“The Other Side” Part I

Well, I've been writing blogs for a couple of years now, along with a few scattered "letters to the Editor", both here in town, and in the Statesman, which I won't even use for packing paper anymore.

And over this time, we've all sort of gotten to know each other to one degree or the other.  I'm a hard right-winger as y'all know, and I'm PROUD of that.  If I'm still alive when it happens, I intend to die in the street with the barrel still warm, if that's what it takes to keep this country free for my kids & grandkids.

THEN....if someone says "thanks for your service to our country," it'll actually MEAN something!

I write about the "good old days".......because they really WERE.

And I write about guns and old cars......because I LIKE guns and old cars.......... and others out here do too, apparently.

And I DO write some political things from time to time, because I 'm proud and grateful to be an American, and cannot STAND what has happened, and CONTINUES to happen, to a country I barely recognize anymore.

Sharing stories of my early days have spurred some memories with some of you out there around my age, and has allowed me to stroll down "Memory Lane" myself.

I've written about "Life on "the Hill"........................and years later, on another "hill."

And some of my Air Force days, from one flightline to the next.

I've had  "Irons in several different fires" over the years, but as you only go around ONCE down here, I've tried to lead a fairly full life, and a side of me that very FEW around here have actually really seen or heard, is my music.  Been doin' it over 40 years now, and sometimes, it's more of a "therapy" than a hobby....and I'm going to dedicate my next few blogs to something that's been a "pillar" in my life.

It started in November of 1969, in Newark, California, about 4 months after I got out of the Marine Corps.  My dad used to play the guitar (just chords), and sang a bit.  I decided to learn to play, then, when it was quickly obvious that I COULDN'T sing.......I knew I would really have to learn to PLAY--------if I was ever going to get anywhere beyond the sofa!

Well, dad taught me some chords, then with a "do-it-yourself" book, I started learning some more.  Going from "strumming"to "picking", I literally had to teach myself.  Dad loaned me some old Chet Atkins albums.  Chet was the best I'd ever heard, and I said to myself.......I wanna do that!

Well, practice and perseverance paid off.  6 years later in 1975, I'm in the Air Force, stationed at San Vito, Italy, and got an off-duty job playing lead guitar for an all-G.I. band called the "Sounds of Country."  Photo on the left is a rehearsal at the Civil Engineers Refrigeration Shop" after hours.  (That's Dennis Scoville playing the fiddle).  On the right is a shot on stage at the NCO Club with lead singer Bob Inman in the white outfit.

This little German-made Hofner 171 was my first stage guitar, and I still have it.  Photo at the right is with Technical Sergeant Bob Morgan (their OLD lead guitar player, who was rotating back to the states).  Bob was the BEST guitar player I've ever heard who wasn't a professional, and he showed me a lot before he left.  Great guy and a SUPERB guitar picker.

And then.....Bob was gone, with 3 other guys rotating back to the states shortly thereafter but we advertised around the base and fortunately found some other guys who were pretty good musicians.  We "re-grouped", called ourselves the "Harmony Grits" and played for the next year or so until OUR 18-month tours were over.  Had a lot of fun.

We "discovered" Kevin O'Brien downstairs in the barracks laundry room, playing his harmonica, waiting for his clothes to dry, and we instantly 'recruited" him.  We also added the "feminine touch" with Bobbi Price, a Wave from the Naval detachment at San Vito.

L-R:  Tom Coon, Roger Bossler, Glen Elmore & Lonnie Holmes.  In the right photo was a memorable night when Master Sergeant Bob Hayes from Social Actions joined us one Saturday night to sing some "Charlie Pride" songs.  Great voice and we wanted him to come back again.......but he caught so much flack from his friends for singing with a "redneck" group, he felt he needed to "opt out" of any further "gigs."  (Hard to believe that even in the 70's....that kind of stuff was still happening).

Don Martell doing a drum solo.        We played the NCO club every OTHER Friday/Saturday night----sharing the other weekends with a G.I. ROCK band called "Chocolate Buttermilk."

Left:  checking the song list during a break.  Right:  a quiet moment on stage after a show.

Sometimes on those weekends when "Chocolate Buttermilk" was playing at OUR club, We'd drive up North and play at the "satellite base"  at Martina Franca.  They LOVED country music, and we always had a fun time whenever we could make it up there to play for them.

Sometimes we'd just sit around in the barracks and "jam" awhile.  Left:, Lonnie & I backing up Kevin on the harmonica .  Right:  Bobbi holding the microphone for Kevin during a "shop" rehearsal.

The Mediterranean was just a mile from the front gate of the base, and once in awhile on a "day off", I used to sit out there on the beach and play.  Something about the salt air and the tide rolling in down there that just sort of "frees your soul"....gives you inspiration, and I'd even written a few tunes out there.   There are times when I really do miss that today.  Those were precious moments to just meditate and to reflect out there.............

But before you knew it......it was time to hit it again........"A ONE-ana-TWO-ana................."

But all good times must eventually come to an end.  Our current band was rotating back to the states within a month or so of each other, so we played our last show, jammed & partied a bit.....then each in turn headed stateside.