Barry Manilow

"I write the Songs". One of my top ten favorites. Everything Barry Manilow wrote are favorites; from "Mandy" to "Copa Cabana". Many remember things in our past by hearing a certain song. If I hear "Wheel of Fortune" (a song before it was a game show) by Kay Starr I am taken back to working at F.W. Woolworth record counter. I got to chose the record to play on speakers in the store. They knew I was at work when "Wheel" started playing. "Slow Boat to China" by Jo Stafford and "Peace in the Valley" by Red Foley were my Dad's favorites. Mother loved a tune called "Up A Lazy River".

My favorite TV show was "Your Hit Parade" It featured four singers, Dorothy Collins, Richard Arms, Gisele McKensie and Snooky Lansen. Aired Saturday night, sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. The premise was to take the top songs of the week and present them in what was the forerunner of MTV. But with clothes on and without gestures that would embarrass your grandparents. Our generation's music video.

I have always loved music. I think most of us do. At one time I knew the words to every song recorded by Tammy Wynette. (special but not on my list of top ten accomplishments in life). Had all the songs by the Statler Bros., The Oak Ridge Boys. (don't you still enjoy Elvira), Roy Clark. None gotten stale. Never listened to Rod Stewart until he came out with three volumes of oldies (if you are over 50 and don't have those recordings you should look into it)

Merle Haggard was and still is my favorite Okie from Muskogee and boy is he looking old.

Through owning every Gaither video that Bill has put out, I learned about song writers. I began to look in the book to see who wrote what. One of the greatest, Albert Brumley, wrote over 600 songs. Known as the Dean of Gospel Song Writers. Raised in Southeastern Oklahoma, son of sharecroppers. You will recognize " I'll Fly Away", "Turn Your Radio On", "I'll Meet you In the Morning" and my personal favorite, "Jesus Hold My Hand." I bring up Albert Brumley because at our congregation we have a young couple, Bob and Jane Brumley. Bob is the grandson of Albert Brumley. What a great musical heritage he has.

My California grandson has an IPod with almost every song you can imagine loaded on. When he was here a couple of years ago, "Salty Dog Rag" kept running over in my mind and as I am apt to do I would sing it off and on til one day he asked if that was really a song. Brought him into the computer, cranked up ITunes and found it by Roy Clark. Grandson liked the way it sounded. I clicked the magic button and for 99 cents we owned the record. Downloaded it on his IPod. I am not exaggerating when I say that he is probably the only 18 year old in Southern California with Salty Dog Rag loaded on his IPod. Its either a curse or a blessing. Now if I can just get him to listen to Barry Manilow