Followers

Monday, December 14, 2020

Harlan Ogle, I Will Miss You

I am saddened by the death of my friend, Bro. Harlan Ogle, who died today at the age of 79. He was a big supporter of mine when i was on the air at WFLW. As a matter of fact, he often wrote that i was the closest thing to the late legendary WFLW broadcaster Eddie Neal that Wayne countians were going to hear in this life. That was huge and I was honored that he would think that.

One of my favorite things that Bro. Ogle did was he routinely portrayed Raccoon John Smith at churches and other gatherings throughout the region. Smith grew up at Clear Fork Baptist Church in Albany, KY during the very early 1800's. His father had been one of its the original members. But, in his early adult years, Raccoon John left Clear Fork and became a leading proponent of the Early Restoration Movement within the Christian church. Bro. Ogle, a lifelong member of the Christian church, and long-time pastor at Monticello, KY Christian Church, was great in his role as the legendary frontier preacher. On one occasion, he rode into Burkesville on a horse, dismounted at Veterans Park, and in full costume proceeded to preach one of Smith's sermons word for word.

You could often find Bro. Ogle at Wayne County's museum. He loved Wayne County and put in an untold number of hours researching its history and writing many stories and newspaper articles about it. That's how i got to know him. We often talked about stories each of us had written and he was always helpful to me in my research. I will miss him, but am thankful for the great legacy he leaves behind. Maybe the city and/or county will do something in his honor, like name a street after him or something. I hope so. RIP my friend. Prayers to his family and many friends who mourn his passing.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Oh Rest Beside the Weary Road and Hear the Angels Sing

O ye beneath life's crushing load
Whose forms are bending low
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing

From an 1849 poem by Edmund Sears
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Charley Pride: When it was Simple and Good

How sad it is that Charley Pride would leave us in 2020, in this crazy, awful year of a pandemic, instead of in his world of burgers and fries and cherry pies. It was simple and good back then, he said of that world we used to know.

Charley was one of my favorite country music singers of all-time. In the 1970's he sold more records than any other artist at RCA, with the exception of Elvis. He was country music's first black singer and he was a member of her hall of fame.

Dolly Parton said, "It's sad enough that he has passed away, and it's even worse knowing he died from COVID-19." I agree. So very sad.

I have always loved his music and i loved playing his songs on the radio. If there is one thing of his we can always be thankful for it is his songs. Kiss an angel good morning, Charley. May you Rest in Peace.

Charley Pride
1934 - 2020

Randy Speck
WANY Radio
Albany, KY

My 78 RPM Disks (1905-1924)

1. Albert Campbell - Dreaming (3701). Steve Porter - Flanagan At The Vocal Teacher's (3705). Standard Talking Machine Company 1907. 2. ...