Roberto,

July 7, 2009 was one of the saddest days of my life. Gloria and I had to say goodby to Sadie. She was her
normal loving self until a week ago, when she became lethargic and wouldn't eat. When the vet told us it
was cancer and there was nothing he could do to save her, we were crushed. Sadie was my constant companion
and best friend. Her death left a hole in my heart and a void in my world.

I know I'm not the first dog owner to go through this, but it's the first time for us. Neither one of us had ever had
a house dog. She became a member of our family. Words can't describe how much we'll miss her.

Buddy


Robert:

Thanks so much for this newsletter. It really brought up some great memories. One of my first outings to a dance club was to Williams Lake to hear the Swinging Medallions. Williams Lake was a dance club built on a tiny lake that was more like a pond. It was located miles into the deep woods on Hwy 13 outside Newton Grove, NC. A group of us had piled into Speedy's '49 Chevrolet that he had just gotten for his 16h birthday. He was going to "soup" it up but that nite it had no seats, only crates to sit on. I was so scared it would break down in the middle of nowhere on that moonless night. I remembered thinking: "Surely there will be no one else crazy enough to travel so far into this God forsaken place." Yet when we got there it was crammed packed with teens and college kids. There were speakers on the outside that blasted the music onto the grounds and people were everywhere in cars , on the lake, everywhere and I did see my first "Billie Blues" in the hands of those roaming about outside.

Inside the club people were packed in like sardines. Being short I couldn't see the band until they began swinging upside down from the rafters while playing the sax. I squeezed thru the crowd until I was upfront. When asked to dance I declined because I would not loose my spot. They had a fan in me ever since....always my favorite band.

Just thought I would share.

Love you always!

Faye B.

Wilmington, North Carolina

Hey y'all~

Got the new issue of Dothan Magazine http://dothanmagazine.com
in the mail today.
Super articles about the Wiregrass Music Mural Dedication & the DEVIL MAKE A THIRD lecture.

Hey Robin & Kerry,
how 'bout y'all work something out where you can shoot me some images or just let me scan the pages.
Huh?!!!!!!

best,
rr



Any truth to the rumor that this picture of play pretties is really Benji's BUTT????
http://www.chevy6.com/2008/10/chevy-6-official-website.html

Great seeing Kink Head again.
That cat was a good sport!


Hey Big Greg,
How 'bout giving us an ID on all these cats plus links to each one.
That's the least you can do fo' this po' ass country boy.




















SEE DAT COUPLE WALKIN' BELLY TO BELLY
THEY USED LIBERRY PASTE INSTEAD OF PETROLEUM JELLY!
NUTS!
HOT NUTZZZZZZZZZ!
GET 'EM FROM A PEANUT MAN!


I could kick my ass for not buying that property when I could.


BEVERAGES & STEAKS


Hi Robert

….

This is Sam – I was a couple of years behind you at Dothan High…

I have greatly enjoyed your website and all the memorabilia & info on the bands and songs we grew up with.

Too a good buddy of mine to the GA Music Hall of Fame in Macon last year…

(A lot of the same musicians & producers are enshrined there)

Found myself repeating a lot of trivia from your site…. Thanks again

I play a lot of contemporary Christian music now

But also get in & out of a few coffee houses up here in the ATL ‘burbs…

Playing through a lot of the oldies “story” songs...

Strum & hum --has become a cottage industry

A little extra income… a lot of good music to enjoy

I recently found the lyrics to “Georgia Pines” – I think it was the Candymen who first recorded this song..

(There is another “later” song by the same title)

But L’il Wilbur and the James Gang used to perform this tune also…

“the trees grow tall… where I come from… the leaves are green & fine”

“I grew up in a one-room shack… in a field of Georgia Pines”

Anyway…. Cant find it on the web…. Just clips…

I would love to hear it again…

Make an acoustic arrangement & and add to my musical toy box…

In all of your thorough research… storage.. and history files…

Robert…. Is there any chance… Do you have

(1) A chord sheet for “Georgia Pines” by any chance?? Orr….

(2) An mp3 file… I might share??

Please drop me a note at your convenience

Take care…

Sam

DHS 1969

Sam~
Great to hear from ya.
Here's Wilbur & Buddy Buie singing it at Cowboys last year at the Norman Andrews memorial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YpVtW4cKvo
best,
rr

Dear RobertO,
I have recently become aware of your websites and more specifically "rock pilgrimage". I enjoy reading about all of the musicians that you and others have written about from in and around T-town. While reading a blog from B. Hopper about someone named Travis Rozzell, it occurred to me that he was one of the guitarist in a group during the mid 70s named "Yellow Creek". He was with this band in their infantcy and was accompanied by Phil Phillups-guitar & vocals, Larry Morrison-bass & vocals, Jerry Minor-keyboards, guitar,& vocals, and Thomas(T.O.)Oswalt-drums.

In 1974, the Yellow Creek Band was booked to play a fraternity party in Auburn, AL. This party was to be after the Saturday Night football game and was to begin around 9:00 P.M., however; the band was late and did not arrive until 9:00 so they could not be ready to play by the same time. Now as fate would have it, the Auburn football game was held over and nobody arrived until around the 10:00 hour and by that time the band was set up and ready to play. No one but the one frat brother who let them in the door was aware of their late arrival.

I think that Auburn may have lost their ballgame this night and the scheduled party was not a "victory dance" to say the least, and to add fuel to the fire, the band playing the party happens to be from Tuscaloosa, AL. It was an awkward situation but the gig finally came to a close. When it was time for the band to recieve their pay, the frat house wanted to cut the pay due to their late arrival. The members of the band contended that the game was running late and that the dance would not have begun at 9:00 anyway. It was not a good situation to be in and the feelings were running in high gear. Some of the frat brothers square off with some of the band and about this time Travis Rozzell decides to depart for Tuscaloosa without getting his pay I believe this was the last time Travis Rozzell played as a member of The Yellow Creek Band.

Now for some irony, Travis Rozzell's replacement in the band was a young guitar player named Billy Brown who B. Hopper mentions playing in the band with he and Travis Rozzell. The Yellow Creek Band was booked by "Little Anthony Attractions" of Tuscaloosa. They traveled around playing gigs in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. I traveled with them doing their sound.

Very Truly.

daryl

Muchas to Bama Queen www.myspace.com/fiddledeedeeme
for the information about Mr. Clearman

Dothan Icon Bill Clearman Passes

Rickey Stokes


Posted by: RStokes
thehoustonnewspaper@yahoo.com

Date: Jul 03 2009 10:44 PM

DOTHAN: The Original Founder of The Circle Cafeteria and Square Cafeteria passes away.

William Lee “Bill” Clearman, a resident of Dothan, went to be with his Lord and Savior Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at Southeast Alabama Medical Center. He was 92.

Celebration of Life Services for Mr. Clearman will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4, 2009 at Covenant United Methodist Church with Reverends Bob Yawn and Mark Lilly officiating and Southern Heritage Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery with military honors and Southern Heritage directing. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to service time. The family will receive friends tonight, July 3, 2009 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. in Clearman Chapel at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to AAMF Wiregrass Honor Flight, PO Box 1048 Ozark, AL 36360 or Cloverdale United Methodist Church, 102 Rollins Avenue, Dothan, AL 36301.

Mr. Clearman was born in Vernon, Alabama (Lamar County) to Luther and Lula Phillips Clearman, the oldest son and third of ten children. In 1930, he moved to Alabama fromTexas and settled in Dothan at the onset of the Great Depression and lived here the remainder of his lifetime. He began a job with Swanee Stores in 1935 delivering groceries on his bicycle. In 1936, Mr. Clearman worked with Gorday’s Foods on East Burdeshaw Street and started driving a Rolling Store. While on his route, he met a lovely young lady that would eventually become his bride, Bernice Bowling. He married Bernice in 1941 and together they had six daughters.

Mr. Clearman entered the United States Army in 1944 serving with Patton at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. After his return from Europe, he started a career at the Dothan Eagle, which lasted until 1963. He opened Clearman’s Poultry and Egg Company in 1953, which he later sold and purchased North Park Grocery Store. In 1956, Mr. Clearman purchased Child’s Truck Stop, which later became Child’s Restaurant, located on the property, which is now Northside Mall. He operated Triangle Café and Child’s Restaurant before opening Circle Cafeteria and in 1978, he opened the Square Cafeteria.

Mr. Clearman married Dorothy Howard in 1983. She brought with her a history of working in the restaurant business from her first husband, Nip, of Nip and Ernie’s. Mr. Clearman started yet another career in 2003 at Southern Heritage Funeral Home as a greeter where he worked until the time of his death. Mr. Clearman was a faithful member of Cloverdale United Methodist Church since 1955.

The mother of his children, Bernice Bowling Clearman, and his parents precedes Mr. Clearman in death.

Mr. Clearman is survived by his wife, Dot Clearman, Dothan; six daughters, Sandra (Andy) Andrews, Dothan, Billie Anne Bowler, Knoxville, TN, Diane (Buford) Skinner, Rehobeth, Cynthia (Perry) Jones, Philadelphia, PA, Linda Hollis, Dothan, Pam Love, Greenville, SC; three step-daughters, Ann (Larry) Adams, Hawaii, Linda Howard, Big Canoe, GA, Bobbie Johnson, Dothan; 15 grandchildren, Natalie Jeffcoat (Doug), Pat Andrews (Nancy), Angel Clardy (Chris), Jonathan Hogan (Mandy), Jennifer Hogan, Kim Lewis (George), Jim Parker (Jay Jay), Nicholas Jones (Melissa), Courtney Jones, Leigh Cochran, Wade Hollis, Mandy McClenny (Jerry), Tiffany Swan, Paige Hitle, Michelle (Warren) Meeker; 22 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; sister, Angelyn Pickett (James), Kinsey; three brothers, Luther Clearman (Barbara), Colquitt, GA, David Clearman (Eloise), Albany, GA, Phillip Clearman (Libba), Dothan.


Robert,
This is the letter I told you about that we found in my Grandparent’s trunk.
Thought you might enjoy a copy.
Bud

http://www.maxshores.com/kudzu/
Furtrader,
As you scan this article on kudzu, you will find that it has
medicinal qualities. It helps those that pursue the "Devil's Juice". We
are all praying for you brother!
Brother-in-Law Bud

Received an incredible email with attachments from former Atlanta Rhythm Section bassist Paul Goddard.


Atlanta Rhythm Section, left to right: Ronnie Hammond, Dean Daughtry, Barry Bailey, Robert Nix, Paul Goddard, J.R. Cobb

Paul has had successful spinal surgery so his health is improving even though he only has about 15 % of his right arm but he can still play his old Stratocaster.
Paul wanted to add another chapter to the sad story of Little Bobby Peterson.
After THE CANDYMEN became independent of Roy Orbison, Paul & Little Bobby played together for a year & a half in the backup band for Roy called St. John & The Cardinals.
Here's some images Paul sent us:


Linda Blair & Paul Goddard (Nix claims Linda spit up guacamole on him ,a la THE EXORCIST, when she attempted to kiss him)

Paul sent us this image of a group who actually played gigs & posed as THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (I guess they eliminated Barry's guitar solo in SPOOKY & went back to the Classics IV version with a sax solo)

Robert,
I have to ask: this is the place that later became Jumpin’ Johnny’s in Tuscaloosa? I saw Gregg Allman play there, I think Bonnie Raitt, Johnnie Shines, Tippy Armstrong and members Wet Willie, Cowboy and others for several years. I think George Kontos from Birmingham owned it for a while. The other placed I loved was Ireland’s; cheese biscuits and that little bumpin’ jazz band with Glen Butts, who was a great, great guitar player in those days.

The BJ Thomas record — that’s funny, and even more ironic. I am executive producer of a morning show in the Dallas-Fort Worth television market, Good Morning Texas (GMT). BJ lives in Arlington, I think — maybe Fort Worth. Anyway, he was on a few weeks ago performing “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” with a solo guitar player. Really a great guy, and his voice is as distinctive as ever. How about that for coincidence?

Really enjoy your missives, especially the rash of south Alabama stuff. We have another Alabamian, Ruben Studdard, winner of American Idol Year II on GMT this morning along with Paul Potts, the guy who won Britain’s Got Talent with that booming voice.

Take care.

Dave

DM~
Yeah, that's Jumpin' Johnny's.
Ask BJ to get Billy Joe Royal to appear with him on your show.
They do a deal called Raindrops & Boondocks.
Joe Billy opens for BJ & then they sing together.
BJ used a Dothan band called Beaver Teeth as his back up band for a while.

best,
rr

One of your best posts ever!!!!
Our second home is on Massalina Bayou.
Panama City history is something we always find fascinating. Plus your excursions present such an interesting travelogue.
Thanks so much for spending the time you do sharing all of this with your friends.
Sharman

Hey y'all~

Hope all y'all had a wonderful Independence Day. I enjoyed mine. Took off Friday @ 1:00, had an oyster sampler platter at Wintzell's http://www.wintzellsoysterhouse.com/me_oysters.php
& went to see the great John Christopher Depp in PUBLIC ENEMIES.http://www.publicenemies.net

Saw some old friends down at the Pub www.myspace.com/downtownpub
& had a pleasant evening with no incidents.

Independence Day & today have been devoted to going through the hundreds of 7" 45s that are held in the Pake Archives.

Made me wanna go out & learn how to repair jukeboxes.
In fact, I know somebody who needs their jukebox repaired so I'd showl appreciate any uv y'all recommending an Alabama jukebox repair guy.

The purpose of alphabetizing a thousand 45s was the sudden bump in the price of Michael Jackson discs but I did find a few that might get a response from some of the residents of ZERO, NORTHWEST FLORIDA.


Please give us some of the specific details(i.e. THE NUMBERS!) about how Joe Billy's record got killed by the Challenger blowing up.http://ethunter1.blogspot.com/2009/01/rocket-man-fell-before-he-took-off.html.

As always, any stories will be appreciated.

Weekend before last was a treat.
I had a four day vacation.
I deserved it & everybody knew it.

Left T-town @ 6 A.M. on Friday, spent an hour @ Gaineswood http://www.preserveala.org/gaineswood.aspx
& before 2 o'clock, I was eating garlic crab claws @ The Pelican Reef located right next to the Fowl River bridge to Mon Luis Island.

Crazy Paula bartended Happy Hour @ The Pelican Pub
on Dauphin Island so that was nice to see her again & I got to bed early.

Sattiddee found me over in Coden seeing my old buds, Greg & Collette, who live in the old Wintzell House that's right at the foot of the bridge that goes over Bayou Coden.

Got back to the island before 11 and hunted a parking place for the ferry. The ferry to Ft. Morgan cost five bucks round trip so it the best cruise buy in North America. I was the only walk-on so I made fun of everybody who were penned up in they cars before we got underway by walking all over the ship acting like I knew what I was doing so I became the center of attention.

Talked to a family about that 90-pound live YANKEE naval shell they found LAST JUNE @ Ft. Morgan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Morgan_(Alabama)


We had a pleasant voyage and as soon as all the cars got off the ferry I was able to recognize Leslie waiting at the landing. I think I was her umpteenth reunion from Facebook. We hadn't seen each other in over thirty years.

She asked me what I wanted to do & I said I'd never really explored Magnolia Springs & Weeks Bay like I should have & she said, "Well, I practically live on Weeks Bay."

From then on we were on automatic pilot & after more chow than we could consume at Lu Lu's.
http://www.lulusathomeport.com/
WE WERE HEADING TO MAGNOLIA SPRINGS!




One of the best things that happened on this trip was that Leslie lent me a couple of books that have some incredible images.

Richard Brough, an art professor @ BAMA, illustrated MeMe's Cookbook
http://www.askart.com/askart/b/richard_burrell_brough/richard_burrell_brough.aspx


He also illustrated Summersell's Alabama History text we had in the 9th Grade

This Gulf States Guide of 1956-1957 is UNBELIEVABLE!

to read a story about the Dixie Sherman click on http://robertoreg.blogspot.com/2007_08_05_archive.html

Leslie got me back to the dock before six so I made it to bed without too many dings.

Sunday morning I headed back to Coden to hang out w/ Greg & Collette.
I met a member of St. Rose of Lima
@ the Pelican Reef on Friday so I knew about the lawn party at the old church on Mon Luis Island.
Baked crab, fried fish & all the fixin's for nine bucks & for four more you get gumbo.
It was the 159th anniversary of the church.
The 100th anniversary of the erection of present church building & the 75th anniversary of the St. Rose of Lima Lawn Party.
I met a couple and told them about the Gulf Guide & about a baker's ad that said they served bread to everybody from Bay St. Louis to Ft. Walton & both of them said,"Smith's Bakery!" at the same time.

That the most genetically mixed up congregation IN CREATION!!!!
USA or UAB need to do a study!


I left there & spent over two hours walking out to land's end on Pelican Island. I had about 40 black skimmers threaten to peck my eyes out plus I got to see the mating dance of two oyster catchers.


Just got to have me some fun!

best,
rr

P.S. The GULF GUIDE Leslie gave me is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!