Time to move on...Alabama

Gary Dillard · Post by **Gary Dillard** » 26 Mar 2019 7:55 am

Having lived in western North Carolina for 40+ years it's time to head to my home state of Alabama. I moved to NC in 1974 right out of high school and begin an 18 yr run of playing steel with the Kingsmen (gospel group.)

Never having any health issues last August (2018) hit hard when doctors informed me I had colon cancer.

I haven't played my guitar in over a year but will start back SOON!! The neuropathy from the chemo plays havoc on my fingers, BUT have one more chemo treatment to go and I'm back at it. My numbers are looking incredible..thank God.

I have been so blessed through the years making a good living playing music in this region.My wife retired from her state job in December...nothing really left here for us. All family is in Alabama. Bill Ferguson I feel what you feel having to move, but we are doing what is best.

Moving to Tuscaloosa, AL close to my wife's family will be home.

Health wise I"m doing really good, I know some of you have gone through the same thing. I'm just depending on God and the prayers of my friends and looking to become involved with some steelers in Alabama.

You folks on this forum are the BEST!! I'm more of a "stalker" on here than a participant. LOL

Thanks again to all my music friend in WNC for the wonderful years...i'll miss you! Watch out Bama, here I come!!!

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 26 Mar 2019 9:11 am

Godspeed, Gary. Keep us up to date.

Brian Hollands · Post by **Brian Hollands** » 26 Mar 2019 9:11 am

Gary,
WNC will miss you. I've heard a few Kingsmen stories from Scott Sutton who I work with. Glad to hear you're doing better.
Roll Tide...

Leon Champion · Post by **Leon Champion** » 26 Mar 2019 9:21 am

Gary , I sent you a pm . Welcome to T Town.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 26 Mar 2019 10:01 am

Best of luck to you and your wife with the move, Gary, and enjoy every minute of being back home with family. Stay well!

Pete Bailey · Post by **Pete Bailey** » 26 Mar 2019 10:29 am

Gary, that sounds like a great move to me, and please accept my best wishes for your recovery & continued good health.

If you have any "pearls of wisdom" for us gospel-loving steel players, I would be so appreciative to hear them! You must have had so many good times playing with a group like that. What a blessing.

Paul Pearson · Post by **Paul Pearson** » 26 Mar 2019 10:46 am

Gary it sounds great that you are moving back home we welcome you back home with arms open wide when you get settled in we can get some gospel jam session going I live in atmore Al about 60 miles from Mobile know you could blow me off of the stage but I enjoy playing for Jesus Christ

Gary Dillard · Post by **Gary Dillard** » 26 Mar 2019 11:35 am

Pete Bailey wrote:Gary, that sounds like a great move to me, and please accept my best wishes for your recovery & continued good health.

If you have any "pearls of wisdom" for us gospel-loving steel players, I would be so appreciative to hear them! You must have had so many good times playing with a group like that. What a blessing.

Pete, the only pearls of wisdom I have for gospel music lovers is..."there is NO work anymore for musicians". Everyone has gone to using soundtracks. Gospel groups just don't make the money to have a fancy bus and a band, SO, they like the fancy bus better than the band. It is a sad state of affairs.

Gary Dillard · Post by **Gary Dillard** » 26 Mar 2019 11:37 am

Paul Pearson wrote:Gary it sounds great that you are moving back home we welcome you back home with arms open wide when you get settled in we can get some gospel jam session going I live in atmore Al about 60 miles from Mobile know you could blow me off of the stage but I enjoy playing for Jesus Christ

Pete, the only thing I could blow of the stage now is the dust on that Emmons fret board. hahaha Yep, know where Atmore is. I'll be in Dothan working (my current job, not music) in a few weeks.

Paul Pearson · Post by **Paul Pearson** » 26 Mar 2019 1:12 pm

Gary you have seen it on the top end I would be willingly to say about 80 or 85 % of the weekend groups that sing use sounds tracks with our kids that are learning to play will wind up in a night club to play so sad to say but the devil is on his job taking out kids out of church

Doug Palmer · Post by **Doug Palmer** » 26 Mar 2019 2:40 pm

Gary, thoughts and prayers. We only met briefly but remember it well. Take care.

Larry Hobson · Post by **Larry Hobson** » 26 Mar 2019 3:44 pm

Gary, Welcome home.

gary pierce · Post by **gary pierce** » 26 Mar 2019 5:14 pm

Gary, I hope all goes well for you, and your family.
Roll Tide

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 26 Mar 2019 5:44 pm

Go get 'em, Wildman. You got this!

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 26 Mar 2019 8:30 pm

Hey Gary I live near Dothan and play steel in a country gospel group. We get a few gigs per year. Its fun but not like it used to be for gospel groups.

Craig

Floyd Lowery · Post by **Floyd Lowery** » 27 Mar 2019 7:29 am

Glad to hear you are doing better and are able to move close to family. I was born and raised in Birmingham and at times I miss the Alabama I was raised in. A lot of the folks that live there miss those places. They do not exist anymore. A lot of fantastic steel guitar players were from Alabama. Julian Tharpe, Curley Chalker, and Jimmy Day from Tuscaloosa to name a few. My son just moved from Tuscaloosa to Norcross Georgia because or a better job, and he misses it. Remember in Tuscaloosa, people greet you with "Roll Tide", not "Good Morning"

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 27 Mar 2019 9:44 am

Remember in Tuscaloosa, people greet you with "Roll Tide", not "Good Morning"

Kinda like "Hook 'Em, Horns" in Texas!

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 27 Mar 2019 10:28 am

So Gary,

We will be in MOLINO, FL, just across the AL/FL line below Flomaton, AL after we move. This is our daughters farm. We will stay there until we find a place in Central FL.

She says we have to stay until it gets cold again so we can keep the 6 acres cut. hehe

Give me a shout.

Gary Dillard · Post by **Gary Dillard** » 27 Mar 2019 1:27 pm

Bill Ferguson wrote:So Gary,

We will be in MOLINO, FL, just across the AL/FL line below Flomaton, AL after we move. This is our daughters farm. We will stay there until we find a place in Central FL.

She says we have to stay until it gets cold again so we can keep the 6 acres cut. hehe

Give me a shout.

Let me know when you move...

Gary Dillard · Post by **Gary Dillard** » 27 Mar 2019 1:29 pm

Floyd Lowery wrote:Glad to hear you are doing better and are able to move close to family. I was born and raised in Birmingham and at times I miss the Alabama I was raised in. A lot of the folks that live there miss those places. They do not exist anymore. A lot of fantastic steel guitar players were from Alabama. Julian Tharpe, Curley Chalker, and Jimmy Day from Tuscaloosa to name a few. My son just moved from Tuscaloosa to Norcross Georgia because or a better job, and he misses it. Remember in Tuscaloosa, people greet you with "Roll Tide", not "Good Morning"

And don't forget Mike Johnson from Montgomery! Roll Tide for sure!! I was raised in B'ham also (Midfield) and yes, all has changed. I miss the iconic places like Marsh Bakeries, Ed Salems Restaurant, thank goodness Milo Hamburgers and Jacks is still around!

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 27 Mar 2019 4:14 pm

Gary, Welcome back to Alabama. I hope your health issue are getting better. I know a little something about the big C. Hang in there and keep fighting but most of all keep playing.

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 27 Mar 2019 4:24 pm

Bill Ferguson wrote:So Gary,

We will be in MOLINO, FL, just across the AL/FL line below Flomaton, AL after we move. This is our daughters farm. We will stay there until we find a place in Central FL.

She says we have to stay until it gets cold again so we can keep the 6 acres cut. hehe

Give me a shout.

Bill, I had no ideal Molino was where you were moving. That a great place to be from you should just stay there. Flomation is my old stomping grounds. I was raised in Brewton had many friends from Flomation.

Paul Pearson · Post by **Paul Pearson** » 27 Mar 2019 4:36 pm

Bill when will you be in Molino I live in Atmore Al just a cross the state line let me know when you get here maybe we can get together some times

Jim Reynolds · Post by **Jim Reynolds** » 28 Mar 2019 1:24 pm

Gary, go into YouTube, and watch the Video "Cancer Can Be Cured" You'll be shocked at what we're not told. He's in Houston, TX, which isn't to awful far from where your moving to.

Jim Reynolds · Post by **Jim Reynolds** » 28 Mar 2019 1:25 pm

Gary, go into YouTube, and watch the Video "Cancer Can Be Cured" You'll be shocked at what we're not told. He's in Houston, TX, which isn't to awful far from where your moving to.

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