78 Magazine 2020 Music Issue

Eric Dover

Matt Patton

The Soul of Music | Nov/Dec 2020 | 78MAG.COM

Shelbie Z.

Braden Griffith

FREE to a good home

THE

MUSIC

ISSUE

Inside the Minds of Walker County’s Talented Musicians

Jeff Parnell

loves the stage

Eagle’s Wings Band Michael Keeton Ernie McClinton Vickie Cosby

Since its beginning in 2000, Cunningham Industrial Supply has become a major distributor and importer of fasteners and other materials for farm implement, trailer, and boat dock manufacturers. We supply customers in 25 states as well as Canada and Mexico.

FASTENERS

• GRADE 2,5,8 BOLTS • CARRIAGE BOLTS • PLOW BOLTS • FLATWASHERS • LOCKWASHERS • COTTER PINS • HEX NUTS • LOCKNUTS

OTHER ITEMS • WELDING WIRE

• SCREW PIN SHACKLES • DISC HARROW AXLES • U-BOLTS • TRACTOR PINS • BEARINGS • SAFETY CHAINS Barry Woodman, Jim Cunningham, Jimbo Cunningham, Justin Mitchell

118 Hwy 269 | P.O. Box 1333 | Jasper, AL 35502 Email: jim@cunninghamindustrial.com Phone: (205) 384-6999 | Fax: (205) 384-6610

Fellowship trained in sports medicine from the prestigious hughston clinic

Dan Morris, D.o.

Orthopredic Surgeon • Arthroscopy

• Rotator Cuff Repair • ACL Reconstruction • Carpal Tunnel Surgery • Hip, Knee and Shoulder Replacement

1446 Jones Dairy Road Suite 100 Jasper, AL 35501 Call for an appointment!

205.221.4916

AFTER HOURS CLINIC Covid-19 rapid test/results in 15 minutes!

COMPLETELY RENOVATED FACILITIES SAME GREAT CARE & DEDICATION SINCE 1983!

Jasper 1800 Birmingham Avenue (205) 384-4585 Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm.

Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday and Major Holidays

Sumiton 385 Bryan Road (Facing Walmart) (205) 648-0240 Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

Come see our updated facilities! Clean, beautiful, and professional!

Fully equiped in-house labratory/X-Ray servicecs In-house pharmacy available in Jasper

www.afterhoursclinics.biz

24

CONTENTS THE WELL

58

12 guitar man 18 superstar

Production Director Linley Allred Editor & Writer Terrell Manasco Photographer Blakeney Clouse

24 shelbie z: born for the stage 30 soul journey

Graphic Designer Art Director Sarah O’Mary Roberts

34 a good run

Features 40 photo essays 54 portrait

60

Owner & Publisher Al Blanton

60 q&A with kristian & brandon douglas 62 medical

Communications Specialists Kendra Brown Justin Hunter Erin Shockey Address 1810 3rd Avenue South Jasper, AL 35501

64 faith 65 law 66 education 72 local dish

Subscriptions: For six issues,

74 beauty

send $18.99, or

76 threads

for 12 issues, send $35.99 to:

78 real estate

BMG

70 business

PO Box 67

52

Jasper, AL 35501 Email ablanto3@gmail.com Facebook: @78mag Instagram: 78online Phone: (205) 587-1170 www.78mag.com Cover photo: Jeff Parnell by Blakeney Clouse

78 | On Ramp

B

y the late 1980s, my father owned an impressive collection of vinyl that ranged from Andy Gibb and Nicolette Larson to Steely Dan and Journey. To say the least, he had a wide-ranging musical palate.

We played the games that people play

As a young boy growing up within the walls of our house on Ridgewood Road, the music played from an old massive box-style TV was forever etched into my memory. My dad would often sing along to the albums he had placed delicately on the record player, giving an impassioned rendition of Dan Fogelberg’s “Seeing You Again” or Luther Vandross’s “A House is not a Home.” Other favorites included “Sad Eyes” by Robert John, “Sukyaki” by A Taste of Honey, “Always and Forever” by Heatwave –“It’s just a simple little love song,” saith Big Al—and “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” by Tavares.

You needed me.

The song is about two lovers who have sadly parted ways, and is a reflection of the times that have been lost. The marriage of Lionel’s voice, the haunting piano, and the poignant lyrics is so incredibly emotive that I’m certain Lionel snatched those words from the ache of his soul.

On special days, he would throw on The Village People’s Live & Sleazy album, slide into the living room a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and perform Y.M.C.A. or another snappy little ditty called “Ready for the ‘80s.”

It’s been 9 years since my father passed away, and every time I hear “Still” I think of him. The song may be about two lovers who are no longer together, but for me, it has become about the relationship between father and son.

But the song that perhaps defined him more than any other was the Commodores’ great love ballad, “Still.” This song probably doesn’t get as much publicity as other efforts like “Three Times a Lady” or “Truly” from Lionel’s self-titled solo album, but in my opinion it is Richie’s best.

So dad, thank you for the music. But then most of all, I do love you.

We made mistakes along the way Somehow I know, deep in my heart Remembering the pain, if I must say It’s deep in my mind and locked away

Still. 78

Al

ALLFOUR REAL ESTATE, INC JASPER | SMITH LAKE

James Ann Martin Broker 205.275.3994

Charlotte Sherer Associate Broker 205.522.3833

Suzy Blackwood Realtor 205.275.3464

Chapman Blanton Realtor 205.240.2475

Donna Boshell Realtor 205.275.7418

John Brasfield GRI, Realtor 205.300.1757

GRI, SRES, AHWD, Realtor

205.522.7966

Brian Czup Broker 205.388.2019

Rhonda Dailey Realtor 205.544.4155

Patsy Estes GRI, Realtor 205.388.0245

Lorrie Franks Associate Broker 205.544.9375

James German Realtor 205.522.9201

Karen Gibson Realtor 205.910.0756

Amy Guenzler Realtor 205.388.1807

Rhonda Hall Realtor 256.255.8549

Deanna Hallman Realtor 205.492.8944

Mary Holley Realtor 205.388.7658

Danielle Hurley Realtor 205.602.6778

Gilbert Jean Realtor 205.385.2310

Seth Johnston Realtor 205.471.5484

Cindi Cain

YOUR LOCAL REALTORS FOR ALL OF WALKER COUNTY AND SMITH LAKE! 2 LOCATIONS Jasper | 803 Airport Road, South 205.384.1113 Smith Lake | Duncan Bridge 205.221.1221 WWW.ALLFOUR.COM

CV Key Realtor 205.275.0766

Misti Lee Realtor 205.522.1149

Becky Legg Realtor 205.275.3942

Cam Lowrance Realtor 205.288.2983

Patrick McKinney Realtor 205.381.8341

Austin McLemore Realtor 205.522.9877

Gari Leigh Minor Realtor 205.275.7304

Mike Morton Realtor 205.275.4534

Lisa Rigsby Realtor 205.388.6278

Bob Sherer Realtor 205.275.7074

Becky Smith Realtor 205.540.5478

Earl Stafford Associate Broker 205.522.3275

Stacey Thompson Realtor 205.910.5047

Creek Wilson Realtor 205.717.0894

Greg Wilson Realtor 205.275.2044

Ginger Wise Associate Broker 205.218.7739

Lisa Wolfe Realtor 205.522.8417

78 | The Well

12 | 78 Magazine

78 Magazine | 13

14 | 78 Magazine

Commercial | Residential | Service | Gas Piping Sewer Repair/Replacement | Tankless Heaters Camera Inspections

2102 Commerce Avenue | Jasper, AL 35501 (205) 387-2547

Superstar Across 40 years of his musical career, Eric Dover has seen it all. From playing with rock icons Slash and Alice Cooper to his newest effort, The Lickerish Quartet, Dover is Walker County’s Godfather of Music.

Words by Al Blanton | Images courtesy Eric Dover

The aroma of boiled peanuts drifted down the highway as two young teenagers eagerly waited for customers. This was the late 1970s, and the boys, longhaired and zealous, were undoubtedly dressed in bellbottom jeans and faded T-shirts.

The hut in which they hawked their produce had been built out of the remains of a snaky, ratty, condemned family home in the community of Townley.

‘Yellowbird,’ ‘Everybody Loves Somebody,’ and Old Rat Pack classics. That’s kind of where it started in a nutshell.”

“It looked like it had been there forever on the side of the road,” recalls Eric Dover. “It hadn’t.”

“He was a fabulous teacher, wonderful human being,” Dover says of McCombs.

For the boys, each day was met with great anticipation because there was no telling whom they might meet during a hard day’s work. Drifters. Gypsies. Regular Joe’s. All walks of life. But ultimately for Dover, selling boiled peanuts on the side of the road with his brother Karl did two things. It taught him a work ethic that would carry him the rest of his life, and it made him understand there had to be something more glamorous than being a peanut peddler on the side of Highway 78. As it turns out, that glamour arrived in the form of music.

That instruction eventually propelled him to a liberal arts scholarship at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, where he studied music theory for two years.

Dover’s fire for this artistic outlet was initially stoked around age 8 when his sister Tina would bring home Alice Cooper and Bad Company records. It wasn’t long before he found himself thumbing through magazines like Hit Parader, Cream, and Rolling Stone, searching for the newest albums to buy at local record stores, places like Records N’ Things, The Sound Shop, or Alan’s Discount Music—where he spent most of his money.

After watching his brother-in-law play in a band, Dover was asked by his mother if he was serious about this music thing. He assured her he was, and she promptly signed him up for guitar lessons at Corrine Williamson’s School of Music in downtown Jasper. “[Mrs. Williamson] was about 75 years old and she was also responsible for starting a majority of the marching band programs in the county, back in the early days,” Dover recalls. “She was a wonderful lady. I learned how to read music. We’d play hymns and standards—you know,

18 | 78 Magazine

Throughout high school, Dover, knowing his fate as a musician was already sealed, concentrated on honing his craft by taking lessons from Marvin McCombs, music teacher extraordinaire at Walker College.

After his time in junior college, Dover moved to Birmingham and hooked up with a regional touring band called Baghdad. He replaced Will Ousley, who would go on to greater fame playing for Christian recording artist Amy Grant and whom Dover describes as “probably one of the greatest guitar players, if not the greatest, I’ve ever known.”

With Baghdad, Dover sampled the South like an allyou-can-eat buffet, bouncing from town to town throughout Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.

During this time, he also played with a couple of lesser-known bands and wrote and recorded music.

Dover networked through live gigs and through his day job, working at Highland Music in Birmingham. He also started a band called Love Bang with some of his college buddies (the band was comprised of Dover, Chris Baker, Tony Brock, Scott Collier, and Eddie Usher). By this time, he was one break away from making it big. That break would eventually come.

A couple of years passed by and Love Bang did an opening at Club Masquerade in Atlanta for a band called The Producers. Tim Smith, who played bass for The Producers, heard that the San Francisco-based band, Jellyfish, was holding auditions for a guitar player. “Jellyfish was a band I loved from the minute they came out. All my music nerd friends were into

it,” Dover recalls. “So I put together a couple of songs, 3 or 4, a couple of originals. I did a cover of Bad Finger’s ‘No Matter What’ and I sent it to the guys. They were mixing their second record called Spilt Milk in L.A. and they called me a few days later and asked me if I want to come out and audition. So that’s kind of where I jumped off.”

Dover played with Jellyfish until the band’s breakup in 1994. The day grunge icon Kurt Cobain died, Roger Manning, who’d played an array of instruments and provided vocals for Jellyfish, phoned Dover and invited him to L.A. “I was crazy enough to do it,” Dover says—and he loaded up his ’85 Ford Bronco and drove out to the City of Angels.

For the first few weeks in L.A., Dover couched-surfed and looked for a drummer who could partner with him and Manning on the latest project. While auditioning at Nate’s Rehearsal in North Hollywood, a guy by the name of Mark Danzeisen informed him that Slash, the top-hatted icon for the band Guns N’ Roses, was looking for a singer for a new project called The Snakepit—a post GNR catharsis that was sure to provide musical pyrotechnics.

After clearing it with Manning, Dover went over to Slash’s house in Laurel Canyon where he auditioned at a recording studio. “That’s where I recorded Beggars and Hangers-On,” Dover says. “I auditioned by writing that song and the lyrics.”

A few hours later, Slash telephoned Dover to tell him he was in. Later, the name of the band was changed to Slash’s Snakepit, and for the first few months of existence, Geffen Records sent Dover and Slash on a promotional tour around the globe. “All we did was play acoustic guitar at local radio stations,” Dover says.

Dover wrote or co-wrote many of the tracks on the album It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, which was released in February 1995 to commercial success, reaching number 70 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.

Describing Slash as an iconic musician on the level of Keith Richards or Van Morrison, Dover says playing with him as a “wonderful experience.” On a personal level, Dover praised Slash’s shrewdness and street smarts above all. “Slash is kind of mellow and low-key, really, but the cat’s really wise,” Dover said. “And I think growing up in Hollywood has a lot to do with that. There’s just a little different mentality growing up here in LA. I think you have to arm yourself against all the BS and being exploited at a pretty early age, because it’s a showbiz town. His babysitter was David Bowie, so, there you

20 | 78 Magazine

go.”

“There’s a certain kind of quiet wisdom about him,” Dover adds. “He comes off as mellow and cool but there’s some smarts going on there the whole time.”

The second rock legend in which Dover has been associated is the shock rock superstar Alice Cooper. In the early 2000s, Dover played guitar for Cooper’s band, both as a session musician (Brutal Planet, Dragontown) and as a guitarist and writer (The Eyes of Alice Cooper). “I can’t say enough good things about [Alice],” Dover said. “He’s another guy that’s seen it all. If you name it, he’s done it, and he’s done it three times over. I do consider him my rock n’ roll father, undoubtedly.”

Now Dover is teamed back up with Manning on a project called The Lickerish Quartet, a three-man orchestral experience that has been likened to Queen and ELO. Back in the spring of this year, the band released their first album, Threesome Vol. 1, which featured the song “Lighthouse Spaceship”—an ethereal power pop track with enough vestiges of Jellyfish to make longtime Manning/Dover fans smile in their old Ford Broncos. Dover says the band is pushing for an October release for Vol. 2, and in the meantime, he is doing session work and working on tracks for a solo project called Sextus.

Now 53, Dover says he is still mad about making music. “And that’s kind of rare to happen because as some people get older they sort of fall out of it,” he says.

He firmly admits that across his long musical career he’s often straddled the fence between the hard rock and power pop world. Even still, he’s proven the Hamletian charge of “To thine own self be true.”

“I don’t worry so much about rolling with the times or being trendy,” he says. “You really can only put out there what’s in your heart and do everything to the best of your ability, sing the kind of songs you want to sing. I like to change what I do and I like to change my songs, but trying to please everyone else rather than starting with myself is a bit of a fool’s errand.”

No matter what happens from here or where his career takes him, Dover will continue to search for the next creative outlet to sate the appetite for music that’s been raging since he was a young boy in Jasper, Alabama.

Besides, anything beats selling boiled peanuts. 78

Shelbie Z.: Born for the Stage After performing on American Idol and The Voice, singer Shelbie Z. looks to a new chapter.

Words by Erin Shockey | Images by Blakeney Clouse

24 | 78 Magazine

I

n the back of her mother’s old Camaro, Shelbie’s feet barely hung off the seat as the gleamy antique car bustled along the roads. Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do?” poured through the speakers, lingering in the balm of summer.

“Listen to this, baby girl, this man can make this guitar talk,” her father beamed as he turned up the dial.

In that moment, a love for music was rooted deep within Shelbie’s soul, a love that would only grow and blossom over the years, leading her to places of which many people could only dream.

Ever since “Shelbie Z.” (full name Shelbie Zora James Panter) was a little girl, she saw the world as her stage. Anyone visiting her grandmother’s home would never leave without being swept into one of Shelbie’s performances. “I always loved being in front of people,” she says. “I used to love putting on shows for my mom and dad when I was little.”

As Shelbie grew older, she decided it was time to raise the stakes and bring her talent to competitions. “Singing in church when I was little led to singing in a karaoke contest at the fair in Jasper. I learned my three songs, got up there, won,

and it just kept happening. I kept doing singing contests all over the state,” she says, smiling.

With a track record of competition wins to back up her talent, Shelbie was determined to take her voice to two of the most competitive singing competitions in the world: American Idol and The Voice. After auditioning for Idol when she was 16 years old, Shelbie was selected to compete in the 15th season.

She auditioned for Seasons 1-5 of The Voice and was chosen to compete in the 5th season.

“When I auditioned, I always had the attitude of ‘I really have nothing to lose,’” Shelbie says.

This attitude helped her to persist in achieving her dreams.

During her audition for The Voice, Shelbie remembers the double doors opening to a stage where her fate would unfold at the hands of the judges. After one nod to the band, she took the world by storm with her rendition of Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party.” “When you’re in front of a really big crowd, it’s a rush you can’t explain,” Shelbie says.

“It’s one of those things where you’re in the moment and you come off stage and want to do it again.”

78 Magazine | 25

Looking back, Shelbie believes that she discovered who she is as a person through her experiences on American Idol and The Voice. “It was a very big growing experience in my life and I got to meet so many amazing people,” she says.

Meeting Cher and opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Rock the South concert in Cullman are just a few pivotal moments in her career. Rock the South was the first time in her career that the crowd sang her original music along with her. “It was at that moment where I thought, ‘This is the best thing I have ever done in my life,’” Shelbie recalls.

Shelbie recently took her talent to the studio once again to record her newest album, A New Me. The album was to make its debut in April, but the release date has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. She hopes this album will capture the melting pot of musical influences within her unique genre. “Everyone expects me to be this country singer and I don’t really fit into any category at all,” Shelbie says. “A New Me is basically just songs I like that I wrote, and other people wrote, that we produced and put together and made an album out of it.”

Shelbie was also recently named the Alabama Music Awards 2020 BAMA Female Breakout Artist. She will be presented this award at the 2021 Alabama Music Awards ceremony in Bessemer.

When she isn’t performing, Shelbie and her mother run their company, Walker County Junking Divas, which specializes in refurbishing family heirlooms to suit a person’s style. Currently, they are launching a new line of all-organic soap called Zora.

In addition to the excitement of Zora’s launch and a new album on the horizon, Shelbie and her husband are also expecting their first child, Gibson Wyatt, in a few months. According to Shelbie, her son is already following in her footsteps with a love of music. 78 While awaiting the new album release, fans can find Shelbie Z.’s music on Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, Spotify and on YouTube.

26 | 78 Magazine

Revel in Refinement

JA SPE R

INDEPENDENT • ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE RESIDENCES 2100 Viking Dr. | Jasper, AL 35501 (205) 435-6798 w w w. H a r b o r C h a s e . c o m

Find us on

B&B Discount Tires Locally-owned!

Owner Todd Bates 5010 HWY 78 E JASPER, AL 35501 205-384-1333

SOUL JOURNEY Matt Patton’s musical life has taken him from Curry Church of God to the stage at Red Rocks Auditorium. Now the bass player for Drive-By Truckers opens up about his career, his musical influences, and the people who shaped him.

Words and Images by Al Blanton

The Mississippi-based Southern rock band, Drive-By Truckers, were recording a new album in Memphis a few years ago when they got wind that a pair of rock and roll biographers were in town. Not wanting to disturb the recording session, the biographers respectfully asked if they might stop by the studio to look around. The band members of the Truckers, excited because they recognized the names of the biographers, responded with a collective ‘yes.’ The Truckers resumed their session and had almost forgotten about the visitors when lead singer Patterson Hood elatedly stuck his head back in the session and dropped an unexpected thunderbolt: “Mick Jagger is here.”

“It really was like Rock and Roll Jesus had walked in,” recalls the Truckers’ bassist and Jasper native Matt Patton from his studio in Water Valley, Mississippi.

After Hood heralded the news, the band stopped playing and walked into the break room, where the biographers had gathered with Mick and his hefty team of security. Patton noted that the English rocker and lead singer of the Rolling Stones was “pleasant” during a quick photo shoot with the band.

If there were a star struck moment in Patton’s musical life, this was it. But there have been many more vignettes across the years that have made a more profound impact on him.

The genesis of Matt’s musical inspiration is the church. He first got into music long ago at Curry Church of God, where he sang in the church choir and played guitar. His transition to bass guitar, however, was perhaps a little more sudden than he’d anticipated. “One morning the preacher walked in and said, “we’ve got to have a bass player this morning,’” Matt recalls. “Everyone looks at me, and I said, ‘I play guitar.’ They said, ‘You play bass now.”

Thankfully for Matt, Miss Tammy Wood was the lovely and talented piano player who helped him along and provided the doses of encouragement a 14-year-old kid needed. “She said ‘just listen to what my left hand is doing and you try to do that. That’s what the bass does,’” Matt said.

In the end, the combination of Tammy’s heartsease and the church’s musical power served as the primers for Matt’s journey. “That sort of pew-jumping, lively style of Gospel that

30 | 78 Magazine

the Pentecostal churches would play was the foundation for the blues music, the country music, the rock and roll music that I would end up playing,” Matt said. “You don’t just go from note to note, you kind of grease your way over there and everything in between like a Gospel player.”

In high school, while Matt might have seemed quiet and reserved to one crowd, his personality flourished amid those who shared a love for music. Many days were spent at the cynosure of Rock and Roll aficionados, Sound Shop in the Jasper Mall, leafing through the special order catalog and bugging the workers, or chitchatting with his, as he put it, “ragtag” friends late at night at the popular gathering place, Waffle House.

Besides Tammy, other Jasperites fueled Matt’s yearning for a life among chords. The first was local DJ and veteran of the industry, Woody Wilson, who would often appear majestically on those long nights at Waffle House. “Here comes a guy that’s probably just tiptoed into middle age but he looks fresh as a rose,” Matt recalls of Woody. “He’s got like a ringer tee with stripes and he looks like the Beach Boys and he looks unaffected by middle of the night Jasper—drunks and people nursing hangovers and some ragtag kids. He looks immune to all of this. And I looked at Woody and I was like, ‘there’s a guy who loves music, and he’s figured out a way to make it work for him.’ So I wanted to know about that.”

The second was Van Farris, who lured curious musicians to his coterie with flyers strategically placed all over town. “Me and my friends started seeing those flyers everywhere. They said, ‘Are you interested in seeing world new wave punk exotic rock music?’ and had these drawings on them,” Matt said. “I’d never seen anything like that. And we were like, ‘yeah.’”

As a guy 10 years Matt’s senior who’d busted out of the Jasper bubble and had seen a little bit of the world, Farris became a big brother figure, turning the young guitarist on to this exotic crazy music with which he was fascinated. Farris and Matt, along with fellow artist James McCauley, eventually cobbled together a band called Model Citizen. Farris continued to be a keen influencer on Matt until his untimely passing in 2001.

“I never really got over that,” Matt says.

32 | 78 Magazine

After graduating from the University of Alabama in human environmental sciences, Matt toured with several acts until a period of burnout threatened his musical career. Returning to Jasper to gather himself, he began working for his father’s surveying business. That eventually led to a job with the Walker County Health Department, where he was putting his degree to use by inspecting public health concerns, anything from water percolation to animal bites.

Around that time, he’d become fascinated with soul music and began searching for regional gigs. Eventually he tracked down a group of guys in Oxford, Mississippi, and began performing Stax (Think: Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, et al) and Motown music at wedding venues and dive bars.

One night after a show, the band emptied out at Ajax Diner, and Patton was introduced to a tall brunette named Megan who would eventually become his wife. He then began to feel a supernatural pull toward Oxford, and moved to Mississippi soon thereafter.

Working in water management, Matt was out on the job when he got a message that would change his life. “I got a text that the bass player for the Drive-By Truckers had quit and were going to need somebody new,” Matt said. “We were friendly with their organization, so I got in touch with the band. A week later they sent me their entire catalog on CD and I started learning their songs.”

Since Matt hooked up with the Truckers, the band has released three albums—English Oceans, American Band, and The Unraveling—and has played at America’s top venues, places like Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado; Ryman Auditorium in Nashville; Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia; and 40 Watt in Athens, Georgia. The Truckers have also rocked venues in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Sweden.

Playing at Red Rocks, the exquisitelycarved auditorium just outside of Denver, did not disappoint. “It’s just the majesty of it in that natural setting,” Matt says. “I’ve been out front a few times to watch other bands…and it does sound great. I don’t really know if it sounds better than other great places, but you look around and it’s so beautiful. It lives up to it from a player’s perspective.”

Since Matt’s history of playing live had been confined to dive bars and house parties, initially there was an adjustment to playing larger venues like Red Rocks. He wasn’t used to the barricades that split the crowd from the band. “If you keep

a lion in a cage that’s used to being at a dive bar or a house and you only move in that one little spot on stage, it took me a long time to get used to a bigger stage and a bigger building,” Matt said. “And I found that I didn’t miss the dive bars nearly as much as I missed the houses. I miss that, being able to see folks, feel them run up on you. I don’t like the sheer divide that divides our humanity. It feels like a million miles away.”

Now after years of touring, Matt has become much more comfortable, no matter the stage. He says that just because a venue is large or well known doesn’t necessarily make it a desirable place to play. “A poorly-run venue that sounds bad can be any size. There are a lot of nice looking rooms that are terrible experiences, and there are a lot of dumps that are marvelous experiences,” Matt suggests. (He cites The Nick in Birmingham as a smaller venue that’s as fun as any place—“It looks like a nightmare from the outside, but it might be the best sounding room in Birmingham. They kind of put the money where it counted for their clientele. The beer is cold and the music is loud and it sounds great.”)

But it’s not just playing with the Truckers that fully encapsulates Matt’s musical portfolio.

A few years ago, he purchased Dial Back Sound, a recording studio founded by Bruce Watson, co-founder of Fat Possom Records in Oxford.

Watson, who once had an idea to bring the regional sound of the blues to the forefront, began inviting homespun artists to the area and investing time and money into them. Along the way, Watson became a mentor to Matt and encouraged him to buy the studio. “He told me if I waited around for everything to make sense, none of this would have ever happened,” Matt said.

Patton has a partner in the venture, Bronson Tew, but says that the financial risk is all his.

And even though it’s an old school concept, Matt is eking out a place in the recording industry landscape from Water Valley, Mississippi. “When home recording is becoming so popular, people will still travel to this spot to do the way that they did it 40 years ago.”

The coronavirus pandemic changed things in 2020 and the band stopped playing live gigs, but Matt hopes the Truckers will begin touring again by 2021. Until then, he continues to record music in his studio and travel back to his hometown on occasion.

If he is back in Jasper and you’re wondering where to find him, you might try Waffle House, where he’ll be sitting in a booth, talking music and reminiscing on the old days with a group of ragtag friends. 78

A Good Run

Ernie McClinton had a roaring good time as a guitarist for the band Shotgun.

The music ain’t over yet.

Words by Erin Shockey | Images by Blakeney Clouse

34 | 78 Magazine

D

awn broke through the heather gray sky as a school bus trudged down old, familiar roads. Dust twirled into the morning air as light crept between the unsullied Alabama trees.

Aboard the bus were Ernie McClinton and his band Shotgun, weary from another long weekend of playing music on the road.

Their brotherhood and fiery passion for performing is what carried the band through these long, musicfilled weekends. Those days of living on the road have now come and gone, but the memories have left an imprint on the life of Shotgun lead singer Ernie McClinton.

The proud son of a coal miner, Ernie grew up in a home where the rich aroma of mama’s homemade biscuits and the unapologetic burst of song was ordinary. “There were seven of us kids and all three of my brothers could sing,” Ernie says. “My sisters helped raise me because I was the youngest.”

As a young man, Ernie listened to the music of Elvis and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

His dream of becoming a musician manifested itself after listening to an 8-track tape of Waylon Jennings on his way home from high school football practice. “When I heard Waylon Jennings on that 8-track, that was it,” Ernie says. “I decided I wanted to do that.”

After Ernie graduated high school, a friend taught him to how to play a few chords on the guitar. His friend began attending school at Walker College, now known as Bevill State Community College, where he met people with similar musical interests. It wasn’t long before this new group of friends decided to form a band. “We actually called the

band Outlaw Family at first,” Ernie says. “We played like that a couple of years.”

Band members came and went as the years rolled by, but Ernie was there for the long haul. “There were actually 34 people who played in the band when you count everyone that cycled through,” Ernie says.

Eventually, Outlaw Family was renamed Shotgun. The band landed local gigs on the weekends and began to hit the road frequently, traveling to Alabama towns like Eufaula, Camden, Greensboro, and Tuscaloosa. Some of Ernie’s favorite memories include opening up for Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and the Marshall Tucker Band at Old York. “We used to have festivals and gun fights down there. It was a lot of fun,” Ernie grins.

When the band played clubs on the weekends, many nights ended with the bar becoming their stage. “We used to have all this wireless equipment, so when we played a lot of clubs we’d get up on the bar and walk across it. Everyone was wireless, so we’d be running all over the place. I can’t believe I’ve done stuff like that,” Ernie laughs.

After years of performing, traveling and living their dream, Shotgun’s brotherhood only grew stronger. “It was more than just a band. Over the years, we would cook out together and hang out together,” Ernie says.

Even after many nights of singing on stage, Ernie saw himself as a songwriter more than anything. When he signed with Tom Collins Music in Nashville in 1990, Ernie was the only writer on staff not living in Nashville.

“I would go in once a month and they would pair me up with different song

78 Magazine | 35

writers,” he recalls. “We would just sit in a room and write for hours.”

Several of the writers Ernie worked with had multiple number one songs. Out of all of the cowriting sessions in his career, some of the most memorable were with his wife, Denise. On their honeymoon 21 years ago, the newlyweds happened upon a giant United States map plastered on the wall of a New York pizza parlor.

The map displayed what every state was known for.

“It was more than just a band. Over the years, we would cook out together and hang out together,”

“Of course, Tennessee had whiskey, guitars, and Elvis,” Ernie says matter-of-factly.

The map easily became the source of inspiration for one of the original songs they wrote together, Whiskey, Guitars and Elvis.

These days, Ernie enjoys watching his sons Dalton and Brady follow in his footsteps. Since teaching them the basic chords when they were small, they have grown to become exceptional guitarists. Denise, her daughter, Meci, and their granddaughters Maggie Ann and Madilynn, also keep him busy.

The days of Shotgun are now just a moment in time. Time has forged on, yet Ernie’s memories still endure. “We had a good run.

Those guys were some of the best musicians I have ever been around, and they were all local,” he says proudly.

Ernie still takes opportunities to perform locally. It’s not uncommon to find him sporting his trademark midnight black hat, playing an acoustic set at a local restaurant or bar. Even today, after one strum on his guitar, it is clear to see this man is made of music. 78 You can find Ernie McClinton’s original music on YouTube.

36 | 78 Magazine

78 | Photo Essays

Vickie Cosby Lead singer, Backdraft Words by Suzie Walton

Image by Blakeney Clouse

V

ickie Cosby sits under the giant oak trees behind her office building, reminiscing. As the wind wisps the dark curl from her brow, she explains that her greatest influence was growing up in a music family who loves God. “It all started with gospel,” she smiles as she recounts the road traveled to become the lead singer of the country/rock band Backdraft.

If you have been to the Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia, the Flora-Bama near the Alabama-Florida state line, The Pastime Theater in Winfield, the Fireman’s Gala in Eldridge, or various popular Jasper hangouts and restaurants in between, chances are Vickie’s booming vocals have brought you to your feet. Music flows from deep within her and she believes it is in her blood.

“My mom was always playing her stereo. It was always blaring gospel or country music, and her prized 45s were always neatly stacked and ready to play,” Vickie laughs. “My whole family is musically oriented. Even my cousin who plays lead guitar for Backdraft played with Shenandoah.”

Vickie recalls her love of singing beginning in church, developing through her time with gospel quartet Crystal Clear, and emerging with Backdraft. “God has always been in this musical adventure, even when we were not always playing music in the best places,” she says. “There were not always a variety of venues for us to play, so in the beginning we had to go to local restaurants and clubs to get started.”

The only woman in a band of guys, Vickie heeded the advice early on when people warned that playing in certain places could cause problems for a family. The honky-tonk life can take a toll on some bands, but Vickie and the band made a pact that family will always be top priority.

“We all decided family must come first,” she says. “I am so blessed that my husband Kevin is so supportive; he’s our biggest fan. My parents and in-laws were wonderful in supporting and encouraging my music early on and helping with my two boys when we were singing.”

Vickie explains there is a lesson in every establishment the band has played— that there are good people everywhere and not to judge others. “The band and our families always try to let our character shine and be good examples,” she says.

40 | 78 Magazine

That character was put to the test once when she ripped a vocal cord, a condition that left her silent for six weeks. “I did worry but I felt in my heart that God has a message through the music and He would heal my vocal cords,” she says. “I remember that first long note I held after the recovery and how I felt God’s presence. He has blessed me, and I’ll never take my singing for granted.”

What began at Eldridge Town Hall, singing gospel and country once a month for the community, has blossomed into a blessing that Vickie says she will always cherish. Each year the band still performs at the Fireman’s Gala where Vickie smoothly belts out lyrics to more than 500 people, raising money for the local fire department.

No matter where she sings, it’s always a family affair. 78

Austin Morgan

Trumpeter, U.S. Army Band Words by Nick Norris

Image by Blakeney Clouse

A

few adjectives may come to mind when thinking of the U.S. Army: valiant, proud, perhaps even loud. And these descriptors also ring true for Austin Morgan.

As the only boy and the oldest of five siblings, Austin always had someone looking up to him. But he was looking up to someone as well.

“As a kid, my grandfather introduced me to a lot of instrumental music, mostly jazz,” Austin reminisces. “He would show me these amazing artists like Frank Sinatra and Louis Prima and all these famous bands. And in every song, the front man was always the trumpeter, getting to play all the important stuff and adding emotion to the music. It’s a loud instrument, and that’s what initially intrigued me.”

In the seventh grade, Austin and his sister joined the Maddox Middle School band and he was hooked for life. Over the years, the trumpeter continued to perfect his craft, moving from the middle school band to Walker High’s incarnation, an experience that molded him greatly as both an artist and a man.

“Two important mentors of mine were Curtis Burttram, the music director, and assistant director Jonathan DeLoach,” Austin explains. “They were both huge believers in my abilities as a musician, and would spend countless hours helping me hone my skills. It’s because of them that I went to the University of North Alabama for music.”

Playing for UNA’s Marching Pride of North Alabama was another significant chapter in Austin’s life, as his high school dream of reaching the next level was finally realized. Following his college years, Austin had difficulty figuring out how to incorporate his now lifelong passion into his adult life.

While in search of ways to continue his passion and holding down steady work, Austin and his wife, Virginia, decided the U.S. Army Band would be the best option for their family.

Austin spent six months practicing as hard as he ever had, doing all he could to ensure a spot in the Army Band. On November 15, 2019, the work paid off, as he was officially inducted into the 101st Airborne Division Band at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Making the band is a feat few artists have the determination or skill to accomplish. Now Austin once again gets to spend his days doing what he loves: valiantly serving his country and his family by playing his trumpet proudly and loudly. 78

42 | 78 Magazine

Braden Griffith Nashville Tour Manager

Words by Justin Hunter | Image by Jeremy Abbott and courtesy Braden Griffith “A man’s gift can open doors; it gives access to great and important people!” – Proverbs 18:16.

S

ix years ago, Braden Griffith spent his Friday nights under the lights of Jasper’s Ki-Ro Gambrell Field as a junior in the Walker High School Marching Band. A gifted high school drummer who rotated sitting behind the drumkit on Sunday mornings at Hope House Church and who was also being mentored by Rascal Flatts’ own Jim Riley, Braden had all of the potential to make a career in the music industry. All he needed was a door opened for him in the music world.

The invitation came the second week of his senior year at Walker—a once-in-a-lifetime offer to move to Nashville to go on the road as a full-time drum technician with Eli Young Band. With his parents’ blessing, Braden, then 17, moved to the Southern metropolis and completed his senior year through Homeland Christian Academy’s virtual studies.

“I received my diploma by email while going down the interstate in Nebraska or something,” he says. “I literally graduated on a tour bus.”

Over the next couple of years, Braden went from setting up the drums for the band to being behind the drumkit for several well-known Nashville recording sensations, artists like Brett Young, Michael Tyler, and LoCash.

As a young touring musician, Braden has had the opportunity to travel and see all 50 states and seven different countries. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been traveling the roads a lot and wanted to be home more,” Braden says. “I’ve transitioned from making my living playing drums and have moved to the management end of things.”

Fast forward about five years. Now a tour manager for upand-coming artists, Braden can be found side stage at some of the hottest New Country concerts. His two primary clients are Nashville’s redheaded darling, Caylee Hammack, and the Australian country-pop duo, Seaforth.

Earlier in 2020, Braden was on tour with Hammack in Berlin, Germany, promoting her debut album If It Wasn’t for You before the pandemic shut it down. He has yet to go back on the road.

“What people don’t understand about the concert industry is that all we do is mass gatherings of around 5,000 people or more,” Braden says. “We are looking at June of 2021 before we can start work again, so my team and I are sitting here waiting for the green light.”

On the front end of a blossoming musical career, Braden is looking toward to the future. He aspires to become the next Mary Hilliard Harrington, the President of the Country Music Association, and manager for top Billboard recording talent. His time frame for his ascent into upper musical management is ten years. Braden is confident in his ability, is aware of God’s blessings in his life, and hasn’t forgotten his hometown roots.

“Jasper is always home. It raised and grew me into the person who I am today. I am who I am because of the lessons and people from back home,” he says.

Braden has set high goals for his future and is enthusiastic about where the next wave of country music will take him. As he signs off, he mentions an important Zoom call he has to get to: late night host Stephen Colbert is requesting an appearance from Miss Hammack. 78

The Boy with the Blue, Sparkly Drum Words by Erin Shockey | Images by Blakeney Clouse

A

roar from the stands sliced through the brisk, autumn air as dusk settled on the Friday night football game between Cordova and Carbon Hill. Excitement hung in the air as fans eagerly awaited Carbon Hill High School band’s halftime show, the weighty anticipation of that performance resting on the shoulders of 10-year-old, 56-pound Michael Keeton. Or at least, so it seemed to him.

With thoughts of doubt flooding his mind, the barelyfour-foot drummer quelled the butterflies in his stomach and took the field with the Bulldog band for the first time, his Aunt Kathy’s blue, sparkly drum illuminating under stadium lights. After taking one step on that field, he would never look back again.

The only son of Sue and Kenny Keeton, Michael

44 | 78 Magazine

Keeton was four years old when he was musically influenced by close relatives. “I owe everything to my Aunt Kathy Pate and my cousin Tim McDaniel,” he says with gratitude.

When band director Rob Harris heard Michael play for the first time at the age of ten, his natural talent was undeniable. Members of the band, who affectionately referred to Harris as “Papa Smurf,” soon christened Michael the nickname “Baby Smurf,” a badge of honor he wore throughout high school. It was Harris who gave Michael his greatest gift, though: the opportunity to play in the band at such a young age.

When Michael graduated in 1984, he was selected to the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band, but ultimately chose to study music at Brewer State Junior College in

A little something

extra from our kitchen to yours.

Protect your world.

Life can be complicated. I’m here to help simplify your insurance. Call or stop by today for a free quote on coverage for your car, home, motorcycle and much more.

Bryant Brooks 205-221-3216

1811 Highway 78 E., Ste. 106 Jasper bryantbrooks@allstate.com

AMO-12838

I’m always here with local advice you can trust.

Based on coverage selected. Savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co., Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co. © 2018 Allstate Insurance Co.

delivery now available

Fayette. There, he started a band with Jason Wells, brothers Brian and David Carter, and Brian Keeton. Today Michael and the Carter brothers still play together in their Christian alternative band, Brown Bag, and he views the two men like brothers.

Michael began touring after his time and Brewer, and since then he has toured with literally hundreds of artists. “When you first start out touring, all you have is a van and a trailer,” he says. “Then come the fancy tour buses. We had good times in the van with my buddies watching funny videos and sharing stories. There’s so many memories and I’m not ready to stop.”

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame music achiever has opened for legends like Willie Nelson, Diamond Rio, and Joe Diffie, and has written with talented artists like Van Stephenson of the country group Blackhawk. He’s appeared on TV shows like CMT’s Western Beat with Billy Block, and has performed at venues that many musicians dream of: Ryman Auditorium, the Texas Hall of Fame, and Enron Field in Houston (now Minute Maid Park), to name a few.

“For me, getting to go play music, whether it’s here in town, another state, or whether I’m with a major artist or hometown pickers, it doesn’t matter to me,” Michael says. “The greatest show I’ll ever play is the very next one.”

In the late ‘80s-early ‘90s, Michael was touring with country artists professionally and was at the top of his music game. While visiting friend Ernie McClinton, leader of the band Shotgun who then worked at Franklin Motor Company, he met a beautiful young woman in a sunflower dress who changed his life forever. “She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen,” Michael says of his wife, Amy. “My life and dreams changed the day I met her.”

Although it was the beginning of a beautiful love story, it also brought about a choice for Michael. When many artists, tour managers, music executives, and producers encouraged him to move to Nashville, Amy encouraged him to follow his dream. Ultimately, he did.

“I love music, but it doesn’t compare to my wife, Amy, my daughter, Kayla Hendon, and son, Luke Keeton,” Michael says.

“In the end, I made the right decision because I can’t see my life anywhere else than where I am now.”

Now Michael is a member of rock band Handshake Promise, the country band Lost Creek, and the aforementioned Brown Bag. He’s currently in the studio recording new albums with both Brown Bag and with Handshake Promise. “We have rocked the Southeast for a long time and we’re still going strong,” Michael says.

Even now, Michael rarely turns down an opportunity to perform.

To him, being behind a drum-kit is where he fulfills his purpose.

“God put me in the world to entertain, to make people happy,” he says. “I owe everything to God and Jesus. The best decision I ever made in my life was being baptized into Christ at the age of 14. I’m also thankful for the support of my mom and dad, and my wife and family.”

Every song has a story, Michael says, and he is just a part of helping the audience connect with that story. Michael himself has a story to tell—a tale of a nervous 10-year-old boy with a blue, sparkly drum who dreamed of making it big one day.

46 | 78 Magazine

Looking back at the triumphant moments of his career, many would say he did. 78

There is No “I” in Real Estate.

Team up with one of our caring professionals. www.erabyars.com (205) 221-3673

Eagle’s Wings Band: Music with a Message

Words by Erin Shockey | Images by Al Blanton

A

s a child, Matthew Wilson always knew he would be part of the family band. There was just one problem.

“The only thing I knew how to play at the time was the hymnbook drum set,” Matthew says, chuckling. “If you don’t know what that is, you stack hymnbooks up on a pew, you grab ink pens and try your best to disturb everybody around you.”

In those days, Matthew’s dad, Darryle Wilson, performed in a gospel group known as Family Circle. The group included Darryle’s wife, Debbi; Debbi’s dad, Floyd (Bill) Busby; her brother, Ron; and her brother-in-law, Kevin Chambers.

Matthew recalls fond memories of foot tapping to Family Circle shows on the weekends. As he grew older, he traded in his hymnbook drum set for a guitar. That’s when a new era of music began.

48 | 78 Magazine

Darryle began pastoring at Central Baptist Church in Jasper in 1990, but Eagle’s Wings didn’t emerge until 2008.

In the beginning, they held true to their country gospel roots.

“In our minds, our style was like a country gospel group doing an unplugged session,” Kevin says.

As time went on, however, the band’s sound evolved.

“The second I pulled out a banjo, that was it— we were a bluegrass group, and nobody will let us be anything else,” Matthew laughs.

Through the years, banjo players came and went like the seasons until Jacob Patterson joined the band, giving Eagle’s Wings its beloved, bluegrass twang that fans enjoy today.

Eagle’s Wings is known for captivating its listeners with a jubilant expression of the gospel through music. While they have soared to the top of the Bluegrass Gospel charts with

three #1 songs, it’s their faith and family that keeps them grounded.

And though the music has evolved over time, band members all agree that the message is immutable. “You want to entertain people and you want them to have a good time, but we want to do that by singing songs that present the Gospel message and present Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world,” Kevin explains.

The band members’ hope for every performance is to lift up hearts by lifting up Jesus—a responsibility that is not taken lightly. “We want people to feel encouraged to stay in the walk and to keep their faith up,” Debbi says.

Eagle’s Wings travels locally and regionally, performing mostly at churches with an occasional appearance at local restaurants and music venues. When Vonda Armstrong with Hey Y’all Media began promoting the band, more opportunities appeared on the horizon. “When we met with Vonda and she started promoting us, we fell in with this enormous group of what you would call ‘regional artists,’” Matthew says.

A few times a year, the band travels to conventions across the country attended by many of these regional artists. One of the most notable is the National Quartet Convention, where Eagle’s Wings performed for over 10,000 people, singing an exultant bluegrass rendition of a classic southern gospel song. Eagle’s Wings plans to attend the Creekside Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the last week of October.

The band currently has four albums available on CD. Their latest, Let’s All Tell the World About Jesus, is their first album with all original music. 78 For more information about Eagle’s Wings, find them on Facebook and visit their website at www.eagleswingsband.com.

78 Magazine | 49

Junior Uptain The Junior Uptain Band

W

hen Junior Uptain began working for Alabama Power Company in 1989, he promised himself he would always take his guitar whenever he traveled out of town. He broke that promise when he was sent to the island of St. Croix for storm restoration work later that year. But that was soon remedied.

“The first thing I did, I rode around until I saw a music store,” Junior laughs. “I bought a cheap, hundreddollar Lotus guitar. It was hard to play and sounded poor.

I was there for 33 days with no TV, no radio. Every night I sat around the pool and played.”

Raised in the Barney/Dovertown area, Junior always loved music. As a teen, he rode around with his buddies in a truck, singing along with the songs on the radio. “One of the guys says, ‘Hey you’re pretty good at that,’” he recalls.

Eventually, Junior decided to learn the guitar. He remembers his friends all taking turns playing a buddy’s brand-new guitar. Junior, who is left-handed, could only watch—the guitar was right-handed. “So, I got me a guitar, flipped the strings over, and tried to play lefthanded,” he says.

Junior soon grew tired of playing a “backwards, special guitar” and went back to playing right-handed, eventually playing in garage bands and working as a roadie for the band, Road Trip Jones. The awkwardness of playing right-handed led him to a revelation. “When I really enjoyed music is when I figured out I was never going to be the next Eric Clapton,” he grins. “I found what I was good at and it blossomed.”

In 2012, Junior decided to step out on his own. A few months later, The Junior Uptain Band played their first gig, a Halloween party at the Jasper Elks Lodge. Current members include guitarist Chris Chamness, newcomer Danny Long on bass, and original drummer Skip Beaird.

Junior’s wife, Judy, handles bookings and is the driving force behind the band. “There’s two kinds of people in this world,” Junior says, smiling. “People who love my wife…and people who haven’t met her yet.”

Now in their eighth year, the band is still playing their hodgepodge of classic rock, pop, and country music. Seconds before a band member launches into a solo, Junior steps aside, grins, and hands off to them with the words, “don’t drop the baby.” It’s in their hands now.

Words by Terrell Manasco Image by Al Blanton 50 | 78 Magazine

Playing live, Junior says, is like a drug. The euphoria from making someone smile is priceless. “The biggest thing I like is when people come up to me afterwards and say, ‘We’ve had the best time,’” Junior says. “Music is a thing that touches people. They come in and let their problems go away. For that three or four hours, they’re happy.” 78 Follow The Junior Uptain Band on their Facebook page and visit their website, junioruptainband.com.

COME SEE US TODAY! Dr. Jacob Bivona and Dr. Ansley Allen, along with 10 professional staff members are committed to providing quality dental care while make your next visit as pleasant as possible. To do this, we strive to honor your appointment time and finish in a timely manner so you can get on with your day! We are accepting new patients!

(205) 387-8888| Located in the Dental Arts building at 1208 Highway 78 E www.bivonabranstetterfamilydental.com

James McCauley Keyboard and bass player Words by Terrell Manasco Image by Blakeney Clouse

J

ames McCauley leans back on a sofa in the rear of a coffee shop, one leg crossed over the other, a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head. Casually dressed in a baseball-style T-shirt and faded jeans, he exudes the manner of the quiet-yet-hip musician.

Sipping a hot beverage (“some mocha espresso affair”), he tosses wry bon mots like miniature grenades as he waxes nostalgic about Les Paul guitars, analog synthesizers, and a band called Wiley and the Checkmates.

“My dad was a bass guitarist. His brother was a very good pedal steel player,” James says in a quiet voice. “We had an upright piano. My sister and I would peck out melodies for hours, then take the bottom panel out and make horror music by raking the strings until our mother told us to stop.”

As a teen, James took guitar lessons at a local music store after school. “At Walker, we were all issued one guitar and a Led Zeppelin cassette,” he laughs. “I got a Les Paul clone and a friend got a real Les Paul. It was competitive, so we learned a lot quicker.”

While his friend preferred the blues, James gravitated toward a progressive rock style that became the precursor to early-’80s arena rock. He counts the band Yes and its bassist-founder Chris Squire as one of his biggest influences. “I never stop learning from him,” James says.

After high school, James fortified his musical education with classical guitar lessons from Michael Patilla, as well as learning the keyboard. He later sold all his “cool analog synths” but has since acquired another one. “I recently purchased a Korg DW-8000 from 1985,” James says. “This one makes all the sounds you hear in Madonna’s music, Howard Jones, etc.”

In 1996, James played Matt Patton a few recorded samples of some keyboard tracks he had made with his friend Nathan Brown, using his sequencer and Brown’s synthesizer, which led to the formation of the band Model Citizen. After Patton recommended him to Oxford, Mississippi soul veteran Herbert Wiley, James did a three-year stint as the touring bassist for Wiley and the Checkmates.

James went on to play in numerous projects with drummer Randy Quillen, including the Vorpal Sword, and is currently the bassist for Evil Eye (both bands were formed by Joseph Higgins).

He is also a member of the Birmingham-based band MRYGLD (pronounced “marigold”). “They are extremely professional,” James says. “ I am very lucky to be working with them.”

In addition, James plays keyboard and bass with Smashley, a group he dubs “the rock and roll flagship of Jasper” and a “force to be reckoned with.”

“It would not be that way without James,” adds lead singer Jonathon Timmons, who has just dropped by. “We were a yearand-a-half into Smashley when the original bass player left. James came in and we said, ‘this is the guy.’”

“I knew I would be in that band before I even knew they existed,” James says with a subtle grin. “Timmons and I both live (near each other) in Thach. I was outside my house and I heard music through the trees, and I was like...’I don’t know how, and I don’t know who those guys are..but I’m going to be in that band.’”

Now he can get a real Les Paul guitar—and a new Led Zeppelin cassette. 78

52 | 78 Magazine

Chase Davidson Vocalist, Guitarist

Words by Justin Hunter Image by Blakeney Clouse

C

hase Davidson’s fingers have danced along the neck of a fretboard since his dad bought him a Squier Bullet Stratocaster at age 13. No amp, just a red electric guitar with a whammy bar.

“I had been hounding my dad all year about getting me a four-wheeler,” Davidson recalls. “I think I nearly had him talked into it, or I maybe I was telling myself that. Two weeks before Christmas, he threw something out there that changed my life forever—what about an electric guitar? My dad went from spending $2500 to $150 in an instant.”

Davidson, 38, embraces the cathartic freedom of being able to hold the microphone, charismatically move about the stage, and deliver song lyrics as the lead vocalist for Handshake Promise.

He is enjoying a season of his voice being the instrument. It’s a nice change of pace.

Comprised of veterans from the Walker County music scene, Handshake Promise has packed local bars and festivals with devoted fans for nearly two decades, playing covers of top classic rock hits. Davidson, a Jasper native, joined the group a couple of years ago.

“Handshake Promise had wanted me to do vocals with them for a while but one thing or anything kept getting in the way, whether it was personal demons or another music project,” Davidson says. “I love being in Handshake. It’s one of the top two bands I’ve been a part of.”

Davidson, who also plays guitar for Within Reason, a Grammy-nominated rock band from Birmingham, is working on a solo singer/writer project in which he explores the dark and melancholy aspects of living on planet Earth. The lyrics are raw and autobiographical, and yet his words are triumphant to those who have ears to hear.

“I don’t write conceptual lyrics,” Davidson says. “I sing about real stuff. All those things I’ve seen, felt and experienced with my own being. I write from pain and anguish, but it connects to me other people.”

Like so many other individuals, Davidson has passed through the valley of death that is substance abuse. He has experienced the struggles associated with poverty, homelessness, and heroin addiction. His soul might bear the marks of those hard life lessons, yet Davidson views his past with the lens of optimism.

“I found a love that helped me realize my life was no longer about Chase,” he says. “My two kids are how I overcame my addiction. I met my wife and she pulled me out of the trenches.

She gave me a baby boy and that old lifestyle was over. Now I’ve got two kids and I don’t have time to live solely for Chase anymore.”

Davidson’s musical career has been one wild ride. He played his first show with Cedar Tree Road— a local band he formed with friends in his teenage years—at the B.C. Lounge in the Jasper Bowling Alley. It was a Sunday night and the band made a grand total of $63.

In 2009, he flew out to Los Angeles to audition as a singer for rock supergroup Velvet Revolver. Davidson got the job—but the group fell apart soon after his audition.

He has enjoyed the thrills of playing with the band Within Reason in front of thousands of fans at the Oak Mountain Amphitheater, a venue he often dreamed of playing after seeing many of his favorite bands perform on that stage.

Twenty-five years after that fateful Christmas when he received his first guitar, Chase Davidson appreciates being alive, creating music he enjoys, and loving his family. 78

our gifts are not for us Matt Wiley of Capstone Music Academy is using his spiritual gifts, one student at a time.

Words by Terrell Manasco Image by Blakeney Clouse

After earning his music degree from The University of Alabama, Matt returned to his alma mater to teach jazz piano. Then in 2014, the tragic death of a close friend’s toddler son sent Matt spiraling into depression. An invitation to Church of the Highlands’ 21 Days of Prayer changed his life.

“I was in a small group and I heard this voice say, ‘Your gifts are not for you,’” Matt recalls. “I still have it on an index card in my Bible.”

The experience gave Matt a new perspective. His depression lessened, and he began to see the world through different eyes. In 2018, Matt opened Capstone Music Academy. “I didn’t know anything about running a business—I just knew I was supposed to do it,” he says. “I wasn’t trying to make a living anymore. I was trying to make a difference.”

S

ome children beg their parents for a pony, a bicycle, or a new toy. Matt Wiley wanted piano lessons.

His parents say Matt was pleading his case for lessons at the age of three. Five years later, he began taking from the church organist, Julie Wilson, but he’s not certain where his passion for piano came from.

“My mom says it must have been something divinely inspired,” he laughs.

Matt’s dad, Jasper attorney Hank Wiley, has always been a major influence in his life. Because of his father, Matt was exposed to bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin while growing up. His fondest memories are from his high school days, playing in his dad’s band, Second Time Around. Laughing, he recalls the time his dad planned to take Matt and two friends to see The Who in concert. “I asked everybody [to go]!” Matt says.” I said, ‘The Who!’ and they were like…’Who??’”

54 | 78 Magazine

Each day, CMA’s Tuscaloosa campus welcomes over 100 students from ages 2 to 80 years old. CMA offers classes on recording and production, as well as classical violin, jazz, ukulele, and banjo. “We place a lot of emphasis on gifts versus skills,” Matt says. “A gift is something we’re born with. The skills are what we do with that gift.”

The effects of COVID-19 have left many families in dire financial straits. In response, Matt recently opened a side business, Wiley’s BBQ , as a means to provide free lessons to students who cannot afford them. “I never wanted money to be an issue for our students,” he says. “Cooking is a passion of mine. If I’m doing it anyway and I can make a little extra money on the side, I can teach a student pro bono.”

It is said that words and ideas can change the world. For Matt Wiley, it only took six.

“Our gifts are not for us,” he says. “I believe with all my heart that we’re supposed to use those gifts to love and serve others.” 78

Your Health Can’t Wait Your Safe Care is Our #1 Priority At Walker Baptist Medical Center, we go above and beyond to ensure that our hospital is safe for you. We’re here for emergencies 24/7 with the quality and expertise that makes us a community built on care. If you’re not feeling well, don’t ignore your symptoms or downplay your pain. Taking care of your health now may prevent greater health risks in the future.

Social Distancing

Wear a Mask

Clean Environment

Separate Care Areas

For more information, visit WalkerBaptistMedicalCenter.com 3400 Highway 78 E. | Jasper, AL 35501

A

t age 14, Jeremy Holderfield had the answer to the age-old question, “What are you going to do when you grow up?” dialed in like the guitar tone on his Splawn amp. He wanted to be in a rock band because he thought it would be cool.

He didn’t know God would take his teenage rock and roll dream and transform it into an international ministry of hope as a guitarist/ producer for the Christian band, Seventh Day Slumber. Holderfield witnessed the power of music draw the hurting masses to the healing heart of Jesus. He has seen literally thousands give their lives to Christ.

“The music side is really neat, like having a couple of #1 songs and being on a tour bus,” Holderfield says. “All of the accolades are cool, but what God did for [the fans] through us made it

56 | 78 Magazine

worth staying in the band for 18 years. We were delivering hope.”

Holderfield says he grew up in the “good kind” of sheltered Christian family. However, he didn’t learn about the grace of God until he started touring at age 22. “I learned how to love people without judgment and how to reveal to them the love, hope, and grace of God,” he says.

After being introduced to Seventh Day Slumber by his then-girlfriend and now wife, Annie, he joined the band in 2002. Since Annie’s sister married the front man, this form of Christian rock music was a family affair.

Jeremy spent years traveling the globe with Annie and their two kids as a touring member of Seventh Day Slumber before getting off the road in 2018. He had literally raised his kids on a tour bus, converting a part of the bus into a homeschool area. He eventually felt it was time for the kids to have more of a normal life. “God opened the door for me to come home with the studio Redbeard Nashville…I had enough work at the studio and with my booking agency that I didn’t need to tour financially.”

Holderfield has spent the last two years growing his production company. Earlier this year, he was nominated for Producer of The Year for a Christian rock award show called The Grizzly Awards.

In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, Holderfield felt God was leading him down a new career path outside of the music world. As a boy, he grew up in an insurance office, watching his father impact the community by selling protection for when tragedy struck. So in 2018, Jeremy accepted a position as an insurance agent for Country Financial in Tennessee. He is now following in the footsteps of his father, Jimmy, who holds a license with the same brokerage in Jasper.

“It’s a normal life with this insurance stuff that I haven’t had since 1999,” Holderfield says.

“Music was fulfilling, so when I decided to get a normal job, it had to be just as fulfilling as playing live music. I feel like I’m still getting to help people while making a living for my family.”

Whether selling policies or performing on the stage, Holderfield says that Christian faith in action isn’t about the platform, lights, or performance, but about helping those in need. “It doesn’t matter where you are from or what your background is, God can use you,” he says. 78

58 | 78 Magazine

Q & A w i t h Kristian and Brandon Douglas Interview by Terrell Manasco | Photos by Blakeney Clouse

Cousins Brandon and Kristian Douglas have been involved in music since they were growing up in Oakman.

Kristian is now a high school Spanish teacher in East Harlem, New York, and is the gospel choir director at Columbia University.

Brandon works for a company called CER, is a Dora volunteer firefighter, and is director of music at St. Matthew’s Missionary Baptist Church in the community of Docena, Alabama.

60 | 78 Magazine

78: Did you grow up in a musical family?

78: Do you ever sing in the car or in the shower?

BD: Everyone sang, but our grandfather, Milton Douglas, really spearheaded us to play musical instruments. He was the minister of music at the church we grew up in, New Bethel Baptist Church.

KD: I find myself singing all the time. Primarily, we deal with gospel music and gospel means “good news.” With all the social unrest and racial protests now, people want to hear good news. Every now and then I sing “Near the Cross” or “By and By, When the Morning Comes,” just to ground me in the work that I’m doing.

78: Did you sing in a group, in church, etc.?

BD: We both sang in the choir, but Kristian was the first to start playing music. He took lessons and played piano alongside our grandfather. I started off on drums when I was three or four years old.

Playing together with our grandfather on the organ, we started our own church band. I never took it as seriously as Kristian did. He started getting more outside of gospel music and playing other things. Seeing him do that, I started playing around with it.

When our grandfather was up in age, he said, ‘Well, since both of y’all can play, I’m going to stop and give it to you.’

We started seriously when we were between eight and eleven.

We took over the choir rehearsals and taught different parts of the songs. A lot of times, Kristian would teach me the music. I was still learning to play so I picked up everything by ear.

78: Who are some of your biggest vocal influences?

KD: I ventured away from gospel music into classical. I took piano with Jane Hudson and went to undergrad on a piano scholarship. I really studied and looked up to Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, mother of the Clark Sisters. She is credited with developing the three-part harmony we hear in churches today—soprano, alto, tenor. That came out of the Church of God in Christ, or COGIC.

78: If you could have dinner with a famous vocalist, who would it be?

KD: The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and the Queen of Gospel Music, Albertina Walker.

BD: I’d like to sit down with Cory Henry. He’s based out of COGIC gospel music but has won GRAMMYs in jazz and orchestra.

78: What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue music?

KD: Get in front of somebody who knows something, who can teach you and show you something.

BD: Just follow what you believe in. Follow your heart. When I started playing drums, I never thought I would ever touch a piano or organ. I tell Kristian, I amaze myself because I didn’t have music teachers to teach me. You can never stop learning, you can never stop surprising yourself at what you can accomplish in music. 78

There are modern people we look up to, like Kirk Franklin and Hezekiah Walker. Now we’re in the praise and worship period with people like Jonathan McReynolds and Kierra Sheard.

78: How are you currently involved in music?

KD: I attended University of Alabama at Birmingham as a music major and was with the UAB Gospel Choir. I received my masters from Columbia University in New York. Now I’m doing a Ph.D. in Education, and I’m the gospel choir director at Columbia University.

BD: I’ve been director of music at St. Matthew’s Missionary Baptist Church in Docena going on seven years. I lead, I teach, and I’m in charge of choir rehearsals. That’s been my role since Kristian and I were at First Baptist on Corona Avenue in high school.

78: When did you get involved with the Columbia University Choir?

KD: I moved from Alabama in 2015 and I was a member of the choir my first year. The director was a graduating Ph.D. student and asked me to take over in 2016.

(L-R) Kristian and Brandon Douglas

78 | Medical

Counting Her Blessings As a labor and delivery nurse, Molly Wright makes a habit of celebrating new life.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Image by Blakeney Clouse

S

ome of Molly Wright’s fondest memories are of her childhood. Growing up with two older brothers and a younger sister, countless afternoons were spent playing in the yard of her family’s home in Jasper. She recalls jumping off the roof of a playhouse onto a trampoline, and even being pulled around on a sled behind a golf cart.

She also remembers the beginnings of a nearly lifelong dream of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. She attaches the memory of that dream to instances of visiting friends and family at St. Vincent’s Hospital after their babies were born. She could envision herself as a grownup, providing care to new families as those tending to her loved ones did.

That dream is now a reality. For just over two years, Molly has worked as a nurse in the Birth Suites at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham, providing labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care. Now she is able to care for mothers and babies before, during, and after birth.

“Providing the best and safest care for my patients motivates me,” Molly says. “I love taking care of a mother throughout her labor and playing a special role in the delivery process. The goals that I strive to accomplish at work are bonding with my patient, being there for her through every step of the way, and doing what is the safest for her and her baby.”

Each day at work, Molly draws strength and inspiration from three key sources in her life.

First and foremost is her faith in God. Second is the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr— God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference—which her mother encouraged her to lean on when she faces challenges. Third, but certainly not least, is the well-rounded influence of her father, Haig Wright.

“My dad always has the best advice, no matter the circumstance,” Molly says. “He always exemplifies what it takes to be a hard worker while staying true to who you are and maintaining your relationship with God. I look up to him in many ways. I strive to emulate his positive outlook on life, his dedication to his family, friends, and work, and his solid faith.”

62 | 78 Magazine

In December 2021, Molly will complete her Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s Degree.

She is currently undecided on which area of medicine she wants to work in, but for the time being, she is more than happy continuing to play an integral role in helping bring new lives into the world. 78

78 | Faith

Toronto is a sprawling metropolis of around three million people; it’s a truly magnificent place. It provides planes, trains, subways, street cars, buses, taxis, and both above and underground walkways. And it seemed on the morning of our departure that all three million inhabitants were moving at once.

From our hotel we caught a subway that would take us to our train. The subway car was packed, as was the subway station where we exited. In order to get to the adjoining train station we had to negotiate the crowded platform, ascend a series of stairs, and then traverse an open space between the two stations teeming with people. We were like salmon swimming for the spawn.

In the midst of this mad menagerie it happened—I was arrested…by perhaps the most beautiful music I had ever heard.

It was if the sound itself was a living thing that caught hold of me and wouldn’t let go. There in the most unlikely of places, in the very early morning, in this space between, jam-packed with humans, was a melody so delicate, yet so rich, that I could not resist it. I simply had to stop and listen. Though we were on a tight schedule, it seemed that there was literally no other option.

The Sound

in the Stillness

“Be still, and know that I am God.” –Psalm 46:10, NLT I was arrested in Toronto, Canada.

No, not by the police, but by music—exquisite, sonorous, mesmerizing music.

In my youth ministry days, a fellow minister and I traveled to Toronto to tidy up the details for a convention we would be attending a few months later. We had taken a plane to Buffalo, NY, and from there a train to Toronto. We had been going nonstop in the big city for three days, with lots of early mornings and late nights to get all of our work done.

64 | 78 Magazine

I motioned to my fellow youth minister pull to the side, away from the crowds. So we stopped, and we watched, and we listened as a guitarist and a violinist filled every square inch of that space with a refrain so beautiful as to merit the applause of the muses.

And it was in that exact moment of “arrest” that the Spirt of God spoke to me in a way that I will carry into eternity.

He whispered, “You have your busy life, with places to go and things to do and a schedule to keep, but I have beautiful ‘music’ for you to hear if you will just take the time to stop and listen, if you will just be still and know that I am God.” Music from on High, a veritable symphony of the Divine: new mercies each morning; daily graces poured out; and unconditional love proffered every moment—all available gifts from God if we will take the time to be still and listen.

Therein lies our challenge, to step aside from our busy lives and really listen to the Music—to truly be still and know that God is God. May you be “arrested” on this day by “the Sound in the stillness.”

greg

A fellow beggar along the Way,

78 | Law

Chicago-Trained, Jasper Practicing Second generation attorney Griff O’Rear loves the feel of small town law.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis Image by Blakeney Clouse

D

uring his time at The University of Chicago’s prestigious Booth School of Business, Griff O’Rear received high levels of educational opportunity, including learning principles of economic theory from Nobel Prize winners. After graduating with his MBA in econometrics, he was asked to join the school’s Ph.D. program. While he recognized the honor held by that request, academia was not part of his plan. His intent was to follow in the footsteps of his father, Caine O’Rear, Jr., and practice law in his hometown of Jasper, Alabama.

Griff returned to Alabama to pursue his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. After graduating in 1984, he began practicing alongside his father in their downtown Jasper firm. “Dad had been a lawyer here since 1949, and I had the honor of working with him until he passed in 2003,” Griff says. “He was really my biggest pull to come back to Jasper and one of my biggest inspirations to go into law. Obviously, he’s my father, but he became one of my best friends and biggest mentors in my career.”

His practice primarily handles business law, property law, and wills and estates. While that may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of an attorney, it is the type of law that Griff prefers. “I chose specifically to stay out of personal injury law and divorce law primarily because I have a great interest in the business and property fields, and because what I do pairs well with my prior educational experience,” he says. “I like solving problems and I like helping people, so what I do falls into both of those categories.”

Much like he had no doubt that moving back to Jasper to practice was the right thing to do, Griff knows that his career choice was the right one for

him. After 36 years of practice, he still wakes up each day ready to go to work and serve his community.

“I’ve always felt that if you put the right amount of effort into your work and do it well, that builds your happiness and self-esteem, so my career has generally been rewarding to me,” Griff says. “I’ve never considered doing anything over. I can’t complain about how things have happened—not that it has been perfect— but doing what I love, in a place that I love, has been fulfilling.” 78

78 | Education

The Lyrics to Dr. Kim Ennis’ Song were Written at Bevill State Community College Words by Terrell Manasco | Image by Al Blanton

I

n 1985, 22-year-old Kim Ennis strolled across Bevill State Community College’s campus and climbed those long, uphill steps to Davis Hall for the first time as an employee. No one could have guessed that the new Financial Aid Director was destined for a much loftier position years later.

Not even Dr. Ennis herself. Asked whether she ever envisioned occupying the president’s office one day, she leans forward, eyes wide in astonishment, and says emphatically, “Oh no! Never! I didn’t have a plan back then.”

That’s not to say she achieved success effortlessly or via some mystical serendipity. Nor was her path to get there easy.

Ennis was only seven years old when her mother passed away, leaving her to be raised by her aunt in the Eldridge area. After graduating from Carbon Hill High School, the Lady Who Would

66 | 78 Magazine

Be President earned her associate’s degree in business at Walker College (now BSCC) in 1982. She returned to Walker/Bevill State three years later, this time as Financial Aid Director.

“I was really put in a role that was totally against what I would naturally enjoy,” Dr. Ennis says. “I am a people person, straight out. Financial Aid combined the two worlds. I was helping people, but I still had to do the paperwork and balance all that. That’s what really helped me grow and be able to flourish in my career.”

Not every moment was spent crunching numbers and poring over mountains of paperwork. Even as she was forging a career, Ennis found time for recreation. “We worked hard, and we took care of students,” Ennis says. “It was a happy time. We had pep rallies. We celebrated when it was time to go to basketball games.

We, as employees, looked forward to it as much as the students did.”

Advertisement

Bevill State’s merger with UAB in 1998 expanded Ennis’s role beyond financial aid. It also provided opportunities to develop her leadership skills, like the business incubator on Industrial Blvd. “I was having to reinvent myself,” Ennis explains. “It’s a totally different organizational structure. I was working with our business incubator and trying to figure out, ‘what’s my path now?’”

Dr. Ennis continued to prove her mettle, serving briefly as BSCC’s interim president in 2015. She returned as president in 2017 but had hardly settled in when her leadership abilities were put to the test. “I discovered the college had been deficit spending for a number of years… and we were about to again,” she says.

retired. “I feel like everything in life has a season,” she says. “This was the season that I needed to be right where I’ve been for three years. I knew in my heart that for me, this was the best time. I’ve accomplished what I needed to.”

Ennis says she is confident she leaves Bevill State in good hands. “There’s a great team at this institution and that I feel good about as I’m leaving,” she says.

“They’ve been right here with me through all those hard things we had to do. We’re in good shape.”

In her three-plus decades career, Dr. Ennis has

“Some really hard decisions had to be made,” she adds. “Most of our budget is personnel, so that’s where you’re going to cut. You have to look at your resources and see what we could do more efficiently.”

Dr. Ennis weathered the tempest, while continuing to lead the college to many victories.

Under her watch, Bevill State received their SACSCOC 10-year Reaffirmation of Accreditation, and expanded workforce partnerships and career tech opportunities including the development of the BSCC/Alabama Power HVAC Training Facility and the BSCC Workforce Solutions Rapid Training Center. She also led the charge as Bevill State charted new territory in education as the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Bevill State now appears to have the wind behind her sails. After 35 years, Dr. Ennis has decided to weigh anchor and set sail as well. As of Sept. 30, she will be officially

been privileged to work alongside many individuals who have mentored her along her journey, including Jack Mott, David Rowland, Harold Wade, Devin Stephenson, Linda Lewis, Hilde Tate, Carol Morgan, Jerry Dollar, and Foster Watkins.

What’s next for Dr. Ennis after she hangs up her mortarboard? She doesn’t know for sure. Perhaps the best response was her reply to Mike Royer on a recent segment of WVUA’s Spirit of Alabama.

“Like I told Mike, I’m going to quit trying to take the pen out of God’s hand; He’s writing my story.” 78

The Joy of His Life Recently retired, Mike Cordle left an enduring legacy on Walker—and Jasper High School.

Words by Sam Martin | Image by Al Blanton

I

n the early 1960’s, young Mike Cordle sat in his childhood home playing with toy soldiers—though, not in the way you might think. His love for school and, specifically, for American History – from the heroes of the American Revolution to the wagon trains of Westward expansion – manifested itself every afternoon: Cordle as teacher, his toy soldiers as students. For him, teaching has been a lifelong passion, even from his beginnings in that 1960’s home.

The son of a preacher, Cordle moved with his family four times before his thirteenth birthday. On the last move, his family found its rightful place at Boldo’s First Baptist Church.

Cordle started at Walker High School after finishing the ninth grade but would soon endure the loss of his father due to pancreatic cancer.

Early idols at Walker like Monte Cain, Asa Randolph, and James Davidson would further develop his desire to teach. When asked about how he felt about Walker High School as a student, Cordle said, “I loved it! People really took me under their wing because my dad was sick during my tenth grade year.”

After graduating from Walker, Cordle attended Walker College and focused his attention on reaching his childhood dream.

His interest in education would push him to get majors in English and history and a minor in geology at the University of Montevallo.

Fresh out of university, Cordle had offers to teach around the state, but in his heart, he wanted to return to his alma mater. With no openings at Walker, he reluctantly chose to sign his teaching contract at another school. The day before his signing, Cordle saw the bookkeeper for Jasper City Schools, Jackie Simmons, at church. Half-heartedly, he asked if there had been any openings and Simmons informed him to his delight, “Yes! Friday afternoon a teacher resigned. So, don’t you go sign that contract! Call Walker’s superintendent Monday morning!”

That Monday he signed for his dream job and began his fortyyear career serving the students of Jasper.

Cordle’s time at Walker was wonderful. He taught AP English, American History, Alabama History, Pre-AP English 10, American Lit, AP U.S History, and 9th, 11th, and 12th grade English.

He loved the unity at the school and getting to work with so many great teachers. After three years of teaching, he was named yearbook sponsor and would take pictures at almost all school events for the remainder of his tenure.

68 | 78 Magazine

He maintains that this new job was pivotal because it allowed him to get to know all the students at Walker, even if it meant taking pictures with long hours and late nights. “I got to know almost every kid at the school,” he says. “Some teachers only really know the kids they teach in their class, but I seem to get to know a lot of them. It has really been the joy of my life to follow students, follow their performances, or follow their athletic events.”

Cordle’s time at Walker and Jasper High School has left students and faculty with the profound impression of his enduring care and concern for the school. His service to the Black/Gold Yearbook for over 37 years has left his Viking spirit as a model by which many future editors may follow. He spent 40 years instructing his students and caring and mentoring them and mentoring them for the adversity they will face in the world beyond the walls of high school.

Overall, Mr. Cordle left a legacy that can only be described as “The Viking Way.” Even after his recent retirement, his impact on our school and community will continue. And for that, we can truly say, “Cordle, here’s to you!” 78 Sam Martin is a senior at Jasper High School and participated in 78 Magazine’s Summer Writing Internship in 2020.

The Man Cave.

9,499

30x40x10 $ 1200sqft

We’ve got eight steel building packages ranging in size from 480 to 1,500 sqft. Pick your colors and options!

Call today!

205-387-7575 M E TA L C E N T R A L . C O M

3402 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE JASPER, AL

78 | Business

Faith. Family. Future.

A glimpse into Cunningham Industrial Supply Company—and the father and son team that makes it all go.

Words by Justin Hunter | Images by Blakeney Clouse

W

hile driving up Highway 5 toward Haleyville in the fall of 2000, Jim Cunningham had an epiphany that God wanted him to start his own business.

dollar small business owned and operated by father-and-son team of Jim and his son, Jimbo. Jim’s son-in-law, Justin Mitchell, and long-time friend Barry Woodman make the business complete.

At the time, he was in his seventh year as the outside sales representative for Jasper Industrial Maintenance Supply (JIMS) and was on a delivery call when the divine whisper hit his heart.

Over the last two decades, the company has grown into an international distributor of nuts, bolts, fasteners, and specialty parts for customers in 25 of the 50 states, as well as Canada and Mexico. The local business is also one the largest importers of fasteners in the Southeast because of its unique relationship with manufacturers in northern China. Souvenirs from the family’s 19 trips to China decorate the office, which is located at the intersection of Hwy 269 and 69 in downtown Jasper.

“I felt like it was the Lord speaking to my heart that day to start the business,” Jim says, reflecting on the inspired origins of Cunningham Industrial Supply Company. “I believe that because the moment is so vivid in my memory. I can take you to the very spot on the highway. It changed my life for the good.”

Jim didn’t allow that thought to slip away but made it a catalyst for his journey into entrepreneurship. Nor did he let age deter him. After all, he was 54 years old—a station in life when some men are rounding third base in their careers and headed toward retirement—when he implemented his strategy to develop and grow his business.

One of the secret ingredients of success of the business is the healthy interpersonal relationship between father and son. “Jimbo and I have never had a fight,” Jim says proudly. “We work well together as a team. Both of us are easygoing, have similar mannerisms, and have lots of the same ideas. Another blessing I have every day is I have the opportunity to work with my son. It’s a truly unique experience.”

With the financial support of his wife’s uncle, Archie Sullivan, Jim’s plan eventually became a reality. Within 30 days of the business’ inception, Jim went from renting inventory space in a friend’s warehouse to purchasing the old International Paper Company building and property on Highway 269. Now Cunningham Industrial Supply Company is a multi-million-

Though Cunningham Industrial began as a solo business venture in 2000, Jim’s heart was always to have a family business.

So in 2003, Jimbo said goodbye to a career in civil engineering to become his dad’s business partner. At the time, Jimbo’s wife, Cheri, was in dental school and was expecting the couple’s first child, a boy named Clayton. Initially, the transition did not appear

70 | 78 Magazine

to be timely, but Jimbo trusted his father’s business vision. Seventeen years later, he still feels he made the right decision. “I didn’t have any experience in sales when I came to work at Cunningham Industrial, but I saw it as an opportunity to work with Dad and be a business owner,” he says. “I grew up in Jasper, and it has been nice working here. I know a lot of guys who say they couldn’t work with their father, but I enjoy getting to see Dad every day.”

At 74 years old, Jim isn’t slowing down or even considering the possibility of retirement. His unrelenting passion for the business is anchored to three intertwined chords: faith, family, and future. His heart is continuing to steward his gift from the Lord faithfully, to provide a comfortable retirement for his family, and eventually pass the torch to Jimbo.

“I’m excited about taking over someday,” Jimbo says, regarding the future of the business. “The only thing I wanted to do was to keep the business the way it is. I’m not looking to change anything, but to keep with the steady growth.”

“There is a lot of satisfaction when you are successful in a small family business,” adds Jim. “We are blessed beyond measure.” 78

78 Magazine | 71

78 | Local Dish

Cabos San Lucas, a resort city in Mexico, is known for its beaches and nightlife. Cabos San Lucas in Jasper is a popular restaurant known for its authentic and delicious Mexican food.

Brothers Jose and Nick Flores have been in the restaurant business for years. With Jose’s extensive management experience and Nick’s knowledge and skill in the kitchen, the brothers initially decided to open their own restaurant in Cullman. When that venture became a success, they opened a second restaurant in Jasper in 2005.

Words by Terrell Manasco | Images by Blakeney Clouse

Cabos San Lucas SHRIMP FAJITAS

Cabos San Lucas is located at 4330 Hwy 78 East #128 in Jasper. The restaurant offers traditional Mexican plates and margaritas.

Dine in or carry out. Phone (205) 295-9984 72 | 78 Magazine

One popular Cabos menu item is the pollo loco (“the crazy chicken’). A close second, according to Erick De Rueda, manager of the Jasper restaurant for the last ten years, is shrimp fajitas.

After shrimp is placed on the grill, garlic and a few secret seasonings are added. Grilled veggies are placed on a special grill and sautéed to perfection, then followed by a plate of rice and beans that comes hot out of the oven. The veggies and delicately-grilled shrimp are placed on a smoking hot fajita plate and served by their smiling servers.

Add a side salad and se acaba de cocinar! 78

78 | Beauty

“We just keep trucking along” Cleveland & Co. Hair Designs has a reputation for great service—and longevity.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis Image by Al Blanton In 1995, Ginny Frazier sat in a chair at Cleveland and Company Hair Designs for her regular appointment, explaining to her stylist, Gwen Cleveland, that she was ready for a change of pace from the doctor’s office where she worked. Without hesitation, Gwen suggested Ginny buy the hair salon from her.

“I told her ‘No way! I don’t know the first thing about doing hair!’” Ginny recalls.

But Gwen was persistent. Over time, she kept assuring Ginny she could run the business part of it, and made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

In August of that year, Ginny took over as owner of Cleveland and Company and hasn’t looked back.

She decided to keep the name, since Cleveland and Company Hair Designs already had a stellar reputation in the community—a reputation still upheld to this day.

“At the time, there were only 11 hair salons in Jasper. Now there’s over 40,” Ginny says. “Some have come and gone, but we just keep trucking along.”

Ginny attributes the success and consistent reputation to Cleveland and Company’s family-like atmosphere. The salon’s eight employees view and treat each other as family, and that translates into how they view their clientele.

“We treat everyone well, no matter their circumstances,” Ginny says. “We get to know them, we learn their stories, we make them feel comfortable and like they want to keep coming back. We want everyone who comes through our doors to feel appreciated and we won’t settle for less.” 78

74 | 78 Magazine

Shop local

Adorned Soul

Bianka’s boutique

347 20th St. W. (Courtyard)| 205.275.6221

109 19th Street East | 205.295.5255

Tickled Pink

Deb & Co.

2981 Hwy 195 |205.512.1091

300 Hwy 78 East Suite 430 | 205.221.3950

Libby’s 108 18th Street East |205.295.5278

marlee jane’s 460 20th St. W. | 205.512.1199

78 | Real Estate

AGENT SPOTLIGHT: 5 Local Real Estate Agents Kathy Cooner, RealtySouth Years Active: 20 Certifications: Broker, GRI, CRSA Specialties: Working with relocation, buyers and sellers Family: Married to Jeff Cooner for 28 years. We have two kids: Jordan, (son) Baleigh (daughter), and one grandson, Jackson.

Phone: 205-275-8306 Email: kcooner@realtysouth.com “I love working with buyers and sellers. It’s the best feeling when you close on a house and you see how excited people get when they have that next chapter in their life begin.”

Zach Thames,

Joseph Carter Realty Years Active: 3

Specialties: Specializing in properties located on and around Smith Lake, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores. Been part of the lake community for 15 years.

Family: Fur babies: Cici (American Bulldog) and Jackie Moon (Shepard) Phone: 205-717-SOLD (7653) Email: MrPremier.Realtor@gmail.com

“Full Time Realtor Specializing in Alabama Waterfront Properties including Smith Lake, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.”

78 | 78 Magazine

John Brasfield,

All Four Real Estate

Years Active: 5 ½ Certifications: Realtor, GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute) Specialties: buyer’s agent/seller’s agent, relocation Family: wife Teresa, dog Jack Phone: 205-300-1757 Email: john.brasfield1@gmail.com “I have extensive knowledge of Smith Lake and surrounding areas. Let me help you find your dream home for sale your current home.”

Jacob Sanders, ERA Byars Realty Years Active: 11 Certifications: Certified Residential Specialist, e-PRO Certified Specialties: I specialize in residential and lakefront homes as well as land and commercial.

Family: Married to Amy Byars Sanders.

Children: Colton (11) & Sam (7) Phone: 205-369-2803

Laura Owen, ReMax Elite Years Active: 5 Certifications: Real Estate Agent Family: I have been married to Shane Owen for 17 years and we have two children: Bankston and Harleigh.

Phone: 205-435-3448 Email: laurajowen@hotmail.com “Buying or selling, I will get the job done!”

78 Magazine | 79

Featured Listings

247 Meadow Way - Jasper

1604 Alabama Avenue - Jasper

444 Harrison Shipman Road - Jasper

This beautiful custom-built 4-bedroom 3-bath home features an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite counters, custom cabinets with lighting, and a prep island. The kitchen opens to a dining room with tray ceiling and a living area with fireplace and surround sound.

This 4 bed/3 bath home has been totally renovated, including new flooring, shiplap, and more! It also features an in-ground saltwater pool, gazebo, and new landscaping.

Byars Realty

This immaculate, traditional brick home has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and beautiful wood cabinetry. It also has a large covered front porch, fenced yard, basement, and storage building, all located on 3.5-plus private acres minutes from town.

Call Sara Cook- 205.275.3960

Joseph Carter Realty

RealtySouth

Call Brandi Shiflett - 205.471.1173

Call Justin Harbin- 205.522.1750

1001 Old Wood Lane - Jasper

39 Lakeside Court - Jasper

This 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom home comes with in-ground pool and fountain. Amenities include granite, travertine & marble, amphitheater, hardwood and travertine floors, 4 fireplaces (3 with gas logs), heated pool, 4 heat pumps, large bedroom suite, stainless steel kitchen, plantation shutters, 3-car garage, and office and bar.

This beautiful Craftsman-style home has amazing views overlooking the community lake and comes with approximately 4000 square feet of finished living space and a safe room with 14inch poured concrete walls. It has hand-scraped hardwoods, granite countertops, a master suite with two walk-in closets, gas fireplace, gas range, gas tankless water heater, and gas heating.

All Four Real Estate Call James Ann Martin 205.205.275.3994 or Gari Leigh Minor 205.275.7304

Remax Call Josh Drummond 205.335.0755 or Nelson Vance 205.266.7908

80 | 78 Magazine

ABE CANNON

TYLER HERRON

JIM CANNON

BOOGIE FRANKLIN

GREG WILLIAMS

TIM DODD

CURT BALLARD

JR MINSHALL

TOMMY PARRISH

BUTCH FOSTER

JOHN SOFTLEY JR.

JOSH SALTER

TOMMY FOWLER

BRIAN BURGETT

KEITH RICE

HOLLY KURIGER

JOWAINE DUNCAN

STEVE MASON

NICK BARNETT

RYAN MORTIMER

Call us for a great deal on your next car or truck! when other dealers can’t - cannon can!

Carl Cannon Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC 299 Carl Cannon Blvd.

Jasper, AL 35501 Sales (877) 535-2112 Service (866) 268-8081 Fax: (205) 295-4941