I have no musical ability other than a great appreciation for the sound and for the lyrics. I often mention songs in my blog. Apparently, that is more acceptable than referencing movies to some of those who regularly read my blogs.
Consequently, when it comes to music and the place of its origin, you may find this blog of interest. Of course, I added some extra information about what one might describe as a holy war. It has nothing to do with music.
"Asleep At The Wheel" is a country music group formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia. Can that be right? "Paw Paw" sounds like a strange name for a town. I don't blame the band for running away from home (if they did) and setting up shop in Austin, Texas. Of course, if "Paw Paw" was pronounced like "pow-pow", it might vie for the name of a town in Texas. How would you like to call Gun Barrel City your hometown? They are located in a different part of the state but Cut and Shoot doesn't sound any more civil.
Interestingly, Cut and Shoot, located in Montgomery County was named after a fight in 1912. Wouldn't you know it? A preacher was at the center of the controversy. He allegedly had been invited to hold a meeting in the Community House, a place where all the people in the community met for their church and social activities.
Prior to 1912, the Missionary Baptist, Hard-shell Baptist (almost said hard-headed, but that may be self-evident) and Methodist citizens of the community went together and built a combination church and schoolhouse. They erected the structure with the understanding that all dominations were privileged to preach there except the Mormons and Apostolic.
In 1912, an apostolic preacher by the name of Stamps arrived in the community. Some of the local brethren invited him to hold a meeting at the Community House. The invitation for Stamps to hold a meeting wasn't received well by some in the community. For one thing, he was apostolic and that was forbidden. Perhaps even more importantly, some alleged that the minister was guilty of serious indiscretions such as visiting saloons and dancing.
If an allegation like that couldn't start a range war, nothing could. The issue polarized the town. Folks fell into one of two categories: "Those who supported the preacher and those who didn't". On the day of the meeting, those opposing the preacher showed up heavily armed. They occupied the Community House and locked the doors keeping the preacher and his supporters locked outside. You would have thought the Texas Legislature had just adjourned the 2015 session. After all, wasn't "the right to carry" (I don't think they were referring to liquor) one of the focal points of that session?
Apparently, under the auspices of "Holy war" everyone grabbed their guns and a hot argument ensued. An eight-year-old boy, the son of one of the families favorable to the meeting, became frightened. The boy cried out: "I'm scared! I'm going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!" I guess it turned out to be a "much ado about nothing" because no shots were actually fired. Other than feelings, no one got hurt.
The families favorable for allowing Stamps to speak voluntarily withdrew to some shade trees and he delivered his sermon outside. While there is more to the story, neither side in the dispute subsequently decided to "turn the other cheek". Both sides appeared in Conroe and indicted each other at the Justice of the Peace Court for the use of obscene language, assault and disturbing the peace. Speaks well of a family of faith, don't you think? To this day, "Cut and Shoot" has been the town's name.
The music group, "Asleep At The Wheel" have won nine Grammy Awards since their beginning in 1970. They have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard country charts. Their highest-charting single, "The Letter That Johnny Walker Read" peaked at No. 10 in 1975.
I'm not a singer. I couldn't carry a tune in a toe-sack, but the tune to "Beautiful Dreamer", written by Stephen Foster occasionally rolls around inside my head. I bet you can remember the tune.
Stephen Collins Foster was the son of a prominent Pittsburgh family. His father was a member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature. Foster apparently took some time to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. In July 1841, Foster enrolled in Jefferson College at Canonsburg, PA. He only attended for one week before he became homesick and then went back home to live with his family. His musical genius began to unfold in 1843. In his brief lifetime, he wrote over 200 songs.
"Foster's marriage to Jane Denny McDowell on July 22, 1850 proved to be a marriage filled with many separations and reconciliation's. "I Dream of Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair" was allegedly inspired by his estranged life. They subsequently got back together after the song was written.
"Saddened and conflicted by the outbreak of the Civil War, Foster spent his last years in New York City, living on the Bowery and writing songs for ready cash. When he died on January 13, 1864 at Bellevue Hospital, weakened by a severe shaving accident and fall, his purse contained thirty-eight cents and a scrap of paper with the scrawled inscription: 'Dear friends and gentle hearts.' His death followed completion of his last great song, "Beautiful Dreamer".
All My Best!
Don
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