“Precious Lord,” Georgia Tom and the War with the Blues

Tonight our band is going to perform in one of the most prestigious gospel venues around our region—the American Gospel Quartet Convention, here in Birmingham.  Here many of the great African American gospel groups gather to sing, worship and honor fellow performers each year.  It’s meeting at the More Than Conquerors Church in Birmingham.  I like the names a lot of the independent churches give themselves.  It says something about “who we want to be.”  I heard about a midwestern church that actually named itself “Christ Memorial Church.”   What in the WORLD!  Ain’t you people heard about Easter???!!!! Anyway, many … Continue reading “Precious Lord,” Georgia Tom and the War with the Blues

Remembering Martin Luther King

Fifty years ago this week, Martin Luther King’s life was frozen in time for the whole world. His words keep living, his story keeps being told, and the events of his life are examined again and again.  It is not that time any more. The pain is more diffuse, spread into new struggles for equality and justice. It is worth marking the remarkable changes that have happened in that fifty years. We can go to any restaurant and drink from the same fountains. A lot of things are better, much better. But the pain he saw is still in the … Continue reading Remembering Martin Luther King

Gene Bartow’s Biggest Win

How do you measure a life?  Gene Bartow is a legend now, having passed long ago from active coaching to the place where no one else can reach you—retired success.  But since he passed away, Birmingham, Memphis and the college basketball world have been filled with remembering.  He is a college basketball Hall of Fame coach who coached 1000 games in his career.  He finished with a 647-353 record over 34-seasons.  He [i]was a success at Memphis State, leading the Tigers to a remarkable championship game appearance in 1973, where they lost to UCLA and John Wooden.  He was national … Continue reading Gene Bartow’s Biggest Win

Thank You, Ella Jones: Churches, the Arts and Why They Matter

I nearly always prefer the hidden, obscure, local and unnoticed to the Big Stuff.  Celebrity…zzz…even small pond big fish I find relatively uninteresting.  It’s just all so predictable and often pompous.  When I opened today’s Birmingham News, the top of the front page, as usual, was about Alabama and Auburn football, which is as always.  You just have to understand that in Alabama, I would fully expect to see this on a front page: TIDE LANDS FOUR FIVE STAR RECRUITS AUBURN HOPES NEW DEFENSIVE COACH WILL “TURN THE TIDE” NUCLEAR WAR PROBABLE IN NEXT FEW DAYS (Section B) GOD SAYS … Continue reading Thank You, Ella Jones: Churches, the Arts and Why They Matter

A Christmas Eve Thank You

I started this little blog in July with no idea what I was doing.  I’ve been learning as I go, and I do appreciate each and every one who has taken time to read it.  At this point, there have been 6,738 views, which amazes me.  I have met new friends and learned about the web and how it can work.  Four of my posts have been picked up and shared in other places.I am humbled.  Some of you have written about something that really helped.  That blesses me. For all of you, my hopes for a Merry Christmas and … Continue reading A Christmas Eve Thank You