Myfatherwasaself-taughtmandolinplayer.Hewasoneofthebeststringinstrumentplayersinourtown.Hecouldnotreadmusic,butifheheardatuneafewtimes,hecouldplayit.Whenhewasyounger,hewasamemberofasmallcountrymusicband.Theywouldplayatlocaldancesandonafewoccasionswouldplayforthelocalradiostation.HeoftentoldushowhehadauditionedandearnedapositioninabandthatfeaturedPatsyClineastheirleadsinger.Hetoldthefamilythatafterhewashiredheneverwentback.Dadwasaveryreligiousman.Hestatedthattherewasalotofdrinkingandcursingthedayofhisauditionandhedidnotwanttobearoundthattypeofenvironment.
Occasionally,Dadwouldgetouthismandolinandplayforthefamily.Wethreechildren:Trisha,MonteandI,GeorgeJr.,wouldoftensingalong.SongssuchastheTennesseeWaltz,HarborLightsandaroundChristmastime,thewell-knownrenditionofSilverBells.“SilverBells,SilverBells,itsChristmastimeinthecity“wouldringthroughoutthehouse.OneofDad'sfavoritehymnswas“TheOldRuggedCross“.Welearnedthewordstothehymnwhenwewereveryyoung,andwouldsingitwithDadwhenhewouldplayandsing.AnothersongthatwasoftensharedinourhousewasasongthataccompaniedtheWaltDisneyseries:DaveyCrockett.Dadonlyhadtohearthesongtwicebeforehelearneditwellenoughtoplayit.“Davey,DaveyCrockett,KingoftheWildFrontier“wasafavoritesongforthefamily.Heknewweenjoyedthesongandtheprogramandwouldoftengetoutthemandolinaftertheprogramwasover.Icouldnevergetoverhowhecouldplaythesongssowellafteronlyhearingthemafewtimes.Ilovedtosing,butIneverlearnedhowtoplaythemandolin.ThisissomethingIregrettothisday.
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