MY UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF ROCK 'N ROLL: Introduction Part 1

There are hundreds of books and thousands of Internet sites that chronicle the history of Rock 'N Roll. My Posts will deal with the subject from a PCHS student's perspective. The Class of 1959 experienced the birth and the Golden 1955-1959 years.  As I have remarked before: "I was there when it happened and I guess I oughta know."


This introduction starts in a plain, unpainted,cinder block hamburger joint in McKinney, KY. The only teen hangout in McKinney was owned by a second cousin (Dad's side) and a first cousin (Mom's side) was one of his best customers. My first cousin provided this account of what happened when Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" 45RPM was placed on the nickle a play Juke Box. 


By the second day, the record was no longer intelligible! The groves were worn smooth. This is a real example of the impact of a single song upon the youth of America. Rock 'N Roll was born (Most music historians agree with my assertion.) Alan Freed an East Coast DJ, coined the term "Rock 'N Roll." (More about Freed in later Posts)


I heard the song a couple of times on the radio before attending a 4-H Youth Camp in Versailles, IN. The night time recreation was dancing (if you can call it that) to Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock." The song was electric, exciting and seemed to say how we felt but could never tell anyone, especially, our parents. 


In addition to the mesmerizing impact of the song, I was smitten by a pretty, very, very pretty girl from a North Vernon 4-H Club. She had a heart-melting smile, dark brown eyes that seemed to twinkle when she winked, and an inviting low voice that resonated on my heart strings. She had the grace and charm every 14 year old boy dreamed about. Did I mention she was several years ahead of her female peers in physical development? Hollywood can put a glow around the leading lady. For one magical week,I saw the glow around her!


After camp was over, we exchanged a few letters and both of us turned Life's page and continued our road to adulthood.



 The next part of the Introduction will answer the question: "Why did Rock 'N Roll burst upon the American scene during our PCHS days?"

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NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKN' ABOUT !!!!!!!!!

Class of 1959,You Are the Greatest !!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks to all for the response to my plea for help.


Hello, to all new readers. You can jump into the Posts anywhere or you can start at the oldest and read forward. As I have mentioned in other Posts, the Blog is in a very large way autobiographical. The topics covered are many and varied. 


We have a saying out here on the Prairie: "Come see us; we'll treat you so many different ways you are bound to like one of them!!!!! The Blog is in that same spirit.


NOTE: THE FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL ME AT ke5gk@sbcglobal.net WILL RECEIVE A NICE OKLAHOMA GIFT. I' LL EMAIL THE WINNER BACK AND GET A MAILING ADDRESS.


There is an old Ernest Tubb recording that expresses my gratitude: "Thanks, Thanks A Lot." 

HELP! HELP! I NEED YOUR HELP! NEED MORE BLOG VISITORS!

I NEED YOUR HELP! 


Please email; telephone; text message; Skype; Messenger; snail mail;smoke signals; beat the jungle drums; flash a mirror; semaphore flag; telegraph; or even put a note in an empty Nehi orange pop bottle, seal with a cork, and drop in into the Graham Creek and let others know of our Blog. Otherwise, I may be forced to start permitting advertisement on the Blog to keep it on the Internet.


I certainly do not want to be known as the classmate who hustled "Lose 40 ponds before 4pm!", "Buy secondhand Gold and save",", "Get your PhD in a weekend", "Wake up feeling 17 again." etc. etc.


Please help me maintain my dignity and honor by getting the word out about 


www.hallpasspchs1959.blogspot.com


Thank you again for helping me.


The Roots of Rock N Roll will start very soon!

SACKY----The Rest of The Story!!!!!!!

Origins of some nicknames are easy to decipher: "Shorty", "Too Tall", "Slim", or "Tubby". Others may relate to an occupation: "Cookie", "Sparky", or "Marshall Dillon".  Others may identify where you are from: "Tex", "Okie", 'Buckeye',or even "Hoosier".


Yet, there are others that no one seems to know where they came from: I had an uncle who was nicknamed "Pos". Another uncle was nicknamed "Wash" (pronounced "Warsh" in KY). I have yet to find a family member that can tell me where those nicknames came from or even how they apply to two of my late uncles.


This Post will at long last disclose why Jay Vaught was called "Sacky"; Dale Vaught was called "Sacky II,  (check out the 1959 edition of the Pirazet yearbook) and Gary Vaught was called "Sacky III".


This is a true story. I was there when it happened and I guess I ought to know.


It was an autumn  (I think in 1957) Saturday morning and Russell Vaught, Jay, Dale, Gary, and yours truly were picking apples in the Weston Bottoms to make cider. (I had spent Friday night at their home.)


Stay with me on this!


Gary, because he was smallest and could get out on the small limbs, had a burlap feed sack equipped with a short rope that attached to the sack and could be worn around Gary's neck, was in the tree. Russell, Jay, Dale and I were picking up apples from the ground and placing the apples in a large bucket.


The story now takes a not-to-unexpected turn!  Dale and I would pick up an apple from the ground and throw the apples at Gary in the tree.
All the while he was dodging the apples coming up from the ground and could make little progress toward picking the apples in the tree!


Russell issued several warnings to Dale and I and we just kept the apple missiles firing! Russell's voice continue to rise with each new warning. I think he even threatened to close the whole cider making adventure down and go home!


Something had to be done and quick. Jay, who probably would never had been a finalist on Jeopardy, saved the entire disaster by yelling, "Give me that G** D*** sack and I'll put it on my head and pick those apples!" Jay, who was really a funny guy and always asked about me when he talked to my folks.


For a split second, I imagined Jay putting the entire burlap sack on his head and trying to pick apples. I could not refrain from immediately blurting out, " Gary, let Sacky put that sack on his head and pick those apples." The nickname was born and we used it the rest of the apple picking morning.


The cider was made, Dale took me home, and he went with my folks to Madison to watch the boat races. (That was long before they moved the races to the 4th of July.) We had a gallon of the very fresh cider---more like apple juice---that we took to the races.  We have a phrase in Oklahoma to describe my condition the next day----I had the Green Apple Quickstep!


It was an easy transition from Sacky to Dale (Sacky II,) to Gary (Sacky III). Most of the people in Jennings Co called Jay by his nickname. Only those at PCHS knew of Sacky II and Sacky III.


For better or worse, I am responsible for the Sacky nickname. Gee, I feel better after over 50 years finally getting that off my chest!  


(I HAVE MADE A RARE EXCEPTION OF USING ACTUAL NAMES BECAUSE THE POST WOULD BE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THEM. ALSO, THE PERSONS NAMED ARE MERELY VICTIMS OF AN OVER ZEALOUS NICKNAMER---me)














  

THE GIFT OF LIFE

Recently, I was looking for some information and ran across the program sent to me from last year's PCHS Reunion.I reviewed with considerable interest the ever lengthening list of deceased classmates. Amazingly, I recognize more and more names each year. Each recognized name brought a flood of memories.


Death can come slowly or very fast. A very famous attorney in Shawnee fell in his home last night and in a few short hours was pronounced dead. As a pastor, I spend a portion of my time with death and those who survive. After the funerals, people reestablished relationships with family and friends that had languished for many  years. However, life often  goes back to the pre-funeral mode.


What can we do?


a.Thank God for Family and Friends
b.Live each day as if it were your last---someday it will be
c. Be creative in finding new friends
d.Find a good Bible teaching, Bible preaching, people reaching church.
e. Call, write or email a good friend today


 LIFE! Let's Celebrate It!

AN AMERICAN SPEAKS--My Personal Passion

Regular readers of this Blog will testify I have taken a political preference stance on any of the current issues facing our nation.
What follows IS NOT political--its a CONSTITUTIONAL issue.
I sent this earlier to many of my email contacts. It is now provided to all Blog readers. 

DOCTOR, DOCTOR. IT HURTS WHEN I HIT MY HEAD WITH A HAMMER!

The silly doctor joke is to remind us that doctors are human.


1. You may have heard about the fellow with a very major memory problem. He went to a shrink and told him his plight. The doctor asked, "How long have you had this problem of a poor memory?"  The patient said, "Could you repeat the question?"


2.What do you call a med student who graduates last in his class?  DOCTOR.


3. There are so many doctor shows on TV the only channel I can receive is 98.6!


4.What do you call two doctors? A paradox!


5. Two doctors were arguing in the OR on how to do the surgery. The patient was very much awake and nearly had a heart attack when he heard on say, "OK, we' ll do it your way but I bet the autopsy will prove me right."


6. This is no joke: You can book ER appointments on line! 

MR. WEISS SHOWED US THE FUTURE IN 1958!

In our junior year Mr. Weiss made some rather startling projections about the future. Many of us, in 1958, thought he was way off the mark. Turns out he was 100 percent correct!


1. Men would start wearing their hair long like women. This probably came true in the 1960's. Many of the fellows, me included, thought this  was nuts.A current personal note: One my deacons and his wife are products of the 60's culture. He has long hear and a beard. He is without doubt the most dynamic and sincere Christian I have ever met. I think Jesus may have looked like this wonderful friend and fellow worker in the vineyard. Another personal note: I wish I had some hair! Maybe I am being punished for laughing at Principal Ira Whitaker!


2. Men will use bags, like brief cases, with long straps---like women. Ever see a guy with a laptop computer on a long strap over his shoulder? All kinds of luggage bags also. I don't know how he knew the future. But he was spot on.


3. The line of distinction between men and women would become blurred. This has happened in many areas of life: Women in combat, sports, politics, and many, many others. Our youngest daughter was a real star in basketball and volleyball. How about stay at home Dads? More and more men are entering nursing.


Mr Weiss was a real teacher and could identify with students. I heard he has written a book about cooking German food. He was special to all of us.


One of our classmates was introduced to her future husband by Mr. Weiss!