Subject: enjoyed the madison memories
Author: herb_&_lorrie , Apr/26/2001 13:49:05 [-05 EST]
Being from Madison & Goodlettsville, we both enjoyed seeing your madison stuff!! It brought back alot of memories. We'd love to see more. By the way, we hear that copas is still in gatlinburg carving. This info. comes through mike vaughn. Thanks again for the memories.
RSM emailed response:
Hi! Wow!
Who are you? Tell me more! How'd ya find me? Did we ever meet? You go to MHS? Where are you now?
Been DYING to get back in touch with Mike Copas! Help me find him!
Hello there. My name is Lorrie Bennett. No I've never met you as far as I know. I went to Goodlettsville . My husband's name is Mike Bennett. Everyone calls him Herb. He went to Madison (1971),
lived in the bend on Coggin Pass. I met him through my cousins, Danny, Kenny & David Jones. (Kenny was killed in an auto accident in 1969. My grandmother Maybelle lived on Summerfield Drive back in the 60's. My mother was Anita Carter. This is not how we found you though!! My husband was looking up old barber shops & somehow came up on your site. Weird!! I think that my cousin Carlene was friends with your sister in elementary school. I'll try to get Mike Copas info for you. He's real close with another friend of ours, Mike Vaughn. Do you remember him? I think he went to Maplewood. (He was in some old bands way back!!)
Great to talk to you.
Lorrie
Oh yeah, forgot to tell you... I noticed that John Levrett was mentioned in the memories. We were told that he was killed in a carwreck a few weeks back. Also, we live in Old Hickory. Actually, we live right over the bridge on the river. We have 30 acres here. Tried locating a # for Mike Copas. I found one in Sevierville which is where I believe he lives. I'm not positive that this is the right one but you might try it. 865-428-1030. Mike Vaughn was not at home to confirm this but it's worth a try, huh? It's funny I have also stumbled up on the website on your dad. I really enjoyed that very much too.
From what I've read you are a very accomplished musician also. Guess it runs in the family!!
I would love to do a nice website in honor of the Carter Family but don't really know where to start. Looks like you've had some experience!!
Hope you can get in touch with Copas. Good Luck
Lorrie
RSM:
HI AGAIN... WOW, THIS WHOLE STORY IS QUITE INCREDIBLE, THANKS FOR SHARING. I KEEP GOIN BACK AND REREADING YOUR POSTS. ANITA CARTER'S DAUGHTER! I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT... THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF 'CONNECTIONS' WE COULD TALK ABOUT. I'M EXHAUSTED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT! HA! WHERE DO I START?
BTW - I LIVE IN BLOOMFIELD NJ SINCE 1978, DUNNO IF I'D MENTIONED IT.
Hello there. My name is Lorrie Bennett. No I've never met you as far as I know. I went to Goodlettsville . My husband's name is Mike Bennett. Everyone calls him Herb. He went to Madison (1971), lived in the bend on Coggin Pass.
DOES HE REMEMBER ME? I CAN'T RECALL HIM. JUST CHECKED OLD MHS RAM YEARBOOKS (!!) AND COULD ONLY FIND A FRED BENNETT. SAME? WHAT DO Y'ALL DO FOR A LIVING? GOT FAMILY? ANY KIDS? PETS? [SORRY TO SEEM NOSEY! LOL]
I HAVE SO MANY NEELYS BEND CONNECTIONS. DECADES WORTH. STILL IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH BILLY ANDERSON, ROGER FERGUSON, MIKE HOPPER AND MYRON BRYANT. BILLY'S MY BEST FRIEND SINCE '64, LIVES/HAS A STUDIO ON PENNINGTON BEND!! KNOWS MIKE VAUGHN PRETTY GOOD. YOU KNOW OF BILLY?? I WAS JUST DOWN THERE MAY 99.
I met him through my cousins, Danny, Kenny & David Jones. (Kenny was killed in an auto accident in 1969.
WHOA, DO I REMEMBER A KENNY JONES? SEEMS FAMILIAR. EVEN THE TRAGEDY SORTA RINGS A BELL... NOT A LOT OF GOODLETTSVILLE MEMORIES FOR ME.
My grandmother Maybelle lived on Summerfield Drive back in the 60's.
ROGER FERGUSON LIVED ON SOUTH SUMMERFIELD, RIGHT BEHIND OUR HOUSE AT 507 GRAYCROFT! I ATTENDED ONE OF HER LAST SESSIONS AT HOUSE OF CASH!
My mother was Anita Carter.
MIND BLOWING NEWS! WOW, AND THERE'S A NEAT BEAR FAMILY CD OF ANITA'S WITH LOTS OF MY FATHER'S BASS.
This is not how we found you though!! My husband was looking up old barber shops & somehow came up on your site. Weird!!
BARBER SHOPS???? LOL!! HOW ON EARTH WAS I FOUND THERE?
I think that my cousin Carlene was friends with your sister in elementary school.
CORRECT! CHARLENE SMITH USEDTA COME OVER FOR MY SISTER LINDA'S SLUMBER PARTIES! WOW! THEN, SUDDENLY, NICK LOWE!! ARE YOU STILL IN TOUCH WITH HER? SHE HAD QUITE A HIT RECORD PERIOD THERE 10 YEARS AGO. ROCKPILE!
DID YOU KNOW THE SCRUGGS FAMILY?? VERY CLOSE TIES HERE, BOTH THRU MHS AND PLAYING WITH RANDY, GARY & EARL'S REVUE!! HOW ABOUT BARRY CHANCE?
I'll try to get Mike Copas info for you.
I WAS EXTREMELY CLOSE WITH COPAS. AGAIN, THRU SCHOOL AS WELL AS VIA OUR FATHERS' CONNECTIONS. ME AND MIKE DID ARTWORK TOGETHER, PICKED MUSIC TOGETHER, TRIPPED OUT ON DRUGS TOGETHER! HA HA HA...
HAVEN'T TRIED THAT PHONE # YET, BUT WILL. DOES HE HAVE EMAIL?
He's real close with another friend of ours, Mike Vaughn. Do you remember him?
BARELY. BILLY FWDED ME HIS MILLENNIUM MAN PAGE! DOES MV HAVE EMAIL?
I think he went to Maplewood. (He was in some old bands way back!!)
THAT'S RIGHT! AND BILLY WOULD REMEMBER!
Great to talk to you.
Lorrie
WOW.................... THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.
Oh yeah, forgot to tell you... I noticed that John Levrett was mentioned in the memories. We were told that he was killed in a carwreck a few weeks back.
YOU MEAN 'GARY' LEVERETT?
Also, we live in Old Hickory. Actually, we live right over the bridge on the river. We have 30 acres here.
AMAZING! YOU MUST TRY TO TRACK DOWN THE ANDERSONS! I SENT HIM ALL THIS, HOPEFULLY HE'LL WRITE YOU.
Tried locating a # for Mike Copas. I found one in Sevierville which is where I believe he lives. I'm not positive that this is the right one but you might try it. 865-428-1030. Mike Vaughn was not at home to confirm this but it's worth a try, huh?
YUP!
It's funny I have also stumbled up on the website on your dad. I really enjoyed that very much too.
GREAT! MUCH TO SEE AND LEARN THERE. DID YOU SEE MY SISTER'S PAGES? http://angelfire.com/nj2/contex/2222000.html SHE'S AN AMAZING MODERN ROCK SINGER. I ALSO SENT HER OUR CORRESPONDENCE. WONDER IF SHE REMEMBERS YOU...
From what I've read you are a very accomplished musician also. Guess it runs in the family!!
YOU SHOULD HEAR MY AWESOME BODY OF WORK! OVER 30 YEARS, 300 ALBUMS!!??!! EVERY STYLE----- LISTEN AT: http://www.mp3.com/rsteviemoore
I would love to do a nice website in honor of the Carter Family but don't really know where to start. Looks like you've had some experience!!
I'D LOVE TO DO THAT! HOW? DO YOU HAVE ANY MATERIALS YOU COULD FURNISH? SCANNED JPGS? TEXT? SERIOUSLY, LEMME KNOW WHAT YOU ENVISION. YOU SUPPLY, AND I'LL TRY TO BUILD IT... I ERECTED A COUPLE OF BASIC HOMEPAGES (FOR MY STEPMOTHER KITTRA) FOR MARTHA CARSON http://angelfire.com/nj2/carson/ AND JOHNNY BURNETTE http://angelfire.com/nj2/burnet/ WITH RARE STUFF SHE & DAD SUPPLIED.
Hope you can get in touch with Copas.
THANK YOU FOR THIS COOL PENPAL EXPERIENCE. HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU BOTH AGAIN SOON.
LOVE,
RSTEVEN
Lorrie:
Hey again,
This has been fun! We're gonna write more in a bit. Herb will want to talk with you. We just had a couple of people pull up.
It seems that I should know a Billy Anderson. Do you know if he was one of the regulars at Evangel Temple Church?? That's the only connection I can make. Maybe a different person that I'm thinking of.
I have seen the Martha Carson site. That's how I found your dad's webpage. The reason that I looked for the Martha Carson site is because her brother rented from us & of course I had heard of her all my life!
You asked what we did for a living. We are self employed. We have rental property. It beats going in & working for someone else!! We just finished building a house & it has kept us very busy.
As I said before, we'll holler back later. I'd better go & see who's here. I really do want to talk to you about the webpage stuff.
Later,
Lorrie
RSM:
Back again. Glad you wrote back. Hope I'm not making a pest of myself.
Well, it HAD to happen: now ya got me doing deep web searches for your mother, and the floodgates open! So much essential history I should have known, but didn't (or forgot).
Like the timeline for Maybelle and the Sisters. Chet. Anita's solo singles and hits with Hank Snow. Reading that Elvis had an early crush on her! Her upright bass playing & beautiful soprano. 'Nita, Rita and Ruby! Waylon. And the ultimate: that Hank Williams duet on the Kate Smith TV show! Even discovered that amazing photo in the Hank 10CD box!
Anita, Grady Martin, Marjorie (last name unknown), Hank relaxing at the Copacabana night club, New York, after performing on the Kate Smith Evening Hour, March 26, 1952
(You know and have all of this stuff, I presume??)
And that she was married twice. And that you have a brother in Goodlettsville, Jay Davis. (Your father is Davis? Or Wooton?) And reminded that Helen passed only a year before. Poor June....
I even pulled out my Carter Fam Rounder CDs. Such wonderful listening.
If you don't mind me asking, what year were you born? (just to put things into perspective... Carlene older than you?)
Nope, my Billy A was not the religious one. Do you know his area (the river street off of McGavock, near Opryland & Briley Pkwy)? You must know of him. He's quite the legendary local engineer/picker/musicman. Married to Ginger, William Morris Agency agent. And Mike Vaughn knew him very well.
Most of those Martha Carson photos are unseen, super rare, provided to us straight from her own collection. She's close with Dad. My stepmother Kittra actually scanned them all for me!
Speaking of which, any pictures of you two that you could email me?
New page done today:
http://angelfire.com/tn2/bobloyce/cash.html
Hope you're enjoying all this. Forgive the vast quantity of everything! Whew!
Hi to Herb - - - - - -
Keep on the sunny side,
R. Steven
Lorrie (just me again!!)
good morning!
I was born in Mobile, Al. We moved to Nashville when I was 3.
Carlene is older than me. I'm 42. Carlene is living in New Mexico with Howie Epstein. She likes those bass players!
Haven't seen her in over a year. She did have a pretty good career going. Don't know why she slowed down.
So you've been searching stuff on my family, huh? Theres alot of years to cover!!! That was pretty neat that the Hank Williams thing w/mom surfaced after all those years. I think mom was 18 or 19.
I know the Billy Anderson that you are talking about. I've heard Mike Vaughn refer to him many times. It just didn't click at first.
Are you playing much now?
I looked up your sisters website as well. Very Nice!!! I don't guess that I really knew her. Just remembered her being Carlene's friend from way back when they still lived over between Due West & Gibson. Carlene still owns the house there. I hear that the roof is falling in. It's a shame cause it was really nice at one time.
Well, I'll go for now. It's really great talking with you.
Keep in touch!
Lorrie
Dear Lorrie,
Please forgive me for neglecting to include my sympathies over the recent passing of your mom. Forgot it was not that long ago. In fact, Kittra (my stepmother) notified me by email the day after it happened, said Dad was quite affected. They may have attended the funeral.
Blessings,
RStevieM
Lorrie:
Hey!
I enjoyed the Johnny Burnette page as well. Did ya'll know him other than your dad playing on his sessions?
Forgot to answer about our kids & pets... We have 2 kids. Our daughter, Kimberly is 22, married & has a little girl, Savannah that is 3. Our son, Brandon is 16. He goes to Hunters Lane High . That basically is Madison, Goodlettsville &Dupont under one roof! We have one dog, Neyland. He's a black lab/weimeraner mix. He's 4 & thinks he owns the place.
My brother Jay is autistic. He lives with us. He is 36. He's kind of like another kid!! He's very high functioning, but could never live alone.
It seems that you & your step mother are close. That's really nice. I'm very close to mine too.
well, guess I'd better get going. It's gonna be another pretty one here in Tennessee!
Bye now,
Lorrie
Hello Steve,
Im Mike Bennett ( Herb) I found the web site late one night. Great! I think you and I were in the same classes in school maybe? You look famaliar. Lets go back in some years. Madison shoneys I had a Blk 57 chevy all jacked up,
A white 64 corvette w/ side headers, 34 ford, 55 nomad wagon silver w/ blk top. oh well. I ran with the first of the hippies, and it was John Leverett that died. Garys brother.
James Pearl days on Saunders Rd. I think I remember Pete Spero and Roger Ferguson there. I grew up in the bend w/ Kenny and Danny Jones. I lived on a on a Kawasaki 500 and Honda 750 , then the Harley Davidson. My dad owned Bennet's Drive- In Market just across the bridge into Old Hickory.on the right. I talk to Vaughn alot. He sees Copas all the time. Old people I knew, Bobby Lewis, Ronnie Pardue, Ronnie Jernigen, Tera and Rex from Thailand::Hung out at Tula Fayes. I could go on and on. Maybe one of these thing will bring back a memory.Like I said , I think we were in the same place a few times. I got nicknamed Herbie till it turned into Herb How lucky can you be?
Let me know. Herb
From: Moore's Code
To: Rivergator (Herb)
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2001 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: Madison, The Bend and Old Hickory
Hey guy.....
What a trip this is, eh?
Certainly I remember the places, but not all the names & faces. Cruising
Shoneys, without a doubt. Never was too big on hot cars or cycles. My
friend Billy Anderson was, tho.
So, your class pictures weren't in the MHS annuals, right? Can't find
you.
Where did the name Herbie come from?
Tula Fayes! God, what/where was that?
Don't recall yer dad's market (but I bet Roger would!). Did you know
Mike Hopper?
Did you go to Stratton?
R. Stevie
Class of '70
Herb:
Yes I knew Mike Hopper , James Frye. Jerry Bowling. I left school in the 11th grade went for GED. My pic should be in the early one.( I think) I went to Neely's bend 1-9 grade grew up on coggin pass. Tula Fayes was a weird head shop on the corner of Old Hickory Blvd.and the road that ran behind the Madison square it was a I think purple bldg. Faye slone ran the thing she's a clothes designer. She does wardrobe for movies now. But what happened to Hopper last I remember he was hanging with Al Patton from Old Hickory and Johnny Martin.I remember Butch Davis he had a Yamaha 100 he used to come to the bend a lot. The name Herbie I hated but it would not stop so later in life after 20 yrs of working for the government (Ariel Surveys) I felt I had a place somewhere
else. I bought and tore apart my dads old bldg. I built a commercial bldg. and the made a restaurant in one side and called it HERB'S DELI. It was the best thing that every hit old hickory . Fri night blues w/ local bands, friends of mine, we had deli meats from ny Boarshead Brand steamed sandwiches. So did that for 5yrs. sold the Herbs Deli name and bus. I still own the bldg and rent it to the new owners of the deli. I later built a home on the Cumberland river and that is where I plan to stay. I will send you a pic of are house that all in digital pics i have. I do have one of my wife and i
Ill try to send it also.
Keep in touch Herb
Oh yea ! The reason I was throwing in the tula fayes is to see what you were into back then. It was filled with wild clothes and incense
From: (Moore's Code)
To: my Hartling
Sent: April 28, 2001 1:51:43 PM GMT
Subject: RE: Decades of Gigs!
was gonna ask you: you played/still play music? you did gigs? you ever sing onstage with yer mom? you ever do any recordings?
From: (my Hartling) To: RSMko@webtv.net (Moore's Code)
Subject: RE: Decades of Gigs!
Hey,
Enjoyed your decades of gigs!! I have no idea where & when I played!! Never kept up with it. Really should have though!
Clever!
Yes, I sang on the road with "The Carter Family" from the time I was fourteen into my early twenties. At first we worked the bluegrass circuit shortly after the success of the "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" album that really boosted grandma. We worked through 1974 with her. Probably 74 & 75 was with the Cash show.
That was pretty easy.It was alot different than hitting the road in an ole Lincoln!! Flying, limosines....you know!!!
After the Cash Show run, my mom, auunt Helen , My cousin David & I played for a few years. Mostly festivals, colleges, small venues. When I was 14 we did an album called Three Generations (Carter Family) & then in my early 20's we did another album called Breaking Tradition. I sang on my moms last cd , Yesterday. I didn't care for the road. Probably because I still had to work all week in a doctors office to pay the bills!! Mom & Helen continued to play with the Cash show till the mid 90's. But I do wish that I remembered specific places more vividly. Guess my mind was somewhere else!! We did a few things at Scruggs studio that I don't know whatever happened to.
I've never wanted to pursue this stuff as a career. I just enjoy listening!!
Talk to you soon,
Lorrie
Lorrie:
I keep thinking of things to tell you. This comes as an answer for your Madison stuff. David Howard's suicide. From what my mom told me, he was in a relationship with another guy & his mother disapproved very much. She evidently came down on him, they argued & he went upstairs & shot himself. I know that Jan really blamed herself. She & my mom were best friends. She started going on the road with the Cash Show after that . She worked with them for several years. Just thought about it & wanted to tell you.
Funny, it seems like I know you because of all of the people we both know. HAAA!!!!
Talk to ya later.
Lorrie
RSM:
Wow! David Howard clarification!
Graycroft and Chadwell. Harlan. Right up the hill from where Billy A grew up.
How about Billy Troy Graves? We were in a combo as early as 1964! The Crickets!
Thanks for being so open. This is kinda strange, huh. Email can be amazing that way. Such therapy to trade posts, even with strangers. And the more openness, the less strangers we become. Make sense?
Here's one for ya:
http://oocities.com/rsmko/taxmen.html
Don't stop, this is quite a hoot. Flashback City.
RSM
Lorrie:
Don't know Billy Troy Graves. I knew David very well because My dad, Don ran Harlan's publishing company & Jan was mom's friend.
Enjoyed the Taxmen site!! Do ya'll actually have those cuts down? I probably missed ya'll because I was pretty young. But I do remember the outdoor skating rink there in Madison. Carlene, Rosey, Pat Parker & I went there alot. I guess ya'll played there some, huh? Again... this is great. I'll show it to Herb when he gets back.
Later,
Lorrie
RSM:
thanks.
hey wow, is your street name YOUR own street?
know very little about digital cameras. those pics herb sent are fantastic! need more... wish i could see your face better. herb's closeup is EXCELLENT!
guess what? we often tune into the internet webcast of Randy Fox's WRVU (Vandy) rockabilly radioshow on Saturday nights! He knows dad & Kittra well. There was a benefit concert at the Ryman weeks back.
Billy Troy is Josh Grave's son, lived on Chadwell near Gibson!
til later,
roberto
Lorrie:
O.K. , I get the Graves connection now.
Yes, Bennett Dr. is named after Herb's family. They owned all of the land from Old Hickory Blvd. to the river.
We have always listened to the blues on WRVU on Sun. nights. Will catch the rockabilly thing. Speaking of rockabilly, I have been in touch with W.S. Holland who was uncle John's drummer. He has been playing with Rockabilly Masters with Stan Perkins (Carl's son) and some other guys that I don't know. Haven't heard them but I hope to soon.
I've been out by the pool with a friend. It's a beautiful day here. How's the weather in N.J.?
I am serious about doing a webpage for the Carter's. I have everything!!! Will talk to you more about it. I would appreciate your help.
Is your dad doing o.k.? Is he still playing? I need to join the fan club!! Grady & my dad were real close back in the 50's. Then I worked for the dr. that delivered Grady & Sue's kids. Knew Sue real well myself but don't really know him that well. He just knew that I was Don Davis' daughter!!!
WOW! Of course I knew Mike Bennet. He was a year behind me all the way through school. He's a Neeley's Bend boy. I knew the Jones boy-- Danny was a year older and Kenny was in my classes up until ninth grade when he started staying home and growing his hair long. We had a band-- The Back Door Men in 8th grade. I remember visiting with Kenny just before he died. He played me a song he had written called "The Traveler" or something to that effect. I was floored. He was the first person I knew who tried to write his own songs. I think Johnny Cash later recorded the tune. I remember Mike's motorcycles and car, and there ain't no way I'll ever call him Herb. Mike- What was Kenny's spooky babysitte4r/housekeeper's name? I, of course, remember Droop Vaughn from The Whole Damn Family, Tula Faye's, James Pearl's, James Frye, The Roundman (Jerry Bowling [I adored his sister Sandra], and on and on. I was in Maybelle's house on Summerfield with Kenny a few times-- once to wake up JC for a gig at about 6 o'clock one evening. He was VERY hard to wake! Mike-- Were we not in Cub Scouts together? This could go on forever.
From: "Rivergator" (Herb)
To: Roger
Subject: Is this the old Ferg.
Hey man its me alright. I wondered what became of you. Last I recall was seeing you at James Pearl in them smoking days.Heh! Long time , did'nt you have a sister named Sherry? You know I cant remenber Steve Moore but I knew his face and name. Steve mentioned your name and I knew I was on the right track. I live in Old Hickory Tn. I still see Danny Jones and whats left of the old bunch. And now comes the Jones housekeeper. There were a lot of them but the one that comes to my mind first is Leaetta the big fat one , what a time! Then there was the other one, well I'm not going there right yet. If it was Leaetta let me know. She had a relative that came down from out west and was riding Kennys bridgestone 175 and ran over me on my Honda 65. She rented cars and would drive them in reverse to take the miles back off. I can remember riding all in the bend backwarks all day long in a convertable. Great!!!! Anyway roger it is great to be in touch again after all the years ( still alive) please stay in touch. Remember a guy I ran with Ronnie Pardue Reddish hair, big afro, he named me Herb for what reason I dont know. I sent steve the only digital pic of me. Im only bigger and just as ugly. This is my e-mail Rivergator @earth, I'm trying to get DSL so it might change and i'll let you know. c/ya Herb