Paul and Pap produced their Lamp Lighting Time cd way back in 2009. Sort of hard for me to believe it’s been that long ago. The older I get the quicker time flies by and the speed at which it goes reminds me of the lines from one of Pap’s songs:
The days pass so swiftly, and the years have come and gone
From since I first remember ’til now don’t seem that long……
We took the photo for the cd art. I can’t remember if I snapped the picture or if Paul did. I do remember we set one of Granny’s oil lamps on the edge of the kitchen table and let Pap light it with a match. Even if I didn’t know how the photo was taken, I’d know it was Pap’s hand just from looking at it. I don’t have his hands I have Granny’s long narrow fingers. I think Paul and Steve have Granny’s too. Uncle Henry’s hands are just like Pap’s. Funny how we notice things like that.
Paul has been looking back through old recordings of our music during the months since we lost Pap. He’s found some real jewels as well as some things that will make you smile. Paul told me the other day he’d watched a whole bunch of Chatter and Chitter when we first started filming them. He said “We think Chitter can be ornery now you should have seen the stubborn faces she was making back then with her crotcheted hat pulled down almost over her eyes!” We both got a good laugh reminiscing over those days of trying to tie the girls down long enough for them to sing a song before they ran outside to play.
Paul’s added a couple of the finds to our Blind Pig and The Acorn Youtube Channel. The one I’m going to share with you today is an old recording of a song that ended up on the Lamp Lighting Time cd – Hank Thompson’s Today (My World Ended Today). Paul said they actually learned the song from The Louvin Brothers.
The video was recorded about 16 years ago on VHS, not the best audio or video quality, but not a bad rendition if I do say so myself. I hope you enjoyed the old video.
Tipper
What a blessing to have any type of audio of your family. This is precious!!
I lost my da 2 years ago. He was 95 years old but to me Tipper I was five and he was forever 36.
I miss my parents terribly but this video made me smile and brought back wonderful memories of my own family. Thank you once again
Dona
Thank you for brighten my day by reading about all the wonders of your mountains and traditions. It is a pleasure for sure 🙂
One of my favorite songs. Tells a sad but hopeful story. A perfect fit for the blind pig musicians.
Photos are peep holes into the past. Recorded sounds wrap us in special dreams of past, present, and future. Even smells stir special memories and feelings. With your photos, music, and cooking, you have a special treasure trove; but, best of all, you only momentarily linger in them for you are rightfully busy exploring the now and the future while savoring the past.
Please include me in the give away. I follow you every day and have since the girls were just kids .
Wow. Having THIS take place in the corner of your home? What incredible memories and moving music. So glad I discovered your blog so I can enjoy vicariously!
tipper I was so blessed to have found you blog…your family has touched my heart…I love sitting quietly and hearing those beautiful voices in harmony….much love and happiness to you and yours…big ladybug hugs and love
A beautiful cover and a beautiful song. Their harmonies are so sweet to listen to. In these days of so much negativity, being able to listen to this CD would be wonderful.
I’m reminded of the verse in the Bible James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. As I grow older that verse is becoming so real. We’ve been married 35yrs ago today and we celebrate our Daughters Birthday the 25th and she’ll be 20yrs old, the Doctors told us that she’d probable not live to see 18yrs, and she is right beside me today watching her little programs on T.V and smiling as she does everyday no matter how bad she feels, but just seems like yesterday we went to pick her up, and bring her home..
As usual, the music is excellent. I do love the picture of the lamp and Pap’s hand – a world of stories right there. I have my grandmothers lamp – a treasure and still darned useful. I’ve been thinking of Granny lately, hoping she’s doing well – that time of “firsts” is rough. Know I have all your family in my prayers.
I have the Lamplighting Time CD and it is a treasure.
Tipper,
I love Pap’s voice and their playing.
Gary Powell’s comment caught my eye, cause my oldest daughter also had a birthday on the 4th, only she’s just a couple years younger. It snowed that day here too. She was born in Bryson City and I had a ’59 Fiat way back then. Time really flies! …Ken
Beautiful harmony. I don’t recall ever hearing that one before.
Oh how I enjoyed reading this today and of course, listening to the song. Tears, yes it brought tears. It is amazing , I agree, how we notice our loved ones hands. My elderly Mother is Bedfast now. Each day is a new challenge. But I look at her hands and I see a woman that worked hard all her life. Who is tired now. Who is only waiting, waiting for the Master’s Hands to reach down and usher her Home. Thank you for your posts. They make my day!!! Precious Memories of times I do miss. Crystal in Arkansas
I loved hearing the harmony of your dad and Paul. It was perfect.
I was smart enough to buy the cd a long time ago which makes me a winner already. Whatcha think about that now?
Tipper:
Speaking of time flying! Our ‘first’ grandson just sent us his invitation to his graduation from the University of Tennessee/Knoxville. The other two grandsons are FAST approaching that event. And then they will FLY THE COOP! Guess we will just have to get ready!
Eva
I enjoyed Paul & Pap’s harmony (as usual) very much. I would love to win the CD. As for your statement about how rapidly time moves as we get older, this reminds me of an expression I heard years ago and may have shared in an earlier comment that states “Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes”.
Oh my! I was so excited when I read the blog this morning and realized I’d won the music giveaway! I have already picked out my favorite songs from the playlist. Thank you so much for your giveaways. I’m going to listen to the CD on my way to work in the mornings, which will be a good start to the day. It was hard to pick 10 songs from the playlist. There are so many good ones there!
I awakened to a world of semi-confusion with every clock on different time. I soon got back to a familiar comfortable start of my day with The Blind Pig music. Pap and Paul always an A+ in harmony! That and a cup of coffee is always a pleasant morning.
If I win Lamp Lighting Time I will be able to carry that feeling on into my day. The music is so refreshing in a time when it seems all other media brings news of more division in our country. When I hear the music I always remember the sweet yesteryear when my aunts and uncles would gather on front porch and harmonize. They all went on to different lives, and sang only rarely at a gathering.
That’s a beautiful picture of Pap’s hand. There is a whole lifetime in that hand. I love the old VHS, in this view of Pap I can see where Paul got his expressions. Paul really looks and expresses a lot like Pap!
I just finished watching and listening to your Pap sing Today My World has Ended. What a Sunday morning blessing!
You are so fortunate to have the ability to see and hear him through these videos and recordings. Makes me long to see my father and grandfather’s face and hear their voices singing on the porch once more.
I would be so pleased if I were to win the Lamplighting Time cd. I would love to listen to it as I drive back to Denver and then back to Wofford in January! Herés hoping!
Some of my treasures from Lonnie are your dad’s and Paul’s music. He loved the combination of their voices.
You remind me of my Dad saying the days would go by faster and faster as I grew older. He was so right. Where does the time go?
The lamplighting picture is inspired, so simple and basic it is timeless and also an allegory of light against darkness of whatever kind. I am an aspiring photographer and I would love to do as well even once. The counterpoint of the indefinite glow of the lamp compared to the fine detail of the hand is, I think, an extremely small window of exposure and focus variables. If you all didn’t plan it, I would still say it is not happenstance.
I know how time flies. My daughter just celebrated her 50th birthday the 4th. Hard to believe. We had over 12 inches of snow fifty years ago.