There’s nothing like a good late summer vacation to get a guy ready for fall, and you can tell from the first picture here that I was taking advantage of my time away last month. There was an ocean nearby (a week before Ian came calling, thankfully) sandy beaches for sitting (and walking occasionally), and too many good restaurants to mention. I came home refreshed and ready to pick up a big ol’ heavy pencil and get back to writing songs. The second picture shows me and my dear friend and co-worker, Terry Choate, taken one of the last times I appeared on Larry’s Country Diner. Terry was a production assistant on that show as well as on Country’s Family Reunion, and we worked together closely for well over 30-years. Terry believed in me as a songwriter even when I stopped writing back in the 80’s, and he encouraged me to start writing again by producing new demos on some of my old songs. One of those demos was “The Tips Of My Fingers,” which led to Steve Wariner’s 1992 #1 recording of a song I had written in 1960. Terry passed away last month, and I can’t help but remember what a great guy he was and what an impact he had on my life and my career. Rest in peace, my friend, and thanks for the memories. The third picture here was taken when I visited my friends at “Coffee, Country, & Cody” recently to talk about my duet with Dolly. The show, heard on WSM Radio and seen on Circle TV, originates from the Opryland Hotel where my granddaughter, Caroline, works in hospitality. She snuck away from her desk long enough to come hang out with PawPaw and the gang…but don’t tell her boss. L. to R. announcer, Charlie Mattos, yours truly, Caroline, co-host Kelly Sutton, and Bill Cody.
