Quick skillet nachos recipe Page A7
Steele leads Hartselle to win over Bob Jones Page B1
Hometown newspaper of Kelly Villanueva- since 1933
Hartselle Enquirer
50 CENTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2023
VOLUME 90, NO. 45
Veterans Day parade returns Saturday By Rebekah Yancey rebekah.yancey@hartselleenquirer.com The 13th annual Veterans Day Parade is set to return Saturday to downtown Hartselle. A patriotic program honoring military veterans will kick off at 10 a.m. in front of the historic depot, followed by the parade at 11 a.m. Lee Y. Greene, Jr. the parade organizer, expressed his gratitude for the community’s support in embracing this annual event as a new town tradition. He recount-
ed the parade’s origins, which began 13 years ago on Veterans Day after the airing of a PBS series about the Vietnam War. Greene, along with Robert Dotson and Cleo Stubbs, initiated the parade. During a conversation with the two veterans, they shared stories of being mistreated upon their return home, leading to their decision to ensure Hartselle would never let another Veterans Day pass without a parade to express gratitude to all veterans and welcome them home. Over time, the City of Hartselle offi-
cially recognized the parade as a city event, ensuring its continuity. Their objective was to keep the event free for all. Since its modest beginnings, the parade has expanded to feature 6-8 floats, numerous antique cars and trucks, high school bands, and various local scouting groups, according to Greene. Col. James Henderson, Retired Army Colonel, Vietnam veteran, chaplain of several local groups and manager of WYZK FM 98.3, will deliver a speech during the patriotic program. The Veterans Parade
program not only welcomes veterans home but also encourages the participation of various groups, including the HHS Civil Air Patrol and the Decatur ROTC units, who partake in combined marches. Through the years, it has become a selfsustaining event, though it still requires effort for permitting and spreading the word. The parade will commence on Railroad Street and proceed along Main Street. For more details, contact Lee Y. Greene at 256773-2304.
Musical escape Falkville gears up for festive holiday events By Staff Reports Jack McCaig Park in Falkville will be the spot to share in the Christmas spirit Dec. 3 when the Town of Falkville holds its annual Christmas in the Park event. The event will begin at 4 p.m., and it is free and open to the public. Festivities will include the singing of Christmas carols, a Christmas tree lighting
and a special appearance by St. Nick himself from 3-4 p.m. A tinsel trail of decorated Christmas trees will line the perimeter of the park. Christmas in the Park is sponsored and organized by the ladies of Falkville Community Pride. Jack McCaig Park is at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West Second Street in Falkville.
Don’t miss the latest issue of Hartselle Living out now. Pick up copies at the newspaper office on Cedar Street or local businesses in the historic district. To subscribe for $16.30/year, call 256-773-6566.
Obituaries
For full obituaries, see page A-2
• Christian Clay Knight • Artie Eaton • Tracy Eddy LeCroy • Shawna Kay Higginbotham
• Susan Watson • Mary Carolyn Quinn • Stanley Ray Borden, Sr. • Jeff Waddell
PHOTOS BY JERONIMO NISA
David Vest, a composer and producer, has worked with Grammy Award winners, on commercials, animated series and films, from his Priceville studio E320.
By Catherine Godbey For the Enquirer Framed photographs of Grammy Award winners and platinum record holders fill the bathroom in David Vest’s Priceville studio. The photographs represent a small portion of the artists and musicians the multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer has worked with the past three decades. “I feel so blessed to do this for a living. I don’t take a single second of it for granted. There are times I sit and look at who I’m playing behind or sitting beside in the studio and think, ‘I don’t even know how I got here.’ But I know God orchestrated it,” the 54-year-old Vest said. During his career, Vest has worked with Grammy Award winners Bob Carlisle, Randy Thomas and Tom Hemby, actress Lindsey Lohan and Tony Award winner Daisey Eagan, and toured with Natalie Grant, Danny Gokey, Steven Curtis Chapman, Mercy Me, Charlie Daniels, The Gaither Vocal Band and more. Recently, Vest composed music for the pilot of a sitcom filmed in Texas and is creating the score for a film with LeighAllyn Baker, the mom from Disney’s “Good Luck Charlie.” He also produced “Pray for Jerusalem,” a song by Charles Billingsley and Bob Carlisle, which was released Oct. 20. “I am so fortunate. I am amazed when I sit back and think about all the work I have done. I would have never dreamed my life would become this,” Vest said. The youngest of seven children, Vest, who grew up in Hartselle and graduated from Brewer High, found an escape in music. “We were dirt poor. I had a really tough and really hard life. But all of us did the best we could,” Vest said. “I feel so lucky I found music.” Vest’s musical journey began at the age of 3 when his brother, a drummer, got him a snare drum. “I drove everybody in the house crazy because I played it all the time,” Vest said. “Eventually, I got a drum kit. From there, I started playing in bands and
PHOTOS BY JERONIMO NISA
David Vest in his Priceville studio, E320. became a hired gun because I picked up on things quick.” Along with the drums, Vest, who plays by ear and reads music, learned how to play the bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, organ, mandolin, standup bass, harp, banjo, dulcimer, lyre and violin. After graduating from high school, Vest became a professional musician and started performing on sessions in Nashville. His transition from a professional musician to production happened unexpectedly. “I set out to be a musician. But when you get hired to play on sessions, part of the process of tracking is putting your input in. I began arranging for a few different people and writing charts on sessions,” Vest said. “Now my passion is producing artists and developing who they are as musicians, singers and songwriters. I just want to help them along on their journey.” To learn about producing, Vest found a mentor in Nashville producer and composer Michael Demus. “One of the first things he told me was, ‘Forget everything you think you know and I’m going to show you how the old boys do it.’ If you didn’t know his
heart, that might sound arrogant. But it wasn’t. He was trying to help me learn,” Vest said. “For the longest time, I had a picture of him on my desktop. When I thought I was done with a mix, I would click on his picture and I could hear him say, ‘Are you sure you’re done?’” Along with Demus, Vest found inspiration from Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. “That guy was a genius. So was Prince and Freddie Mercury. All those guys had a huge impact on me,” Vest said. “Look at what Brian Wilson did on a four-track machine with no technology. What he did will never be able to be replicated.” In 1996, Vest founded the production company E320 on Modaus Road. Two decades ago, he moved his studio to his home on the edge of Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. “Originally, I thought you had to go somewhere and relocate in order to succeed in this business. The majority of time it’s true. When people want to make it in country music, most of the time, they’re going to make the move to Nashville. For what I want to do with See MUSICAL, page 5