Randy Owens' Born Country
I read a good portion of Randy's just released autobiography this afternoon.
I congratulate my Dekalb County, Alabama neighbor on a well written exercise. He is much more transparent than I imagined he would be, writing at some length, chapter in fact, on his breakdown from stress and overwork in 94.
For some time I had suspicions about his other career goal to get a PHd in literature, but I can see in this work where coulda easily taught literature at the college level had he gone that route, had that been his fate.Oh
Through mutual friends I am trying to get word to Owen to read my friend Ron Rash's latest novel, Serena. It's about folks Owen and I know well, and as the dj in Oh Brother Where Art Thou says: "It's one I predict you're gonna thoroughly enjoy."
I've seen Randy at the Cracker Barrel on a couple occasions these twenty years we have shared the same county, at a basketball game; and talked to him briefly once at a political event he held in Ft. Payne for Alabama's atty general.
I understand John McCain himself visitted Randy's estate outside Ft. Payne in the Primary season this last election cycle; so he is a national political force, as well as a Trustee at JSU.
Though his politics and mine differ, I am proud Suzanne Martin, an acquaintance and Samford proff, convinced Owen's son Heath about the merits of Constitutional Reform for Alabama.
More about that later.
I will have a few otherOwen stories on this blog by Monday,so checkagain later. Info about his new book is easily googled up and I encourage you to take a look at this well written true story.
Though I only talked to him once, I feel like I know Greg Fowler, a songwriter for the band, manager, fellow Randy calls the fifth member of Alabama.
Fowler was raised in Florence, South Carolina, around the corner from Charlie High, a man my Dad Baptized in Erwin, North Carolina.
So it is a small world three or four different ways.
I got to tell Fowler couple of stories about Charlie and his son Ricky--Ricky, bout the same age as Greg and myself--and we had a few laughs.
I congratulate my Dekalb County, Alabama neighbor on a well written exercise. He is much more transparent than I imagined he would be, writing at some length, chapter in fact, on his breakdown from stress and overwork in 94.
For some time I had suspicions about his other career goal to get a PHd in literature, but I can see in this work where coulda easily taught literature at the college level had he gone that route, had that been his fate.Oh
Through mutual friends I am trying to get word to Owen to read my friend Ron Rash's latest novel, Serena. It's about folks Owen and I know well, and as the dj in Oh Brother Where Art Thou says: "It's one I predict you're gonna thoroughly enjoy."
I've seen Randy at the Cracker Barrel on a couple occasions these twenty years we have shared the same county, at a basketball game; and talked to him briefly once at a political event he held in Ft. Payne for Alabama's atty general.
I understand John McCain himself visitted Randy's estate outside Ft. Payne in the Primary season this last election cycle; so he is a national political force, as well as a Trustee at JSU.
Though his politics and mine differ, I am proud Suzanne Martin, an acquaintance and Samford proff, convinced Owen's son Heath about the merits of Constitutional Reform for Alabama.
More about that later.
I will have a few otherOwen stories on this blog by Monday,so checkagain later. Info about his new book is easily googled up and I encourage you to take a look at this well written true story.
Though I only talked to him once, I feel like I know Greg Fowler, a songwriter for the band, manager, fellow Randy calls the fifth member of Alabama.
Fowler was raised in Florence, South Carolina, around the corner from Charlie High, a man my Dad Baptized in Erwin, North Carolina.
So it is a small world three or four different ways.
I got to tell Fowler couple of stories about Charlie and his son Ricky--Ricky, bout the same age as Greg and myself--and we had a few laughs.
posted by foxofbama | 4:41 PM
1 Comments:
In the blog I failed to mention Randy's segment on his failure to mourn his Father's death led to his stress and "breakdown" of 94.
It is very strong passage and Owens is to be commended for revealing his soul; in my view a very commendable and honorable telling.
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