There's An Old Man In Our Town...

When Claude and I were dating and penniless, he would bring his guitar over and play and sing for me. I loved to hear him sing. Some say he sounds a little like Burl Ives (even using that name dates me!!). But Claude does have a very mellow, beautiful voice.

He sang a lot of Glen Campbell songs. But he also sang some Kenny Rogers songs. There were a few just becoming really popular. I remember specifically buying Claude a 45rpm record for a present of Kenny Rogers singing 'Ruby'. I remember that being the first Christmas when we were dating.

I got a notice on my computer about shows coming to the Lexington Opera House. Kenny Rogers was coming to town. I told Claude this was one show I would really like to see, he agreed, so I purchased us tickets.

Last night was the concert. It was just a most wonderful evening. Kenny's pipes still ring true today. We got seats in the 2nd balcony up so we didn't have to see his face as clearly. He was a very handsome man and I've never figured out why the plastic surgery. But the surgery didn't mess up his voice.

I was amazed they never made an announcement about no pictures. There were cameras flashing all over the place. Cell phones recording stuff. I was very good until the very end and then I pulled out my cell phone and took 4 shots. This was the best I got. The lady next to me kept flailing her arms out as she clapped and would knock my arm each time I tried to take a picture with my cell phone. No complaints, we were all having such a good time.

My very favorite song was 'Lucille'. The entire audience sang along loudly. I always loved this song because the harmony is sooooooo good in it. So I sang my harmony right out with the best of them. Claude was singing along too.

Kenny was great with the audience. He had us all enjoying his witty comments and personal stories. One audience member even asked him to bring back 'Kenny's Roasters' (a restaurant that bore his name and sold chicken). Turned out John Young Brown, Jr. was in the box seats for the concert. Kenny Rogers pointed to him and told the audience if they wanted Kenny's Roasters' back to tell John Young Brown, Jr. about it because he was the one who got it started. John Young Brown, Jr, was a former governor of Kentucky. The audience began to chant 'Kenny's Roasters' over and over. Cute moment.

During one song the audience really participated on the chorus. I can't remember which song it was right now. But we all tried very hard to sing really loud on that chorus. When we finished the song, Kenny told us we had to all stop swaying. He said we all sat perfectly still on all the other songs but on that one we all started to sway back and forth in unison to the rhythm of the music. He said we looked like an audience of 'Ray Charles' and we needed to stop swaying.

It was a really, really, really good concert. If you have the chance and enjoy Kenny Rogers music, I can highly recommend this concert. Well worth the price of admission plus some.

Now, why did I title this 'There's An Old Man In Our Town". One of the Kenny Rogers albums we had many, many, many years ago and in one of the books of his music I still own, there was this song we never heard on the radio that I believe is probably one of the best he ever did. The title is 'There's An Old Man In Our Town". Here are the words from my memory.

There's an old man in our town

And I guess he's been around

For years and years

At least that what they way.

Wrinkled hand and rocking chair,

Growin' old, just sittin' there.

Every year he has the same old thing to say.

CHORUS:

He says, "Youth only happens to you one time,

Or so I've been told.

So if you miss it in your young time,

Have it when you're old.

Now there's no old man sittin' there,

Just an empty rockin' chair.

But the things he said will always be around.

Someday when I'm old and gray

Maybe youth will come my way,

I'll be proud to be the old man in our town."

CHORUS:

And I'll say, "Youth only happens to you one time,
Or so I've been told.

So if you miss it in your young time,

Have it when you're old."

Claude and I loved this song. We learned to sing it together with him playing the guitar and singing lead and me singing harmony on the chorus. When we lived in Denver the youth had a skit festival. The theme was something about journals or family history. We wrote an original play about the stages of life, Betty Chandler even wore my wedding dress for one scene, and Claude sat on the stage and sang bits of this song between the pieces of the skit. Good memories.

Now Claude and I are the 'old people' on our town. Funny how that happens.