Listen to this 49 min. clip from San Diego's KPBS & you'll hear THE KAPERS plus the commentary of this most excellent editor of OXFORD AMERICAN named Marc Smirnoff.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/dec/07/celebrating-southern-music/

I lost a lot of things in my life but I miss my mind the most.

Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 12:36 AM

Subject: Re: "Welcome to America, boy!," said Van Zant, and then hung up.

Danny,

I was the Gen. Mgr. of the Electric Ballroom and in 1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd was recording their LIVE AT THE FOX album across the street at the FOX. That night we had a new band being pushed by R&D at Arista (I think).. Band's name was Angel. The debut of "punk" at the time. Flowing chiffon outfits, four chords, and screaming. Waitresses bitching and wanting to go home. On break, Skynyrd's roadies came over, Fxsked up. Threw ice cubes at the band. My security guy, Sherman, who knew them, asked them to stop. They jumped him and all hands on deck went to defend the Mothership. Van Zant came in, not knowing the situation, saw it, and grabbed me and we went down slugging. Wrapped his hair in one hand, and slugged with the other. Lost my glasses to a wild punch, landed a few wild ones on him. Our cops came in, took them back to the Fox to finish their show. Cooley came in to complain of the "violence" (his near loss on the live show). Told him he was welcome to work the floor, I was hired by the 2/3 owners! Van Zant was a punk! I know he had a headache! Used to see Paul eating dinner at the Blue Ribbon Grill. Was always OK to me. I wish him well.

Gary

Hey y'all~

TANTON reloaded DREAMY ALABAMA.
It BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE bad to dah bone!
Check it out http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=769187

OXFORD AMERICAN hasn't arrived on the news stands here in Tuscaloosa yet but the website is up. My bio & opinions didn't make the final cut but not being on the same page with some of that bunch don't hurt my feelings ONE BIT. http://oxfordamerican.org/articles/2010/dec/01/record/


I have some special connections to some of the cuts on the OA ALABAMA MUSIC CD which accompanies the magazine. Mitch Goodson of the K-pers is a good Dothan buddy. Rev. FRED LANE is one of my old Tuscaloosa associates & I got to meet Dinah Washington's son and his family @ the dedication of DINAH WASHINGTON AVENUE here in Tuscaloosa.
http://oxfordamerican.org/articles/2010/dec/06/oa-alabama-cd-further-listening/

The Nov. issue of CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE has a feature called THE GREATEST ROCK 'N' ROLL STORIES EVER TOLD. One story by Peter Makowski is entitled "THE GUY'S A BULLY AND DESERVES TO DIE!"~ A Tale of Guns, Dwarves and Homicidal Bass Players On The Road In The American South with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Atlanta Rhythm Section. The story is about how Ronnie Van Zant intervened to prevent a good friend of mine, Paul Goddard, from shooting another good friend of mine, Robert Nix.

Left to right: Robertoreg, Rodney Mills, Paul Goddard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLZWwOGrl-g

The guy who wrote IT is named Peter Makowski.http://www.rocksbackpages.com/writer.html?WriterID=makowski

It was published in the Nov. issue, page 65 & 67. The magazine in out of England. It's named Classic Rock.http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/

The magazine is still on sale in Barnes & Noble and BOOKS-A-MILLION.
Keith Moon is on the cover.

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Robert Register Wonder if we buy a case of Val's $13.95 coffee cups, she'd party with OUR CROWD.
I bet WE'D BE THE FIRST TO BUY A CASE! image courtesy of Val's Secrets. http://www.valsecrets.com/homepage/

Roland Thompson Why, Sure She Would She's A Bama Bell Gal




James Robert Maxwell's description of the loyalty of the Tuscaloosa slaves who served with Lumsden's Battery:

A Confederate private at that time could be pictured in words about thus: A pair of old shoes or boots, with soles gaping, and tied to the uppers with strings, no socks, threadbare pants, patched at the knees, burnt out at the bottom behind, half way to his knees, his back calves black with smoke, from standing with his back to fires, his shirt sticking out of holes in rear of his pants, a weather beaten jeans jacket out at elbows and collar greasy, and an old slouch wool hat hanging about his face, with a tuft of hair sticking out at the crown.

The officers, in many cases, did not show up much better. In either case, the man, who had a negro body servant along, fared the best, and was kept clothed the best.

The negro slaves usually had money in their pockets, when their masters had none, that they made serving officers and men in many ways.

The writer's own servant, Jim Bobbett by name, had left his wife on my father's plantation in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, but had no children. He was selected from several who desired the place, as being a handy fellow all round. A pure negro, with flat nose, and merry disposition. From mere love of myself and a determination to see that I should never lack food or clothing, as long as he could obtain the wherewithal to prevent it, he was faithful in that service, just as a Confederate soldier was faithful in the service of the government he was fighting for. He wore a broad flat waterproof belt next to his skin, and scarcely ever had less than $100.00 therein, and often as high as $1,000.00. He was a good barber and clothes cleaner, and a handy man in many ways, and a few weeks stop of the army in camp soon replenished his "bank" and out of it he generally procured what was needed for me or himself or his friends, without any interference or direction from me.

If he got more than he needed, he disposed of his surplus at a profit. I suppose that if neither a slick tongue nor money would procure necessities, he did not hesitate to "press" them. But his jolly flattering tongue, with the women of his race, along our routes made him their favorite, and when he bade them "goodbye" his "grub" bucket would be filled with the best to be had. When he and his pals were behind, when the wagon train came up, we did not kick, but would turn in, perhaps supperless, to sleep, knowing that some time before day, they would arrive with something to fill us up.

I suppose that some of his class did desert to the enemy, but the large majority were true as steel to their masters and their duty, from the beginning to the end, often at great personal risk and none attached to our company ever deserted. They could have done so easily at any time, and been free inside of the enemies' lines, but personal loyalty to their masters and their own people, as they considered their master's families held them cheerfully to their duty. There was no compulsion about it. They struggled and foraged and speculated at their own sweet will, yet all the time, looking out for their master's interests over and above all else.

These facts are some of the strongest proofs, that between masters and slaves of those old days, there were ties as strong as steel, in the close personal relationship that neither forgot. It had its counterpart in the love and service of the old "Mammy" to her master's family and children. She loved them, and delighted to serve and care for them, sometimes to the neglect of her own flesh and blood.

When you are ready to read a true description of what Tuscaloosa's boys experienced during the Civil War, read A HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S BATTERY. Capt. Lumsden was Commandant of the Alabama Corps of Cadets @ the University before the war. This unit consisted of many University of Alabama graduates as well as Tuscaloosa slaves. These guys were able to load & fire a 12 lb. Napoleon cannon 4 times a minute for 6 to 8 minutes at a time. They routinely killed hundreds of Yankees in battle without experiencing a casualty. That ended in Dec. of '64 @ Nashville. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26455/26455-h/26455-h.htm