Archive for May, 2007

“Truck Drivin’ Son of a Gun”

May 25, 2007 at 7:49 pm · Filed under Dave Dudley, Memorial Day, Truck driving songs

Two guys from the Carolinas made their living hauling furniture from North Carolina to Connecticut.  One always brought his guitar along, and they would spend their time on the road singing and writing songs.  One song they felt had potential.  So they gave it to Grand Ole Opry star Jimmy C. Newman.  Evidently he didn’t share their enthusiasm about the song, so Jimmy C. gave the song to another singer named Dave Dudley.  The song stayed packed away in Dave’s guitar case until one day in the studio he had to come up with one more song to complete an album.  He gave copies of the song to each of the studio musicians, practiced it a time or two and then cut “Six Days on the Road.”  The rest, they say, is history.

Try this:  Google “truck driving songs” and see what you get.  You won’t believe the number of songs written aroung the theme of truck driving.  Here are a few of my favorites:  Give Me 40 Acres, Teddy Bear, Giddy Up Go, Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses, East Bound and Down, Convoy, I’m a Truck, Truck Driver’s Heaven, Six Days on the Road and of course, the classic The Old Home Filler-Up and Keep on Truckin Cafe.

Last week on XM Radio, Bill Anderson hosted some of the biggest names in truckin’ songs on his “Visits with the Legends” show.  Together in one studio were Dave Dudley, Red Simpson, and Bill Fries aka C.W. McCall, along with some other song writers and a truckin’ songs historian.  It was quite a time of reflecting on this unique genre of American music.  Now that I are one, I understand more in these songs than I ever did before (not sure that’s something to brag about).

Anyway, do you have a favorite truck drivin’ song? 

———————————-

I’m not a fan of war.  In fact, I assert that most of the wars ever fought were not only not necessary but were down right stupid.  I’m beginning to think that about the current war in Iraq.  But having said that, I do respect and admire those who are willing to put their lives on the line in service to this country.  And I can think of no greater heroes than the men and women who actually gave their lives on battlefields for noble ideals they truly believed in.  I hope you will take time to remember our service men and women this Memorial Day weekend.

Comments (5)

Merry month of May

May 20, 2007 at 3:13 pm · Filed under Lynn Holt, Mother's Day, celebrations

May is always a special month, and this May is exceptionally full of reasons to celebrate at the Holts.  Mitch’s and Chrissy’s graduations provided wonderful opportunities to get together with family and friends we don’t see everyday.  Chrissy’s triplet siblings turned 15 this month.  And Steve and Chrissy’s wedding anniversary is May 29.

 

But two other annual May celebrations honor a special wife and mother.  Mother’s Day this year was spent in Abilene with our two (three, counting Chrissy) children.  Lynn couldn’t have had a better day, being surrounded by children and friends.  And in a little over a week, we’ll celebrate Lynn’s birthday…number _____ (you didn’t expect me to tell, did you?). 

 

I am convinced that whatever gifts and praise mothers receive on the second Sunday of every May are minuscule in comparison to what they deserve.  That’s especially true of the mother of my sons.  I’m glad we get two chances to honor her this month.

 

Happy Mother’s Day and Birthday, Lynn.  May God bless you with many more happy and productive years of life.

————————————

Do you have a Mom story you want to share with us?

Comments (2)

Graduation accomplished

May 15, 2007 at 12:09 pm · Filed under Mitch, graduation. Abilene Christian University

Last weekend was a wonderful time with family and friends celebrating Mitch’s graduation from ACU.  As I write this, he is on his way to Boston for a 5-week internship with Boston Now newspaper.  He’ll live with his brother and sis-in-law, Steve and Chrissy, while there.  After that, Mitch returns to Abilene to work and make music with his band, Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys.

Mitch hasn’t had his education handed to him on a platter.  He changed majors once, worked every semester except when he went to Oxford, England, played music just about every weekend with the band, and still managed to graduate on time with very good grades.  And did I mention that he’s a really nice guy?

I had the honor to be his selection to “hood” him during the ceremony.  I got to sit right behind him throughout the event and place a cape-like cloth bearing the colors of his particular college (Arts and Sciences) over his head.

The ceremony was a beautiful blend of worship, encouraging speeches, awards and other presentations.  A period of worship including congregational singing opened the ceremony.  The proud father next to me obviously had never heard 3,000 people singing four-part harmony a capella.  After we had sung “Soldiers of Christ Arise,” he leaned over to me and said, “We sound damn good, don’t we?”  I had to dang well agree.

God is good.  And graduations, along with weddings and the like, provide glimpses of his providence and goodness.  To me, watching your children make significant achievements in life, especially those that in some way contribute to the good of the earth, has to be one of life’s great joys. 

Congratulations, Mitch!

————- Check out the photo of Mitch at www.harvestboston.net (5/15/07)

Comments (3)

Boys!

May 2, 2007 at 2:13 pm · Filed under Holt boys, children, proud parents, sons

The large inflatable stork on the front lawn was hard to miss.  It demanded the attention of passersby on highway 45 near Aberdeen, MS.  The sign in its hand that read “It’s a boy!” started me on a mental journey that covered nearly 25 years of family history.  That same phrase announcing the arrival of a son was scrawled in white paint on the front of our colonial blue home in Connecticut on August 17, 1983.  I painted it there myself the day after our first son, Stephen, was born.

Sons…what gifts!  Lynn and I have been overly blessed with two of the best boys God can create.  I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately as the day nears for our second son to graduate from college.  (Mitch graduates from Abilene Christian University on May 12.)   With each stage of growth, we thought that would be the best and lamented the fact that our sons were growing up too fast.  But each new stage brought new and different joys, and we realized that every stage was fantastic…even the teen years.  We loved every minute of pre-school, church camp, Scouts, golf ball business, Little League, donut shoppe visits, braces, parades, dates, birthdays, guitar and piano lessons, soccer, cross country, basketball, mission trips, marathons, band shows, proms, graduations, and so much more.

Each son is very different from his brother.   Though there are similarities—both great writers, both good looking (thanks to Mom), both friendly, both pick great friends, both love God, etc.—they are, in other ways, very different.  For examples, one excels at music while the other excels at running.  One wears his emotions on his sleeve while the other is more contemplative.  One married right out of college, the other dates occasionally.  No matter; we love them both the same:  a whole lot.

At a time when so many families are divided, when many parents can’t wait to have their children leave home, when so many adult children tolerate more than enjoy being with their folks, I can honestly say our family bucks the trends.  We really enjoy the times when we are together, and we look for every opportunity to gather.

And now, with the addition of a daughter-in-law the joys keep on coming.  Chrissy is brilliant (she receives her MBA from Suffolk University in Boston on May 20), beautiful, talented and committed to our son, Stephen.  And with her, we also got her great family—all 5 of them (Mom, Dad and the coolest triplet siblings you’ll ever find).  One of the highlights of this union was a cruise all 10 of us took together a few Christmases ago.

I just don’t know why we are so rich in children.  I only hope we are half as blessed with the advent of grandchildren (hint, hint).

Want to brag about your family?  This is the place; feel free.

——————————————

Last week, I saw this burly, bearded truck driver with muscles bigger than our minivan driving down the highway in a semi with a tiny white pooch in his arms.  Ahhhh.

Comments (7)