SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Skip Williamson, R.I.P.

 SUNDAY FUNNIES!!  

This is Atlanta’s DragonCon weekend.  It is on Labor Day Weekend.  My late friend Underground Cartoonist  Skip Williamson had a booth at DragonCon at least once.  I visited It and he got my son and me in free. Mervyn Wilton “Skip” Williamson died in Albany NY, Mar 6, 2017, art age 72.

Denis Kitchen of Kitchen Sink Publishing at DragCom Years Ago.

 

Here is another notable person I ran intro in the only DragonCon I went to.  He is Denis Kitchen, owner of Kitchen Sink Publishing Company.  He published a lot of Harvey Kurtzman stuff and comic related stuff.  If I remember correctly a bought reprints of Al Capp’s newspaper funnies one book per payday at a time.

I’m not sure but I don’t think Denis is still in the comic reprinting business.

He told me his plans of reprinting Kurtzman’s HELP Magazines into books form.   That was 20 years ago, as far as I know it never came to be.

Osmo & His Folks Visit Marietta

 

Throwback Thursday: In the early 1950s in Indiana Uncle Osmo threw his family in the car and drove to Marietta, Ga. to see his siblings and their kids. There we are, in our front yard on Manget Street. When he came usually he started a fight among his sisters. then he left. It probably happened on this visit too. In the background look! Larry Bell Park!.

DragonCon c 2011` & Al Feldstein & Skip Williamson

 

Labor Day is just a couple days away.  In Atlanta soon comicbook dressed along with Sci-Fi dressed characters along with old fashioned Movie Monster characters will be all over Atlanta to attend DragonCon, which occurs every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta.

One time Anna and I were flying in from Chicago just before Labor Day and a bunch of people scattered about the plane were dressed in full fictional characters.

I heard tickets for DragonCon are going for $200 this year.  Wow!

I think it was just a week or so before 9/11/2011 that I took my son Adam.  Adam was healing from a wreck with a broken leg and thought a little cheering up would help.

At the time I was friends with underground cartoonist Skip Williamson.  Skip had since died.  Skip and his wife Harriet bought a house on Gordon Combs Road around in west Marietta.  He bought the house from Stan, who used to be my boss at the Marietta Post Office.  Stan also had a pat time self-employed auto painter.  Stan’s garage had special lights that helped in painting cars.  Also, they were just the kind of lights needed for inside auto painting.

When I heard Skip Williamson had moved to Marietta I called him up to welcome him.  After we talked  we concluded we had the same MAD artist heroes and he invited me over for a beer..  We got along great.  He offered me two free DragonCon tickets.  They were not really free tickets.  Each artist was allowed to bring two helpers to help set up things.

We took him up on it.

While there I got to talk to Al Feldstein, editor of MAD Magazine for over 30 years.  He was the second editor of MAD, the first being Harvey Kurzman, my hero.  Now Al has moved to Colorado or some such western state and spent his time  painting Native Americans and Western Scenes and he was hawking EC Comics 3 Witches from TALES FROM THE CRYPT and other horror comics that he created.  He was getting very little visitors so we had plenty of time to talk.

Dragon Con:  The first pictures are Al Feldstein (and me).  The last picture is Skip Williamson.

John Hunter's Cabin, the Savings of

 

My great-g-g-grandfather John Hunter (1775-1850) built the above cabin in Union County, Georgia, not far from Volgel State Park and Blood Mountain. Up until recently, although deserted, was considered the oldest man-made dwelling in Union County.

It sat in the middle a field with Notley River behind it. Not that it has anything to do with this but the Notley River is one of the rare rivers that flow north.

Once my sons and I visited the cabin and I was amazed how small it was inside. I think our den is bigger than the whole cabin.

About five years ago, the land John Hunter’s cabin was on. The new owners said it would have to be destroyed to make way for a “mountain cabin” development.

Nope! My distant cousin Charley Hunter came forward, bought it, and paid to have the boards and thing marked and cataloged so one day it could be reassembled.

Picture:

Charlie Hunter, his nephew Prof Andrew Wallis, and behind them, the cabin packed and tagged.

Betty’s email said that the day is here.

The reassembled cabin will have its grand opening at the Blairsville Farmers’ Market, this Saturday, I suppose it will be on display there from now on.

In care any Hunter relatives are interested in attending, I Googled the Blairsville Farmer's Market and it is 148 Old Smokey Road.

Playing Pool and Watching a 9 Ball Movie

 

Last night we watched the movie THE COLOR OF MONEY (1980) directed by Martin Scorsese; starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise is young and hyper, which he plays hyper so well.

It was a movie about the game of pool, mostly 9 Ball, and pool sharking.  I haven’t seen it before.  It brought back memories.  Memories of the Past Time Grill one block from the Courthouse in Marietta and of course the game of pool, of the owners Neal and his wife, and Howard, the sour crippled man who racked the balls.  And a late friend who gambled away his family’s grocery money for the week.

When we went to Past Time Grill we were under 18 and it was an age requirement so we needed a note from our parents.  A classmate named Nancy wrote  our permission notes.  I wonder if Neal ever realized that all our mothers had the same handwriting

In the movie one of the pool halls frequently visited had a set of long narrow stairs to get to.  I remember once in 1960, on Marietta High School’s Senior Day, a bunch of us went to a pool hall on North Avenue in Atlanta, one block from The Varsity Restaurant and It had an identical staircase.  I think I vaguely remember somebody of high school authority saw us leave and we had some explaining to do.

After we were married and had two boys we bought a used regulation pool table which I think was a good investment at the time.  Then in time our boys moved out and the pool table in he basement was used only to fold laundry so we put it up for sale.  There were no takers so we put It up for free.  There was one young man who wanted it but taking it apart and moving it would take some expertise which he did not have, and the young man couldn’t afford to pay for it.  So we paid for it.

I am not completely pooless now.  I have a computer game 3D POOL SHARK which looks like real colored balls with the right color with the right balls, applying the right English works, even the clicking sounds of balls hitting each other sounds realistically.  But no electronic Howard to rack the balls for us.

Valley Forge in the Summertime

 

This is Valley Forge, Pennsyvania.  The house is was General George Washington's Winter Headquarters in the Revolutionary War.  The two kids are our sons, Adam and Rocky, many years ago.

My Rocketship

 

This Train Engine a long-time-ago was behind a big wall behind Glover Machinery Co on Butler St. When a kid, on Sundays, I would climb over the wall and play in this engine - it was my Rocket Ship. It was all rusty then.

Larry McDonald and 007

 

This is Congressman Larry McDonald (1935-1983) in an Independence Day Parade on the 4th of July about 1980. I was using my 35mm Minolta with a barrel 200mm zoom lens. Larry stopped the parade and posed so I could get some good shots. I suppose with that shotgun looking lens he might have thought I was the press.

Surprise!

As we know the Korean Airlines plane he was flying in September 1, 1983, was shot down by Soviet Interceptors for violating air space.

I just noticed that the flight number was 007. As in Bond, James Bond. Ironic isn't it?

Hunter 1st Cousins in the c1920s

 

Grown Siblings and Cousins Having Fun. This picture was probably taken in the 1920s in the Woodstock, Georgia. The only male in the picture is Bus Hunter (1906-2005). Bus was married to Zelma Olga. The young lady 2nd on his left is his sister Bee (1903-1971). Bee was married to Robert Spencer Crain. Bus and Bee are the children of Frank Paris Hunter and Minnie Tyson.

The other three ladies are their first cousins that lived in or near Woodstock, I do not know which one is which, but here are their names: Eva Octavia Poor (1904-1999) daughter of Arminta Jane Hunter and Lewis Franklin Poor) married John Alden Lanier; Lois Hunter (1895-1998), married a Carroway, and Jacie Hunter (1898-1974) married Vernon Tip Ingram. Lois and Jacie are the daughters of William Jason Hunter and Fannie Medley.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD Magazine 24's IS THIS YOUR LIFE?

Art by Will Elder; Story by editor Harvey Kurtzman

 

Wright Family of Woodstock & Hwy 5

 

About 1892. This is Anna's father's mother's Wright family. Anna's grandmother, Lessie Mae Wright is the baby sitting in the lap of the lady with the blousy sleeves, who is Louisa "Louise" Kuykdendall Wright, sitting next to her husband (her left) Henry Gabe Wright. Henry's parents are sitting in the top right corner. They are Loveuia Adeline Saint John Wright and Isaac Wright

Anna's Grandparents' Proofs (Mother's side)

 

Anna’s grandparents proofs  on her mother’s side.  C1919:  Paul Everett Foster (1895-1936 and Myrtle Irene Jones 1895-1991)

My Fun at Minnesota & Chicago About 58 Years Ago

 

Jim Walz, the Democrat Vice President nominee has brought back my memories of Chicago and  Minnesota.  Here goes:

I was released from Navy active duty July the 9^th 1965.  About a year later I bought a Triumph sport car.  I decided to drive my new car on a long trip to my Navy friend Don’s parents’  house, in Chicago. At the time I lived with my parents, two blocks from Highway 41.  The directions were simple:   go two blocks east and turn left on Highway 41.  Go north until you see 79^th Steet and turn left again and go down to Troy Street and Don’s parents is on the corner.  That was before Interstate Highways, I think.

After a long trip of 800 or 900 miles I was exhausted.  I  passed out at their dinner table.  His mother was a happy positive person, it is hard to believe she had physical combat with their foreign speaking woman nextdoor neighbor.  Don’s father was blind in one eye.  He worked for the railroad in Chicago.  Railroad employees that worked on the rails had a little BB gun game of shooting each other as they passed each other, shooting from the RR cars.  Don, Sr. was shot in the eye.  Don’s brother was a Chicago Cop, and he also had a teenage sister.

Don at the time worked for the Chicago Tribune, the same as when he went into the Navy.

We had planned ahead saying we were going to drive through Wisconsin and visit our Navy buddy Sam in St. Paul, Minnesota.  But first Don showed off Chicago to me.

When we got on the open road in Wisconsin we pulled over a little store and bought beer and cheese to enjoy on the way through Wisconsin:  When in Rome….

Sam lived in an old two storied house, in an apartment.  That night we barhopped in St. Paul and Minneapolis.  The next day or so we looked up my old cube mate’s name in the telephone and he came by for a visit.  For a while in our office in the  office manager was Ron.  He got out of the Navy about 6 months before we did.  He was a nice guy but being our manager and made sure that anything typed that left our office was perfect.  He was always telling me “Hunter!  CLEAN YOUR TYPEWRITER! 

Sam said he had ran into Ron a few times in Minneapolis and he had a good prestigious  position at a bank.  We decided to visit Ron at work, unannounced.  We went to the bank Ron worked in, looked up in their directory what floor he worked on and visited him.  A secretary was at a desk just outside his door.  We told the lady we would like to speak to Ron.  She said he was at a meeting, would we like to leave him a message.  We said yes, then we said we would leave Ron a note on his desk.  We barged into his office, dumped all his pens, pencils, other office stuff, on top of his desk and left a sheet of paper with Magic Marker thick ink saying, LANGLESS! CLEAN YOUR TYPE WRITER! And left.

Back in Chicago, before driving back to Marietta Don’s mother packed me a lunch.  What I didn’t know until I was blocks down the street on the way to Georgia, Don’s brother Mike wrote me a “Illegal Parking Ticket.

One picture is Don at Marina City.  While Don was giving me the tour of Chicago we visited the famous Marina City apartments overlooking the Chicago River.  We looked a the Model Apartment.  It was shaped like a slice of pie.   I’m sure the apartments’ sales lady representative  did not mind wasting her time.

The other picture are my Navy friends Don and Sam in  a little park in St. Paul overlooking the Mississippi River.

King Kong Saved!

 

Me Smoking and Wondering Deep Stuff

 

This picture was taken of me sitting by the top of a waterfall in North Georgia, about 1967, smoking a cigarette. Everybody knew back then when you took a long healthy draw of a cigarette, you could see things deeper and see the meaning of life.

I remember what I was thinking as I inhaled. I was wondering if I peed into the waterfall, would my urine flow into the Savannah River and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean or would it flow into the Chattahoochee and go into the Gulf of Mexico?

Or into a drinking supply and into someone’s coffee?

Questions, questions! And no answers.

Me % Make Believe Flyover

 SPEAKING OF "FLY OVERS": In the Navy I was in HU-4 (Helicopter Utility Squadron 4). The squadron had about 300 men. It supplied air service to non-aviation ships. The pilots of the squadron, when not detailed to a cruise had to practice their flying skills almost daily. I think each had to log in something like 50 hours flight of flight training a month. HU-4 was at NAS Lakehurst, NJ. Lakehurst was about 14 miles from the Atlantic and I think about 40 miles from Atlantic City. Also, Cape May was close enough. Cape May had then a nudist colony, I do not know if it is still there or not. Our division officer told us he often flew over the nudist colony on his logging.... "Fly Overs". The picture is me in one of he Squadron's Bell Helicopters pretending I'm having a "fly Over.

Real Life

 About 1985 I went to a family reunion up in the North Georgia Mountains. I have been to this branch of the family reunion several times before and got to know some of my distant cousins.

I went with George to his car to help him carry drinks to the food table. George is married to my distant cousin, so that makes George a distant-cousin-in-law. We had a long walk. On the way I asked him what was new. He asked me did his wife tell me he was being considered to be head of his department at a prestigious college he was a professor at. I said, yes she did.

George said, “Well, I didn’t get it.”

He went on to say how sorry and low-down was the person that did get it. He said the only thing he had working for him was his mouth, he was a smooth talker. The more he talked about it the more angrier he got. His voice was quivering and he was crying. I calmed him down as best I could and we carried the drinks back to the food table. I don’t thin anybody suspected he was very upset just minutes before.

Whoever picked George’s adversary to be head of he department probably knew what he/she was doing. George died about t wo years later and his wife, also an educator, died shortly after that.

But this story is taking a turn to a completely different subject, abut will tie itself in.

I am reading (or looking) at the book MAN AND SUPERMAN AND OTHER STORIES ILLUSTRATED BY HARVEY KURTZMAN. The late Harvey Kurtzman is known widely for creating MAD comicbook and magazine and two EC Publishing War comicbooks. He also contributed a lot to the other EC comic books, such as SCIENCE FANTASY, CRIME and more. This book is a collection of his other stories he created for EC.

Today I read/looked/ Kurtzman’s THE MAN WHO RACED TIME. Guess what it about? It is about a college professor who had hopes of getting promoted to the head of the department but some else, a smooth talker, was picked instead and he didn’t take it well.

Just like George!

Of course this guy blew off steam by plotting revenge which the rest of tI w he story is about.

I was amazed at the similarity of George and the comicbook story. The first 2 pages were identical. Like I said Georges event was about 1985 and Kurtzman wrote and illustrated the story in 1950s.

No plagiarism.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Voting Machines

A lot of us (hopefully) will be dealing with Voting Machines in just a couple of months.  This is just a warm up.

 This was in HUMBUG Magazine back in the late 1960s.  I  cannot find the artist's name but I think it was Al Jaffee.  And of course, the story was probably by editor Harvey  Kurtzman.

Cuz Byron Herbert Reece on cover of GEORGIA BACK ROADS

 Posted on Facebook 9 years ago. 

 Relative Byron Hebert Reece  on the cover of  GEORGIA BACK ROADS.

Jesse Bookout, Ancestor, Indian Fighter

 

Attention my Petty first cousins. Being it is near Memorial Day, here is our 3rd great grandfather Jesse E. Bookout (1810-1887), who fought in the Indians Wars. He was born in Lincoln County, NC, lived briefly in Powder Springs, Cobb County, Ga and finishing up his life in Murray County, Georgia.

In Murray he worked for Chief Vann for a short time until it caused a ruckus. It was unlawful at that time for a white man to work for an Indian.

He married Patricia Martha Rollins in Murray County 17 Oct 1836, They are buried in Sumac Presbyterian Cemetery, Crandall Community, Murray County, Ga.

He was a private in the Bishop Company Militia, Indian Wars

Tina Turner & Me

 

Tina Turner died today at her home in Switzerland. I saw her twice, both in Atlanta. at the Royal Peacock and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Below is my blog about me gawking at her at The Royal Peacock. I didn't get to gawk much at her perfermance at the Atlanta Jazz Festifval because when she ran up on stage I jumped up to photograph her, forgetting I had a cup of beer in my lap which was tossed down the back of the lady behind me, so we had to take care of that instead.

In July of 1965*, my friends Monty and Johnny, and I went to Atlanta to the Royal Peacock Nightclub. There was a musical group there Monty was worked up about and wanted to see. The name of the group was a husband and wife was “Ike and Tina Turner”.

“Oh yeah!” I heard of them before. They had a song on the top 40 radio music.

The Royal Peacock was a predominantly black nightclub. That night, we were the only white people there. They did not sell alcoholic drinks. They sold set-ups, and ice.

Ike and Tina Turner put on one of the most rocking fast paced rock and roll live shows I have ever seen. Tina and her three female back-up singers, “The Iketts” put on a very good show – all four women were darn right sexy in their sensual movements with the music and all.

And I’m sure to the opposite sex, Ike was also very sexy. He strummed an electric guitar and made the guitar make noises I didn’t know a guitar could make. I remember, what seemed to be trademark that night, was flicking out his long tongue with the whams of the guitar strings. It could almost be rated obscene by the standards of the times then.

Ike died today at age 76.

From celebrity gossip through the years I understand that Ike and Tina divorced and Ike had a drug problem.

I don’t know about that, but he sure could play an electric guitar.

Big Wheel Keep On Rolling….rolling,… rolling….rol…

* I remember in was July 1965 because it was within two weeks after I got out of the Navy from serving my active duty obligation

Steve Pritchett & Alice Murray Family

 

My g-g- grandfather Elijah Petty's daughter Nancy Petty Murray's daugther Alice Murray and her husband Steve Pritchett, which my FB friend Deborah Pritchett is related to also. This picture was probably taken in Murray County, Georgia.

Elijah W. and Jane "Lizzie" Harris Petty

 

Elijah W. Petty (1858-1927). Elijah is first cousin, twice removed, to me and my Petty first cousins. He is the son of William D. Petty (1834-1917) and Jane "Lizzie" Harris Petty(1841-1899). William is brother to our great grandfather Daniel Webster Petty (1843-1913).

Brothers William and Daniel Petty were born in North Carolina, spent their formative years and married in Fannin County, Georgia. They both fought for the CSA in the Civil War.

Years after the war they both moved on the other side of Fort Mountain, in Murray County, Georgia.

Back to Elijah W. Petty: Elijah secondly married Annie E. (1872-1927). and they had one daughter, Lee Petty . He first married Eliza Jane "Lizzie" Lackey (1858-1899). They apparently had one son: Edward Harlan Petty.

Interesting Elijah's first wife was nicknamed "Lizzie" and his mother was also nicknamed "Lizzie". There were two Lizzie Pettys in the hills of Murray County, Georgia.

Introduction to THE FANTASTICKS!

 

This cowboy carboard reminds me of today:

We went to the local Seniors’ Center today to see their acting class people put on 5 one act plays.

Which reminds me of one time one time about 1964 in the Naval Squadron in the barracks I was  grumbling about wasting money on non-tangible things.  One you spend it is gone.

My friend Sam Kasuske in the next cubical overheard my preaching and came in and told me to get dress to go out, he wanted to go to New York City.

New York is about 60 miles from our base.

On the way there he lectured me about making sure you see some memorable things  that you would never forget.  He reminded me of the time we went to Atlantic City during the Democratic Convention and Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson came out on the balcony and waved at us in a cheering crowd.

He had me there.

We parked in Greenwich Village and walked in the rain to a church.  We, with other people went to the basement.  In a big room in the basement I saw for the first time musical live play of THE FANTASTICKS!

Sam has seen it many times.

I fell in love with that play and still find myself silently humming the songs.

Thanks Sam, if you are still among the living.

Indiana, Motorcycle Gangs, Killings, Related?

 

My mother’s brother died in 1978 at age 62 in Indiana.  He had 7 children.  I think his occupation had to do with brass and copper.  An occupation he learned when he was in the Navy.

I understand the his death was  ruled his as suicide.  I also understand he was shot more than once.  Plus I understand he had a run-in with a motorcycle gang and he was scheduled to testify against them in court, which of course he did not  get to.

The reason I brought this up is because of a movie we watched last night.  The name of it is BIKERIDERS which is about a motorcycle gang in Indiana.  At the beginning a young man let it be known that he was taking notes for research purposes of the motorcycle gang.  There was violence and possible killings.

And I heard Gary, Indiana, mentioned once.

I wonder….?

Captive Audience - You?

 Advice Department: Think twice before you decide to become a barber, beautician, or a podiatrist. You are a captive audience of one, it comes with the job. You are expected to listen to and make enthused comments for whatever compulsive your customer/patient has on his/her mind.

I went to a podiatrist yesterday. She held her own when I chose to talk about birds and their habits and tweets. She has a bird house with food in it that has some interesting feather visitors.

She was lucky I didn’t choose to talk about another subject I have been thinking a lot about: Are octopuses/octopi descendants of aliens whose spaceship crashed into the ocean millions of years ago?

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD Magazine's #24 COMICS PAGE!

 By Editor Harvey Kurtzman.  Illustrated by Will Elder.

click on subject matter to see & read the words beter.

Nancy Petty & Scott Murray

 My g-g-grandfather Elijah Petty's daughter Nancy Petty (1841-1917) and her husband Winfield Scott Murray (abt 1820 - ?)

Jones Sisters of Alpharetta and Marietta

 

Photo 1. c1903.The father is Walter Vernon Jones (1873-1940). The mother is Mintora Mathis Jones (1880-1975). They lived in the Milton/Cummings, Georgia, area. The oldest daughter, standing next to her mother is Myrtle Irene Jones (1895-1991). She married Paul Everett Foster. She and Paul are Anna's grandparents. The next oldest daughter is Edith Gertrude Jones (1898-1986). She married Twigg W. Wood. They had no children. The boy is Felton Murdock Jones (1900-1981). He married Voncile Carolyn Anderson. They had three children. Felton owned an ice cream shop in downtown Roswell. The baby sitting in her mother lap must be Nellie Elizabeth Jones (1903-2001). She married Leonard Floyd Stone. They had one daughter.

Photo 2. Same Jones family some years later. I believe it was taken before 31 October 1912, because the youngest child Vivian Velma Jones is not listed.

Left to Right.

First Row: Nellie Elizabeth, Willie Echo Jones (1908-2002), She married Bennie Hill Glover. They had four children. And Vernice Vivian Vera Jones (1906-1982). She married (1)David Cain Sudan. They had one son. (2) Horace Wood. No children. And (3) Herman Bown. No Children.

Second Row: Gertrude, Irene, and Felton.

Photo 3. July 27, 1991. Surviving sisters Nellie Jones Stone, Willie Jones Glover, and Velma Jones Kelly attending their sister Irene Jones Foster's burial at Midway Church between Alphretta and Cummings.

Wham! and I was knocked out

 

Posted on Facebook 10 years ago:

I am still trying to get more mileage out my pictures. This drive way downhill is from the back of the buildings on the 2nd block, south, of Atlanta Street. The big tree foliage is where Steele's Store used to be. The light green vacent field on the right is where the Clay Homes used to be. We lived there from about 1941 to 1947. Back to the hill going down to Waddell Street, across from Steel's Store: When I was about 3 or 4 I learned about gravity and mechanics. On my tricycle I figured out if I left my legs while going down a hill I could go faster. And, speeding down this steep little hill would be the ultimate thrill. What I didn't consider was that Waddell Street was meant for automobile traffic. I sped down the hill, with legs up, getting a thrill and WHAM! A car driven by a lady hit me. I was knocked out cold. I woke up hours later on our couch with several family members and neighbors looking at me. The lady was completely innocent, it was all me. Well, live and learn!

Earnie Marrs, Song Writer and THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD

 Posted on Facebook 9 years ago.

In playing a little Facebook make believe game you were to make up something untrue about the person you are verbally dueling with. Marian Wagner made up that I worked with her at THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD. I jokingly said, "I thought you was Ernie Marrs!"

Let me tell you about THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD and Ernie Marrs: If you are young or new to the area, you might not heard of either.

THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD was an Atlanta underground newspaper in the late 1960s and 1970s. It bravely took on the establishment in stories, political cartoons, and editorials. Hippy-looking people on street corners peddled the newspaper. It was well done and very informative.

One of the editors was the late Ernie Marrs. Earnie was a song writer, singer, poet, philosopher, and roofer, which was his day job, that he did not quit. Ernie wrote several songs that made it high on the charts. The one that comes to mind is "DASHBOARD JESUS."

A co-worker, Pat, knew Ernie well. They were regulars at the Stein Club on Peachtree, just south of 10th Street. One time, I think it was a Sunday Anna and I were driving around with Pat and she was telling us all about Ernie Marrs. She asked if we wanted t meet him and we said yes.

He lived in Little Five Points in a garage apartment. When we got to the steps leading to his apartment I had been drinking some, and had to pee. I thought I would use Ernie's bathroom. I couldn't hold it much longer. I was the first one up the stairs knocking on the door.

No one came.

Ernie was not at home.

Like I said, I could hold it any longer, so I urinated off the top landing of his steps, facing the big looming buildings of Atlanta. Anna and Pat were waiting in the car.

Then I heard footsteps running up the stairs. I introduced myself to Ernie Marrs and shook his hand with my only free hand.

We had an instant party. He played some good music and poured the booze. He was glad to see us, or I suspect he was glad to see Pat. He pulled out correspondence he had with Bob Dylan and other nobles of the topical folk world and read and pointed out things in the letters.

I think we had a party and invited him once and if I remember correctly, he had to work late, those roofs don't put themselves on, you know.

The Plaza NYC & Friends Horsing Around

Posted 6 years ago on Facebook: 

Watching THE TODAY SHOW yesterday morning they were talking about the regalia of the Royal Wedding coming up Saturday. They showed surreys, horse drawn fancy carriages and fountains in New York City. It reminded of the mid 50s when we hit The Big Apple often. Although I don’t remember it being called “The Big Apple”.

At the fountain in front of the Plaza Hotel, on 5thAvenue near Columbia Circle and Central Park, left to right: Dick Hyatt, Don Lash, and Ray Shultz. When I directed them to stand that way, I was hoping they would look more like statues.

The other pictures is a picture of horse drawn carriages at the Plaza.