Happy Birthday to...

...Rush Ray!

Yeah, I know it's Rush's birthday. But, it's also Ray's. Yepsir! The Cherokee Cowboy is 84 today.

I met Ray when I was about 7 years old. He was headlining at the Louisiana Hayride (actually, the Hayride was not a regular thing any longer, so it was more like a Hayride Revival Show at the Municipal Auditorium). My Grandma (Munnie, that I've told y'all about) was just about the biggest Ray fan in the universe. On the bill that night was Uncle David (who I've told y'all about), who was to sing ahead of Ray.

One of the great memories of that night was the opening act. This funny-looking, heavy-set fellow in a green and white checked suit and funny hat came out to kick off the show. That young fellow totally destroyed a banjo & guitar while wowing the crowd with "Under The Double Eagle." I mean, the crowd at the Municipal Auditorium was in pandelerium. You can listen to that same guy play that same tune right here if you want to.

Regardless, when the show was over, we were invited by Uncle David to meet Ray (he knew how much Munnie loved Ray). It was an odd thing to see...but my Grandmother melted...giddy like a schoolgirl. Ray visited with her and Papaw for a while, met Momma & Daddy, acknowledged all four of us little kids, and then signed his photo in the program for my Grandmother.

The day they found her dead on her kitchen floor about 30 years later (heart attack), that picture was still on her refrigerator.

Thanks, Ray! You'll never know how much it meant to my Munnie.

Well crap...I'm tearing up here. (I do that when I think about the old folks.)

Okay...Happy birthday, Ray!

Smooth-



Oh yeah...Smooth, baby...



Kickin'...



Happy Birthday, you old Cherokee Cowboy, you!

And many, many more...