Uncle Billy

It is late and I am tired and sad. As much as I talk about Still Magnolias most of you know that my cousin Amanda and I sing and write songs together. Years ago we wrote a song called Grandpa's Music that is on our CD. Anyways, the song is about growing up at my grandfathers where music was the pulse of the house. The Avondale mill whistle would blow and my grandfather and his buddy's would get together in his living room and play music until late into the night. As kids we were not allowed to stay up and be part of this excitement...but we would get our pallet, do you remember those things?...you know...kids used to sleep on the floor, and drag it just as close to the door of the living room as we could get it without being seen. It usually worked and we would fall asleep listening to gospel, blue grass, folk ballads, country music, all the great crooners of the time period. It was heavenly. When we were big enough to play a whole song, that had at least four chords, all by ourselves on the guitar we were allowed to play with the big boys. Well...today is a sad day in my little world. The last remaining member of the player/singers of the mill group died this evening. He was known to most of the town as Uncle Billy. He worked for years at the A and P and managed a pack a sack on Hwy 280 at the top of the river bridge hill. Everyone loved him...especially me. He was a dear sweet man....and the cool thing is that he was actually related to me...as a cousin. He was just my mom's age...so we always called him Uncle Billy. He was one in a million and he will be sorely missed by this town, by his family and friends, by the music world. God Bless his precious wife Liz, his daughter Sherry and his grandsons and great grandchildren. His death will live a huge void in their lives. When you go to bed tonight...lift up a prayer for his family. God Bless You All Real Good Tonight! K