I’m STILL catching up on my year end lists and all of the emails that entails. I have SO MUCH TO DO in the winter months before festival season, that I’m always several months behind on jobs. I pulled this one day weekend job in October 2019 where I was invited to Heart In Hands Critter’s Hollow Ranch And Rescue in McMinville Tennessee for some music and food and fun for a GREAT CAUSE.
Originally, I had anticipated to celebrate my daughter’s birthday party that day as well, but things didn’t work out on her end. I still took the opportunity to run over there, and see some friends I haven’t seen in many years. It was really a blessed day to catch up with them and see everyone, and listen to some killer music.
I’m going to post a bunch of GREAT pictures, and talk about the bands involved..many of the songs I might not have wrote down or remembered but I have a bunch of great information from this event that I did. This was a VERY FUN family type event on Miss Latricia’s family property, where animals run amuck and bonds are created between friends.
They have a yearly fund raiser to raise money that enables them to take care of all of these animals that they adopt out for people. There was food that we all were eating all day, and they had camping for those that wanted to drink or just camp and have fun. This was a single day event, but it did go on into the early evening. The ranch itself was beautiful and not too far from my home on the Tn-Ky state line, in fact it was so close I was scolding myself for not going up there sooner.
Heart in Hand, Critters Hollow Ranch & Rescue is a 501c non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing unwanted pets (dogs, cats, horses and other farm animals) and finding suitable forever homes for them. Our mission is that our organization ensures each animal under our care is spayed or neutered to help with the over population of unwanted animals, is up to date on vaccinations, is tested and treated for heartworms, and begins training in basic commands. We screen eligible applicants for each adoptee and match them up with families best suited for their energy, temperament, and abilities. We operate solely on donations, sponsors and volunteers! 100% of all donations are used directly for the care of our rescues. Our donations determine our capacity and we ALWAYS want to rescue more! Please consider donating today!
Our rescue is funded solely on donations, please consider donating today.
So now for just a little while I wanted to write about the music and friends I met and friends I got the chance to reconnect with after all this time. From down around Cadiz Kentucky, which is Western Kentucky around the Land Between The Lakes area the first person to play was Mr. Tim Lynch.
We have met one another a few times in the past around different places in town, but it’s been several years since I ran into him and this was a great opportunity to enjoy his music once again.You know, this was a prime opportunity to play covers and originals both. He played “Waitin Around To Die” from Mr. Townes Van Zandt, and “Are You Ready For The Country” from Waylon.
You’ll find him all over Clarksville Tennessee, and Nashville playing his originals like “Halfway To Rockcastle”. He has a very Bluesy sound, and has redone many of his songs on different albums with varied sounds. We really enjoyed his acoustic and harmonica set, and it was really nice to see him again.
From his American Dreams album he played “Hard Livin'”, that is one of my favorite songs he plays and I’m glad he played it. See, I work in a factory so it speaks to me as broken down worker. Sometimes I feel like I am killing myself for a couple bucks, and my health is declining so badly.
My good friend Miss Juelane Porter played a nice set with me as I played my own songs, so her and I took turns playing songs. She played songs like “Seven Year Ache” and “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” ( Terri Clark Version). Her best song she plays is ‘Soft Place To Fall’ by Miss Allison Moorer. I just don’t get to see her as often as I’d like to, and I knew that everyone would enjoy her songs.
I was really there to enjoy some music and take photos for them, so I really didn’t write down EVERY SONG like I do for big festivals or house shows. So this article is going to be more photos and less writing, however later on that night the last act boasted a TRUE Country Music Legend of the steel guitar….and the LAST Texas Troubador left with us…that I know of I’m NOT sure on that right now…
My good buddy Mr. Richard McLain from the Glade City Rounders and also Mr. Randy Hill played a nice set. They both also played “Mountain Dew” with me and Miss Juelane. His son Mr. Riley was with us as well, and is always quick with a handshake and even quicker with a guitar.
‘He’s In the Jailhouse Now” was recorded by so many throughout the years, and made popular by more names than even I could mention. It’s credited to have been wrote by Mr. Jimmy Rogers, and was also used on old Vaudeville shows.
They also played “John Henry” and another song that the Rounders play called “They’re After Me”. His young son Mr. Riley is an amazing young prodigy on that guitar. He “Gets It”, and in my opinion has a truly great mentor that knows more about music than I do.
He played guitar for both of them on their sets to old time songs like “I’m My Own Grampa” and others made popular by Mr. Louis Marshall “Grampa” Jones. “Here Rattler” Hea Hea was another good one he played. He also played more like ” 8 more Miles To Louisville” and ” Old Rattler’s Pup”.
So right now I want to introduce the staff and crew that made this event possible. President – Latricia Romero Vice President – LeeAnna Romero Treasurer – Cheryl Romero Secretary – Michelle Boucher Board Members – Drea Booth Brandon Tolley Roger Conger Al Conger Jennifer Koons Josh Koons Margie Rangel
And the sound man of course. You cannot have a fun show without a sound man. This is one of our Muddy Roots family Mr. Josh Koons, and he set up the stage and ran sound for us today. He is included in yet another article I’m working on for the Southern Gothic festival, you’ll be reading that later on this week.
The mayor of Stuart County even came out for this event his name is Mr. Robin Brandon, and he joined us to enjoy on the fun and the friendship. I’d like to talk some more and show you more about the fundraiser here this weekend. Next up was Miss Mallory Eagle and Mr. Doc Elliot and they also had guitarist Mr. Adam Durran who previously played for Miss Jaime Wyatt.
Miss Jaime produced his album as well, and I got a copy that day it’s called “The Rowdy Kind”. They played “Blood Mary Monday” , and they did a lengthy instrumental of “Freeborn Man”. As the sun began to fade away for the crisp cooler night to set in, we got to listen to “Bad Habits”.
“Destiny” was next followed by one called “Nautical Wheels”. I did remember them playing one cover called “The Bottle Let Me Down” from the 1966 “Swingin Doors” album.
There were so many people that showed up to have fun, here is Miss Mallory Eagle and Miss Kaitlin Butts. I wasn’t fully aware that they were going to be here, so yeah the amount of unadvertised surprises made this an event I’m glad I didn’t miss. Next year you certainly shouldn’t miss it either.
Mr. Kevin Bowden AKA SixPack was on hand to play some Hank III songs, as well as songs like “Redneck Family Tree”. His gritty Honky Tonk music fit in quite well here with the rest of the lineup today. He also played a song by Mr. Shel Silverstein called “Still Gonna Die” , which was on the Old Dogs album comprised of Waylon, Mr. Jerry Reed, Mr. Bobby Bare and Mr. Mel Tillis.
He played “Let The Moonshine In” and another called “35 Dollars” . We were all having a marvelous time down here in the hollers, and it was FUN to play with all the dogs and goats while the music went on. The food was very good and the moonshine was better.
Mr. Joey Allcorn is a man that I HIGHLY respect for his knowledge and love of the genre. He does an incredible job of upholding the integrity and tradition of the history of Country Music. He has always been a good friend, and a personal hero of mine for what he does.
He played “Juke Joint Jumpin” by Mr. Wayne “The Train” Hancock. He also played “Tired Of Being Blue” from the 50 Years Too Late album, also from that album (going out of order) he played “Alabama Chain Gang”, and his closing song was “This Ain’t Montgomery”.
His long list of covers tonight embellished the entire evening, with songs like “T For Texas” , and “Drivin Nails In My Coffin”. He played “Cry Cry Cry” by Johnny Cash, “Love’s Gonna Live Here”. Additionally they played “Thanks A Lot” , “Walking The Floor” and “Waltz Across Texas”.
The absolute pinnacle of the night was when my good buddy Mr. Joey Allcorn brought with him Mr. W.D. Miller and this man on steel guitar Mr. Lynn Owsley, and I cannot write enough good about this precious piece of history. Note for note he is still quite precise.
He was 14 when he began the steel guitar and at 20 it needed some repairs, so he took it to a shop here in Nashville. That trip would change his life forever, and when he was there he met Shot Jackson. Jackson invited him to the Opry that night, where he watched Mr. Roy Acuff and from that point he knew Nashville was the place for him.
Within a week he was playing steady for Miss Wanda Jackson and following that came the shorter tenures of Charlie Louvin, Stonewall Jackson and Webb Pierce. However in 1974 he began his most notable job as a member of the Texas Troubadours, whom backed Ernest Tubb.
Many of the hits they played here tonight he was responsible for creating the steel guitar solos for, and in his book he has many stories about his gambling and partying days of the Golden Age of Country Music. He was at the dice table in Las Vegas and was walking away from the table, broke. he noticed that he had 110 left and bet it on 11-1 odds and won. He bet several more times and won until he had 17,000 which he used as a down payment on his home.
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