Bert Kaempfert was a little known orchestra leader, a songwriter and arranger during the “big band” era of the 1950’s. His recordings enjoyed only moderate success until he recorded “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” a song that had been around for two decades without hitting the charts. German born Kaempfert’s rendition of this tune, [...]
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Attired to test the limits of the dress code, the 12 surly teenagers shuffle in. Who would possibly look forward to embracing this marginal collection of anti-social misfits whose behavior has them teetering on the edge of permanent suspension? Leaning against the desk up front, Bruce attracts only passing glances until one by one each [...]
Filed under: Art, Bob W., Education, Music | 4 Comments »
She has the plot and the main players in mind and now she needs a special name for a character unlike any other. She invents a surname and with the aid of her attorney sister, searches local courthouse records to be sure the choice will not offend area residents. Satisfied her selection is unique, she [...]
Filed under: Alabamians, Bob W., Literature, TKAM | 2 Comments »
Our 2009, Christmas Eve’s Eve gathering proceeds as usual. The grandchildren arrive at Gram and GrandBob’s house with their parents in tow. The little ones manage to eat a few bites of wild rice soup as their expectations soar. Excitement builds until the moment finally arrives for opening gifts. Four-year-old Elise is the first to [...]
Filed under: Bob W., History, Nationwide | 3 Comments »
I stow my carry-on and settle into a window seat just in time to hear the flight attendant announce, “Has anyone on this flight lost a wallet?” The 200 passengers, including myself, discreetly check through our belongings for our cash and credit cards. Momentarily she breaks the silence, “Now that I have your attention, we [...]
Filed under: Bob W., Conversation, Culture, History | No Comments »
Wherever I may be, whatever I’m engaged in, if I hear music start up—I stop. I listen. And I involuntarily identify the tune. This automatic name-that-tune response must have imprinted on my brain during my early years of music training and brief career teaching music. If I go to any restaurant that features live musicians [...]
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Anniversaries are nice, unless you forget one. Recognizing events of the past helps to gather our culture’s collective memories we choose to keep alive and pass on to our progeny. September was an unusually rich month for commemorations, perhaps because autumn is a season for clearing the fields and preparing to start anew. While we [...]
Filed under: Alabamians, Bob W., History | No Comments »
Fresh out of the wild blue yonder, the WWII combat pilot touched down in the small East Alabama town to continue serving his country, now as a high-school physics teacher. However, his vision of guiding young minds toward careers in science and technology began to lose its luster before year’s end. Mr. P, as he [...]
Filed under: Alabamians, Bob W., History | 2 Comments »
After a lunch of mystery meat wedged between mashed potatoes and jiggly gelatin, I had filed into the seventh grade classroom to endure the second half of the first day of school. Mrs. Jones greeted each student with a book, a clever way to induce a period of tranquility as we settled at our desks [...]
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Attending class reunions has never appealed to me, but the invitation to this one was special. Bevelle School, named for Gov. Braxton Bragg Comer’s daughter, opened its doors to the children of Avondale Mills’ employees in 1920. Attending school was compulsory for mill kids from age four through the ninth grade. This benefit lasted until [...]
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