



Some kinDA three -awn grass but what happened to WIREGRASS!!!!

posted by roberto at 9:39 PM

R:
You ain't the only one who saw the resemblence. Check out da blog "Cuba, Alabama" http://www.robertoreg.blogspot.com

Hey, in October of 1834 Robert Forbes bought Bourienne's Napoleon from the estate of Henry Fernando Yonge (1811- 1834) by way of the Probate Court of Gadsden County, Florida. Yonge grew up on two parcels of Forbes Purchase land owned by his Daddy, Henry Yonge (1776- 1834)

Another character who has popped up in all this Forbes Purchase stuff (one of the world's greatest real estate transactions: deal closed by James Innerarity of Mobile for 5 cents per acre- May 25, 1804) is John Carnochan. He was kin to someone in Canorchan and Mitchel, Havana merchants, who bought the Forbes Purchase from John Forbes. Clifton Paisley in Red Hills of Florida claims that this quote is in the American State Papers, Public Lands,( I don't think so) "a large and valuable gang of slaves have not for the four years 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, paid their own and plantation expenses." Paisley claims that this Carnochan quote is found in American State Papers, Public Lands, 4: 451.
The 1830 census of Gadsden County, Fl, shows that John Carnochan owned 63 slaves. Thought you'd like all dis stuff.
Make sure you remember that the 200th anniversary of the Forbes Purchase is May 25, 2004.
best,
rr

posted by roberto at 9:27 PM



BALD CYPRESS



http://www.iastate.edu/~bot356/species/species/p_tSpecie/TaxoDist.html

posted by roberto at 5:07 PM

posted by robertoreg at 12:18 AM

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

AL/GA/FL TRIPOINT UPDATE!
The news is good...

Our too-laid-back HP Club man in Alabama, Gary White, a proven Southern Gentleman, has successfully made contact with the Florida landowner and established the criteria for achieving this tri-corner.

Mr. Ansley Whatley is graciously open to this site's visitations based on hunting season dates. The access window is set between the end of April and October 15th. He asks that ample/advance visit plans are sent via his e-mail address answhat@aol.com. Do not, otherwise, attempt to access this tri-point site via the Chattahoochee State Park.

While, the landowner recognizes the significance of this post as importantly historical, and is agreeable to access wishes, please show respect and appreciation for Mr. Whatley's willingness to welcome visitors.

This maxim, of course, applies to all highpointing pursuits and other club spin-off activities where landowners are a factor. And, while we really are a bunch of incurable eccentrics, always try to behave as if you're closer than you are to the summit of the "Normal" bell curve.

Although we never got to take a new tri-corner shot on our trip (maybe next year), this really neat state-intersect sign on the west bank of the Chattahoochee River, is mounted on a post, and faces north into Alabama.

A dedication ceremony was held 21Jan00 by Voyage of Discovery, Inc., (VOD), in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Dothan Landmarks Foundation, and other groups.

posted by robertoreg at 12:38 AM

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

hey man, those images OF THE BABY are a pain in the ass to get on the Web.
I'll may blast Thursday night so tell 'em to shoot me somethin' web ready & they might get a boost on Friday.

IT A HOLIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What holiday?

IT FRIDAY!!!!!
EVER' FRIDAY A HOLIDAY IN TUSKEEELOOSEE!!!!

BEST,
rr


Dis beezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzE
so kool!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Area
They gotz a tricorner site on wiki & AL/FL/GA
& WE
beeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze
NUMERO UNO!
('cause we beezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze
dah most intristin')

IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ALFABET.
Roberto

Alabama Florida Georgia Marker on riverbank is actually a few feet above and west of true tripoint at high-water line.

posted by robertoreg at 11:45 PM

Monday, March 23, 2009

http://reclaimalabama.blogspot.com/

posted by robertoreg at 9:53 PM

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Its automatic when I
Talk with old friends
The conversation turns to
Girls we knew when their
Hair was soft and long and the
Beach was the place to go

Suntanned bodies and
Waves of sunshine the
California girls and a
Beautiful coastline
Warmed up weather
Lets get together and
Do it again

With a girl the lonely sea looks good
Makes your night times warm and out of sight

Been so long
(hey now hey now hey now hey now hey now)
(hey now hey now hey now hey now hey now)

Well I've been thinking bout
All the places we've surfed and danced and
All the faces we've missed
so lets get
Back together and do it again

Ow!






















The Sunday edition of The Miami Herald has a feature article on the Florida Rocks Again! podcast, by Jordan Levin, who wrote that great piece about the Overtown soul scene a while back.

Jeff Lemlich, my Florida Rocks Again! co-producer, Jerry Schils of the Birdwatchers and the Legends, and I were all interviewed for the article, which is pretty cool, if'n you asks me.

While I was disappointed that the featured podcast was Florida Rocks Again! #28: Coverama 2, and not Florida Rocks Again! #35: Mal's Florida Favorites, the most recent episode, and that GaragePunk.com and The Limestone Lounge did not get more play, I am stoked that the Herald saw fit to feature the show. Ronny Elliot, the Nightcrawlers, the Montells, and We The People all got mentioned and/or pictured, among many others.

There's also a photo gallery of Florida artists, and at some point in the next day or two, a feature on WLRN, the local Miami NPR affiliate.
Florida Rocks Again
FLORIDA ROCKS AGAIN! #35: Mal's Florida Favorites, Volume 1
This rockin' installment of the long-running series brings together some of Mal's fave Florida garage, soul, and rockabilly nuggets, as well as a few late '60s mindblowers, plus an epic interview with Wayne Proctor of We The People, originally heard on FRA! #18: Orlando Rocks Again! So kick back, relax, and Southern-fry your brain with killer cuts from the Birdwatchers, Benny Joy, the Wrong Numbers, and many, many more.

Produced in Living Monophonic Sound by JM Dobies and Jeff Lemlich.


Playlist:

WE THE PEOPLE: When I Arrive
PROCTOR AMUSEMENT COMPANY: Heard You Went Away
THE BIRDWATCHERS: I’m Gonna Do It to You/Can I Do It
STEVE ALAIMO: You Don’t Love Me (I Don’t Care)/You Don’t Know Like I Know
SAM & DAVE: You Got Me Hummin’
BETTY WRIGHT: Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do
CLARENCE REID: Polk Salad Annie

BENNY JOY: Spin the Bottle
TRACY PENDARVIS: A Thousand Guitars
WAYNE COCHRAN: The Coo
BENNY SPELLMAN: Fortune Teller
THE IMPACS: Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go

MANDARIN GATE: It's a Revolution Mother
THE SECOND COMING: I Feel Free
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND: Dreams (demo)

The Wayne Proctor Interview
THE TRADEMARKS: Don’t Say You Love Me Too
WE THE PEOPLE: My Brother, the Man/The Mirror of You Mind/St. Johns Shop/In the Past/Declaration of Independence

THE WRONG NUMBERS: I’m Gonna Go Now

Hosted by Mal Thursday

Written and Produced by JM Dobies

Co-Produced by Jeff Lemlich


Dig these wild tales from the Archives:




J.M. Dobies
Writer/Producer
FLORIDA ROCKS AGAIN!
THE MAL THURSDAY SHOW
SURREAL CINEMA
904.806.4934

posted by robertoreg at 8:27 PM

In a message dated 3/21/2009 4:45:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, robertoreg@gmail.com writes:

The article is on the right hand side of the third page of the newsletter. It's entitled
FIRST SOUTHERN BOUNDARY SIGN DEDICATED
http://www.hcc-al-ga.org/newsletters/spring2000.pdf

Robert -

Please forgive me, but I can't locate this.
Not sure what you mean by "newsletter."
Does the page have a date?

"I've got a picture of the tricorner marker on the Chattahoochee somewhere in my stuff."

Did you get the photo firsthand? You didn't say if you've been to the marker yourself. Anyway, it seems some documentation shouldn't be difficult to come by. For sure, I've thus far been unsuccessful with my searches. Please clue me to the location of your article.

"A mile and a half north of the tripoint is the northern most point of land described by the Tallahassee Meridian"

My blog also reports on our "geoXtreme" endeavors. On the Key West trip, e.g., I finally got to the southmost point in the 48 (sort of). There are several sites out there which cover "Weird Geography." Sounds like your triangle qualifies. Will check it out on our next South trip which probably won't happen until 2010 when there's a Highpointer convention in NW AL.

Again, thanks for you help and patience with this tri-corner info.

Bill

# PS A fellow by the name of Jack P., after reaching all the state high points (he was the 10th person to do it), set out to visit the 38 US dry corners. He documented this accomplishment in a guide that I make available as hard copy; otherwise, it's available here: Tripoint Guide
Jack includes a picture of AL/GA/FL but it's too poor to use.
This marker wasn't there when he visited; in fact, reached these points just using a compass and maps he could glean from libraries, etc. local to the tri-points. No GPS then. What a guy!


Hiker Bill~
http://www.hcc-al-ga.org/newsletters/spring2000.pdf

The link above is the one I sent you. The third page of the newsletter has the article about the dedication of the marker. All of the participants were taken to the site from Neal's Landing on a Coast Guard buoy tender piloted by my 11 yr. old son.

My picture is probably a black and white xerox copy so you don't want it.
I plan to go down home next weekend so maybe I'll make it out there but it is TURKEY SEASON!

The story of the public lands survey of Florida is dramatic. Death, disease & torment with little compensation so a lot of the original surveys through the swamps and everglades were fig newtons of somebody's constipation.

Keep me up to date.

best,
rr


Robert -
Your e-mail with the NL link just popped up on my screen. I did find this on a Google but was too quick to peruse the page and missed the article.
Meanwhile, I would like to make contact with Mrs. Whatley in regards to the cartoon and text re the tri-point.

This post was meant to alert other club members about crossing private property to reach the marker and certainly not meant to belittle the landowner(s).

As it is, both in regard to the high points and certain of the 38 tri-points, there are those which are on private property.
The club works hard to resolve any trespassing issues that come in as members attempt to reach these sites.

I cannot say the exact source of our information on reaching the tri-point except a warning that attempting to access it, e.g., during hunting season could result in an injury or worse and that there were 2 landowners who had no tolerance for trespassers.

Again, I might better explain some of the nuances here if I could have a phone conversation with you or Mrs. Whatley. I have the update text ready to post but was holding off for that marker picture to accompany it.
At this point, I've decided to just remove the offending post which, again, was intended to be a member-reader attention-getter to avoid conflicts, bad feelings, and jeopardize the club's good reputation.

Bill


Mr. Register -

I totally enjoyed our phone conversation this afternoon, and if I weren't 70 years old, I probably would have absorbed and retained all of the interesting history you passed along.

Have you thought about documenting what you know about this particular 3-state site? For sure, there's a helluvalot going on here - more than I ever imagined, being a Yank and all.
And, the 38 "dry" points I mentioned I'm sure have their own story as well.

That you've gathering/posting your research in your digs is admirable. I wish I cared enough about my home in Berks County to that degree. I'm having trouble enough researching my "Wentzel" lineage.

BTW: Were not Yankees by choice - just can't help where we were born, so cut we hemroids a break! And, yes, I know hemroids is misspelled. So you're smarter down there...OK? Better spellers, I suppose, on the important stuff.

Hopefully, I can make contact with you again. You're into some fascinating history...

Bill

BTW: The un-named resource I mentioned seemed to be a tad skittish about saying TOO much about this
3Pt site and all that went with it. Yikes! We pretty much left with our tails twixt our legs. Sure hope this changes, including Yankee prejudice if that's what it really amounted to.

posted by robertoreg at 4:24 PM