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Myfatherwasaself-taughtmandolinplayer.Hewasoneofthebeststringinstrumentplayersinourtown.Hecouldnotreadmusic,butifheheardatuneafewtimes,hecouldplayit.When
hewasyounger,hewasamemberofasmallcountrymusicband.Theywouldplayatlocaldancesandonafewoccasionswouldplayforthelocalradiostation.Heoftentoldushowhehad
auditionedandearnedapositioninabandthatfeaturedPatsyClineastheirleadsinger.Hetoldthefamilythatafterhewashiredheneverwentback.Dadwasaveryreligiousman.Hestated
thattherewasalotofdrinkingandcursingthedayofhisauditionandhedidnotwanttobearoundthattypeofenvironment.
Occasionally,Dadwouldgetouthismandolinandplayforthefamily.Wethreechildren:Trisha,MonteandI,GeorgeJr.,wouldoftensingalong.SongssuchastheTennesseeWaltz,Harbor
LightsandaroundChristmastime,thewell-knownrenditionofSilverBells."SilverBells,SilverBells,itsChristmastimeinthecity"wouldringthroughoutthehouse.OneofDad'sfavorite
hymnswas"TheOldRuggedCross".Welearnedthewordstothehymnwhenwewereveryyoung,andwouldsingitwithDadwhenhewouldplayandsing.Anothersongthatwasoftensharedinour
housewasasongthataccompaniedtheWaltDisneyseries:DaveyCrockett.Dadonlyhadtohearthesongtwicebeforehelearneditwellenoughtoplayit."Davey,DaveyCrockett,Kingofthe
WildFrontier"wasafavoritesongforthefamily.Heknewweenjoyedthesongandtheprogramandwouldoftengetoutthemandolinaftertheprogramwasover.Icouldnevergetoverhowhe
couldplaythesongssowellafteronlyhearingthemafewtimes.I
lovedtosing,butIneverlearnedhowtoplaythemandolin.ThisissomethingIregrettothisday.
Dadlovedtoplaythemandolinforhisfamilyheknewweenjoyedsinging,andhearinghimplay.Hewaslikethat.Ifhecouldgivepleasuretoothers,hewould,especiallyhisfamily.Hewas
alwaysthere,sacrificinghistimeandeffortstoseethathisfamilyhadenoughintheirlife.Ihadtomatureintoamanandhavechildrenofmy
ownbeforeIrealizedhowmuchhehadsacrificed.
IjoinedtheUnitedStatesAirForceinJanuaryof1962.WheneverIwouldcomehomeonleave,IwouldaskDadtoplaythemandolin.Nobodyplayedthemandolinlikemyfather.Hecouldtouch
yoursoulwiththetonesthatcameoutofthatoldmandolin.Heseemedtoshinewhenhewasplaying.Youcouldseehisprideinhisabilitytoplaysowellforhisfamily.
WhenDadwasyounger,heworkedforhisfatheronthefarm.Hisfatherwasafarmerandsharecroppedafarmforthemanwhoownedtheproperty.In1950,ourfamilymovedfromthefarm.Dad
hadgainedemploymentatthelocallimestonequarry.WhenthequarryclosedinAugustof1957,hehadtoseekotheremployment.HeworkedforOwensYachtCompanyinDundalk,Marylandandfor
ToddSteelinPointofRocks,Maryland.WhileworkingatToddSteel,hewasinvolvedinanaccident.Hisjobwastorollangleironontoaconveyorsothattheweldersfartheruptheproduction
linewouldhaveittocompletetheirjob.OnthisparticulardayDadgotthethirdindexfingerofhislefthandmashedbetweentwopiecesofsteel.Thedoctorwhooperatedonthefingercould
notsaveit,andDadendeduphavingthetipofthefingeramputated.Hedidn'tloseenoughofthefingerwhereitwouldstophimpickingupanything,butitdidimpacthisabilitytoplaythemandolin.
Aftertheaccident,Dadwasreluctanttoplaythemandolin.Hefeltthathecouldnotplayaswellashehadbeforetheaccident.WhenIcamehomeonleaveandaskedhimtoplayhewouldmake
excusesforwhyhecouldn'tplay.Eventually,wewouldwearhimdownandhewouldsay"Okay,butremember,Ican'tholddownonthestringsthewayIusedto"or"Sincetheaccidenttothis
fingerIcan'tplayasgood".Forthefamilyitdidn'tmakeany
differencethatDadcouldn'tplayaswell.Wewerejustgladthathewouldplay.Whenheplayedtheoldmandolinitwouldcarry
usbacktoacheerful,happiertimeinourlives."Davey,DaveyCrockett,KingoftheWildFrontier",wouldagainbeheardinthelittletownofBakerton,WestVirginia.
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