Larry Bird, Cornbread and Slapout, Alabama
Over the weekend I attended the 113th session of the Pine Grove Sacred Harp Singing on Lookout Mtn, Alabama. For the last 50 years the chair of this annual singing have been Bud Oliver and ST Reed, who are double first cousins. We have a common quadruple great grandfather on the Jordan side. They branched off somewhere hundred years ago with a sister.
Cousin S.T. as my Uncle Bill Jordan called him passed away this summer and Bud Oliver couple years ago. So there is a generational shift in this Singing and this one has similar significance to the 100th anniversary just three years ago.
If this interests you at all come back later in the week where I hope to refine some of the significance and dinner stories from this event.
1904 woulda been the first singing. My Grandfather Jordan was likely present as he taught school in the church where this event is held. One cousin of Oliver says she was one of two in his 6th grade class but couldn't remember the class ranking. James Columbus Jordan was born in 1881. His brother Roscoe, Rock, was nicknamed Cake, according to Bud Oliver cause he came for the dinner. I carry on that part of the tradition though I jump in the singin and do so heartily as long as I can hang on.
David Ivey's selection, the preachin song caught my attention this year, and Irwinton, 229 on the Top, about the royal priesthood of believers. My Grandfather Fox woulda been taken by another, the song that has the phrase mine's a "strong and urgent case".
At Dinner I got a revision of Adrian Eldridge story about Larry bird I have blogged before. He's from Indiana and didn't make it this year but his daughter had a fine tweak.
On Saturday had fascinating conversation with the Wendt's from Nashville. They have a classically trained voice daughter and another a violinist. I think Ms. Wendt is gonna follow through with my recommend on the essays of Marilynne Robinson that gives added substance to the significance of these singings.
Another lady, this one the Sunday dinner had great story about the origins of Slapout Alabama. Her father was in the Air Force and they traveled good bit across the southeast to small stations where he was a radar specialist. Said she lived just north of Wetumpka, Alabama at one point in a crossroads community of Slapout. Said fellow had a gas station there full service where he would bring items from his small store out to the car if asked. That is if he wasnt't too engaged in a Checkers game on the front porch in which case he was "Slap Out".
My friend David Gooch--he has connections to Emmy Lou--helped me with the joke told the first day I didn't hear completely at first. Said it was about the woman who told her new preacher on several successive Sundays he was something else. About 5th time He said Maam that is highly complementary but I don't quite get your meaning. She said what I'm trying to tell you is your Something else because you sure aint much of a Preacher.
Google on the this blog my original story on Larry Bird. Its a good one.
Come back for the Cornbread story later in the week. About Lloyd Ivey, one of 58 grandchildren of his Dad Euless and David Ivey's Dad. Only family I know comes close in DeKalb County that fertile is Doug Simpson who boast of 59 in that generation, his Dad Otis Jackson Simpson or OJ Simpson. He has a good story too but that deserves its own blog.
Cousin S.T. as my Uncle Bill Jordan called him passed away this summer and Bud Oliver couple years ago. So there is a generational shift in this Singing and this one has similar significance to the 100th anniversary just three years ago.
If this interests you at all come back later in the week where I hope to refine some of the significance and dinner stories from this event.
1904 woulda been the first singing. My Grandfather Jordan was likely present as he taught school in the church where this event is held. One cousin of Oliver says she was one of two in his 6th grade class but couldn't remember the class ranking. James Columbus Jordan was born in 1881. His brother Roscoe, Rock, was nicknamed Cake, according to Bud Oliver cause he came for the dinner. I carry on that part of the tradition though I jump in the singin and do so heartily as long as I can hang on.
David Ivey's selection, the preachin song caught my attention this year, and Irwinton, 229 on the Top, about the royal priesthood of believers. My Grandfather Fox woulda been taken by another, the song that has the phrase mine's a "strong and urgent case".
At Dinner I got a revision of Adrian Eldridge story about Larry bird I have blogged before. He's from Indiana and didn't make it this year but his daughter had a fine tweak.
On Saturday had fascinating conversation with the Wendt's from Nashville. They have a classically trained voice daughter and another a violinist. I think Ms. Wendt is gonna follow through with my recommend on the essays of Marilynne Robinson that gives added substance to the significance of these singings.
Another lady, this one the Sunday dinner had great story about the origins of Slapout Alabama. Her father was in the Air Force and they traveled good bit across the southeast to small stations where he was a radar specialist. Said she lived just north of Wetumpka, Alabama at one point in a crossroads community of Slapout. Said fellow had a gas station there full service where he would bring items from his small store out to the car if asked. That is if he wasnt't too engaged in a Checkers game on the front porch in which case he was "Slap Out".
My friend David Gooch--he has connections to Emmy Lou--helped me with the joke told the first day I didn't hear completely at first. Said it was about the woman who told her new preacher on several successive Sundays he was something else. About 5th time He said Maam that is highly complementary but I don't quite get your meaning. She said what I'm trying to tell you is your Something else because you sure aint much of a Preacher.
Google on the this blog my original story on Larry Bird. Its a good one.
Come back for the Cornbread story later in the week. About Lloyd Ivey, one of 58 grandchildren of his Dad Euless and David Ivey's Dad. Only family I know comes close in DeKalb County that fertile is Doug Simpson who boast of 59 in that generation, his Dad Otis Jackson Simpson or OJ Simpson. He has a good story too but that deserves its own blog.
posted by foxofbama | 2:45 PM
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