22 April , 1963 Famous Jimmy Driftwood Bitten By Walking Horse Fever ' Bug
22 April , 1963 Famous Jimmy Driftwood Bitten By Walking Horse Fever ' Bug
Jimmy Driftwood — who would rather serve Arkansas as the world ’ s greatest Folk Singer than be Governor — has caught " Tennessee Walking Horse Fever ."
When last seen by the Voice Editor he was staging a 110-degree spasm with his hands on a guitar — hewed from an Arkansas fence rail — and a song in his heart .
“ 1 have a thousand ideas for songs — and sometimes pick just one of them and do something about it ," said the amiable ex-school teacher who made a bale of greenback hay out of his " Tennessee Stud ” and " Battle of New Orleans .”
Voice Editor ‘ MUM ’
The Voice Editor hardly got in a fast word during an hour-long visit with Jimmy in his Charlton Hotel room at Nashville . Later that day the Greatest Man in American Folk Music of this day wowed the Grand Ole Opry crowd . He also told Anita Carter ( daughter of the wondrous Mother Maybelle Carter ), America ' s No . 1 Country Music Disc Jockey Grant Turner of Station WSM and President Don Worden of Worden Music Co . all about his “ buzzing bee ” set off by a glance at the Voice of the Tennessee Walk Horse .
Green explained to Turner — a friend of 10 years — that “ J just nicked Jimmy with the Walking Horse Bug and lie ’ s been going nuts ever since . . . f think he will have that song written within a week . He ’ ll probably sing it at the Arkansas Folk Festival at Mountain View , Ark ., April 18-19- 20 . All the world is invited there for a tremendous event .”
Driftwood ’ s “ big notion " when the Voice Editor left him with a “ Biography of the Tennessee Walking Horse ” and a file of Voice copies — was this idea .
Write a song with some history in it ( like the Battle of New Orleans reveals hidden history )— have it sung by the Willis Brothers ( as announced in the last Voice )— and after this record becomes a big hit ( as it will all over this land )— use the “ Walking Horse Fever ” song to lead off an album of some 16 horse songs — and have a picture of Jimmy Driftwood aboard Ebony Masterpiece ( 1962 World ’ s Champion ) on the cover .
When last heard from Jimmy had fled to the Ozark Hills of Arkansas to get all his wits together and knock out that song .
After his hour-long visit with Jimmy
Jimmy Driftwood tells Anita Carter , Announcer Grant Turner and Don Worden at Grand Ole Opry about " getting bit " by the Tennessee Walking Horse Fever bug . He plans to write a song about it .
Driftwood the Voice Editor made this remark to his nephew — Brian Neville of Hattiesburg , Miss .: One Of America ’ s ‘ Greatest ’ “ Brian , we have just been with one of America ’ s greatest men — certainly one of the mose genuine Americans in all history . Notice how he said he did not want to write any song that did not have some history in it — that did not serve to enlighten the people in some manner .
" He ' s still leaching school — although he has been off the payroll for some time . Would you guess that fellow was rich ? He is rich in things that count more than money counts in the pocketbook . And he ’ s plenty rich there too . A group of 8T wealthy Arkansas men asked him to run for Governor — but after a weekend of thought he set out a couple of nonpolitical specifications that were essential to him . The 8J forgot about this man who could win , pinned their tag on one who could not — and lost a bet with a lot of money at stake .
" The Saga of Jimmy Driftwood will be remembered for all time by the Country Music People of America . His ’ Walking Horse Fever ’ song will be just a small segment of the whole . But it will give the first real lift to my dream for promotion of the Tennessee Walking Horse through the public welfare , non-profit corporation called the Tennessee Walking Horse Lovers League of America , Inc . It currently has only S509 in the bank . Watch that grow soon .”
Horses For Sale
The Robert W . Keysers have young registered Walking Horses and Colts For Sale At Their
BITTERROOT VALLEY WALKING HORSE RANCH
Stevensville , Montana
At Stud Go Boy ' s EASTER SON
Sire : Merry Go Boy No . 431336 Dam : Jane ' s Glamor Girl 521201
FEE $ 75.00 To A Few Select Mares at BY-PASS STABLES
Russell Beals , Prop . Jonesboro , Tennessee
Phone 753-4234
Shown by Kenneth Huffine Jonesboro , Tenn .
Owners : Mr and Mrs Talbert Hughes Route 6 — Johnson City , Tenn .