The Day Aeronauts Fell From the Sky in Kentucky

Metcalfe County, Kentucky has been known for a lot of different things over the years: The Kentucky Headhunters, Black Stone Cherry, UK basketball star J.P. Blevins and the natural gas pipeline explosion at Beaumont in 1985, but in 1910 it was known as the place where a hot air balloon fell from the sky.

On May 8, 1910, Viking, said to be the largest hot air balloon in the world with a gas capacity of 85,000 cubic feet, left Quincey, Illinois on a journey to set a long-distance record. The balloon, piloted by A. Holland Forbes of New York, President of Forbes Publishing Company, sailed over Missouri, Indiana and then Kentucky. At 16,000 feet they encountered a thunderstorm which caused their virtually uncontrollable aircraft to shoot up to an altitude of 20,600 feet, which was a new altitude record.

As the balloon approached Tennessee, Forbes and his crewman, J. C. Yates, also of New York, almost passed out from the effects of the high altitude. Forbes later said the air pressure at that moment was no more than four pounds. The trauma caused both men to lose their ability to function properly. Forbes panicked and pulled the rip cord too hard in a rush to slow his descent. The two men were forced to discard all ballast and provisions to check their descent when suddenly, at a distance of almost 500 feet above ground, the rip cord tore Forbes' new balloon open and, like a piece of lead, it dropped straight to the ground in the Center community in Metcalfe County. Residents there arrived to find both men unconscious and seriously injured, Yates' injuries were more severe. The two men might have been killed had it not been for a pneumatic mattress that was laying on the basket floor. When they began their journey in Illinois, thirty-three bags of sand were onboard the Viking. There was only one left when it hit ground.

Forbes was internationally known as a balloonist. There was not another balloonist in the United States, and probably in the world, who had more enthusiasm about the sport than he did. He had made so many trips skyward that newspapers and magazines dubbed him the "Cowboy of the Air." A year earlier he won a trophy for the longest flight made in the United States during the year after his balloon, The New York, covered 731 miles in 19 1/4 hours. The accident in Metcalfe County wasn't his first narrow escape. At the Berlin races in 1908, his balloon, The Conqueror, caught fire and fell rapidly. Fortunately, the torn bag formed a sort of parachute that enabled Forbes to escape serious injury.

After the ordeal in Metcalfe County, Forbes continued to be an active member of the Aero Club of America, retaining his keen interest in all forms of aviation until his death on Dec. 23, 1927.

Hymns of Hope: How Long Has It Been?

In Southern Gospel music circles, songwriter Mosie Lister was a legend. His best known songs include “Where No One Stands Alone,” “Till the Storm Passes By,” “Then I Met the Master” and “How Long Has It Been?” Born into a musical family in Georgia, at an early age it appeared he was tone-deaf. Although he gradually learned to distinguish pitches, he wanted to do more than that...he wanted to write songs.

He came to fame as he began to work with southern gospel quartets; singing, arranging, writing and producing. One day he thinking about how people can drift away from the Lord. "Once upon a time, they had told God they loved Him, but they hadn’t given Him much thought in recent years," he said. Sound familiar? All of a sudden the lyrics came and he started writing as fast as he could. In ten minutes he had written "How Long Has it Been?"

"How long has it been since you talked with the Lord
and told him your hearts hidden secrets
How long since you prayed, how long since you stayed
on your knees’till the light shone through

How long has it been since your mind felt at ease
How long since your heart knew no burden
Can you call him your friend, how long has it been
since you knew that he cared for you"
Within five years, more than a million sheet music copies had been sold. Jimmy Davis was the first to release the song on record in 1956. The Blackwood Brothers released it later that same year. Jim Reeves followed in 1959, Jimmy Dean in 1960, The Statesman Quartet in 1964 and The Cathedral Quartet in 1966. Mosie said he stopped counting in the 600's.

Albert Brumley, who wrote “I’ll Fly Away,” once declared “How Long Has It Been” to be greatest gospel song ever written. When asked, “What about your song?” he replied, “It’s not in the same class.” Billy Graham’s soloist, George Beverly Shea, often closed his concerts by singing this song.

"How long has it been since you knelt by your bed
and prayed to the Lord up in Heaven
How long since you knew that He’d answer you
and would keep you the long night through

How long has it been since you woke with the dawn
and felt this day is worth living
Can you call Him your friend, How long has it been
since you knew that He cared for you"
My favorite recording of this song has to be the version Jimmy Dean recorded in 1960 and released on his album "Hymns" (Columbia Records).

Hymns of Hope: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Helen Lemmel, the daughter of a Methodist minister, was born in 1863 in Wardle, England. Her family migrated to America when she was 12, first to Mississippi then to Wisconsin. A gifted singer, she traveled and sang on the Chautauqua circuit, eventually, becoming a vocal music teacher at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Among her works was a hymnal used by evangelist Billy Sunday for over a decade. She and a women’s choral group she directed were part of his evangelistic crusades at the peak of his career. Lemmel died in Seattle, Washington in 1961.

Originally known as "The Heavenly Vision," "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" (the first line of the chorus) was inspired by a missionary's tract Lemmel had read. First published as a pamphlet in England in 1918, she included it in a collection of hymns, called "Glad Songs," in 1922, and then in an American collection, entitled "Gospel Truth in Song," in 1924. Today the hymn, especially the chorus, is widely known and has become a standard reprinted in many hymnals.

O soul, are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth
will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

His Word shall not fail you
He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

Alvin Bertram Preached for 54 years

On July 21, 1926 the Wayne County Outlook wrote, "Bro. Alvin Bertram of Albany died at the home of his son, Senator Elza Bertram, on North Main Street in Monticello last Wednesday afternoon after a short illness. Bro. Bertram had stopped by his sons home on his way to visit his daughter, Lena Denney, in Spiceland, Indiana, but became sick and only lived a few days. His children and their families accompanied the body back to Albany for his funeral and burial."

His tombstone at Albany Cemetery says he was a Baptist preacher for 54 years. "Few assocations can put forth a more faithful record than the one made by Bro. Bertram," wrote the newspaper. He had been a member of the Stockton Valley Assocation for fifty-seven years and had just recently been re-elected moderator for the twenty-sixth time.

Bro. Bertram was the fourth official pastor in 123 years at Clear Fork Baptist Church. Isaac Denton, the first pastor, served 46 years, 1802 to 1848, Daniel Hancock and James Abston then shared the pulpit until 1852, when Abston agreed to be the full-time pastor for the next two years. Isaac Denton's son, Joseph, served as pastor church for the next 32 years, from 1854 until 1886.

Following his death, Bro. Bertram, who had been ordained to preach in 1872, was elected Pastor and served from November 1887 until April 1889. He was elected pastor again in November of 1889 and this time remained in the pulpit for the next 36 years, preaching his last regular sermon on July 24, 1924. Upon his death, he had served as pastor for a little over thirty eight years.

Preaching the gospel ran in the Bertram family. Alvin's grandfather, William, was a Baptist preacher. So was Alvin's father, Jonathan. Alvin did more than preach. From 1893 to 1902 he served in the Kentucky legislature as State Representative of Clinton and Wayne counties.

Alvin was born at Sunnybrook in Wayne County on Aug. 22, 1846. He married Rosa Young of Clinton County in 1864 and lived in Albany the remainder of his life. Rosa died in 1919. Besides his daughter in Indiana, he was survived by five sons, Printis of Albany, William of Cartwright and Elza, Oscar and Joe, all of Monticello.

Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Printis also became a preacher. As a matter of fact, he served as Clear Fork's tenth pastor, from May 1932 to May 1933. Elza and Oscar practiced law in Albany for nearly 25 years as Bertram & Bertram before moving the practice to Monticello. Elza was elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1910, and in 1933 became a Judge with the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Rainbow Valley Will Never Be The Same

Lester Moran & his Cadillac Cowboys spent their entire career performing each and every Saturday night at the Johnny Mack Brown High School there at Rainbow Valley. That's the same dance that use to be held in the Volunteer Fire Hall before it burnt down.

"The Old Roadhog," along with Red and Wesley, the two young country singers, and ol' Wichita, Roadhogs right hand man, kept a strain of country music alive in the valley long after most people thought it had died, or should have died.

We thought the invention of the guitar tuner might kill off Lester's style of music, but unfortunately, I mean fortunately, tuners never made it into the culturally isolated Rainbow Valley, and when his record company tried to buy him one he rejected it, saying only "I never did like seafood much."

For years, Lester and the boys did a radio show on WEAK radio, where they spent fifteen minutes playing good ol' country music. They also did a lot of pickin' and grinnin' for some of their good friends over in Hogan County at Moose Lodge #13.

Ain't nobody gonna miss Old Roadhog more than his good friend Burford down at Burford's Barber Shop, that's B-u-r-f-o-r-d, and also Ernie at Ernie's Egg Mart, where you can always get cracked eggs half price at 8pm. That was a yoke!

We asked Old Roadhog of he'd like to say something and after he'd pulled his self together he said, "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.” So long until next time Old Roadhog, Lester Moran. Take it away Wichita!

RIP Harold Reid of the Statler Brothers. The class of '57 had its dreams. You changed the world and made it a better place to live.

Influential Albums: Let it Be

"Let It Be" was the twelfth and final studio album by the Beatles. It was released on May 8, 1970. I fell in love with the title track the moment I first heard it and, even though I was only nine years old, I desired to learn how to play the title track on the piano. After I worked it up I talked two of my classmates, who lived on the same street, into singing it in Margaret Cook's music class at school.

The next day, I uncharacteristically raised my hand and asked if we could do the song. I don't remember ever going out on a limb like that again, hahaha. She surely had to be curious about my forthrightness because, normally in that classroom I was happy with playing the sticks or, if I was lucky enough to be chosen, shake the tambourine. I didn't have any sort of music or chord arrangement written down in front of me. It strictly by ear. The only thing we did have were the lyrics, which I had written on a piece of paper that had been folded into a small square and stuffed inside my pants pocket.

We were midway through the second verse when I caught a glimpse of this cute little girl, with long black hair in pigtails, walking toward us. I thought she was coming to help my buddies sing, but instead she stopped in front of the piano and leaned over to watch me play. It was at that very moment that I realized what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I had discovered a way to pick up girls. Later, people actually started giving me money to play. That really threw me for a loop, but I went along with it.

"When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness
she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be"

Influential Albums: Creedence Clearwater Revival

The late 60's...what a time to be growing up and loving music. It grew a whole lot sweeter when Creedence Clearwater Revival started releasing those great songs. CCR really hit it big in 1969 by releasing three albums that swept everyone off their feet, including me. "Born on the Bayou," "Green River" and "Willie and the Poor Boys." "Cosmos Factory," their biggest album release prior to the Chronicles 1 and Chronicles 2 sets, was released in 1970.

It was brand new music then, and it was really, really good stuff. My favorites songs were "Bad Moon Rising," "Lodi" and "Proud Mary." I have a recording of my brother, Ronnie, and I jamming to "Proud Mary." He is singing and playing drums and I am playing piano and singing the repeat line on the word, "Rollin'." He is 8 and I am 11.

In two years, CCR gave us twelve of their biggest songs: "Bad Moon Rising," "Lodi" and "Proud Mary," along with "Green River," "Down on the Corner." "Have You Ever Seen The Rain," "Heard it Through the Grapevine," "Run Through the Jungle," "Up Around the Bend," "Travelin' Man," "Long as I Can See the Light" and "Lookin' Out My Back Door." "Suzie Q" had already been released in 1968.

Fact: The music of Creedence Clearwater Revival has never left radio.

"Tambourines and elephants are playin' in the band
Won't you take a ride on the flyin' spoon, Doo, doo, doo
Wond'rous apparition provided by magician
Doo, doo, doo lookin' out my back door"

Listen to "Cosmos Factory"(40th Anniversary Edition)

Hymns of Hope: There is a Redeemer

(Photo by Kelly Latham)
I am always fascinated by the stories behind the writing of hymns, especially the great old ones. Although it sounds old, "There Is a Redeemer" is a praise and worship song written by Melody Green in 1977 and popularized by her husband, contemporary Christian musician Keith Green, on his 1982 album, "Songs for the Shepherd," the last album to be released before a plane crash on July 28, 1982 claimed the lives of Keith, 28, and two of his children, ages 2 and 3. Nine others were also onboard and perished. They were visiting church planters, John and Dede Smalley and their six children. The Robertson STOL-modified Cessna 414 leased by Last Days Ministries crashed after takeoff from a private airstrip located on the LDM property. Melody was left with a one year old and expecting their fourth child at the time of the accident. The final verse was added by Keith. The song appears in numerous hymnals and has been described as a classic. We sing it quite often at my church. Like "How Deep The Father's Love For Us," this is another one of those hymns that sounds old, bit it isn't. The lyrics and the melody are beautiful.

There is a redeemer
Jesus, God's own son
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Holy one

Chorus:
Thank you oh my father
For giving us your son
And leaving your spirit
'til the work on earth is done

Jesus my redeemer
Name above all names
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Oh, for sinners slain

When I stand in glory
I will see his face
And there I'll serve my king forever
In that holy place
Today, Melody Green operates Last Days Ministries online where all of her husband's writings are free and his music can be found. She also maintains the Keith Green Facebook page to honor Keith.

Eb Dawson has gone to live in Greener Acres

Tom Lester, a devoted evangelist who starred as friendly farmhand Eb Dawson on the 1960's series “Green Acres,” died today in the Nashville due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.

The Jackson, Mississippi and raised on his grandfather’s farm. He had big dreams of becoming an actor in Hollywood, but few people from his rural community believed he would find success, because he was too tall, too skinny, too ugly, had a Southern accent, and looked nothing like Rock Hudson.

How did a young man from Mississippi without a credit to his name accomplish this feat, co-starring alongside the prolific Eddie Albert and the showstopper Eva Gabor? It happened by chance. After being told he looked nothing like Rock Hudson, he read an interview with Don Knotts who was asked how he got into movies, because he didn’t look anything at all like Rock Hudson. His reply was "I figured everybody in Hollywood was good-looking and had a good physique. I figured they needed somebody a little bit different."

So, with that being said, he moved to Hollywood believing the Lord was leading him to become an actor. He found a job and along the way, met a drama coach who helped him get cast in plays that put him onstage with Linda Kaye, the daughter of Paul Henning, creator of “Petticoat Junction." One of the things Henning liked about Tom was, get this - his 'accent.'

"Golly, Mr. Douglas!"

Reportedly, Lester beat out 400 other actors for the role of Eb because he knew how to milk a cow. His character wasn’t supposed to be a major part in the show, however, Lester’s performances in early episodes were so popular among audiences that he quickly became a regular on the show that ran from 1965 to 1971.

Lester grew up simple knowing a simpler way of life and it was no different for him in Hollywood. Upon his arrival there, he began attending the Beverly Hills Baptist Church. Even at the heighth of his TV show fame he continued to live in a rented apartment above a garage in the San Fernando Valley. After the show ended, he moved back to Mississippi, where he bought a large timber farm that he named "Green Acres." He won Mississippi’s “Wildlife Farmer of the Year” award in 1997. He also traveled the country sharing his Christian faith at church gatherings and youth rallies and his life was a testimony to all who knew him.

Eb Dawson: Morning! Breakfast ready?
Lisa Douglas: Yes.
Eb Dawson: Well, let's have the hotcakes and get it over with.
Lisa Douglas: We're not having any hotscakes this morning.
Oliver Douglas: No hotcakes?
Lisa Douglas: I've made something different.
Oliver Douglas: Hey, wonderful!
Eb Dawson: Let's not go off half-cocked till we get a look at it.
Oliver Douglas: Knock it off, anything's better than the hotcakes.
Lisa Douglas: Here we are. [Holds up what looks like a long, lumpy pastry on a baking sheet]
Eb Dawson: Any hotcakes left over from yesterday?
Lisa Douglas: You don't like it?
Eb Dawson: I don't know. What is it?
Lisa Douglas: Well what does it look like?
Oliver Douglas: It looks like a boa constrictor with lumps.
Lisa Douglas: That's the last time I ever cook you a spanish omelette.

Lester was the last surviving regular cast member of Green Acres.

Influential Albums: Please Please Me

I don't remember exactly how old I was when I first started paying attention to the harmony vocal parts in songs. I do recall at church being in the pew behind Kate Owens, listening to her sing harmony and thinking I’d like to do that. At home, I would put a Beatles album on the portable turntable and listen to their clean harmonies which were so easy to pick out. The "Please, Please Me" album by the Beatles was full of songs with great harmonies. I remember listening to them, then going to the piano and picking out the different parts in a chord and doing it all the way up the scale. I suppose I was learning to sing and play the piano at the same time. Soon, unbeknownst to her, I was in the pew behind Kate Owens, singing harmony to her harmony. I am certainly not a lead vocalist (I used to do it only to give the lead singer a chance to catch his or her breath), but I love singing harmony.

Hymns of Hope: If My People

2 Chronicles 7:14 is one of my favorite bible verses. I think we can all agree that things in America have been pretty crazy for quite some time now. Some say the COVID-19 crisis is our cue to fix it. Perhaps that's true. One thing is for sure, when all of this is over, if we go back to the way things were, we will not have learned anything. This bible verse/song is a great way to begin to set things right. My prayer is that we will follow its directions and allow it to work in our hearts and in our lives, and ultimately in our land. May God bless you.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14