Is Your Supermarket Reducing Plastic Pollution?
June 19, 2019
Joyce Zeringue
June 19, 2019
A fried chicken picnic in the park is as traditional in Nashville as a shrimp, crab or crawfish bail is to a Cajun, so that’s what the Martin family treated us to that Friday.
That we were Catholic meant nothing to them, so we ate chicken and promised to confess to our priest back home. Years later, the Church expunged all meat raps.
In the early 1940s, we were suspicious of the “Texians” mi prating here during the oil boom because they were Protestants. When we learned that we all worshipped the same God. we unselfishly, shared him and lived happily ever after.
Being Catholic meant no meal on Fridays, which was especially hard to us who lived on the bays and bayous of Louisiana. It limited our Friday meals to flan: Redfish, flounder, bass, catfish, trout and many more. Oysters: We could eat them raw. Broiled, in soup, stew, gumbo, or a la Rockefeller. Crabs and crawfish: ditto. except not raw, and shrimp, which could be cooked in about 100 ways, as enumerated by Bubba to Forrest in “Forrest Gump”. It’s amazing how we survived to Saturday. Sure!
Richland Park in Nashville is beautiful with trees and lagoons. We had a great meal and a good time was had by all. but I won’t tell who participated in a potato sack race with the Martin kids … and who last… badly!
That night, we went to Printers’ Alley, Nashville’s version of Bourbon Street, to watch young Marty Robbrna Troy Martin and Peer Musics latest protege, at the only chub in Nashville that featured country music. They still denied the industry that was to make the city rich and famous.
Saturday at 5 p.m., Troy Martin and I headed out to hear Troy’s boss, Ralph Peer, speak at the BM.I. conference where I met Mrs. Jimmie Rodgers again for the third time since my letter to her in 1947 whereby she had sent me, among pictures and memorabillas of “The Blue Yodler” the rare picture record which 1 had donated to the Country Marie hall of fame in 1972. They had really appreciated it since he was. after all “The Father of Country Music”. Carrie Rodgers and I had exchanged many phone calls and letters and I was to meet her one more time at her home in San Antonio She died in 1960.
Then it was on to W.SM radio for my interview with a young Ralph Emery at W.S.M.
Dudley. “Fee-ran” and Raleigh were to meet us later at the Ernest Tubb record shop. Troy wanted Ralph to interview me about my association with Peer Publishing and possible career with Decca. It didn’t turn out quiet that way.
South Lafourche’s own Vin Bruce had made history over a year ago by being; the first artist to record a Cajun song with Nashville musicians on a major label and Ralph wanted to talk mostly about him.
He also seemed fascinated talking to a Cajun and surprised that I looked ordinary and even wore store bought clothes. His questions were about Vin Bruce. Did he really live in the swamp and trapped fur animals, which was a Utile demeaning, but he praised his voice.
“He sounds a lot like a Cajun Jim Reeves,” he said.
Emery even had me translate the wards to Yin’s “Dans La Louisianne”. Troy was trying to steer the interview my way, which Emery ignored. I was happy to talk about my friend and being Vin was also Troy’s client the interview was useful, but it left the audience with little information about me. which had been the purpose for us being there.
Ralph Emery mentioned my name in his introduction and maybe one more time before it was aver.
Later Vin and I had many a good laugh about this, saying to rue. Tm glad I sent you to Nashville because Troy told me you really publicized ma.”
In 1962. Vin and I teamed up and our association lasted 26 years, until I retired from music and became elected Lafourche Parish Assessor. He was my dearest friend but recently passed away. Bye now!
Comments are welcomed at: leroymartin1929@gmail.com
