Some years ago I wrote a couple of songs about my father and the days when the world was filled with wonder and seemingly endless possiblities stretching out before me. They give a gew glimpses of the memories I will hold dear:

"My Daddy's Old Radio"

When I was young my daddy had a cabin at Texoma lake
We’d fish and swim and play all day while the sunlight baked
At sundown we’d sit on the porch and turn on his old radio
. . . I can still recall the songs as if it wasn’t so long ago

Sixteen tons and what do you get - the whole world in His hands
Davie Crockett and Running Bear and songs about being a man
Kansas City and Abilene and five hundred miles from home
Me and my daddy and my daddy and me
And my daddy’s old radio

Father and son together as one – just taking the goodtimes slow
And making some special memories while the fireflies glowed
Me and him and no one else ‘cept a hoot owl in the woods
Daddy sang low, I sang high - and we sounded pretty good

-- we sang

Sixteen tons and what do you get - the whole world in His hands
Davie Crockett and Running Bear and songs about being a man
Kansas City and Abilene and five hundred miles from home
Me and my daddy and my daddy and me
And my daddy’s old radio

Now that I have grown up, I have a son of my own
He stays wrapped up with the internet and music videos
Sometimes when it’s late at night at the end of a long day
I watch him sleep and close my eyes and still hear the music play . . .

Sixteen Tons and what do you get - the whole world in His hands
Davie Crockett and Running Bear and songs about being a man
Kansas City and Abilene and five hundred miles from home
Me and my daddy and my daddy and me
And my daddy’s old radio

and for those who may remember Marty Robbins

"Me and Daddy and Marty Robbins"

When I was a young child, daddy took me
riding in his car
We didn’t go a long distance
But we traveled really far

We’d put our old car’s top down
and Momma would wave goodbye
As we popped a tape in the eight track
and turned the volume way up high

. . .and then
It'd be me and daddy and Marty Robbins
Ridin’ on the range
Seein' one world in our windshield
but livin' in yesterday

We'd be Arizona Rangers
with big irons on our hips
And we'd get all those outlaws
when they made their fatal slips

From the streets of Laredo
on down to San Antoine
From the prairie fires of Kansas
to badlands of New Mexico

It was me and daddy and Marty Robbins
Ridin’ side by side
Taming the west and watching for
ghost riders in the sky

Now I’m grown and I take my own son
Riding by my side
We open up the moon roof
as Momma waves bye-bye

Then I get out our special CD
and let him put it in
And soon there are three amigos
Ridin’ on the range again

. . .and now
It’s me and my son and Marty Robbins
Ridin’ on the range
Seein' one world in our windshield
but livin' in yesterday

We are Arizona Rangers
with big irons on our hips
And we get all those outlaws
when they make their fatal slips

From the streets of Laredo
on down to San Antone
From the prairie fires of Kansas
to badlands of New Mexico

It’s me and my son and Marty Robbins
Ridin’ side by side
And daddy’s ridin’ above us now with
ghost riders in the sky

 Tony, I know the pain.  And it breaks my heart watching you grieve.  But I hope you can find comfort in the thought that your dad is not gone.  He has merely moved on.  Death cannot break the bonds of love.  He will be with you forever.

Love,

Luella