reminiscing

[thurlon hopper]

Gentlemen, it is a paricularly lonesome feeling tonight in E-town Pa., so thought i would take the opportunity to just wander down memory lane a bit. Now that i'm 71 and widowed, guess i need to do something once in a while. Talked to an old musical acquantance and it made me remember a Sunday afternoon, in the American Legion in Okinawa of seeing Jimmy Widener, Hugh Farr, Dickie Phiilips and Noel Boggs on stage together. Priceless memory. Also in February 2004 hearing Mike Bagwell play No One Will Ever Know, at Saluda. That day we had John Hughey, Jeff newman there. Everyone sounded fantastic, but somehow i thought Mike Stood out. Watching Buddy and Doug in 1985 (?) i think it was. Do any of you just lose yourselves sometimes in the reverie of memories?
Don't Play much now, (Diabetes) but still find inspiration to try once in a while. Thank you for letting me monopolize your time and may Gopd bless all of you. thurlon (john) hopper

[Don Hinkle]

I am 47 and really appreciate hearing (reading) stories from players like you.
I am fortunate enough to have several "more experienced" steelers in my neck of the woods that I can spend time with.
They range from 72 to 82 and I get to go see one or 2 of them each week.. even if just to pop in and say hi.
Things were really different for you and for my "more experienced" player friends back then.
They reminisce with me about times when the big stars would come through our town (Springfield IL) and play the small town opry's... and how they got to meet the greats (Papa John, L Green, D Jernigan etc...)
I sometimes feel that I was born in the wrong era - I would have loved to live those days.

Feel free to drop a line anytime.
Don

[Bob Vantine]

John .....

I found out 12 hrs ago that a guitar hero , friend and mentor passed away 24 hrs ago , so for the past 12 hrs all I've been able to accomplish was just that , re-living the past .

Seems that almost every job , song and even notes have come back today in a flood of memories . When I was barely a teen I first saw his show ,barely 20 and playing on the same shows , barely 30 was playing guitar for him , barely 40 and got to take his place fronting his band when he went out of state to recieve a Hall Of Fame award from his home states music association and barely 50yrs old the last time I saw him and shared the stage with him.

I'm almost 53 and worshipped my friend for most of 40 yrs . Lonesome ? ...... oh yeah .....know the feeling to well !
Take Care .... and Thank You for your memories.

Bob V

[Ray Montee]

That's about all I have left to keep me going......

When I was 14-15 I had the good fortune of playing with the top bands here in the Portland area. We did live radio shows and ultimately television shows too. We backed many of the traveling solo acts, like Lefty Frizell, T.Texas Tyler, Ferlin Husky, Tommy Cash, Tex Williams, The Hager Twins, Carl Smith and many, many others. We traveled to smaller towns throughout the Northwest and upon arriving therein, discovered that we were something like "STARS".

Seeing the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, meeting some of the great steel playing stars like Billy Robinson, Jerry Byrd, Speedy West and others as well as Chet Atkins, Grady Martin, Red Foley, Webb Pierce, etc........ were really wonderful.

I had no idea, that those days would ever end but sadly, they have. Here I am today at 75, having my car insurance rates jacked up clear out of sight because I'm "75" even tho' during the last 19 years I amassed some 1.75 MILLION miles of driving 18-wheelers and larger without an accident or even a citation. No longer able to afford the property taxes on our home, I'm back to living in an apart-ment complex where it seems, dozens of inconsiderate adolecents are now my neighbors.

I'm lucky to have my collection of fabulous musical memories on records and CD's along with my guitars and all too few photographs.

THESE are my memories and they do keep my heart beating......while I'm anxiously waiting for some Nashville Talent Scout to telephone me with my next gig.

[Dennis Lee]

Dear Thurlon,
I read your thread and felt compelled to reply. It touched me in a special way. Hold onto those memories, for they are good ones. Being a part of the Forum will keep you connected. Know that you have lots of friends here that have experienced some of life's trials, and also remember the "good old days" as they were probably some of the best. Take care and stay in touch!
As an aside, as a kid, I remember listening to the radio and hearing songs by Tommy Overstreet. I would never believe that we would become friends later on in life, and see one another on occasion. Life has a way of spinning your head around every now and then.
Bless you, Thurlon!

[Dick Sexton]

Thurlon, your mention of the clubs on Okinawa does bring back fond memories. I wonder how many of the Forum Members played those clubs. I did and was there in 81, then back in 90... Of course music wasn't my reason for being there, but it sure made the stay more enjoyable. Met and played with some great fellows and gals from one end of the island to the other. Thank you for your post and the great memories.

[Alan Brookes]

...No longer able to afford the property taxes on our home, I'm back to living in an apartment complex where it seems, dozens of inconsiderate adolecents are now my neighbors...

Fortunately, as long as you have an amplifier you can drown them out. I remember years ago I was living next to a woman who played Smurf records at full volume morning till night. I eventually could stand it no longer so I set up a guitar amplifier next to our separating wall, turned the volume up, started a rhythm generator, and left the house to go shopping. When I returned about an hour later I switched off the amplifier. She seemed to get the message, as the Smurf records stopped.

[Ray Montee]

When I was a young married, a guy several houses away from us used to play extremely loud opera music throughout his backyard and everyone elses. After several summer days/evenings of this, I did as you say........

I plugged my little Webcore manual record player into my Fender Bassman with a 15 inch speaker. I pointed it at his place and letter her rip on about 12......and no distortion whatsoever.

My favorite was Homer & Jethro's "I've Got Tears in my Ears from lying on my back while I cry over you".
It WORKED!

[Barry Blackwood]

Thurlon, I feel your pain.

[Tom Grosz]

Thurlon, I'm a twenty-something year old on the other side of the Susquehanna.
Even now I find myself reminiscing of past bands and venues, and many good times.

Where were some places you used to play in the area, and what were some of your favorite songs and styles to play?

[Alan Brookes]

...I'm a twenty-something year old...Even now I find myself reminiscing of past bands and venues, and many good times...

Nostalgia starts early in life. Nowadays I may look back on the 50s with nostalgia, but during the 60s I was already looking back on the 50s with nostalgia.