Jim McBride, LHS '65

To Be Inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame

The following announcement has been forwarded to us by Jeanne Ivey McBride.

The Alabama ​​Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring all styles of music along with the preservation and celebration of Alabama musicians. Induction into the hall of fame is reserved for influential Alabama musicians who have been in the industry for over 25 years and have had an international impact on music. The museum, located in Tuscumbia, Alabama, was created to honor and showcase these talented individuals and their accomplishments. The 2023 induction ceremony will be held at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence, Alabama on March 23, 2023. The event starts at 7pm and tickets are now on sale. 

(Editor's Note: I have selected three of the songs Jim wrote/co-wrote that are my favorites. I have them all on CD's (remember them?)

Still recovering and as Inspector Clouseau says, "in every day and in every way I am getting better and better." Still on some loopy medicine and will still be doing IV drips until Friday to fight off infections.  

Knology is still rejecting my emails to those who use their service. Just go to www.leeestraveller.com and work your way to the current edition there.

LEE LUNCH BUNCH

FOR THE CLASSES OF ‘64, ‘65, ‘66

CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

11:00 AM

Please save the date for our spring lunch and chat time for the beginning of the thirteenth year for Lee Lunch Bunch for the classes of ‘64, ‘65, and ‘66.

Carrabba’s is located on the upper parking level of Parkway Place Mall in Huntsville. We have reserved a limited space area for our group, so please do let me know asap if you will be coming. Most of the time in the past we have met on the last Thursday of April. That was not available this time, so it will be on the third Thursday of April instead. As always, place and space are issues, but we should have enough space at this restaurant for our group.

Please do let me know if you plan to be there.

Thanks! Patsy Hughes Oldroyd ‘65

H (256) 232-7583

C (256) 431-3396

keithandpatsy@att.net

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Appendix Nightmare Verses Wearing Glasses

James Ballard

Hey Tommy,

I enjoyed your header article for this week's Traveller and am glad to hear you survived your recent operation. I want to tell you how lucky you are for surviving that kind of emergency. You had no warning ? I had my appendix excised in '83 because it gave me a major belly-ache.

Now on the subject of wearing glasses.

In the Seventh grade in 1960, on the very first day, I had to wear my geek glasses to school. The very first day, before I even got to sit down, some dummy kid yelled out at me,"Hey !...Look at the new FOUR EYES !!!"...Hah.Hah.Hah..." That kid is still breathing, as far as I know. I really couldn't swear to it.

Okay, they were the ubiquitous "Buddy Holly" glasses, like yours. And everybody knew ole Buddy was cool...So I did take some solace. But your article did give me pause. Which would be worse? Dying from a ruptured appendix, or wearing geek glasses for the rest of your “skool dayz” ?  I ask you...

The answer may not be as easy to guess as you think ! But when cheap commercial soft lenses came out in the early 70s, Bausch & Lomb had a fairly decent pair, but they only lasted about nine months before you had to get replacements. They wore down pretty fast, but enabled my vanity in the best of possible worlds. I was elated ! I was seeing a whole new world !

So that stupid kid who called me four eyes back in the 7th grade became a thing of the distant past.

Let me end my story with a big salute to Buddy Holly, one of the greatest Rock & Rollers, EVER !!

Last Week's Questions, Answers, and Comments

Mary Ann Bond Wallace, LHS ‘64, "Tommy I am so glad that you made it to the ER as quickly as possible. So glad you have Sue to set you up and take you down. My Mom had a pick line for nutriment the last year of her life and my sister-in-law and I took turns and days setting her up and taking it down. I hope you rest and take it easy. Thank you for your post each week. This continuing communication brings back so many memories. Reading Jim King's car emergency brings back memories. I drove my parent's station wagon If I wanted to go somewhere, didn't have my own car until I was a senior in college. One time the station wagon needed a new starter so my father showed me how to take a screwdriver and touch two spots to start the car. A friend and I went to get a Root Beer and of course, the wagon would not start. I lifted the hood and got the screwdriver out, next to us was a family and the father was very startled that this 90-pound girl was going to do something with a screwdriver under the hood to start this station wagon. He had a really surprised expression when the wagon started. I was so proud of myself - don't even know what parts I touched with the screwdriver. I wish I could make the gathering on April 20th but I have a doctor's appointment that was made a year ago and I won't have enough time to get back to Florence for the appointment. I hope all of you have a wonderful time - want to hear all about it. Take your time and lay around. NCAA basketball tournament will be starting soon. SEC was wonderful with Alabama winning. Some great games!"

Gary Hatcher, LHS '66, "Tommy, I was more fortunate when I had my appendix removed many years ago. I started out not wanting to go to school one morning, I was in the sixth grade, so I decided to tell my mother I had a bad stomach ache. As a good mother she allowed me to stay home. At the time I didn't really have a stomach ache, but as the day progressed I started to get real pains. My mother finally took me to the doctor. By supper time I was having my appendix removed. I didn't get to the point that you did, but I don't think I ever pretended to be sick again to stay home from school."

Dianne, "So glad you're on the mend. Take care of yourself."

W. Dale Meyer, "Wishing you a speedy recovery Tommy. The infection can be very serious so listen to this old “doc” and rest  in your bed. I know I speak for all of our classmates, you and your wife are in our prayers."