Bluegrass Music - Randall Franks, Otis Head, Raymond Fairchild - Sound of a Train - Cripple Creek

Pull up a chair, its time for The Otis Head Show.
Ninety-year-old Otis Head plays harmonica, buck dances and receives an award for his work as a radio host.
For 51 years, thousands of North Georgians have sought a weekly dose of down-home charm and bluegrass music from this beloved radio personality.
Saturdays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at 1530 on the AM dial, WTTI, Otis packs in loyal listeners who look forward to his folksy delivery and personal stories about growing up in Gobblers Knob and living in Plainview, both north of Dalton in Whitfield County.
I was born up the creek from Praters Mill, he said. We were always farmers at that time.
When Head began broadcasting his weekly bluegrass program on WBLJ in Dalton it was 1959. He gave listeners the latest sounds of bluegrass at a time when performers such as Elvis Presley were changing the face of Southern music, pushing bluegrass further down on the list of radio formats.
When I was real young all I knew was a few people who picked banjo and maybe a few that played fiddle, he said. I liked it. Its in my bones I reckon.
He was playing the stars Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Jim and Jesse.
I had live bands at one time, he said. The Swaggerty Family and the Fort Mountain Boys were among them.
Head originally began the program to promote his grocery store, the Plainview Superette.
I started from nothing — just the little stock, he said. I had $444 worth. The store was originally just 17 feet by 22 feet. Business got so good I built on three times.
He eventually grew it into a supermarket, he said.
After just a year on the air, Head moved to WRCD where he remained for 28 years until programmers desired to move his weekly show from 12:30 in the afternoon to 7:30 a.m. He did not see eye to eye with them so he ended his nearly 30-year run.
I no more than walked out the door when WTTI took me to its studio, he said. I have been there ever since — 23 years — playing the finest in gospel bluegrass.
Head retired from the grocery business nearly 20 years ago but he had already built up a long list of program sponsors. He walks listeners through their radio map each week inviting folks to stop by and do business with dedicated sponsors from Western Sizzlin to First Bank of Dalton. For many years he was joined by his late wife Mary as co-host.
When I retired I just kept going, he said. The people kept me going.
In his long career he brought many bluegrass greats to North Georgia to perform or do an interview, from Bill Monroe, Boys from Indiana, Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Louvin, the Bailes Brothers and others.
One unique trip he made to Maggie Valley forever changed the face of bluegrass.
I was driving down the road, on the side of the road about 50 people were gathered beside a little old store, he said. I stopped to see what was going on. I heard a banjo. I parted people back and there was this banjo player performing for tips.
The 20-year-old Native American Raymond Fairchild was soon on his way to Plainview where he was playing for Otis.
He started picking the banjo at the supermarket, Head said. He got to drawing such a crowd. I had to stop cause it was hurting my business. I could not do business with all the people there. They did not come to trade they came to watch him pick.
At the same time Otis was making contact with old friends in Nashville, telling them about his find. Before long Otis had Raymond in Nashville recording his first album at age 22.
Fairchild went on to set the world of traditional music on fire, winning five consecutive Master of the Banjo championships and taking the stage of the Grand Ole Opry by storm.
He now hosts his own show nightly from May through October at the Maggie Valley Opry House where folks can see his countless awards and gold records, accolades and accomplishments that may not have been possible without Otis.
Fairchild brought his show to Dalton's beautifully restored Wink Theatre April 24, 2004 for a bluegrass and gospel celebration honoring Otis Heads 45 years in radio. Randall Franks, Autumn Harvest and Sharon Head Norris also appeared. (Article courtesy Randall Franks, Southern Style, Peach Picked Publishing) (The Sounds of a Train/Otis Head/Peach Picked Pub./BMI) (Cripple Creek PD arrangement)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Otis Head
• Randall Franks
• Raymond Fairchild
• Cripple Creek
• Sounds of a Train
• Wink Theater
• Cody Shuler
• Harmonica

[PoetryETrain]

:), this has been added to our playlists here, and in facebook, :)

[williamwagener]

Great.... he makes it sing....

[Deborahjones438]

Otis Head is a amazing man, God Sent from above to touch our lives in so many ways. We have an angel among us. God Bless you Otis Head.