Today’s post was written by Paul.
Happy Memorial Day! I thought the old song “Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown” would be fitting for Memorial Day since it speaks to the transition from this life to the next and encompasses the idea of being “decorated.”
When I grew up, many folks used “decoration day” interchangeably with “Memorial Day.” It was always a time when churches beautified their cemeteries and paused to remember and respect loved ones gone before.
Granny and I went over and decorated Pap’s grave with a red, white, and blue wreath; red, white, and blue vase of flowers; and red, white, and blue stone topper of flowers. Everything matched nicely and was fitting for Pap as both our special loved one and as a veteran of the USMC.
On Pap’s birthday in July, I will upload one of his favorite songs, one that many of you may not have heard before. Speaking of Pap, I’m playing his wonderful Dove guitar in this video.
Being very old, the saddles, frets, and pins have all been replaced at least three times. Just before shooting this video, I asked Mr. James “Chip” Siller to replace the nut on it. The nut is the little white bar-like piece that the strings run across as they make their way down the neck from the head of the guitar toward the body of the guitar.
This is the third nut for the Dove. This one, like the original, is made of bone. The Dove is my prize possession and not something I would entrust to just anyone. A friend recommended James Siller as a luthier. I’ve known him for years but forgot that Chip is a luthier on the side.
The groove for the B-string was worn or cut down by the string to the point that the b-string would buzz on several frets. Chip said he got this replacement to within one 1,000th of a millimeter (or something like that 🙂 ). I think he got it perfect. I played all over the neck in this song, and the b-string never buzzed once. This nut should probably last till I’m too old to pick any more.
When I contacted Chip, I found out that he has a new business venture in Murphy, our county seat. He has a pack and ship store located directly across from the Rib Country Restaurant in Murphy. It’s called Mountain Valley Pack & Ship. So if you need to ship something, get keys made, or need some work done on an instrument, please go by and see him. He’s also an amazing guitar player/musician. You can check out his shop here and some of his rock music here.
Lastly, I want to mention that the lyrics to this beautiful song were written by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920). The tune (Crown of Righteousness or Stars in My Crown) was composed by John Robson Sweney (1837-1899). The song was first published in 1897. I learned the song from a recording of the great Dottie Rambo. My arrangement is a lot different from hers, especially the tempo and timing.
A couple of weekends ago, I played by myself in Murphy, and I needed an arrangement where I could fill up the song with a little more sound or keep the one instrument more busy. I hope to polish this arrangement more over time. Speaking of performances, I’ll mention that I’ll be performing with Mr. Jamie Shook in Murphy on June 29th as part of the Fain Alley concert series and again on July 27th at the Martins Creek Community Center. As always, thanks for watching.
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
Pap’s grave looks beautiful… nice bright and patriotic! I like the word HERO on the vase… Paul, soothing voice on this number and some fancy finger work!
This is a hymn from my childhood. As an adult, whenever I did a good deed, Mama would say “That’s another star in your crown.”
I was raised in the Church Of Christ and attended church every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night where we often sang “Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown.” My dad had a beautiful Tenor singing voice but as the old saying goes my Mom “Couldn’t carry a tune in a basket.” I always sat beside her in church and she would tell me to sing loud so my voice would drowned hers out. She said the scriptures say to “sing and make melody to the Lord with your heart” and she believed it was her duty do so regardless of her poor singing voice. God Bless Her Sweet Soul.
Beautiful song, singing, and playing…as usual.
Paul, I have heard this song all of my life and I am 76 years old. My Dad would sing this and play guitar. You definitely filled in for the one instrument playing and it was superb. Your finger picking is amazing. I could listen to you play like that all day. Your singing is also very good. Your Father’s grave is decorated so nice. We also called it Decoration Day years ago, so glad Granny got to go too.
Paul,
You did a beautiful rendition of a song I’ve heard and sang all my life. There was a funny story my daddy told us when we were growing up about this song. He said as a boy he heard a tale about 2 local churches within shouting distance of one another. One was on one side of the road and the other on the other side of the road. One Sunday night a few boys were walking down this country dirt road on which both churches were located. In one church the congregation was loudly and enthusiastically singing “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown” and the other church across the road were singing just as loudly and enthusiastically the old song, “No Not One”. Each church was of a different denomination. I’ve since heard this same tale from others in the community.
Great song. I hadn’t heard the Rambo name in years. My great-great grandmother on my mom’s side was a Rambo (East Tennessee).
Memorial Day is a special day of remembrance for me. My father was killed at the Battle of the Bulge. He is buried in the US Military cemetery in Luxembourg.
Paul, your singing is so beautiful and touching. As a mother I can’t imagine the blessing it would be to have a son as devoted, talented and kind as you are. Granny surely is blessed.
Paul, just beautiful! This is probably my favorite gospel song and you did a wonderful job with it. As always, thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent.
I found this very interesting info from several different sources and it greatly touched me:
” Memorial Day is what most people call it now. But it’s still called Decoration Day in many areas. Especially in the Appalachian portions of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, north Georgia, northern and central Alabama, north Mississippi. Also, in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, the Rocky Mountain regions of Colorado, Utah, and in parts of California.
It all started after the Civil War. Women and children would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. By World War I’s end, some 120,000 Americans died in combat. By World War II, nearly 420,000 American soldiers were deceased.
More than 41 million Americans served in the military over the last century. More than 600,000 have died in service since World War I. Memorial Day is theirs. Not ours.
They went for us, because we sent them. Into the dirt and the dark they went because they committed their service to our defense. On this day, remember what they did and reflect on being a citizen worthy of them.
Perhaps rethink saying ‘Happy Memorial Day’ this weekend. It’s not happy. It isn’t about parades and barbecues. It’s about missing someone so badly you can’t breathe.”
Have a meaningful Memorial Day with family and friends.
Paul–Stellar, as always, and I was particularly pleased to learn that you are pursuing musical performances in public on your own or with others even as your nieces find their lives taking new roads that will almost certainly, at least in the short run, see less activity in picking, fiddling, and singing and more energy devoted to your grand-nephews. Mind you, the assembled folks did manage, with considerable insistence, to get Corie to pick and sing a bit while at Fontana. I have to reckon that having a humming guitar at very close range could only be soothing and satisfying to the little one she’s carrying.
Beautiful song, beautiful guitar. Reminds me of the Down to the River to Pray lyric, “As I went down in the river to pray, studyin’ about that good ol’ way, and who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord, show me the way.” Would love to hear you, Granny, Katie, and Corey singing this one, too. I also love your couch cover.
As I stated on the video itself, that old Dove is made for finger picking. What I didn’t say is the song is too. You do seem to be a little uncomfortable with retained muscle memory from holding the pick but make finger picking your principle and that will quickly pass.
Enjoyed your music so much. May you and yours be blessed. Love to Granny!
That was simply beautiful. A lovely way to begin a Sunday morning. Thank you.
Paul, you played and sang this lovely hymn so sweetly and I thought it sounded just perfect and lovely! It was fitting for the Lord’s Day indeed! I know Jesus enjoyed hearing you just as much as we did! I think Pap would be very proud of the way you decorated his grave in such a patriotic manner! I think it looks beautiful and I know your mother’s heart was contented seeing such a lovely place of rest for her beloved husband. Thank you Pap and all veterans who have served. Many gave some (like me) but many gave ALL ( including their precious lives.) THANKYOU Jesus for the brave men and women who have kept us free and may young people rise to see just what America can be again if the people’s hearts will only turn to Jesus, seek Him and be HEALED. The end is a chance for a new and better beginning. Bless you all on this Memorial Day weekend.
Not trying to stir up anything, but wasn’t Memorial Day originally to honor the veterans that gave “all” and Veterans Day was to honor all of the ones that serve or had served in the military. I think we should honor ALL of the men and women that have served in the military everyday and not just on “special days.” I had a cousin killed in Vietnam in March 1968, he was captain of Woodmont High School’s first football team. His classmates, other students and the administration all agreed to name the football stadium in his name as a way of honoring him.
Happy Sunday and Memorial Day weekend! Paul is so gifted in music. He sings beautifully and plays guitar extremely well. The song is so lovely and gives us much to ponder in our soul. Thank you for sharing it with us. Have a blessed and safe week!
I truly enjoyed hearing Paul play and sing this morning….such a great way to witness to others..❤️thank you, Paul
Carolyn
Sure enjoyed the song. Yes, this is an opportunity to reflect and share about those that have gone before us, and point us toward heaven. Yesterday my 2 sisters, wife and I got together and it came up about the WW2 cemetery on Clark AFB in the Philippines where I grew up. Although the base is closed, the cemetery is still respectfully maintained as the Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City. Thousands of American military veterans and Filipino Scouts are buried there. It was on the right after coming through the main gate of Clark AFB, and I remember it fondly and respectfully and was thrilled to see the commitment to honoring those that gave so much of themselves, so we can live free.
I recently had a 1923 Victrola VV-215 restored, the motor cleaned and lubricated, and reproducer rebuilt. I bought it with 55- 78 records including the Smoky Mountain Sacred Singers with organ singing that song, Will there be any stars in my crown? I set it up on the back porch and opened up the “speaker,” and played many songs on it, and some like that one over and over. I hope it’s nice tomorrow and plan on scooting it back out and playing in open air. There’s just something precious knowing others played that same record and we “fellowship” in its message. Happy Memorial Day everyone!
That’s mighty fine picking! I’ve never heard it sang that way, but it was beautiful, Paul!
The only version we have ever heard is by Allison Krauss.
Y’all are so gifted by the Lord.
Our grandson picked up the guitar last year and is doing great at it. He is twelve and learns from our worship leader at church. I told him I pray he uses his talent for the Lord.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful music!
A lovely song, Paul, and beautifully sung! Thank you! Happy Memorial Day to you and all the Blind Pig and Acorn families.
Wonderful job decorating the gravesite……..probably the prettiest in the cemetery!
Jackie
I haven’t heard this song in a long time but remember when it was often sung at my church in the past years. I don’t remember having a “decoration day” in my lifetime at our church cemetery, the church has always kept it clean. I did this for several years when I was a teenager. The church and I suppose the cemetery is now around 225 years old, (new church building 1965), you can no longer read the writing on some of the headstones and one area in back is said to be slave graves that were marked with nothing but field rocks. I wish I was financially able to pay to have someone come and find and mark the individual graves.
In my area there are many cemeteries that are unaffiliated with a church. Family and community cemeteries are the rule rather than the exception. Decoration Day was, and is still, a time when members of families and community members gather together to celebrate the lives of their “people”.
The cemetery where my wife is, and I am soon to be, is nowhere near a church building. Decoration Day there is the second Sunday in June and has been for as long as my mother could remember (she died at 51, 50 years ago Oct 28th). Our Decoration Day has no connection to the beer, barbeque and debauchery national holiday our fine government has set aside.