MIRACLE ON BEECHWOOD ROAD

I hope that all of you are having the best of holiday seasons. As I write this, it is the night after Christmas, and I am reflecting on the events of the past couple days. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I have a deep affinity for the feel-good vibe of shows like "Touched By An Angel" or the classic "The Waltons," and indeed---I am counting down the days until January 26 when I can complete my John-Boy collection with the release of The Waltons TV-Movie Collection, but a couple of things happened during that time span to rekindle my faith.....that whatever you want to call it....there's someone (my choice) or something out there watching over us....

First of all, it was a great day to be in Hickman County on Christmas Day. For the past two and a half years, I have called Centerville----a town that I had visited many times in the past---home. I love it, for a lot of reasons. But, sometimes I will also express my frustration that there is no Wal-Mart here, but that's another blog post. What happened here on Christmas was very cool. Several of the local Churches banded together to present a Community Christmas Dinner at Hickman Middle School.The spread was impressive, and everyone involved did a great job, but what impressed me was the diverse group of people represented while we were there. There were several young people, like us, who just might not have had a huge family in town. Older folks, who for whatever reason, didn't have a lot of people coming in for the holidays. There were even a couple of gypsies there, and several volunteers who were inmates of the Hickman County Jail. You know what? Nobody looked down on anyone, and everyone got along. Maybe it was the magic of the season, but it was well worth the drive into town. This has been going on for a few years in the town that Miss Minnie helped to promote, and everyone...town leaders, Baptist, Methodist, Church Of Christ, whoever...are to be commended! Though Centerville doesn't have a Wal-Mart, it still has that Mayberry feeling that I remember growing up....

And, as the late Paul Harvey would say....the rest of the story. If, somewhere around Burns, TN, there is a dog eating T-Bone steak tonight, one best not think anything about it. There's a big celebration going on.

Around 5pm yesterday, my phone rang. It was my father, and he had some distressing news for me. "Jack," the pug dog that belongs to him and his wife Marcia (technically my step-mother, but I hate that word), had mysteriously turned up missing that day. The dog is a rescue dog, and hadn't really bonded with anyone that much besides them, so it was a mystery how he got out. But reason aside, he was gone...and there wasn't a trace. Daddy had looked all over the metropolitan Burns area, and found nothing....I drove over and looked around myself, and didn't find him, either.

Needless to say, Marcia was quite distraught, and I can't say that I blame her. As someone who has always had a soft place in my heart for animals, I truly believe that "All Dogs (and Cats, now!) Go To Heaven." I left Burns last night with a heavy heart, knowing full well what the odds were.

But, wait just a second....This story has a happy ending. This morning, just a few miles from home, "Jack" was found...tired, a little hungry....but very much in health. I, and a few others, had put out a e-mail chain about him, and I just wanted to use this forum to tell you that he's OK. And, if he wanted a couple of T-Bone's tonight....Well, I know a woman who is not going to have a problem with that..

Happy Holidays!

Chuck

ONE LAST PRESENT

One of the top things people write about this time of year is about favorite Christmas presents you've given or received. On the giving side, there are a couple that stand out----giving two of my favorite teachers (and someone I have worked with doing sports for almost twenty years) gift certificates to Red Lobster as the fulfillment of a long-standing running joke between us three, and the first Christmas that I spent with my children. Let's just say my little Suzuki Vitara was full of presents as it made a trek from Burns to Paris one Saturday afternoon three years ago....

On the other end of the spectrum, I don't know if it's my favorite gift that I've received or not....but the story is worth telling for sure.....Warning.....This might sound a little bit Hallmark Channel-ish, but it's true.....

Let me begin by saying that my mother could not stand the music of Buck Owens. That might very well be an understatement. Now, she didn't mind the fact that I was a fan, as long as I turned the volume down. One of my favorite pranks I pulled on her was when I replaced her Conway Twitty CD that stayed in the player beside her bed with....you guessed it, Buck Owens' Greatest Hits....She was expecting
"Hello Darlin," and got "Tiger By The Tail.".....I got a kick out of that one, and she wanted to kick my...Well, you get the idea.

So....I have set up the story. As many of you know, my mother passed away in October 2005 after suffering from a variety of ailments. Christmas was always one of her favorite times, and that's where I got my love for the season. 2005 was the first Christmas that I spent without her, but there was one last present from her to me.

"Now, how is that possible?" you ask....Read on....

The day after Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite days of the year. My brother and I have always gone out on Black Friday, and shopped till we or our money stopped. On Thanksgiving, my Dad surprised me with a pair of hundred dollar bills. "Your mama had these in her pocketbook when she died," he said. "I know she would want you and Randall to have them for tomorrow."

So, I kept one of the bills, and gave the other one to him the next morning. I love spending money---maybe a little too much---but try as I might, I just couldn't see spending my little windfall on four tins of popcorn, a Kenny Rogers CD, and other stuff I didn't have to have. A special occasion, I reckoned...that's what I would use it for.

A couple of weeks later, I was surfing the net one night when I discovered eBay. I began typing various things in, and then I thought of something I had wanted for years. If you remember Buck Owens, you know that he had a red,white,and blue guitar that was marketed through Sears back in the 1960s. One time, I saw one....just a few blocks from where I live now, but I couldn't convince my parents to buy a $75 guitar for a child who didn't play......but there it was on e-bay...and the bid was $50. I filled out all the forms I needed to....and made my bid.

Then, I found out just how competitive the bidding world is. Someone topped me at 60....So, I went to 70.....Then, the bid went to 75....so I made one last bid....80 dollars....My competitor didn't top me.....so, I ended up winning a Red, White, and Blue acoustic guitar----identical to the one Owens played for $80....Well, not quite....with shipping...it came to $100....even.

Well, I told you before that I have no problem spending money, if I have it....but, at the same time...once I have to pay for something....I cringe a little bit....Do I really need it? How am I going to pay for it?, I asked myself. There was enough money in the checking account, but I had to get through Christmas myself.

Then....it occured to me. The guitar....shipping and all, came out to the grand total of $100.00. There was a hundred dollar bill in my billfold that I had been saving for a .....special occasion. So, I deposited the bill that I had been holding on to, and about a week later---the guitar came, which sits on top of a bookshelf in our office today.

Am I saying that it was planned that way.....from the start? I don't know. I'll admit to being a sucker for shows like Touched By An Angel, but sometimes I think that life hardens us to the point that we don't believe in little bolts of lightning that you can't explain.....In this case, all I will say...is evidence points to something outside of my control. You can call it coincidence, if you like......Not me....and, as the legendary Forrest Gump would say...'That's all I have to say about that.'

IT'S A CRAZY CHRISTMAS WORLD

Well....I bet you thought the opening of Dollar General has kept me that busy....huh? Well, I actually did go there once, but it has just been a crazy time over the past week. Interviews with several people, and High School basketball has kept me pretty busy. Then, throw in Christmas time, and it makes for one of the busiest three-week stretches of the year. Then again, it is for everybody. It's funny, I actually do try to keep to a schedule, but it can be intimidating to do so. I was looking at what December holds in store for the rest of the month, and it's crazy.

In any case, schedule volume and checking account lack of volume aside, this still qualifies as my favorite time of the year. From the start of High School Basketball season through the end of December, I love just about everything concerning the Christmas season. This morning, for example, I had to walk down to the town square early for something. It was cold (34*), gloomy and overcast, and I loved it. I've always joked that one can put more clothes on, but in good taste....there is only so much you can take off! I know that I am in the minority about cold weather, but I do like it~!

Then, of course, there's Christmas Cards. Growing up, we would always tape the Christmas Cards up over doorways, on walls...wherever we had to. That's something that I still do to this day. Each day when the mail runs, I am always interested to see if any cards are in the mailbox. OK....Maybe I'm a little more interested to see if there's a check in the mail, but I do love getting as many cards as I can....(Then again, cards with checks in them.....The best of both worlds!) I will say that something we started doing since I have married is putting the cards that we receive in a ziplock bag each year. I never thought about doing that before, but it's amazing how just a year later things change, and relationships do too....It's great to have that rememberance of the moment.

Christmas Music......Where do I begin?......Anyone who knows me knows that's obvious. I absolutely love it....from Bing Crosby to Sugarland and all around the bend....It doesn't get any better than ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, the 1984 classic album from Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton....imho.....

Christmas Food......I don't know if anything qualifies as "Christmas Food." After all, you can eat summer sausage and creme drops any time of the year. But, I have to admit they taste a little better in front of the TV as the Cowboys are beating the Redskins.....Oh, wait a minute, the Cowboys don't beat anybody in December......but you get the idea. I don't need any of it per se, but it does taste good.....and that leads to me a question. I know they have creme drops, but I seem to remember eating fudge drops one year that I got from the store....but I never see them....Just wondering....

All in all, it's still the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! I hope you're having a good one.....and get those Christmas cards in the mail!....You never know who might be waiting at the mailbox!

IT'S A BIG TIME OF YEAR IN BURNS, TENNESSEE

I don't know how many of you are fans of "The Andy Griffith Show," but do you remember an episode where Barney Fife was excited about something, and to describe it he said "It's big...really big." Well, that's how things are in my hometown of Burns, Tennessee this month. Possibly nobody is more excited than my father's wife, Marcia. She, like a lot of Burns residents, are counting down the days!

You see, Burns has always toiled in the shadow of the much larger communities of Dickson and White Bluff. Aside from a few gas stations, and one very popular restaurant called "Donna's," there's not really a lot of places to spend your money in Burns. But, it's all changing....fast!

People are buzzing in the town that I referred to for eighteen years on the air in Dickson as "The Big B." Quite possibly, it's the biggest buzz since Barbara Mandrell landed her helicopter on the Burns baseball field back in 1982 and went to Burns Sound Studio to record a duet with Bill Monroe. (Hey, I remember that...and it was exciting!)

Sometime, quite possibly by "Black Friday," a new era will have dawned----Dollar General Store will have swung its' doors open. OK.....I see some of you right now, shaking your head saying "You're excited about that?"......With fist pumped in the air....Heck, yes...I'm excited! You can take the Burns boy and put him in Centerville (a beautiful place), but you can't take the Burns out of the boy!

For the first time, if you need a screwdriver, you don't have to go to Dickson. Need a loaf of bread at a decent price? Why go to Wal-Mart? It's all right there, on Highway 96. Even though I do not live there anymore, I can tell you that Burns folks will appreciate Dollar General a lot. I know I do. There's something about being married with children that makes one go to Dollar General (or "DGS" in my check register) quite a bit, and they have improved a lot over the years. Trace Adkins even has been a spokesperson for them, and are you going to argue with him?

So....if you do hit the Dollar General Store this week, do it with me in mind. Somehow, I have a feeling I probably will be driving through Burns at some point myself...just to look!

Anyway, that's my take on the big week in Burns. To quote Fife, "it's going to be big....really big."....Now, if we can just bring on the Red Lobster!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

AND NOW.....THE WOMEN SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT

Last week, I posed the question of "Who is the greatest male Country performer of all time?" Once I got done writing the blog, I realized that I ought to make this one a two-parter, because there could be as many answers to the female side of this question, as well. Over the years, Country Music has been blessed with many great female voices, so I'll offer up my opinion, and also say I would love to see yours.....

KITTY WELLS-----She was not the first female Country star, but she was the first one to be a consistent hitmaker, and from 1952-1967, she released hit after hit. Gene Autry once said about being the first major singing cowboy, "It doesn't matter if you're the best, as long as you're the first." That could be said of Wells. Though today's generation might not know of her many accomplishments, she broke down so many doors for female singers from Jean Shepard all the way to yes, Taylor Swift.

PATSY CLINE-----I take a lot of flak from my friends for wondering if Cline's career would have been as influential were she living today. It's an unfair question, as there's not a way to know. But, I'll say this....What Patsy Cline did in her recording career in six years (and most notably the last two), few will ever equal. She set a standard, one that people are still reaching for today.

LORETTA LYNN-----Though Cline stood up to the men behind the scenes, Loretta was the first female Country singer to say what she thought....and she did it often. Whether is was laying down the law to her husband, or being thankful for "The Pill," female listeners could relate to the songs she was singing. If anyone can say they have lived their music, it's Loretta Lynn.

TAMMY WYNETTE----Speaking of living their music, most of the songs that Tammy Wynette wrote could very well have been three-minute soap operas. There were so many sides to her personality, but she really delivered the goods when she sang about the blue side of love, like "Till I Can Make It On My Own."

BARBARA MANDRELL---Her smoky, raspy voice served as the focal point of some of Country's sexiest moments such as "Tonight"
or her cover of "If Loving You Is Wrong," but she could also deliver some powerful emotional moments, like "Years," or the best anthem the Country genre has ever had, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."

EMMYLOU HARRIS----I don't know if any female singer has done as much to preserve and promote the history of Country Music than Emmylou, who has helped to introduce her hip audience to music from the masters, like Jones and Owens.

REBA MCENTIRE-----For over three decades, she has been the female singer who has likely inspired the largest number of vocalists. Her business acumen is legendary, but it's her voice that has made her a radio favorite since 1980...and she's still going to this day.

ROSANNE CASH------The music that Rosanne Cash has made definitely belongs on any "Best Of" list, but there's something about that voice. It's not traditional, by any stretch of the definition, but anyone that can run the balance of 80s rocker ("Seven Year Ache) to a smooth and seductive jazz sound ("I Wonder") gets my vote...and that's not even mentioning perhaps the greatest song by a female vocalist in Nashville in the 1980s, "Blue Moon With Heartache." Even though it was 1982, what a record...what a record indeed!

PATTY LOVELESS----She's starting to make some of these lists, and with good reason. That high lonesome Kentucky sound has inspired many of today's top acts, but more importantly, she's just that dang good. Her recent forays into Bluegrass Music also kind of set her apart as the Emmylou Harris of her generation, and that's a great comparison.

MARTINA MCBRIDE----Over the past fifteen years, nobody comes close to Martina--whether on record or on stage. I've gotten to witness both over the years, and she's simply one of the best. Sometimes, I would love to hear her record things a little more gritty than the four-minute self-help songs she tends to records for the Oprah crowd, but she's selling millions...and I'm writing blogs...so I guess she knows what she's doing, but if you heard her fill in for Sheryl Crow with Kid Rock at the CMA Music Festival this past year on "Picture,' you know what I'm talking about...

AND MY TOP TWO.......

CONNIE SMITH---She might not have the chart numbers of the artists above (or the one below), but listening to this woman sing is truly a privilege. I recently saw her at the Grand Ole Opry, and there's no smoke, no mirrors, no hoops to jump through....just a voice---that is one of the greatest treasures of this format. Ask Marty Stuart....Yes, he might be somewhat biased, but even he was a fan before he was a husband

DOLLY PARTON----I will admit that over the past couple of weeks, I have been listening to her new RCA box set, so that might influence me, but in all honesty...it just reminds me of what I have always known. The lady is perhaps the most talented person to ever have had success in the Country format. Listen to her early recordings for Monument and then for RCA. The voice is so piercing that it can literally break your heart, and when it comes to songwriting...there are few equals. No matter if it's a traditional tearjerker like "Jeannie's Afraid Of The Dark," one of the most commercial love songs of all time in "Here You Come Again," (one of the few hits she did not write), or the working girl anthem of "9 To 5," Dolly Parton is, and always has been the real deal. And I didn't even say anything about her undeniable charisma, which keeps her ever vital and young to this day....

Well, those are my thoughts....I would love to hear yours....Until next week, when I'll tell you about something big...and I mean really big!

SO....WHO IS THE GREATEST?

I will admit that the past two posts were somewhat emotionally heavy....so I thought I would lighten the tone a little, and post something that maybe will entice you to respond with your thoughts......

Sometimes, when an male act comes out with a new album, you will hear them be referred to as "One of the greatest Male Country performers if all time." That leads me to pose the question-----Just how many "Greatest" performers are there? Here are my eight classifications of "Greatest.".....Agree or disagree? It's OK....but I would love to know what you think!

GREATEST SONGWRITER: Hank Williams. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Look at his catalog, weigh everything he wrote, and throw this in---All that he did, he did before the age of 30. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, will come close to his accomplishments in this vein.

GREATEST STYLIST: Buck Owens. OK, I am somewhat partial on this one....but anyone who records with a little bit of rock in their attitude today owes a lot to the "Baron Of Bakersfield." Did he create the West Coast sound of Country Music? The answer would be no, as there was already a California Country scene before him, but did he kick the doors down wide open for a style of Country that wasn't being recorded in Nashville? You bet your Red, White, and Blue guitar he did!

GREATEST SINGER-SONGWRITER: Merle Haggard. I don't know which category you would put Haggard in. There are times when I listen to his music, particularly his 1970s recordings, that I think 'This is the best that has ever been.' Next to Hank, I don't know if any other singer put more of himself into the songs he recorded---good and bad. Some have tried to hide the rough edges, but with Merle---they became part of the allure.

GREATEST INTERPRETER OF SONGS: Conway Twitty. In addition to writing the majority of his hits from 1965-1978 or so, the man formally known as Harold Jenkins could pick a hit song. It didn't matter if you were a known commodity like Harlan Howard ("I Don't Know A Thing About Love") or a new tunesmith like Gary Burr ("That's My Job"), Conway Twitty had a knack for finding a hit song...and making you think he wrote it himself.

MOST VERSATILE: Marty Robbins. When you have success with Rock & Roll, Cowboy Music, Pop, Hawaiian, and Country, I think the answer speaks for itself. I think you could put Vince Gill down in this category, as well....but Robbins could do anything--and do it well.

GREATEST PERSONALITY----Johnny Cash. Was the "Man In Black" a great singer, sonically speaking? I don't remember anyone ever praising Cash's range, but his songs still strike a chord all these years later. However, with the lone exception of Dolly Parton, I don't know if there's a Country artist that is more well known anywhere.

PERSONAL FAVORITE------Kenny Rogers. Everyone has to have a favorite, and I guess you could say the fact that I make a point to get every GREATEST HITS collection no matter how many times I have "Lucille" and "The Gambler" in my collection speaks for itself. While everyone knows the hits, I urge you to go back and listen to several of his 70s and 80s album cuts, like "The King Of Oak Street," or his classic duets with Dottie West, and you will find one of the format's all-time most underrated singers.

"THE GREATEST"----Isn't it still an opinion, after all? I guess when it's said and done, there's one Country voice that has withstood just about everything over time, but yet he still manages to survive and endure. But that's a survival trait. Vocally, songs like "The Grand Tour," "These Days (I Barely Get By)," and "Choices" have cemented George Jones's place as one of the best pure singers of all time. When you have fans with last names such as Sinatra, Costello, and Richards, and you've recorded a song called "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which many (rightfully) say is the best Country singer of all time, your place is pretty secure. There may be others that rival him, but for my money...none that beat him!

OK....Those are my thoughts, but I did manage to omit Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price (A CRIME!), Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, and B.J. Thomas, who could sing circles around just about anyone.....I would love to hear your thoughts on this one........

REMEMBERING BUDDY

In my career, I have been very blessed and fortunate to be able to make friendships with quite a few people that I never in a million years thought I would even meet, let alone str ike up a relationship with.

One of those people for me was legendary Nashville personality Buddy Killen. Best-known as the head of Tree Publishing Company, he was among the first to sign such songwriters as Bill Anderson, Joe Tex, Dolly Parton, and Roger Miller. He also was one of Nashville's most prominent businessmen, having owned the Stockyard Restaurant for many years--even doing the memorable commericals that ended with the tag like "I wanna be seen at the Stockyard." In addition, he gave back to the area a hundred fold----having donated time and resources to several charities, most notably Easter Seals. Just how well-known and tuned-in to Nashville was Buddy Killen? In 1974, when Paul McCartney spent some time in Music City to do some recording...who was his tour guide? You guessed it....Buddy Killen.

I remember in the spring of 1993, Buddy released his autobiography, BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS.. He hd scheduled a book signing at Brentano's Bookstore in Bellevue, TN. I got there a little late, but he was still there. You know how some people reportedly have "it." He was gathering his stuff to leave, and you could just tell by the way he carried himself, that Buddy Killen had "it."

Flash forward about a decade later. Long after selling Tree to Sony, he still was very active in the business, and was producing a new act on Lofton Creek Records, a label that is run by another of my good friends, Mike Borchetta. Mike asked me if I wanted to go to lunch with / and interview Buddy Killen. After thinking about it for a half-second, I said yes, and a few weeks later, it came to be.

We ate at Valentino's. I don't remember a lot about the meal, but I do remember watching how people responded to him in the restaurant. Have you ever dined with someone who knew everybody there? That was the case.....but yet, I got a crash course on how to make everyone feel important and not ignore who your guests are.

OK....I got a meeting, and I got lunch.....But it didn't end there. I had already started my journalism career by then, and asked if I could put him on my mailing list. He agreed, and that's where it usually ends. Every now and then, he would respond about something I wrote.....Then, on a couple of occasions, I would get a phone call asking me to come to his office. He just wanted to talk...about the music business, or life in general. When I lost a job in record promotion, he had some timely words of advice. When my mother died the next year, he offered me some insight on how he dealt with that in his life.

In no way, am I trying to say that we were tight as twin fiddles in a Bob Wills band, nor did I get an invite to sit at the table with him for Thanksgiving dinner.....but there's no doubt about it....Buddy Killen made Chuck Dauphin feel like he could contribute to the music business, and also life. There's a lot of so called "Power People" in Nashville today who have not achieved half of what he did....that act like you are beneath them....They all could learn a lesson or two from this native of Florence, AL.

I say all this to pay tribute to Buddy, who passed away three years ago tomorrow. It's a crime that he hasn't been inducted in the Country Music Hall Of Fame yet.....Hopefully that will take place in the next few years. They did name the infamous "Roundabout" at Music Row after him.....the one with the statues..but that's not enough....In addition to what you did for all the writers and artists, Buddy Killen, thank you for making a radio guy from Dickson County feel ten feet tall!

FOUR YEARS AGO

October 25, 2005 (1:30pm)


I was coming back from an interview in Nashville when my cell phone rang around the Pegram / McCoury Lane exit on Interstate 40. It was my father. "If you can, you probably need to get here this afternoon," he said, referring to Dickson County Healthcare, a place where he and I had spent many a early morning and a late night since my mother had been admitted as a paitent for about a month. Neither one of us had missed a day since she was admitted. That's something that I have to say I felt pretty good about. In just a month's time, you find out that many people do not ever visit their "loved ones" in the nursing home, including one of Dickson's biggest "movers and shakers," who actually is nothing more than the other name for a mule....but anyway...There seemed to be some kind of complication with my mother's health. You worry, but you also know that with her situation, she's probably going to be here a while. Four years later, I can't say that I totally understand what happened or why, but there would be getting no better.....as things would only get worse. Still, how many times had we braced ourselves...and she would rebound enough to make it to the next day. There was one night, after a football game, where I stopped there on the way home, and they said that I probably shouldn't leave. Her vitals were dropping.....only to be normal again in just a few hours. So, even though she wasn't having a good day, I wasn't going to go anywhere but there....just in case.





October 25, 2005 (10:30pm)


It had been a long night, but everything seemed to have gotten better. I don't remember there being a moment where I think she was aware of her surroundings, but we had our goodbye moment about a week prior. I was tired--it had been a long day, plus I was to do some fill-in work at the radio station where I was working the next morning. Daddy was still there, so I thought I would go on home and go to bed. It was a down day, but there would be others....and who knows tomorrow just might be better.





October 25, 2005 (11:45pm)


Daddy got in, and I had just got done with everything I needed to do, and about to hit the bed. Prayed a prayer for God's will. I had learned after talking with some counselors from Hospice that it was alright to let them go. I didn't pray for that, but I did ask that God's will be done. She had suffered so much, and there didn't look to be any kind of turnaround......So, I got in bed. 104.5 The Zone was talking about the Chicago White Sox's game in the World Series that night, and I was drifting.





October 26, 2005 (12:25am)


The ringing of the phone breaks the beginning of sleep. At first, I thought it might be one of my friends who would call having ran out of gas in the middle of the night. Caller ID, however, said the rest of the story. "Dickson Heathcare,' it said. Daddy answered the phone. A football coach and and a good friend of mine named Jerry Pearson once told me that the phone doesn't ring for a good reason past midnight. It seemed at the 12:20 night check, my mother's pulse and heartbeat had stopped. It was over. We drove to Dickson, and I didn't know whether I should cry or not...I was numb. After we called Taylor Funeral Home, there wasn't nothing much to do except to go back home. The sun shone the next morning, of all things.




October 27-28, 2005


For all the bad memories of the week, the outpouring of love and sympathy was great. So many of my friends from radio, music, and DCHS came by. The funeral was what funerals are supposed to be. I spoke. It wasn't that bad. The burial, however, was something else. That night, I was on the air, broadcasting a football game in Williamson County. Some probably didn't understand or understand that fact now.....but I sleep at night. Even though I wasn't "on" that night, that's where I needed to be. The week was over.

October 26, 2009

Four Years......That's hard to believe. It took me a while to get over my guilt about not being there, and what I prayed about just within a few minutes of your death....Couldn't my sleep have waited a couple of hours? My preacher, James Hinkle, put it in perspective for me....Maybe, just maybe....she didn't want you there...because she knew how I would handle it. Looking back, that's probably the truth. I'll be honest with you...People put a lot of stock in graveyards and dates and such, and I guess I am since I chose to write about this today....but I cried just as much a couple of Saturdays ago than I will today.....and I put some artificial flowers down a few months ago, and I'll decorate it for Christmas in a few weeks, but I don't pull in that much. But, I know where she's at....and it's not there.....



Mama, in the past four years, I've done (debating on who you talk to!) a lot of growing up. I met and married the love of my life, became a father, and have continued my career (even though this year, I feel like I am in the fight of my life to keep it going...but someone always told me "Do what you do....Things will always work out like they should...," so we will see.)....Daddy remarried a couple of years back, and you know what....Marcia is a great friend to me, and she makes him happy...and that means a lot....

I say all that to say all this.....You're still here. When we, as a family, go to Christmas In The Country in a couple of weeks...you're there....When I take Bella Christmas Shopping on Black Friday....you're there.......and I wouldn't have it any other way....four years later. It's not about the pain of missing you anymore, though some days it hurts like it did on the dates above, it's about reflection. You gave me so much...I hope I am proving myself worthy....Some days, I wonder. Anyway, with October 26 coming up as a blog date, I couldn't write about music, the Dallas Cowboys, Christmas Shopping, or any of that stuff. It would ring too hollow....I'll just say...I love you and I miss you!





Your Son,


Chuck

THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

Do you remember how sometimes Seinfeld was called the "show about nothing? Well, I might be taking a cue from Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and company this week. I have a list on my computer of things I am going to write about each week---some obvious, some not so....This is not one of those. The past seven days have been crazy to the point that I have no idea what to write about this week.

Maybe...just maybe I'm thinking about things too much this week. After all, it would be rather big-headed of me to think that reading this blog each week would be a highlight of anyone's time. That's not putting me down, but there are simply more important fish to fry in the world.

But, in any case....I pondered and I pondered....then I pondered some more....Music? Naah, the CMA Awards are coming up, and I've got a few music-related posts to write over the next few weeks. Sports?....Well, didn't I do that just recently? Maybe I could get really issue-oriented and talk about something like health care reform...Well, I did that and I didn't lose any friends about it, that I know of, but I've said what I think, and there's no need to revisit it again!

Wait a minute....I could reminisce about things from my childhoo---ok, I did that before...just a few weeks ago, and I appreciate all the comments I did get from that one. I could talk about the leaves changing, and it getting cooler than it has---Stop me if you've heard that one before....

The next few weeks are some of the most meaningful times of the year for me, and I guarantee that you will hear about it...and then some....So, I'm just going to pause and reflect and close this week's "MLOG"...(short for mini-log), and end this week's extemporaneous (betcha didn't know I knew that word, did you?) column by speaking about someone very close to me---in fact, the closest of all. I guarantee you she is probably sitting down at her desk on the other side of the same house I am in as I am writing as of this moment. It's someone who is working her you-know-what off right now, and has the past couple of years to get to where she is at career-wise. It's someone who has been very supportive of her husband who can almost be compared to the leaf at the beginning of the film FORREST GUMP---wondering what he is going to do next, and clinging to what he has always done-----hoping that he is still going to be able to stay in the game.

In case you didn't connect the dots, the person is my wife, Shannon. I love you,honey, even if I don't say it as much as I should.....

UP AND DOWN THE DIAL

Over the past twenty-five years, I have had an infatuation with the radio. I think that regardless of whatever format you work for, if you make your living from the airwaves, you've got to have somewhat of a love affair with it. Most of the time, it has served me well. Even this year---though my eighteen-year association with the first station I have ever worked for has come to an end,--the third and fourth stations to employ me have treated me well.

So, for those of you that took the more sensible career route, you might be asking---Why radio? I don't know if I can give you an answer or not. It's like my love of music---I can't define it. I can't play. I can't sing. Neither of my parents really had a deep love of it....other than appreciation of Conway Twitty and Barbara Mandrell. (I'll let you figure out who was a big fan of who on that one!) So.....all I have to go on is my memories.

Growing up with a father who worked in Nashville at the Tennessee Air National Guard, I was blessed to spend more time in Nashville than most kids in Dickson County. Whether it was trips to the mall, Red Lobster (a family favorite), or wherever, I remember hearing certain songs at certain places in town. But, my first memory of radio being something that I might want to do came sometime in the early 1980s. Some of my father's family were down from Illinois, and we took them around Nashville. I remember driving around town, and the radio station being on WSM-AM. Charlie Douglas, the legendary disc jockey, had in his studio the afore-mentioned Mandrell and Grandpa Jones. Now, I've got to tell you at the time, I was probably more excited about hearing the "Hee Haw" star than I was the CMA Entertainer Of The Year. Time would change that---I am my father's son! But, it was one of those moments that I can't say I knew that I wanted to be on the radio when I was older---but I dang sure knew it was cool!

The next summer, 1983, was the first summer that my parents let me stay up as late as I wanted to during my vacation from school. Now, don't go getting aghast....I was not more than twenty feet away. I would be in my room watching David Letterman until about 11:30, and then I would go to bed....but there was this one night.

My grandmother had bought me a boom box for Christmas the year prior, and just for kicks, I started to play with the radio dial. There were several FM stations on the dial that were huge at the time----Y-107, WKDF, WSIX, and WJKZ---KZ COUNTRY, which was my favorite on the FM dial. But, what was this? There was something called AM....I knew of its existence, but I wondered 'What's on here at this time of night?'

The answer was....plenty....WMAQ out of Chicago....670 I believe...WLW out of Cincy, WBAP out of Dallas, and for some reason WDAF out of Kansas City. There was a guy on the air giving a weather forecast at 12:45 in the morning. It fascinated me, and still does to this day, that 500 miles away....you can be heard...late at night...when the world is quiet and still.

So...that was the beginning. Over the years, I like to think I took the best of people like Keith Bilbrey and Kyle Cantrell (my two biggest influences), Al Wyntor, Chuck Hussey (a local radio guy who was very entertaining), and Hairl Hensley, and injected some of my own personality...and maybe came up with something unique. I never did develop one of those deep, magic voices....I guess that might have been why I have yet to test the waters of medium or larger markets, but I love it.

Since I started in radio myself in 1991, I have been blessed to work around some fine people---Hank Walker, Randy Tidwell, J. Patrick, Kip Reynolds, Marcia Campbell, and a guy named Ken Loggains, who became one of the best co-workers I have ever been around and a better friend...and even today at the two stations I am working at...people like Steve Turner, Mickey and Sheila Bunn, and Phillip Chambers all have an undeniable passion for what they do...and it shows.

It's not the most lucrative vocation one can choose.....and as I have found out this year...not even the most stable, but whenever I am driving somewhere at night in a town I have never been before...I still usually look for the local station. You never know what you might find....and there's some good ones out there.

Well, friends and neighbors, the hands on the clock say it's about time for me to get out of here for this week, but keep those cards and letters rolling in. Have a great day, y'all!....

THINGS ABOUT THE "OLD" SOUTH I MISS!

For some reason, I am feeling very nostalgic as of late. Maybe it's the fact that the Fall is here, and there are so many things that I look forward to about the season, but the other day I got to thinking about how much life has changed over the past 25-30 years or so. I recognize that might not seem like too long of a period of time to you, but I have been thinking about things that are no longer....that used to be part of what I call The "Old" South....Whether you consider many of these things "old" or not, they just might make you smile.....

1. HIGHWAY SIGNAGE-----I miss the old signs for businesses that you would see on the highways. Whether it be Quality Inn, Holiday Inn, or the old McDonalds signs....there was something majestic about many of them....One of my favorite grocery store chains growing up was Sunflower, which at the front of the store outside, had a giant...you guessed it...Sunflower. Stores might be more fancy these days, but I don't know if the charm is as alive and well as it once was.



2. HEE HAW ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS-----Yes, I know that reruns of the popular show air each week on RFD-TV, but there was something about 5:30 on Saturday afternoons on Channel 5, where the TV show was filmed. From Buck's Red, White, and Blue Guitar, Buford the Wonder Dog, and Nurse Goodbody...There was something for everyone....



3. 100 OAKS MALL-----I will forever have an emotional connection to the intersection of Thompson Lane and Powell Avenue. Opry Mills might be flashier, and Rivergate and Cool Springs might have outlasted it, but to a small child, the brown and white floors of the mall will always have a special memory. Saturday mornings usually meant a trip there with my mother and grandmother to JCPenney, Woolworth, and my personal favorite, Woolco. Though people have tried to bring it back as a retail outlet several times since its' heyday, and Vanderbilt Hospital now uses much of it for office space, maybe it's best stuck in time.....but what a time it was.



4. WACKY WEATHERMEN-----Nashville television had such a fun flavor in the 1970s. From the classic suits worn by WSM's CHARLIE MACALEXANDER to the ultra-professional style of Bob Bell and the late Paul Eels, the sports coverage was first-rate. But, who can forget the "Weather Wizard," Tom Siler, or George Goldtrap, who would close his Channel 4 weather with by throwing a piece of chalk into his pocket. I wonder if Lisa Spencer could do that?

5. NEWS ANCHORS SUPREME----Here in Nashville, I guess if it came down to it....you were either a Dan Miller guy or a Chris Clark guy. I always liked them both, and Nashville has never, and will ever, see news anchors that good at what they did again.

6. RECORD SHOPS-----As a child who spent his allowance (and then some) on music.....I remember back to such places as Port O'Call Records, Record Bar, and Camelot Music with a bit of fondness. I also remember when Sears sold music, as well. Tower Records on West End also holds a special place for me...Record stores aren't as plentiful as they once were, but as long as Ernest Tubb Record Shop remains open...all things are well...except my bank account!

7. FOUNTAIN SQUARE-----Sometimes, you're just wrong. I thought this outdoor shopping center would be one of the biggest things to come out of Nashville since Dolly, but it just never took off. I always thought the strip outlet, located near Metro Center, was a neat place...but few others did.

8. THE HUNGRY FISHERMAN---Located on the Cumberland, just adjacent to Metro Center, this was one of my all-time favorite restaurants growing up....You could even feed the fish!

9. SEARS ON LAFAYETTE-----Again, it might be sentimental, but while I came in on the tail end of this store's run in Nashville. I remember the smell of nuts being made in the snack shop, and Charles and Paulette Dauphin bought plenty of Winnie The Pooh stuff for their kid here.

10. JACK FAVIER----Cooks on TV are nothing new, but this chef, who honed his trade at Silver Wings, was a popular fixture on Channel 4 growing up. While he didn't look like Rachael Ray, he was always fun to watch. I never ate at Silver Wings, but can only imagine it was a great experience!

11. THE "OUTHOUSE RACE" ON RALPH EMERY-----5:30 was early in Middle Tennessee, but THE RALPH EMERY MORNING SHOW on WSM-TV was the best way to find out what was on sale at DT McCall & Sons, or if schools were closed. The highlight of this program was the annual outhouse races which featured many of the show's personalites.....I would love to see Steve Hayslip or Holly Thompson in one of these....!

12. TNN----Granted, it was the 1980s, but this cable network meant so much to me growing up. Whether it was interviews with the stars, or Bill Anderson standing in front of the talking jukebox named Edgar on FANDANGO, this was a cool time for any fan of Country Music.

13. DENNY'S-----It's a personal taste thing, but it was good to know that regardless of what time or day you were in Nashville, this chain was, as their sign said, "Always Open." Come back to Nashville, please!

14. SHONEY'S BIG BOY----Ok, I know it still exists.....but I miss the "Big Boy," who stood outside each location proclaiming his burger as the best....I still have one of the famous banks to this day....Well, I bought it at an antique shop...but it's mine!...Hey, and my parents met at the one that used to be on Thompson Lane....so if it weren't for the Big Boy, I might not be a "Big Boy" today!

15. BREAKFAST WITH SANTA AT CAIN SLOAN---One of my fondest Christmas memories growing up was the annual "Christmas With Santa Breakfast" at the Cain-Sloan Department Store....Though they don't exist anymore, it was a fun holiday memory. To give equal time, I also miss the old Harvey's Store and the horse that was perched outside of it.

16. ROSES' DEPARTMENT STORES----Department stores, before Wal-Mart took over, had a personality all their own. Such was the case with this shopping chain. I remember there were locations in Columbia and Clarksville, and they used to be neat stores. You can still find them, especially if you're in Eastern Kentucky or Virginia, and they are worth looking for. In Tennessee, there are still two...one in Murfreesboro, though the one in McMinnville is a little bit newer....It's a trip back in time, and a neat one, at that!

17. MINNIE PEARL-----For obvious reasons, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon was one of the Mid-state's more defining people. As "Minnie Pearl," she was a Country Music icon who was defined Country Comedy, and as Sarah Cannon, she was one of the area's leading humanitarians, who donated her time to many worthy causes, and as a next-door neighbor to the Governor, she was truly one of a kind.

18. THE 24-HOUR KROGERS----- I know that in this day of 24-hour everything, we have grown a little spoiled, but there was something reassuring growing up in Dickson that whether it was 12 noon or midnight, you could find what you were looking for at Krogers. With the overwhelming prices and popularity (and I shop there once a week, at the very least) of Wal-Mart.....Krogers has cut back on their hours. I understand them doing that, but it was cool back in the day to know that Kroger was always open....night and day!

19. THE "SCENE AT SIX" THEME SONG------I touched on the various anchors that have been invited into people's living rooms for years in Middle Tennessee, but almost as important as Dan, Demetria, Rudy, and Bill Hall was the classic music that kicked off and ended the "Scene At Six." With all the great songs that have been recorded here over the course of time, I don't know if any song is more familiar to local citizens that soothing sound that made you aware that all was well in Nashville.

20. TAMMY THE TELLER-----Long before Dolly, Barbara,or any of the other beautiful women that have been a part of Nashville, I was fascinated with Tammy The Teller, the animated Queen of Banking in Nashville. A marketing ploy of Third National Bank when they started their ATM Machines, the blonde made quite a few people change banks. Something I didn't know until I started researching this article was the voice for TammY???? None other than future CMA Female Vocalist Of The Year winner Janie Fricke.

Fortunately, there are still lots of things here that are traditions.....Ernest Tubb Record Shop,Loveless Cafe, Krispy Kreme, Snow Bird, and one tradition that I have never eaten at that I want to before I die-----the infamous "Spinning Top" restaurant that is now the Sheraton in Nashville, formerly the Hyatt Regency....Hopefully, I've made you think a little bit about some of the things you treasure the most about growing up in Nashville.....Let me know if I've missed anything.....

A SHAMELESS PLUG....

This week's blog is one of tacky self-promotion. For the past six months, I have been doing a lot of work with Kix 96 in Centerville, TN, and to quote another person who used to spend quite a bit of time in the county of Hickman....I'm just so proud to be there! Everyone here has made me feel very welcome, and I have started to develop some great relationships with a few of the listeners, as well.

My weekly show, Crazy Chucky's Classic Country Corner, has been doing well. I'm thankful to have one of my good friends, Ron Hunt, and everyone at A-Plus Too Used Cars as a sponsor, and the response from my friends in the music business has been great. We've only had one or two weeks since we went on the air when we haven't had a guest, and I am humbled and proud to say that we are just about booked for the remainder of 2009.

This week's show is really special, and I wanted to share it with you. Patty Loveless will be joining me to talk about her new album MOUNTAIN SOUL 2. It's a sequel, of sorts, to an album that she recorded for Epic back in 2001. While I do consider myself a professional, I don't think I would ever have wanted to have any involvement in the music business (in radio or as a writer) if I wasn't a fan, and the past few weeks have been really cool....Larry Gatlin, Ronnie Milsap, Patty Loveless, and in the next few weeks....Gene Watson, Lorrie Morgan, Diamond Rio, and Bill Anderson. I am truly blessed to be able to do what I do, and have a wife that supports me in doing it.

Now...about this album,,,,,If you love Bluegrass Music...and if you love Patty Loveless (not loving either should be illegal!), you will absolutely love this album. I can't wait for you to hear it....so...on Thursday, October 1....from 1-3 pm, tune into WNKX / 96.7 FM for the show....and enjoy the music....

Thanks for reading this week....It's a little shorter than usual, which could be a good thing for the readers....but between a one-day bug, Covering high scholl volleyball, soccer, and football, and life itself....It's a crazy week!

Words To Live By

Every house has a few trade secrets.

What I mean by that is that you do certain things inside your home that you probably wouldn't be caught dead doing at other places. There is something to be said about privacy, after all.

(Don't worry....You're not going to get "too much information about the Dauphin family here, I promise!)

I would venture to place a wager that if you go into other peoples' homes, you would find many different languages---and I'm not talking about French, British, or Spanish.

It is very easy to come up with various words, or phrases that say things that are regular English. It might not make any sense to anyone in Salt Lake City or Cambridge, for that matter....but in your house....you know the language just fine. Here's a few examples of words you might hear around my neck of the woods!

Yech------This takes the place of "Yes." Maybe one of the cats coined this one. It sounds like something a cat would say. You don't usually hear "yes" in our household...but you do hear "Yech."

Indeely-Bub----Wow, this one is almost legendary......This takes the place of the word "indeed." Usually, one is in a pretty good mood, when uttering this phrase....If it's not mentioned...trust me, someone is in trouble!

The "lidge" suffix----One of the first times I noticed my wife's language was a little different was when she responded to something I said as "cool-lidge."....I had never heard that before, and attributed it to her Kentucky heritage. or she could have been a fan of Rita.....but since then, there are plenty of words that I have attached the words to.....Good-lidge-----Food-lidge....Yes, Virginia....We're a crazy bunch!

"Cooley High Harmonies"----No, this is not a tribute to the classic 1970s film...that inspired the 70s sitcom "What's Happening," but a statement that might be used when things are going exceedingly well.

So...those are just a few of the things that set our family (for better or worse) apart, but I'm sure you have your secret language in your house.....Well, I'm going to Dickson right now....The new A&W has just opened......Till next week, everyone!.....Have a great weech....oops...I mean, week!

NOT JUST ANOTHER YEAR.....HOPEFULLY

As many of you who are familiar with me know, there is one professional sports team that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Yes, I am a Titans fan, as they are local. Yes, I am a Brett Favre fan, as I still think he's one of the best QB's of all time, and one who got pushed out of the way a little bit early by Packers management.....But, at the end of the day,,,the main thing that matters to be in the sports section from September on is that America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys, keep adding numbers each week to the "W" column in the standings.

Yes, I am a fan of the Dallas Cowboys----the ones with the star on the helmet......One of only three teams to win five Super Bowls. (Yes, I am aware that Pittsburgh, with six, has won more....but my sentence is still true).....The team that has been accused over the years (maybe rightfully so) of being just a little bit arrogant.

That being said, Cowboys fans haven't been too uppity about anything since 1996. Thirteen long, torturous years without a playoff win...never mind a ring. And, it's been pretty tough at times. Michael Irvin's career-ending injury at the Vet in 1999 as Eagles fans cheered (One reason I would root for anybody against Philadelphia)......Quincy Carter.....Ryan Leaf.....the "bobble" of the field goal in Seattle in 2006, and yes, the 2007 season where everything had set up quite nicely for Dallas, and Romeo...I mean Romo, couldn't get Jessica off his mind long enough to handle the Giants in the playoffs......Then, there was last year. Win one of your last two.....and you're in the post-season.....Can you say Willis McGahaee turning out the lights at Texas Stadium, and then, once again, there was a trip to McNabb-land......44-6? Arrogant? Who's arrogant?

I'm not sure that things will improve for Jerry's Boys in 2009. Yes, we have the new stadium, but without T.O., I am a little unsure who we have to throw it to consistently. Cutting # 81 will avoid some locker room drama, but Roy Williams' 19 catches as a Cowboy doesn't necessarily scare anyone.

Still, we have a great backfield, some young defensive playmakers...and a veteran coaching staff. So, here's my prediction.....Cowboys go 8-1 first nine games, but Romo starts to become infatuated with Kellie Pickler late in the season. 8-1 turns into 9-5.....Team splits final two games of season to go 10-6, and falls in opening round of playoffs to New Orleans. After all, you've got to keep those streaks alive, don't you?

In all seriousness, here's hoping "The Boys" will exercise some of those November and December demons that have been haunting them as of late....and make some noise come playoff time. Once again, after all....we have as much talent as anyone in the NFL, right? (Something I've been saying each off season since 2006!)

Welcome back, NFL....I've missed ya!

WRITING FOR A LIVING

This week, I want to take a moment to say thank you for your indulgence. In trying to further my writing career this year, I know I have notified you at every turn when I had a new article or blog posted. I hope those e-mails don't get too old, but the only way that I know of to make people aware of you, is to...well...make them aware of you. So I am doing that once again.

I never really envisioned myself as a writer. Having been in radio since I was a teenager, I always considered myself a "Keith Bilbrey / Eddie Stubbs wannabe"...Part radio guy / Part Country Music historian. Writing was something that I never really thought too much about.

Nowadays, things are a little bit different. I still work in radio, actually at two different stations, but the bulk of my income comes from late nights like this one.....typing away, trying to write something that makes cohesive sense. (Whether that is a correct term or not, I don't know....but it's too late to ask anyone!)

Truth be told, there are times that I still lack a little bit of confidence in my abilities as a writer. That's something that my better half doesn't like to hear, but it's the truth. I started writing back in 2000, for a small newspaper that just started up, as a way to build my listenership. I wrote about what I knew best---music. In writing the column, I started to send it out to a few of my friends in the industry, and got a few comments. So I kept writing.....The newspaper folded after about a month, but I liked the attention I was getting from some people in the business...so I kept writing...though what I was doing wasn't actually being published anywhere.

That went on for a few months, until Larry Weir and Paul Loggins at NEW MUSIC WEEKLY got a hold of what I was doing, and offered me a forum each week. I gladly took advantage of that, and nine years later....here I am....still writing.

If you write for a living, you know there is some degree of comfort when you get behind the keyboard. I don't know how to describe it, but there's something that is kind of rewarding about getting done with a article, looking at the clock and seeing that it is 1:34. Not PM...but AM....Crazy as it might be, there have been times that though my body might be telling me it's time to dream of a White Christmas, I'm keyed up.

When you get that fifth e-mail of the week from me saying that I have a new article on a site somewhere, I hope you don't get too annoyed with me....It's just I love doing what I do, and love to share it with people. How good I am at it, well....that one can be debated....There are times I ask myself "Didn't I just use that adjective three paragraphs before" or "I just said this album was one of the best of the year...but what about last week's?" But I do hope you like what you see....and I thank you for taking the time to read it!

Hopefully, this all leads to more writing gigs down the line. I would love to write something for Country Weekly, or maybe the Journal Of Country Music---one of the best publications in the genre....but they haven't called me...yet....There's still time, I hope.

So....I guess I better get back to it. Whether I ever become a Lewis Grizzard or a Earl Hamner, Jr., I don't know....but there's things you need to know about....Whether it's the Dickson County Cougars latest game, or the latest album from Reba.....I'll keep on writing.....Thanks for reading once again, and be looking for those e-mail updates!

Just Around The Corner

You know the old saying about how there are just 24 hours in a day? I have to tell you that I am feeling that a little bit these days. With the advent of the fall sporting season, it's been a little crazy. Between broadcasting, covering the games for the paper, and all the things that make my crazy life interesting.....it's tough to know sometimes whether you're coming or going.

Of course, there's more to it. The kids still need to get to wherever they need to be, and the grass needs to be mowed. Trust me, I am headed somewhere. I was standing in the middle of the forest that used to be my backyard earlier this afternoon ("How did it get this tall," I wonder) when the idea for what my subject topic would be about came to me.

For those of you that aren't in Middle Tennessee, we had a great weekend weatherwise. Highs around 80, lows in the 50s. Now, while I will admit I like it a lot cooler.....you can feel things starting to change just a little bit.

The first example of this was when I went to the local pharmacy here in Centerville to get my prescriptions filled. I walked by the seasonal aisle, and I smelled one of my favorite scents---pumpkin. The fall candles were out on display. "Wait a minute," I asked myself. "Isn't it still August?"

Then this past Friday night, it was the kickoff to the 2009 season of High School football. The Cougars took on the Red Hawks of Creek Wood in one of the most exciting athletic atmospheres I have ever been a part of. Truth be told, it was more like a SEC game than a High School one. Dickson won the game, 34-19, by the way...."How Bout Them Cougars!"

Then, the weekend felt like.....fall. There was a definite chill in the air during both the day and evening that made it feel like I ought to be getting geared up for a football game....or thinking about Christmas shopping.....or eating a piece of Pumpkin Pie with Cool Whip on top.....Sugar Free, of course!

So...I say that to say this.....Autumn is just around the corner. Darker afternoons....Cooler temperatures.....The leaves turning from green to a majestic tint of brown....It's not here yet, as I am sure we'll have our share of 90 degree days over the next month or so.....but it's close...Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year, bar none....So...I'm counting the weeks done....and the lawn mowing will soon cease, as well....I'm really sad about that one!....It's just around the corner!

IT'S A BIG GAME....I MEAN, A BIG ONE!

It's hard to believe, but the calendar on the wall proves it. August 21 is just a few days away. It's a big day....particularly if you live in Dickson County or follow the Dickson County Cougars or the Creek Wood Red Hawks. That night, at 7:30pm, the two schools will face each other on the football field for the very first time.

In fact, it will mark the first time since 1971 that two High Schools have taken on each other in football field in Dickson County, and by my calculations....that has been a while.

I remember back in January, I was hosting the Cougars Coaches Show, when Assistant Coach Joey Holley brought the schedule in, and it started off.....August 21.....at Creek Wood. It was something that seemed so far away, and here it is.

There are a lot of people who are interested in this game. Being the "New" school, which Creek Wood will still be in twenty years, they would love to assume bragging rights for the year, while Dickson County fans want to establish that they are the top team in the county, once and for all---or at least until August 20, 2010...when Creek Wood comes to Cougar Hill.

Regardless of whatever happens on Friday night, I will tell you this. I am looking forward to it. The atmosphere will be unlike any game I have ever broadcasted in my fourteen years doing it. These two teams playing each other is a good thing, and I hope it spreads to other sports in the near future. I have fond memories of a Girls' basketball game over at Jones Creek a few years ago when Candace Green made a shot just past mid-court to force OT---which the Lady Cougars won! (It might not be as fond a memory had it not went in....but hey, I do have my Cougar Pride too!)

There has been an undeniable amount of hype about this game. It seems that the sportswriters for the DICKSON HERALD (of which I am proud to be one) have written about 26,234 words about this game....OK, maybe that's an estimate.....but I know I have written the terms "County Rival," "August 21," and "Bragging Rights" a few times.....Well, I've got to admit.....I'm pulling for Dickson County!

OK....That last sentence might not have surprised anyone, but I did have to say it. Since 1989, I have been associated with the school as a student, a broadcaster, and a writer....and it's something I do not take lightly. I hope the Cougars bring home the bacon, so to speak.....At the same time, I have a lot of respect for Creek Wood. Janie Jones has done an outstanding job as Principal there, and just as Ed Littleton bleeds orange and blue...Here is blue and red. There are quite a few people at Creek Wood that I think a lot of....Roger Heath, their athletic director, and covering some of their sports has made me appreciate the job that Chris Clapper and Charles Taylor do. And you will be hard pressed to find a coach who is more of a class act than Tom Mullinicks. Even so, I have to say "Give me a C---O---U-G-A-R-S, Cougars. Cougars. Cougars."

It's also going to be big for me because of a new partnership with The Dove 94.5 FM. This will be the first game in my career that I have not broadcasted with WDKN. Over the past few weeks, the High School made a decision to align with The Dove 94.5 FM as their flagship station, and I am humbled and honored to say that I am going to be a part of that. What makes it great is Randy Tidwell, Ed Sheley, Frank Becker, and Jay Powlas are all going to be there as well. It's the same as before, but only better! Phillip, John, Gwen, and Duane have been so gracious to us, and I am looking forward to many years of working with them.

If any of you that don't live in Dickson County want to take part in a history making night.....I urge you to travel to White Bluff or Charlotte (It was specifically built in the middle of the two towns so neither could claim total ownership) and have fun....Get there early though, if you want to get a good seat.....It's going to be a big night.....If you can't get out in person.....94.5 FM...Tune it in!