May 1, 2023

Hi Gang:

They call it the “Merry Month Of May,” and let’s hope that’s exactly what it turns out to be for all of us. Here in Whisperville, it’s definitely starting off on the right foot.

Our “1984” CD is out and available to our fan club members ahead of its national release date of May 26th. This is the music I recorded for a now-defunct record label back in the eighties. Not many people ever heard it, but hopefully, now they will as it is being released digitally for the first time.

The CDs are priced at only $20 with free shipping, and you can send for yours now and expect prompt delivery. All the ordering instructions are on down in the newsletter. If you’d rather wait and download your copy, those digital downloads will be available, as I said, on the 26th. Either way, I hope you will enjoy a helping of traditional country music…the kind you don’t hear very much of these days.

In addition to my promoting this old/new music, May is going to be busy on some other fronts as well. I’ve got several songwriting dates on the books, and four Grand Ole Opry appearances. We’ll be doing two Opry shows on Saturday the 13th, another on Tuesday the 16th, and a final May show on Saturday the 27th. You’re always welcome to come see us and to tune us in wherever you find our broadcasts.

On the personal side of things we’ve got two high school graduations coming up in our family this month and, needless to say, I am excited about both. The first, on May 13th, will be my remarkable grandson, Gabe, who in spite of fighting an incredibly long, hard battle with a rare form of cancer ever since he was six years old, somehow managed to keep up with his schoolwork and is receiving his diploma on schedule. So many of you have lifted Gabe up in your prayers throughout his journey, and our entire family thanks you. Your prayers…all of our prayers…have most assuredly been answered. I hope you share our joy in his accomplishments. Gabe plans to attend college in the fall and major in electrical engineering. He is truly a walking miracle.

My granddaughter, Greta, will be graduating two weeks after Gabe, and hers has been a different kind of journey although no less strenuous. Greta’s dad, Chuck, died of a brain tumor when she was 9-years old and in the 3rd grade. Losing her father at such a young age left emotional scars that most of us can only imagine. She has toughed it out, though, is graduating on time, and plans to attend college to study elementary education. She wants to be a teacher.

And before I leave the subject of family, I told you a few months back that my grandson, Blake, who is wrapping up his sophomore year in college, will be leaving this month for a six-week Christian missionary trip to The Czech Republic. I ask that you keep him and his group of 20-something fellow college students in your thoughts and prayers as well. Prague is a long way from the hills of Tennessee.

I am an extremely proud PawPaw, and thank you for allowing me to divert your attention away from the music business for these few lines to share my happiness and my pride with you.

Let me wish all you moms out there an especially Happy Mother’s Day coming up on the 14th. May you get to spend it with the people in your life who mean the most.

Thanks for all you mean to me, and thanks for allowing me time for another little visit this month. Hopefully, we’ll see all of you back here again in June. I send all best wishes to each of you….