I've Grown Old Now, But I Remember

When I Was Seventeen

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

I was born in the Huntsville Hospital at 8:31am on June 21, 1946. The year 2026 is a big year for me. The idea of ever being around to celebrate my 80th birthday never really crossed my mind when I was growing up, and yet, “BAM”, it is happening.  I join several of you classmates in celebrating this stage of my life, and the rest of you are not far behind. As I reach this milestone in age, I cannot help but look back on how wonderful of a life I have really enjoyed. Sure there have been some close calls and ups and downs, some of them heartbreaking and some remarkably extraordinary refreshing. I've been a bladder cancer survivor since it was discovered in 2015, attributed to Agent Orange. It proves true that God had plans for me I never saw coming.

I've had a remarkable life. I have loved and been loved by some wonderful people. I lived an interesting military life and have been blessed in so many ways I could never begin to explain them. I am blessed that my mind is still fully functional and that I can still remember the good times in my life, and celebrate them. As it says in the song, "I've grown old now, but I still remember." My mind is filled with wonderful memories of walking the halls of Lee, cruising the Parkway between Jerry's and Shoney's, dances at Bradley's, football games at Goldsmith-Schiffman Stadium, movies at the Lyric Theatre, skating at Carter's, drive-in movies at Woody's, and delightful evenings on Monte Sano. I can still remember my Boy Scout days, my Central Presbyterian Church group, working with my staff on Lee's Traveller, and listening to that great music we were blessed to share on WAAY radio.

A little while back I was playing around with Artificial Intelligence song writing and at the time I asked AI to write me a song about my earlier life. I gave it the title "When I Was Seventeen" and it came up with the words; they were not given to it. The song turned out very nostalgic, and touching in its own way. Since I just turned 80, I thought I might share the results of that effort with you. 

The Wayback Machine

The Songs That Shaped the Sixties

Willard Finkbinder

The soundtrack of the 1960s wasn’t just music — it was a cultural current that carried a generation forward. From the first jangling guitar chords of the British Invasion to the velvet‑smooth harmonies of Motown, the decade delivered songs that still feel alive today.

When The Beatles arrived, they didn’t just top charts; they rewired teenage energy. Their upbeat optimism set the tone for a decade that believed anything was possible. Meanwhile, Motown artists like The Supremes and The Temptations brought a polished, joyful sound that filled school dances, car radios, and living rooms across America.

But the sixties weren’t all sparkle. Folk anthems from voices like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez gave the decade its conscience, asking questions that echoed through marches, campuses, and late‑night conversations. And on the West Coast, The Beach Boys bottled sunshine into harmonies that made even landlocked teens dream of surfboards and endless summer.

What makes these songs endure isn’t just nostalgia. It’s the way they captured a generation discovering its identity — hopeful, restless, curious, and ready to change the world. Sixty years later, the music still invites us back into that moment when everything felt new.

Yes, big birthday for me (and a few of you) this year. Who would have believed it? I hope you were able to view and listen to the song above, it has a lot of meaning. I hope to keep this newsletter going for a long time more, and I hope all of you will consider helping me with the content. Surely there is something in your present or past lives you would not mind sharing with your classmates.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Delores McBride Kilgore, LHS '66, “Thank you, Tommy! You are a treasure for the Classes of '64, '65 and '66! Bringing back all these memories is a treasure in itself !”

Rose Sharon Towery Linsky, LHS ‘65, "I enjoy reading the nostalgic stories about our youthful era here in Huntsville."

Rod White, LHS '67, "Thank you so much. You do a great job ,thank you. Being in Florida I don't hear much about so many wonderful friends!"

Andrea Gray Roberson,  LHS ‘66, "I have seen so many churches having Vacation Bible School this month and they made me think of me and my friends attending VBS at Lincoln Baptist Church. So many great memories of the friendships and fun we shared. Plus, the wonderful songs and Bible verses we learned during the week. My sweet grandmother and her friends served us Kool-Aid and cookies every day. Fun times!"