Thirst

My soul thirsteth for thee
My flesh longeth for thee
In a dry and thirsty land where no water stands
I will seek thee
To see thy power
To see thy glory
To know your love is the lovingkind
I will praise thee
And I will bless thee while I love
I will lift up my hands in thy name
Yes I will lift up my hands in thy name
In a dry and thirsty land where no water stands
I will seek thee



Taken from Psalm 63

The World Without Walter

The passing of longtime CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite is a sad affair for me. My growing up years incuded sitting down in front of the television every late afternoon at 5:30 to watch Mr. Cronkite deliver the news. No one else could do that like he could. He was the best. More than that, he was the standard and everyone who came after him learned from him.

In my house, most times supper was prepared prior to the CBS evening news so everyone could watch it. So many times, I have sat in front of the TV with my plate on a tv tray so I could watch him.

I clung to every word. I believed every word. If Mr. Cronkite said it, then it was the truth. I think most people felt that way. I was too young to remember his infamous President Kennedy assassination newscasts, but I remember keeping up with the vietnam war through him.

One of Mr. Cronkite's trademarks was ending the CBS Evening News with the phrase "...And that's the way it is," followed by the date. I can remember during the Iranian hostage crisis, how he altered his closing so that we would be constantly reminded how long the hostages had been held captive. He began on day 50 and he stopped with the crisis ended on day 444. It was very dramatic.

As most of you know, while I have never read the news on television, I grew up reading it on the radio. So, for me it was like I was the student and he was the teacher. I paid attention to his delivery. I think that's what I admired most about him.

I watched his last newscast on March 6, 1981. He said...

"This is my last broadcast as the anchorman of The CBS Evening News. For me, it's a moment for which I long have planned, but which, nevertheless, comes with some sadness. For almost two decades, after all, we've been meeting like this in the evenings, and I'll miss that. But those who have made anything of this departure, I'm afraid have made too much. This is but a transition, a passing of the baton. A great broadcaster and gentleman, Doug Edwards, preceded me in this job, and another, Dan Rather, will follow. And anyway, the person who sits here is but the most conspicuous member of a superb team of journalists; writers, reporters, editors, producers, and none of that will change. Furthermore, I'm not even going away! I'll be back from time to time with special news reports and documentaries, and, beginning in June, every week, with our science program, Universe. Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away; they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is: Friday, March 6, 1981. I'll be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night."

I agree with what George Clooney said. "I hate the world without Walter Cronkite."

I believe (Big 'Un)

Every now and then soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again
And it's like you haven't been gone a moment from my side
Like the tears were never cried
Like the hands of time are holding you and me
And with all my heart I'm sure were closer than we ever were
I don't have to hear or see, I've got all the proof I need
There are more than angels watching over me
I believe, I believe

That when you die your life goes on
It doesn't end here when you're gone
Every soul is filled with light
It never ends and if I'm right
Our love can even reach across eternity
I believe, I believe

Forever, you're a part of me
Forever, in the heart of me
And I'll hold you even longer if I can
The people who dont see the most
Say that I believe in ghosts
And if that makes me crazy, then I am
cause I believe

There are more than angels watching over me
I believe, I believe

Rambling On...

Today, my blog received its 5,000th hit since February 13th, which is an average of 1,000 hits per month. That's not a lot compared to most other blogs, but with me it has never been about numbers, although I do notice the counter. It's just about writing.

My writing has slowed down lately. There are a couple of reasons why that is, but, that's alright. I am fortunate to have a lot of people who care about me. I am amazed at the number of people who actually take the time to read what I write. It is humbling.

I'm just rambling here, but a while back on Facebook I wrote that clown steaks taste funny. A lot of people wanted to know what a clown steak is. Beats me. I guess it's just a steak whose owner happens to be a clown.

I've always heard that people have more fun than anybody. Is that really true?

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what my pastor once said...that we as Christians are called to be a positive and proper influence and an example to everyone around us. It's a huge responsibility. One that I admittedly struggle with. I recently had a friend who went by the wayside and I wish I had been more of the right kind of influence and example to her. And, now I worry about that.

One of my friends is Kentucky Headhunters guitarist Greg Martin. He is a great player and a very busy man. In addition to the Kentucky HeadHunters, he also performs as a member of Rufus Huff, which performed at the 2008 Foothills Festival. He also hosts a radio show called The Lowdown Hoedown every Monday night on WDNS in Bowling Green. Greg is also a member of The Mighty Jeremiah's, a gospel rock group that released an awesome CD. He gave me a copy of it and in return, I later turned him on to an early 1970's group known as Acts, which consisted of friends Jim Powell, Rick Carrol and David Pennycuff, along with Phil Mann. Greg told me that if he had heard that group back in the day, it would have influenced him to do some things differently in his life. I told him 'it's not where you've been, but where you're going that matters.'

In the same conversation, he asked me what our mutual friend, Andrew, was up to. So, yesterday Andrew called and I told him Greg had asked about him. I also told him about how I had given Greg Acts' songs and how Greg had said if he had heard the group back in the day, it would have influenced him to do some things differently in his life.

Here is what Andrew said back to me: "(laughs) Man, he gave me The Mighty Jeremiah's CD and it caused me to see things differently and I quit [a rock band he was in] and am now pursuing gospel music."

What a great story. Greg says there have been other instances where The Mighty Jeremiahs has influenced others. I say amen.

I want to be that positive influence and example to others, too.

Let's Hear It For AM!

A friend and colleague of mine asked me about my AM transmitter today. What can I say other than she is exceptionally, wonderfully, amazingly, remarkably beautiful and solid as a rock for my radio station.

You could say my AM transmitter is a member of my family. We have known each other our entire lives, she and I. I call her mine, but we are like brother and sister I suppose. My dad and his dad were among the first to lay hands on her. I came along later and took their place and became official overseer of her. Well, actually, it is she who oversee's me. If you know anything about radio then you understand what I just typed.

You see, my AM transmitter has been a loyal member of my family for going on 51 years now and, although she might have been kicked a time or two (but not by anyone who had a heart and loved her), she's still stayed loyal and has never strayed from her purpose.

My Gates BC-1T transmitter came to us during the later summer/early fall of 1958 and has never failed to be anything other than loyal to her purpose. She has served well and continues to do that today. She has made many legends in her lifetime - names that you probably wouldn't recognize unless you are from my little corner of the world. She has been responsible for so many popular disc jockeys, and while the faces of so many of those great voices have come and gone, it was settled in my mind long ago that my AM transmitter was sent here for one reason and one reason only - to transmit, and no matter who is here, or who is not here, she will continue to serve her purpose....as long as she is loved and cared for.

I have to confess that at times I have ignored her pleas for things she might need, such as new tubes, transistors and/or resistors, etc., but the thing that has always amazed me about her is when I finally came to my senses and gave her what she asked for, she acted as though nothing had ever happened and went about doing what she does best - transmitting. Even after I have proven to be unfaithful to her, she has never held it against me.

Almost 20 years ago, she had to have a major transplant, but she survived and she continues to survive to this very day. She is my Gates BC-1T AM Transmitter and I will always love her.

Below is a photo of my dad made in 1961. My AM transmitter is directly behind him. Isn't she beautiful?

Freedom in America

Two of my ancestors paid the ultimate sacrifice so that I could live freely in America. They were John Frogge, at the Battle of Point Pleasant on October 10, 1774, and Jacob Speck at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina on August 16, 1780. This Independence Day, let us honor the many others who also died so that we might have freedom.


You can revisit the story of John Frogge by clicking HERE.

You can revisit the story of Jacob Speck by clicking HERE.



Happy Fourth of July!

My Friend Conner

I almost giggled outloud when he demanded that I give him a drink of my orange Gatorade.

"Not today," I replied, and I took another sip.

"Why not," he asked?

"Because it's mine, I snapped back, and then took another drink.

As he stood on-deck waiting his turn to bat during the 9 and 10-year-old all-star team's baseball practice, I watched him watch me take drink after drink after drink. I was doing it on purpose. He was thirsty. His eyes were pleading for me to help him.

He said, "You run the radio station, don't you?"

"Yes!" I replied.

He snarled at me and said "I never listen and never will!"

I said, "I'm not going to watch you bat, either!"

He was speechless and turned to look toward the playing field, as if I had hurt his feelings. He did not speak.

Finally, I broke the silence by asking him if he wanted a Gatorade.

"Yes.....no, yes, no.......yes," he said.

I reached inside the cooler, grabbed the Gatorade and tossed it over the fence to him. He said he could catch it, but it ony fell to the ground.

He reached down and picked it up. Wiping away the dirt, he said, "Was this your last one?"

I lied and said no.

He took a drink and then walked toward the batters box.

As I watched him bat, my mind went back to last summer when I emceed the girls district softball tournament. Conner sat beside me, watching his 'older-than-him' girlfriend play. I discovered that if I bought him something too, he would go to the concession stand for me anytime I asked. It was a pretty good arrangement. Just as his girlfriend's game ended, he leaped to his feet and shouted, "I'm outta here!" I said, "Where ya going?" Slapping me on the shoulder like I should already know the answer, he said, "Duh, I'm going to my girlfriend's house to go swimming!"

"She's a lot older than you," I suggested.

"I'm a chick magnet," he replied.

Missing Dad

Dad passed away six years ago today. I miss him. Not many days go by that I do not think about him.

We little knew that afternoon
That God would call your name
In life we loved you dearly
In death we do the same
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you did not go alone
For part of us went with you
The Day God called you home
You left us beautiful memories
Your love is still our guide
And although we cannot see you
You are always by our side
Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again

People Have More Fun Than Anyone

I saw a wrestling poster the other day. This certain organization came to the area from someplace else. The wrestlers were from someplace else. The main event was a "Loser Leaves Town" match.


That reminds me of something that happened a few years ago when I took my niece to the local you know where. While there, she wanted an Icee. When we walked up to the snack bar, there was a sign on the back wall that read...

"Hotdogs 50 cents or...2 for $1.00."

The Pinch Hitter

Bill Kidd played center for the University of Louisville and the school's legendary coach Bernard 'Peck' Hickman. After graduating from college, he entered the Army, where he was a star player on the Fort Knox team.

After the Army, Kidd began a coaching career, which led him to Clinton County High School, where he coached both basketball and baseball. Bill Kidd was the first coach at Clinton County to take both the basketball and baseball teams to the regional tournament in the same year. Just like his coach at the University of Louisville, the legendary Peck Hickman, Kidd was a strict disciplinarian, who never used profanity of any kind, and did not allow his players to use any. In fact, his players did not use words of any kind, because Coach Kidd required complete silence during practice, while traveling to games and during games.

What is it that makes a man forgo everything he believes in just to get himself out of a bind? Is the desire to win so strong that a man will rise above his principals for the sake of one single victory? I guess it all depends on how important that one game is. Obviously, whomever said winning isn't everything never won.

The year was 1955. The district baseball tournament that year was being played at Tompkinsville. The old Clinton County School Bus had just passed Marrowbone heading west on Highway 35. Little did anyone know that things were about to change for a couple of players on the bus -- Sid Scott and my dad, Darrell Speck.

Now, Sid was one of the best athletes to ever come from Clinton County. He is a Clinton County High School Wall of Famer. He was once named as one of the top five basketball players ever at CCHS. To say that Sid and his childhood friend, Darrell Speck, were rambunctious would be putting it mildly. Teacher Martha Brummett, who taught school for more than 30 years, said they were the meanest students she ever taught. Sid and Darrell weren't really mean, they just loved to entertain. Darrell would bring his guitar to school and the two of them, along with Deanie Dyer, would go from classroom to classroom entertaining. Sid loved to sing Hank Williams' songs.


Your cheating heart will make you weep
You'll cry and cry and try to sleep
But sleep won't come the whole night through
Your cheating heart will tell on you

Sid and Darrell would be driving down a road at a speed way past the legal limit and would change drivers without slowing down, and not from inside the car, but out the passenger door, over the hood and in through the drivers side door.

They were hanging out at The Snack Bar at three in the morning when up pulled a man with a truck load of chickens. As the man went inside to eat, Sid, Darrell and Robert Page went outside and were attempting to 'borrow' some chickens when the man caught them. He told them that he would give each of them a chicken if they didn't tear up his truck. Soon, the three boys were standing in the parking lot wringing those chickens' necks. One of them accidentally let go of their chicken and it went sailing across the intersection and into the parking lot of the New Palace Motel. It wasn't long before they were sitting inside The Snack Bar eating fried chicken.

Darrell's dream was to be a singer and a musician. In 1954, his band, The Rebel Rousers, had a 15 minute radio show every Saturday morning on WAIN in Columbia, In 1955, the group took their act to the area's brand new radio station, WFLW in Monticello. Sid would accompany Darrell and his band to the radio station. He became acquainted with station manager Welby Hoover, just like Darrell had, and later in 1955, when Darrell decided to quit school and join the Navy, a position came open and Sid was hired as a disc jockey at WFLW. When Darrell returned two years later, it was so the two could help put WANY on the air.

Before they reached their 20th birthdays, both Sid and Darrell had become extremely popular. Both men continued to broadcast and entertain for over 30 years and became two of the regions best known broadcasters and entertainers. But, it was on that Clinton County School bus on that day in May of 1955 that their talking and entertaining got them into a whole heap of trouble.

As I stated earlier, Coach Kidd did not allow talking on the bus while traveling to a game. Just past Marrowbone, Sid and Darrell broke the silence and began talking. If they thought they would get by with it, they were wrong. Coach Kidd stopped the bus near Fountain Run and ordered the two boys off the bus. Fortunately for them, a fan who was traveling to the game stopped and gave them a ride. They took a shortcut to Tompkinsville, pulled up at an intersection the same time the bus did, turned in front of the bus and beat Coach Kidd to the baseball field. The coach was furious. He ordered Sid and Darrell to sit in the stands and watch the game as spectators, instead of allowing them to be on the field as players.

But then something happened to Coach Kidd. Something about him changed. It was something so obvious that it was probably talked about for a long time. It was the fourth inning and there was a runner on base. The Bulldogs were down one and a weak hitter was headed to the plate. Suddenly, Coach Kidd called time-out. He walked over to the stands and motioned for Sid to come to him. And, standing there silently before the coach, Sid was ordered to come out on the field and pinch hit.

What is it about a pinch hitter that is so special? Usually, a pinch hitter is the best hitter on the team that is NOT in the game at the time he's called to bat.

Someone wrote that each time a pinch hitter walks to the plate, for a brief moment, a split second, he sees a vision. A crane flies slowly over a dusty road, over a line of birch trees, over a bog, and swoops downwards to a vast lake, the sun nearly blinding. The image just visits him whether he wants it to or not. Then he takes a practice swing, and is ready. After the pinch hitter has made the big hit to score the run, he stands on second, hands on hips. The runner points at him, an acknowledgement of success. The crane stands knee-deep in water, feeling the cool water lap around him.

Without saying a word, Sid grabbed a bat and walked toward the batters box in street shoes and clothes. When the first pitch was thrown, he smacked a line drive deep into the outfield. The runner scored to tie the game.

The May 19, 1955 edition of the Clinton County News stated that Clinton County defeated Austin Tracy 4 to 2 in the opening game of the tournament and that Sid Scott got a pinch hit in the fourth inning to tie the game. The Bulldogs defeated Glasgow in the second game to win the tournament. It was the school's first ever district baseball tournament championship.

48 years later, almost to the day, I called Sid at home to tell him that dad had slipped into a coma and was dying. Both had been retired for several years and hadn't seen much of each other, but on that Sunday afternoon, Sid sat beside dad's bed and, as he held the hand of his now lifelong friend, he assured dad that it was okay for him to go on to his reward in heaven. I'm glad I was there to witness that. I kinda wish Coach Kidd had seen that, too.

Max Roach Gear Found In Byrdstown

How did near priceless equipment belonging to a man considered to be the father of modern jazz druming end up in a barn in nearby Byrdstown, Tennessee?

Max Roach was a legend who hung out with other legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington, to name a few.

When he died two years ago at the age of 83, Roach had a long list of musical accomplishments and a lot of 1940s- and 1950s-era equipment he kept in storage in New York.

Family members said a year or so ago, a business associate stole much of Roach's equipment. Recently, a tip led New York authorities to a barn in Byrdstown, where they recovered all of the nearly priceless instruments.

Special crates are being made to ship the equipment Monday to New York City.

The Pickett County sheriff said he was acting on a judgment issued from a New York court when he assisted in retrieving the equipment.

No one was arrested.