These days in the first half of February are the approximate middle of winter. Even in the first year of my Captain’s Log, I began to slip a bit in the regularity of my entries, covering a range of days at a time. Then, as the log moves on beyond its first year, I seem to have written very entries during February in general and, for this midwinter week, none at all beyond 1980.

So, away we go, winging back over forty years to February 1978, when I was some three months into my nineteenth year.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 020.778 [Tuesday, February 7, 1978]

Work work work work, work work work work. Well, I guess that sums up my feelings. I slept late this morning but I’ve been busy since I got up. Tomorrow doesn’t look much better with 5 classes to look forward to.

I saw A——— today. She’s been in the infirmary for a couple of days. When she gets to feeling better maybe we’ll get some work done on our music.

New Beginning practice went well tonight and after that was done, I had a pretty good practice with my flute. . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardates 020.878-020.978 [Wednesday-Thursday, February 8-9, 1978]

I’ve been busy these past couple of days. I’m doing a lot of practicing and I can feel it paying off ever so slightly. Tomorrow I only have German and a flute lesson. . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardates 021.078-021.278 [Friday-Sunday, February 10-12, 1978]

These days have been pretty uneventful. I’m just stayin’ alive and I’m thankful for that. On Friday I had a real good flute lesson, then went home to just kick around. Yesterday morning, I called Kelly to tell her I’d be down March 3, 4, & 5. Then I came back to Mars Hill to set up the handbell tables and practice piano. Last night Paul Babely and me went to see the Asheville Symphony. It was pretty good.

Today I’m playing hand bells at the Baptist church, then it’s home for lunch and I’m starving now. . . .

Captain’s Log: Supplimental [sic]

Another Sunday night and I’m back at school waiting for another Monday. This, however, should be a good week if my piano lesson doesn’t mess me up. She really loaded me down. What’s good about this week is that Wednesday I’ll be in Charlotte to see Jean-Pierre Rampal, and I can’t wait. well, better catch some Z’s. . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardate 021.378 [Monday, February 13, 1978]

This day has been great! So many good things have happened to me and I know they come by the grace of my God, the only God.

First I must tell you about a late entry for yesterday. At Youth Group it was decided that I would arrange the service for the group’s 5th Sunday meeting in April. I really hope we can do well and be a blessing to all who hear us.

I got mail from Camp Cheerio this morning telling me that they were very impressed with my application. If I get the job, it’ll be a big decision as to whether or not to go.

This evening I went to Mike Tweed’s to eat supper and had the usual good time.

When I got back from Tweed’s I got the urge to go down and practice. Just as I got there A——— was quitting. I never did get any practice done because we just talked for almost an hour. She’s gonna go to the Rampal concert with us on Wednesday. It was thrilling because for a week or so I’ve been praying for someone to talk to and spend some time with and this comes up. I don’t know what’ll come of it but I’m sure willing to hide and watch (I hope Dr. Bryant still has tickets). . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardate 020.780 [Thursday, February 7, 1980]

Hello! Things are going well here in Music City. I’ve had a good weekend and a good week so far. I saw George, Phill and Keith, (Not Ed), and Mike. Made the flume zoom at Opryland and I also applied for a job with Labor Source, Inc. driving a van 5 hrs a week for $6.00/hr. I gave my tunes to Mulloy and he liked them, especially “Rhymes” and “A Cowboy” . . .

It seems during these early days of my first having moved away from home that I traveled back to the mountains most every weekend. I guess that was the case until I got the Opryland job (even though I didn’t keep it very long).

Bob Mulloy was one of my instructors in the Music Business program at Belmont College. I remember “Rhymes” (as a song, although I can’t remember it enough to play it). I have Gabriel writing some of it in the apartment above the funeral home in Gabriel’s Songbook. “A Cowboy” was in B minor and was Joey Plemmons’s favorite among my songs.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 021.180 [Monday, February 11, 1980]

Not a whole lot going down these days. Just been doing school work mostly. Let’s see, last week I talked to Billy Puett for about 30 mins. which was really interesting. I got my job at Opryland but I didn’t get the one with Labor Source, Inc. School is going fine except for Algebra. If things don’t get any better in there, I may try to get out and go back to Math 90 rather than fail but if there’s a chance I’ll pass I hang 10. I got to talk to Joe Arnold for a while last night, it was great to hear his voice again. Jack is supposed to call sometime soon. I’ve got my first session in the studio coming up Thursday (021.480). I’ll be doing lead vocals on a Charlie Daniels tune called the “Passing Lane“. I’ve never heard it so I hope I can learn it and do a good job. I wrote and finished a new tune of my own today called “Forever”. A complete remake of an of an [sic] old one T. Wiley helped me write a few years back . . .

I first encountered Algebra at Marshall High School, on the island, when I was a freshman. I did really well in Algebra I. During sophomore year at Madison High School, I started out well in Geometry and did a slow fade through the year, actually failing the last six weeks, I think. Algebra II in junior year was a disaster. So goes my math skills.

I’m not sure how meeting Billy Puett came about. He was a studio musician in Nashville, providing flute/saxophone/recorder tracks for lots of folks I listened to: Dallas Holm, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Jimmy Buffett, and more.

I’m running behind on everything these days — or at least it seems so. And before anybody asks — “So, what’s changed?” — this is more than usual. I’m thinking of just renaming this “Through the Years” or something cheesy like that and not worrying about keeping up. But for now it remains as titled above.

Back to 1978, which is now more than 40 years ago.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 013.178 [Tuesday, January 31, 1978]

My last day of complete freedom is almost at a close. Tomorrow starts regular classes and for a Wednesday I’m really loaded down. I’ve got a lot of music to go through this semester but I’m gonna stick my nose to the old grindstone.

New Beginning Singers was good this evening. I really enjoy the music we’re doing.

Well, I better get some sleep ’cause I got a 9:00 class tomorrow. . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardate 020.178 [Wednesday, February 1, 1978]

Well, classes started today and I’m really tired. I played flute for 5 hours today. I think I’m gonna ask A——— to go to Charlotte with me to see Jean Pierre-Rampall [sic]. Keep your fingers crossed for me. . . .

As I was writing this, I looked up Jean-Pierre Rampal and learned that he died in 2000. I don’t know why this surprises me. I suppose I think of such influences as something akin to immortal. But before long — or the longer I live — these folks I’ve grown up with will start walking on from Earth.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 020.278 [Thursday, February 2, 1978]

Well, things are moving slow as classes are just getting underway. I think it’s gonna be a good semester once things get organized. My English and German seem to be okay, at least for the first day.

I can’t quite figure out why I’m so lonely all of the time. There seems to be no one in this world — that I’ve met yet — for me. I’ve prayed that the Lord give me someone to be with but I guess I haven’t stuck with it well enough. I know he can give me all I need if I’ll only trust him.

I told Anita about the tickets Dr Bryant has but I didn’t say anything about taking her. I think I’ll say I’ll buy it for her as payment for her help on piano. . . .

The late great Dr. Joyce Bryant was my flute teacher during my years as a flute major at Mars Hill College. She was a great teacher — firm but supportive and encouraging — with a truly quirky personality and style. She always wore those clip-on sunglasses flipped up most of the time. But when she’d get excited, she always made some move that caused them to fall down and put her suddenly in the dark.

I remember going to see Jean Pierre-Rampal in Charlotte, but I can’t remember now if A——— went with me or not.

Captain’s Log: Compiled Stardates 020.378-020.578 [Friday-Sunday, February 3-5, 1978]

Once again it is Saturday, or rather Sunday, night, and tomorrow kicks off another week. On my new schedule I have four classes, an hour of piano practice and three hours of flute practice.

There’s nothing really to say about these past 72 hours. Friday, 010.378 [sic] I went to see John in “Godspell” which was really good. Then I went to experience Cinema 180 which was good to. Yesterday was a day for lying around and practicing. I went to the ball game and spent most of the time talking to Nickie and Suzanne. Today I have spent studying mainly though the highlight was Mike’s sermon on faith which I thought was super. . . .

“Mike” was, again, Mike Tweed, pastor and friend. Nickie and Suzanne were friends from Madison High School. I don’t remember Nickie’s last name (maybe Sprague?), but Suzanne’s was Powell.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 020.678 [Monday, February 6, 1978]

The days of our lives here at MHC just move on by slowly, but when I think back each night it seems to have passed so swiftly. Today was alright. I had four classes and practiced for about 3 hours on flute. Wednesday I start my piano, so I’ll be glad to get into that. It snowed last night and it was really cold today but I reckon everyone made it through. I’m really enjoying my German class. It has spawned a new dream in my mind which is to see Germany, after I graduate here, and study music. That would be wild but I guess I’ll be patient and wait on the Lord to see what He’ll have me do. . . .

Although I would never have been a good enough flutist to do graduate study in Germany, I did get to see Germany — and even sooner than I thought. Less than a year and a half from the time I wrote this, I was in Germany and 16 other European countries with AESU. That adventure, I’m sure, gave me the confidence to leave home and go to school — however briefly — in Nashville, where I found myself just a few months after the trip to Europe, in the winter of 1980.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 013.180 [Thursday, January 31, 1980]

This week has been alot [sic] of work. I’ve been having many tests this week so I should know how I’m doing in each class soon. Other than study and music there’s not been a whole lot going on. I put music to “Once for Every Lonely Night” and I wrote my first descent [sic] religious song, “I Will Raise You Up”. I hope I can get my songs recorded as soon as possible cause I need to be hitting the publishers soon.

I’ve got my job interview with Opryland Feb. 6 @ 3:00. It’s with the operations department working with the rides. Right now I’m making plans for what to do with my money. Other than live on it, I hope to buy a cheap, used electric piano for my writing. I’d also like to have the 4-track portable studio cassette player that TEAC has come out with.

Well, tomorrow I hope to go home if the weather holds . . .

While I have a vague memory of “Once for Every Lonely Night” and might even be able to find a recording of it, I have no memory of “I Will Raise You Up.” I seem to recall a reel-to-reel recording that I made in the back room at Walnut. If the song is anywhere (recorded, that is), then it’s likely to be on that tape.

Although Opryland didn’t want me to entertain its visitors, it hired me to run them through the Flume Zoom (or the Log Ride). I don’t remember too much about it, as I didn’t stay with it long, only until March or April. I do remember once working the station at the top of the drop at the end (see below), when some girls who rode by in their log flattered me by saying I looked like Burt Reynolds.

Must’ve been the mustache.

We’d had lots of rain in east Tennessee the days before my gig at Union Street Tap Room in Erwin, Tennessee. And then on the Friday of the gig, the weather turned cold, and snow fell on and off all day.

Leesa and I were on the way to Erwin, driving from our house and intending to pick up HWY 81 at the end of Arnold Road. But when we arrived at the intersection of Arnold and 81, the road from there to Erwin was closed. So, we had to turn around and go back through Johnson City and around I-26.

We got to Union Street in time to set up the equipment and for me to begin at 8:00, but the rerouting took up the time I’d intended to use in writing up a list of songs for the two-hour set. For that reason, I don’t have a set list to provide.

One thing different about this show from most previous ones is that I included several more cover tunes. In fact, for the first two-thirds of the performance, I alternated covers and originals, and for the last third, I probably mixed originals/covers at about 3/1.

Although I don’t remember the order exactly, here are most of the songs I did for the night:

• “No Surrender” (Bruce Springsteen)
• “Dizzy from the Distance”
• “Wildfire” (Michael Martin Murphy)
• “She’s a Wild One”
• “Year of the Cat” (Al Stewart)
• “Fiesta”
• “Into the Mystic” (Van Morrison)
• “The Jaws of Modern Romance”
• “Genesis Road”
• “Heart of Gold” (Neil Young)
• “Empty Islands”
• “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” (Looking Glass)
• “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (U2)
• “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (U2)
• “The Street I Live On”
• “Best I’ve Ever Seen”
• “Jamboree”
• “The Weight” (The Band)
• “Lean on Me” (Bill Withers)
• “The Bells of Vimperk”
• “You’ve Got Something I Need”
• “There Was Always a Train”
• “Rain on the River”
• “Homecoming”

That’s 24 songs, which works out to $6.25 per song.

Here’s a passage I ran across in my reading of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces:

The inflated ego of the tyrant is a curse to himself and his world–no matter how his affairs may seem to prosper. Self-terrorized, fear-haunted, alert at every hand to meet and battle back the anticipated aggressions of his environment, which are primarily the reflections of the uncontrollable impulses to acquisition within himself, the giant of self-achieved independence is the world’s messenger of disaster, even though, in his mind, he may entertain himself with humane intentions. Wherever he sets his hand there is a cry (if not from the housetops, then–more miserably–within every heart): a cry for the redeeming hero, the carrier of the shining blade, whose blow, whose touch, whose existence, will liberate the land.

Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 11.

Campbell — in 1949 — accurately describes the political situation in the (not-so) United States of America and, indeed, much of the rest of the Western world:

. . . schism in the soul, schism in the body social, will not be resolved by any scheme of return to the good old days (archaism), or by programs guaranteed to render an ideal projected future (futurism), or even by the most realistic, hardheaded work to weld together again the deteriorating elements. Only birth can conquer death–the birth, not of the old things again, but of something new. Within the soul, within the body social, there must be–if we are to experience long survival–a continuous ‘recurrence of birth’ . . . to nullify the unremitting recurrences of death.

Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 11-12.

The semester here at ETSU has prevented me from posting this anywhere near on time, but I’m determined to keep this up through 2020. So, while I might run behind, I won’t run off.

Again, I begin with the earliest entries from my days at Mars Hill College, when I was a 19-year-old flute major and lived on the second floor in Spilman Hall.

Captain’s Log: Stardates 012.478-012.578 [Tuesday-Wednesday, January 24-25, 1978]

These past two days have been the usual. The only thing out of the ordinary was that yesterday I went to audition for “The New Beginning Singers.” I haven’t gotten word on the results ye but Anna said I did real well.

Today went about the same. I mailed off an application to the Presbytery of Concord, to work at Camp Grier. It would be really great to get a job out there. Tonight, Yogi and I went to see “Heroes.” It is a really good flick.

Well, I’ll inhale a few Z’s right now and resume the log tomorrow night 012.678. . . .

Here are pictures of Yogi and me. Both of us worked at the Mars Hill College radio station. I don’t think I’m at work in my picture, but Yogi definitely is. During our freshman year, he roomed with Phill Shuford, and the two of them were across the hall from Johnny Sawyer and me. I can’t remember his last name or where he was from. Pennsylvania maybe? I remember he had only nine toes because one had been lost in a lawnmower accident.

I don’t know if this visit to see Heroes was the time that the following took place, but I had what was probably my life’s most overtly heroic moment while going to the old Plaza Theatre to see a movie with Yogi. I don’t remember the exact layout of the area in those days, but I know that Yogi and I were walking from our parking space from downhill and to the left of the photograph below. A young woman pulled up and stopped her car just where you see the back of the car in the photo. She got out and went around the back of her car to go to the ticket booth. As she crossed the sidewalk, the car apparently slipped out of PARK or, if in NEUTRAL, the emergency break failed or something. The car began to roll forward toward the downhill slope that led to the police station and courthouse.

Yogi and I saw what was happening and ran forward, just as the passenger-side wheels of the car jumped up on the curb. We thought that when the car hit a metal No Parking sign on the sidewalk it would either stop or slow down enough that we could push from the front to stop it. Yogi approached the front of the passenger side, leaving me the driver’s side. We were wrong about what we thought would happen. The car was one of those large cars of the 1970s, a Buick or something like that. It hit the sign as we put our hands on the front, but it just bent the sign to the ground and kept going. Yogi had to peel off helplessly to the passenger side to get out of the way. The car began to pick up speed as the grade increased, heading straight for a big light pole on the corner above the police station. I ran alongside the car, hoping that it would maintain a more-or-less straight course. In my peripheral vision I could see Yogi standing and watching and the young woman frantically running down the hill behind.

At some point in all this, I realized an older woman was in the passenger seat, and she was screaming, “Stop the car! Stop the car!”

The runaway was about thirty feet from the light pole when I finally got my hand on the handle and pulled the door open and dove in. As the old woman kept screaming, I righted myself in the driver’s seat, took the wheel, guided the vehicle off the sidewalk — just a few feet short of the pole — and braked it to a stop with a screeching of tires that brought a handful of Asheville’s finest running up from the station.

I looked at the old woman and asked if she was all right. She was, and she was very appreciative, as was her daughter when I stood up out of the car. The police were, of course, less appreciative and more suspicious about what was going on. I think I summed it up for them in a few words and turned back up the hill to join Yogi and head for the ticket booth. We didn’t want to be late for our movie.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.678 [Thursday, January 26, 1978]

I had my first rehearsal with the New Beginning Singers anoche. Tim Taylor and I are Tenor I. I hope I can stay with this group, and I think I can if they don’t try to press beliefs on me or make me pray or witness. That’s were I get off ’cause the Lord didn’t give me a tounge (whatever) for witness (I think that’s what I mean). Well, I think I’ll try to get ahold of G——— this weekend, unless some miracle happens around here. . . .

I have no real memory of the New Beginning Singers, so maybe I didn’t stay with it for long. (I’m typing this before I continue transcribing, so I might learn more about it later.)

And I need to add tongue to my list of words I couldn’t spell.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.778 [Friday, January 27, 1978]

I’m really tired of everyday [sic] being a carbon copy of the last. Hopefully that’ll change next week. . . .

The words every and day should only be one word where used as an adjective: everyday routine, everyday shoes, etc. I make much fun of the regional grocery chain Food City for its slogan “Value Everyday,” which is way wrong. “Everyday Value” would work, but to phrase it like they have it requires “Value Every Day.” Where one refers to something that happens or is present day by day, the phrase should be two words: every day. Obviously, I haven’t always known this. But I learned it and know it now, so I reserve the right — I’ve earned the right — to continue making fun of Food City. (Please read this as I wrote it, with tongue firmly planted in cheek.)

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.878 [Saturday, January 28, 1978]

Today was a “take it easy” day at home. I’m doing next to nothing, because I know that when Wednesday rolls around it’s “work city” until May. I’m glad classes are starting ’cause I’m really looking forward to this semester.

Tonight I went to Reynolds to watch Joey play ball. He did well and scored 10 points. The team was right with the Rockets until Todd got thrown out of the game in the 2nd quarter, and that was worse ’cause it wasn’t even Todd’s fault. Oh well. . . .

These days I was finding so boring were days when Mars Hill College was in its January “mini-mester” — a two-three week period when students took one special-interest course. I took handbells. The Wednesday I was anxious for was the day when the regular spring semester began.

The Reynolds Rockets was the favorite team of my friend (and preacher) Mike Tweed (and his family). I’m sure I was hanging out with them. Reynolds was — still is — a much bigger school than Madison.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.978 [Sunday, January 29, 1978]

Well, here I am, back at school. I went with the Youth Group to see the “Late Great Planet Earth” this evening. I had P——— with me in the car and we had a pretty good time. Maybe I’ll ask her out soon.

Richard Dreyfuss got “Best Actor for a Comedy or Musical” in the Golden Globe Awards tonight, Primo!!!

Tomorrow I go to register for the spring semester and I hope I don’t have much to change. . . .

The last time I saw P——— was when I played a house concert in Durham, North Carolina, on Saturday, December 1, 2012. She showed up out of the blue, and Leesa and I enjoyed seeing her. She doesn’t walk planet Earth any longer, and that’s all I’ll say about her.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 013.078 [Monday, January 30, 1978]

The Lord has been so good to me! While it seems all the people around me have to go through the hassel [sic] of corrective registration, all of my classes were accepted. I still think I’ll drop Golf. I’m really gonna be busy.

I’ve gotten off my application to Camp Grier and have also written Camp Cheerio. Hopefully, one of these will provide me with some exciting summer work.

I got a letter from Kelly today saying that she wants me to come down as soon as possible. I suppose it’ll be the weekend of the 24th, 25th, and 26th [of February 1978]. I’m really looking forward to it.

Two years later, I was 21 and making my first sojourn in Nashville, a music business major at Belmont College.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.680 [Saturday, January 26, 1980]

It’s Saturday and the morning of my Opryland audition. I’m up now trying to get my voice loosened. I probably won’t go over there ’till [sic] about noon. I know there are prayer at home about this and I have turned everything over to the will of God. I’m gonna do my best with all of the talents He gave me and the decision is up to Him.

It has been a good week. I had a studio test Tuesday; Wednesday, I don’t think I did much; Thursday I went to the Jolly Ox with Taylor and his sister where I met a lot of people, including the band, the KNott Brothers, two of which go to school at Belmont and the other sang at Opryland a couple of summers ago when I was there. They were really good. Yesterday, I think I aced a CMH test and last night I ate at Friday’s with Beth Forbis, prima-donna Southern Bell [sic] from the trip to Europe last summer.

Today I’m trying to remain calm for the task at hand. I think voice is where I should have been all along. It’s my natural gift. The flute makes me work so I think studying it was good. I was never technically prepared for any of my flute things, but in voice I’m ready . . .

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.680 [supplemental entry]

Well, I suffered my first let down in the “big city” today . . . one of the biggest let downs of my life. Obviously, I didn’t make Opryland. I did my best, not that I don’t think I was good enough, I just think they pretty well had all they wanted and didn’t need any more of my style.

It was kind of funny thought . . . I was getting into it as usual and I hear this small voice “Michael” and I suddenly realized they were through listening. I said OK. It was like Monty Python “Thank you”. I don’t mind saying I was crushed and hardly knew what to do. I just felt like God had turned his back and walked off on me. I forgot who I was and though and and did somethings [sic] I shouldn’t have. Then I finally realized that there is something better down the road for me. NOt having that job will give me more time this summer, I only pray the Lord will let me have a regular park job. Extra time will be good for school, peddling songs, etc. Maybe the Reasons auditions will turn out a bit better. The Opryland experience will be good for a joke someday should I ever make it big and play Opryland. It also gives me greater incentive to go on and, thought I hate to say it, shove their audition down their throat . . .

Looking back on this Opryland failure, I’ve realized a couple of things about it. First, given the nature of its shows, Opryland wasn’t really looking for singers (or songwriters) but for performers. A singing actor or a dancer with a good voice — even if he couldn’t play guitar — had a much greater chance of being hired than I did. I’ve never been that kind of performer, and as far as “putting on a show” goes, I’ve never been much at that anyway, even after all these years on stage.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 012.880 [Monday, January 28, 1980]

Today has been a good day. School was the usual descent [sic]. Tonight was the good time. I went to hear Christine [Wyrtzen] and Phil Johnson in concert tonight. I talked to Phil for about 10 minutes or so and I was really proud of myself. Putting myself through the Opryland audition was good for me ’cause I started not to go speak to him but then I decided that would be foolish so I went. He talked about his good friends Dallas and Tim and that flipped me out. I also learned that the way to get into gospel writing [is that] I’m gonna have to quit sitting waiting for inspiration are read the Word! Also, Dallas will be here July 4 or so . . .

Again, two years pass to find me 23 and living back in North Carolina, at the homeplace in Walnut.

Captain’s Log Stardate 8201.28 [Thursday, January 28, 1982]

I’m feeling a little better since my last entry [8201.21 / Thursday, January 21, 1982]. Mom and Dad have been at Jerry’s so I’ve had peace and quiet solitude here. Still, things are about the same as they were. I’m sure I’ll make it.

K——— was home this past weekend and we had a pretty good time together. We didn’t do a lot, mainly just sat around each other’s house.

Yesterday, or last night, I finished One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich so that may have been what has helped me feel better. It is such a powerful story of everyday survival and I’m very glad I read it.

I started working on a song tonight called “First Love” about the fun and mystery of it. However, it brings up the question, again, about what I should and should not write. I don’t want to write anything to lead kids or anyone else astray or anything that might be taken wrong. I want to write this song because I think it will be good but I’m going to have to be careful. It’s no secret to me that teen-age sex is a reality (I know it first hand), however, I don’t want the song to sound like I’m encouraging it so I’d better take it slow and be sure it say[s] only what it ought to.

From what I hear, Earl will be leaving for Europe tomorrow. I don’t know if that means he’ll be back later or not. I only hope he got Ron’s and my money fixed before he leaves. He’ll be going with our man from Townhouse so I hope they make big plans for me.

Meanwhile, Earl spent last weekend with Jerry Reed on a house boat and they listened to my stuff and from what I hear, Jerry really liked it. I’m not supposed to know this but JR also said that if things worked out well with the record he would like to take me on tour with him when he goes on the road this fall. This news flash may also be part of my feeling better these days.

Tomorrow Ron and I will be going to Daton, Ga. [sic] to pick up Shana so Ron can keep her for a couple of weeks. It doesn’t look like he and Patty can make amends.

Time for my devotional . . .

From my days at Mars Hill College, I had the idea of being a college professor (at some point) in mind. But I knew that I would have to go back to school to do that. And I intended to. But such tempting — distracting — little tidbits of hope as the Jerry Reed bit above always had me feeling like the beautiful highway to fame and fortune began just around the next bend in my dirt road. I’d already quit in the middle of my first semester at UNCA (Fall 1980), and I thought it probably wouldn’t be good to do that again. So, I never got started back to school.

Captain’s Log Stardate 8301.25 [Tuesday, January 25, 1983]

I didn’t realize it had been so long since my last entry. A lot of things have come and gone but the song remains the same. I’ve been in New York to meet people at Audio and see Tina and have a photo session . . . Cindy and Lynn and I set up house . . . I went home for Thanksgiving and turned 24 . . . Jack came right after the holiday and stayed a week then I went to California for 10 days . . . Tina, Linda and I joined the CA kids. My last weekend, Jack and I went to San Diego and stayed with Joy (what a crazy girl). We, Jack and I, spent a day in Mexico (Tijuana & Ensenada), then spent the next afternoon at the zoo with Joe and that night we had a real party all over San Diego with Earl Parker and a friend whose name escapes me right now [Chris] . . . I came back to Nashville and then went home for Christmas . . . When I came back I filed bankruptsy [sic]. I’ve been working at Earl’s office a lot and writing a good deal also. I think there are 11 new songs. Earl is in Europe at MIDEM but I don’t know where my record is at the moment, somewhere in the hot little hands of CBS I think. It is all just too hard to follow. There is Audio Records with Earl, Marty, Helen, and Jack W, and I don’t know who else . . . There is Zoo York records headed by the famous discoverer of talent, John Hammond . . . finally there is CBS. There is really no telling when “Fiesta” will be out but I continually wonder what kind of response it will get from the public, if it gets any at all. It’s too far out of my hands now . . .

Tina, Jack, and Linda are longtime friends met in that fateful European summer of 1979. Lynn and Cindy were singing sisters I shared a house with in Hendersonville, Tennessee, as I began my second and longer sojourn in Nashville.

Here are a couple of photos. First, from a Nashville photo session from around this time. The photo session in the post above took place in a loft in New York City. The photographer thought I was coming across as too tense, so he had me smoke some marijuana to relax. That must have worked, because I remember he even talked me into taking my shirt off for a few shots. All remained innocent — except for the smoking of pot, of course. But my naiveté was showing.

Here’s a picture that blends two parts of my life at that time. I’m with Earl Richards here, in his office, and I’m wearing a souvenir from my journey into Mexico with Jack.

Moving on, I was 26 years and a couple of months old in early 1985.

Captain’s Log Stardate 8501.27 [Sunday, January 27, 1985]

Since 8501.11 [Friday, January 11, 1985] there have been some interesting things going on in my general life. I attended the Music City News Songwriters awards with a girl named Deborah Doran who works for Alabama’s manager, Dale Morris. The day of the show, lead singer Randy Owen decided not to give away his comp tickets to friends and gave them to Deborah. We had second row seats. The show was live to Nashville and taped for other cities. I talked to Mom tonight and the show was on there last night. I was on TV several times and she was quite excited.

Last weekend, 8501.19 [Saturday, January 19, 1985], Noel, Mike Scalf and I went all the way to Greensboro, NC to catch another show by Mr. Bruce Springsteen and what a show it was. I think I’ll always remember the solo accoustic [sic] version of “No Surrender”. I spent the evening before the show with Joe, Carol, and John Johnson and we spent the night after the show a[t] Joe & Carol’s place in Salisbury. When we got up the weather had turned foul so we had to put Noel’s truck in 4-wheel drive and head home. By the way, we were dashing through the snow while the 49’ers were defeating the Dolphins 38-16 in the Superbowl. The happening that brought the most change to my immediate surroundings was Earl’s decision to move the office and I had to find a new place to live. Fortunately, Pat Gossum moved out of Noel’s house in Brentwood so there was an easy opening. Today was my first full day at 7036 Concord Rd. in Brentwood. I really like these guys alot [sic] but I’m afraid trying not to disturb them is going to inhibit my writing. We’ll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, back in NC, Dad had an operation last week to unclog one of the main arteries to his brain. He had been experiencing some numbness in his limbs for the last few weeks and this has hopefully corrected that. He sounded fine on the phone tonight. Ernie was back in the hospital recently and making a slow recovery from intestinal blockage. She’s had a lot of problems recently so the family decided Mama Reeves would have to go to a nursing home. I’ve been hoping this would never happen, praying she would pass on before this point could be reached. I guess it must be some will of the Lord’s. She is in a home only 3 minutes from Mac in Shelby so she’ll probably get excellent care. He has several church members there so the staff will always be on their toes knowing that he could walk in at anytime. My fear is that I shall never see my Mama Reeves alive again. It is difficult . . .

Again, sadly, I have no real memory of Deborah Doran or Dale Morris or attending the Music City Songwriters awards ceremony, which I must have been really jazzed about. I heard a story that at one point Alabama’s producer Harold Shedd was interested in my music. But then he found out that I was involved with Earl Richards and apparently that involvement made him disinclined to pursue me any further than his initial interest. Maybe it was through Deborah Doran and/or Dale Morris that my music briefly made it to Shedd’s ears.

Moving on, I was 27 years old as I lived through events of January 1986.

Captain’s Log Stardate 8601.28 [Tuesday, January 28, 1986]

This morning I got a call from Noel between 11:30 and 12:00N wanting confirmation on his hearing that the space shuttle had blown up in take off this morning. I got up and turned on the TV and there it was. I tuned into the section where a camera was on the faces of the parents of Kristie McCauliffe, a school teacher from Concord, New Hampshire who was the first civilian to go into space. Her parents were watching the liftoff and I don’t really think they knew what had happened. The shuttle made it up a few miles before the explosion. It’s odd, because all morning my sleep was troubled by a dream that people I knew were on an airplane coming into some airport and I was meeting them. I watched as the plane caught a wing on the ground or something and smashed up into this huge building. I found out my friends were not on that plane but I still woke up with a great sadness and then I learned about the shuttle. I am saddened. I think I’ll go for a drive in the country today, down to Franklin maybe . . . The good news today is that R——— gave birth to a son and mother and child are doing fine. He was born early in the morning. I can’t remember her husband’s last name but it’s easy to remember the name given the baby. It is called Robert Cody. I just realized that baby could so easily have been mine. Am I an idiot? I don’t know. She was pretty but young and too close to my situation. Was it my one chance? I hope not. Anyway I am very happy for the whole family. It’s one more thing to come between Earl and getting his business done. I do feel like it’s over between us except for the actual break. I believe that I will make it one way or another but I’m not so sure about him. I would still like nothing better than for us to happen together . . .

When I wrote “that baby could so easily have been mine,” I didn’t mean to imply that any physical act potentially leading to fatherhood had taken place. My feeling — accurate or not — was that R——— had a bit of a crush on me, so that phrase meant to capture the possibilities such a crush might have led to.

It’s snowing outside the window of my office as I write this. I don’t expect it to amount to much, but it’s certainly cold out. Here’s a picture from January of ’85, I think, taken from the porch of the homeplace in Walnut.