Wednesday, January 30, 2019

It was 45 years ago this past Jan. 2 that legendary Western movie star, Capitol Recording artist and Grand Ole Opry star Tex Ritter passed away from a heart attack in Nashville, TN. It was 10 days before his 69th birthday.

He grew up at Murvaul in Panola County just across the Sabine River in Texas. He acted on Broadway, performed in 78 movies, ran as a Republican for Senator from Tennessee, sang the title song for hit movies including “High Noon” and so much more.

I thought back to Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1970 when Tex came to Many to perform at the Toledo Fall Festival. Since I had arranged the performance, I went down to the Starlite Motel about 10 a.m. to welcome Tex to town and go over the day’s agenda, as we were going to have a busy one.

I knocked on the door and after a while, Tex answered. He and his band “The Boll Weevils” had driven all night from Nashville and he had been asleep. I felt bad about disturbing him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

At noon Tex spoke to the Many Lions Club who were meeting at the Starlight Restaurant. I had the pleasure of introducing him. Ritter had studied to be a lawyer and had lost his recent run for the U.S. Senate. He was interesting to listen to and we had a full house for him.

Following that, we went by the Index office for a visit and then on to an interview with Don Lyons on KWLA Radio.

At 4 p.m. the Toledo Fall Festival Parade went through downtown Many with Tex as the Grand Marshal. He was driven in a buggy by the late Warren Meadows.

Following the parade, we went to my house where Tex was honored with a fish fry. He enjoyed it very much and enjoyed visiting with anyone who wanted to talk to him.

The concert was to be held at the Festival Ground, but was rained out. Instead it was held in the Many High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. The late Virginia Godfrey, mayor at the time, presented Tex a Key to the City. Following the concert, a tired Tex headed home. But he was a really a trooper all day as he attended the various events.

The late J. C. Ritter, who ran Ritter’s Shoe Store in Many, recalled that Tex had performed at the Sabine Theater about 20 years prior. The late Joe Luster, who managed the Theater, said that was correct, but it had been 21 years. And the late Truman D. Nichols said he, too, remembered the occasion.

J. C. said at the time Tex visited his store he wanted to buy a Stetson hat, but they didn’t have his size.

Tex also recalled that he used to come to Many and Zwolle and perform at the theaters and do what he called “bicycling.” The theater in Many would have him perform and then follow his show by playing his latest movie. While the movie was playing in Many, he would go to Zwolle to perform, then it would be back to Many. He would do this several times during the day.

Very involved in Country Music, Tex served two terms a President of the Country Music Association and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. In addition, he was a true patriot who loved his country and he was not pleased with anyone who did not.

Tex was a historian and loved to tell stories about history. Sometimes he made them humorous. He said, “If the Alamo would have had a back door, there wouldn’t have been a Texas.”

Another was, “They say that Virginia is the mother of Texas. We never did know who is the daddy was, but we always suspected Tennessee.”

I was fortunate through the years to see Tex several times at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

The day he died, he was at the Nashville jail to get one of his band members released.

They brought Tex home to Texas to bury him and I attended the funeral. It was held on Sunday, Jan. 6, 1974 at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Nederland. He was buried at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches. Among those attending the funeral was singer Tom T. Hall and radio and television star Ralph Emery.

The gas crisis was on in full force that day and all gas stations were closed. I had a little 1967 Citroen, a small French-made vehicle, at the time. I didn’t know if I would have enough gas to go there and back, so I took a five-gallon can of gas along. As it turned out, I didn’t have to use it. But I sure wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to pay my last respects to a fine human being and a great American, Tex Ritter.

Mrs. Pricilla Wolf-King will be honored at a retirement celebration at the Sabine Parish Clerk of Court’s Office, according to Clerk Tammy Foster.

Mrs. Wolf-King will retire after a long 35 years of dedicated service to the Clerk of Court’s Office.

The event will be held tomorrow, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m. in the Clerk’s Office.

Our best wishes to Mrs. Wolf-King.

 

Joyful songs, thankful prayers, dances of praise, and encouraging speeches filled the air of the Kings Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church as church-goers celebrated at the 24th annual Martin Luther King March and Ceremony last Monday morning in Many.

Master of Ceremonies William Ruffin set the tone with this year’s theme: “The waters have been dried up, and it’s time for us to cross over.”

Rev. Gwendolyn Snearl, presiding elder of the Alexandria-Thibodeaux District who also works at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, delivered a passionate and fiery speech reminding the audience of how far they have come in the years since the civil rights movement began and how it is now time for young African-Americans to become responsible for even more progress.

Local and area ministers who spoke about how Dr. King was a man of peace and stood for peaceful advancement of the rights of African-Americans included the Rev. Louis Smith, Rev. Woodrow Williams, Rev. Curtis Fields, Rev. Recie Medlock Jr., Rev. Curtis Fields and Rev. Jerome Newsome. The theme of their speeches was the same: “We’ve come a long way in gaining our rights as citizens of the United States, but we have a way to go, and young people must now pick up the mantle and lead us forward, not through violence but peacefully.”

The Daughters of Jerusalem choir led the congregation in inspirational songs such as “Lift Every Voice” and “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory.”

Children were also part of the celebration. Young Praise Dancers from Kings Chapel AME and New Jerusalem Baptist Church had the congregation singing and swaying as they danced for them.

Many Mayor Ken Freeman gave the welcoming remarks after marching with a large group to the church from the corner of Alabama and San Antonio Avenues. It was the 24th year Mayor Freeman has participated in the March and Ceremony, having not missed one since the event began.

Older members reminisced about how they could remember years ago when African-Americans citizens could not drink water from the same fountains as white citizens, could not enter through the front door of a building, could not eat in the same restaurants or stay in the same hotels, and could not vote.

“That’s all changed now, and we have these rights and many more, but we still have a ways to go. Racism still exists,” said one minister. “And now we need you young people to get busy, but to do so only with respect and non-violently,” he reminded the younger people in attendance.

All in all, Martin Luther King’s birthday in Many was celebrated with memories, respect, thankfulness, and a reminder to keep moving forward.

Many film and television versions of “Little Orphan Annie” have been produced, but the much-loved musical comedy movie “Annie” playing this Saturday, Feb. 2 at Many Community Center at 7 p.m. is the original version based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. All later productions are based on this first film.

“Annie” stars Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks, Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, Tim Curry as Rooster, Bernadette Peters as Rooster’s girlfriend Lily St. Regis, and Aileen Queen as Annie.

Some of the songs from this musical comedy that have become popular through the years include “It’s a Hard Luck Life,” “Tomorrow,” and “Easy Street.”

“Annie” is presented by the Town of Many Cultural District Advisory Committee, Many Mayor Ken Freeman, and the Town of Many as part of the Movies in Many program.

Free movies are shown at the Many Community Center [Sabine Theater] on the first and third Saturdays of each month. This year, the movies were selected from a list of requests submitted by the public.

The movies are all rated G, PG, or PG13 so the entire family can attend the movies without viewing violence, bad language, or graphic sexual content.

“We think ‘Movies in Many’ is a huge bargain for movie fans,” Mayor Freeman said. “Here an entire family of five can come and enjoy a movie and everyone have popcorn and a soft drink without spending more than $10 because our movies are always free, and concessions are only $1 each,” Freeman emphasized. “Where else can you do that except for ‘Movies in Many?’”

The annual movie fundraiser for the Sabine Parish Animal Shelter was a big success, and animal advocates are already looking forward to an additional movie-fundraiser later in 2019.

Attendance to see the classic boy and his dog drama “Old Yeller” at the Many Community Center was good despite miserably cold weather the evening of Jan. 19.

The sizable crowd donated lots of blankets, collars, cat scratch posts and other items as well as $300 in donations to help make shelter animals’ lives more comfortable.

More than 13,000 animals have been taken in by the Sabine Animal Shelter since the shelter building opened nine years ago. Thousands of animals have also been spayed or neutered under the voucher program.

Five emaciated horses were recently seized and taken to the animal shelter. They are now being fed well and, hopefully, will recover their health. Shelter Manager Lisa Butler is seeking qualified foster homes for some of the horses while they are regaining their health.

She is also asking for donations of hay and feed since the shelter will continue to need more hay to feed the horses while they are the shelter. Someone who wishes to donate hay or feed for the unfortunate horses is urged to call the shelter at (318) 256-2275.

“All donations will be deeply appreciated,” Butler said.

That’s a wrap for January 2019! Remember, I love to hear your ideas and suggestions for future articles, so send an email to robertrgentry@gmail.com or call me at (318) 332-8653. Recently archived columns are found below. Older ones are archived on our Observations page on Facebook, where they are listed by date under Photo Albums. To print this week’s column, simply right-click anywhere on the content and select Print.

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