The recent passing of Nashville Country Music Star Loretta Lynn naturally reminded me of the day I met her and we chatted briefly.
It was some time during the 1990-93 first three years after my divorce and I had graduated from a student in the Divorce Recovery Class to the teacher of the new recovery group that included the bass player for Loretta’s Band. He asked me if I would like to watch the taping of a TV show from backstage and of course I said, “Yes!”
First he took me on one of their tour buses and I met band members and 3 of Loretta’s spoiled kids (as young adults at the time), then when we got backstage Loretta showed up and I was introduced to her and we had a very brief chat. It was like meeting family and she was so quiet yet very friendly and courteous to me. I later told my friend that she reminded me of my Mother (even though Mom did not sing). And if someone reminds me of my Mom, that is a compliment! 🙂
I have met several other “famous” people in my lifetime, but this brief encounter was one of the more special ones because she reminded me of my mother! 🙂
I had no camera with me at the time (before cellphones), so no photos of the encounter, but several years later in 2007 I visited Hurricane Mills where she and her family lived, so here’s three photos from Hurricane Mills, Tennessee:
CLICK an image to see full width and larger . . .
More photos of Hurricane Mills in that trip GALLERY.
¡Pura Vida!
And for anyone wanting to know more about my many years in Tennessee and Nashville specifically, I of course have photo galleries of both My Nashville Years and of my Tennessee Travels (nature travel of course!) 🙂
Charlie! I loved your story about Loretta Lynn. My daughgter lived in Germantown for several years and loved it! It was a charming town.
xoxo
Thanks Gordona. Was your daughter in the town of Germantown, a suburb of Memphis, or the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville? Two different worlds and each with something to like. I lived in the latter two times.
She was in Germantown by Nashville. Really neat area.
Xo
Yes – a neat historic neighborhood with German immigrant roots and African-American. I bought a townhouse there that was to be my retirement home, living there 1998-99 before I got “downsized” out of LifeWay and moved to The Gambia, West Africa for a three years job, selling that house I loved. See it in my gallery: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/Pre-Costa-Rica-Nashville-Photos/Germantown-Neighborhood
Then when I returned at the end of 2002 I bought a Rowhouse that was created as part of an affordable living condominium where I lived for 10 years across the street from Germantown in Hope Gardens neighborhood which was also across the street from Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park. I also really loved that house within walking and biking distance of downtown Nashville and connectors to all of the wonderful Nashville Greenways. See that house gallery at: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/Pre-Costa-Rica-Nashville-Photos/Hope-Gardens-North-Nashville
So your daughter experienced one of the communities that was one of my favorite ever! I still keep up with a next door neighbor in the rowhouses through Facebook. Those were my “biking the greenways” years along with camping and backpacking in TN State Parks, having visited all 50! 🙂 Only Costa Rica is better! 🙂
Charlie you are certainly an adventurer!
Loved your Nashville albums!
Thank you!!!
xo
Thanks Gordona! And yes I am sort of an adventurer (though the kind who avoids danger!) 🙂
Glad you liked my Nashville Albums! I had fun while there but glad to be here now. There are lots of things to like about Nashville.