THE LAST VOICE

LEVON HELM SINGS FOR THE ANGELS

By Doc Lawrence

WOODSTOCK, NY—Sitting on a stool with his Bill Monroe-inspired mandolin, he was about to play the dramatic instrumental introduction to Bruce Springsteen’s epic, “Atlantic City,” a song he delivered masterfully, incorporating the strongest elements of Rock, Country, Rhythm and Blues, Bluegrass and French-Canadian music styles. Levon Helm, a genuine grassroots voice of the rural South, returned to the universe that produced him, his immortal soul flying away.

Much like his friend Johnny Cash, Helm enjoyed stardom, then receded into shadows only to remerge supremely triumphant in his final years. Three Grammys, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a 2011 performance in the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville’s sacred shrine of music, where “Ramble at the Ryman” was performed are just a few examples. Brother Love, the irrepressible Nashville wheeler-dealer, was there for the historic session: “It was a night made for street preachers, hookers, rabbit tobacco, sorghum syrup, hominy grits and moonshine. On that stage, Levon blended the Old South with New America, seamlessly crossing all barriers. I don’t think anyone else in music can do that.”

But it will always be “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” that keeps Levon Helm’s mournful voice in that special part of my being where the funeral hymns of my mother, grandparents and Confederate ancestors (not far removed) resonate: “Rock of Ages,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and “Precious Lord, Take my Hand.”  Levon became Virgil Cain, a Southern man who lost everything. Few have fallen into the abyss of war and the horrors of killing, defeat, humiliation and starvation. Levon Helm connected me with those spirits. He wailed and my soul ached.

The South is America’s Ireland. The accents, traditional dances, incredible food and folk art soon will be absorbed and homogenized by popular culture and this country will lose some critical mass. Levon Helm may not have been the last voice of the South, but he was one of the few who could make the claim. A verse from “Atlantic City” hints that beyond despair and misfortune, noble spirits and universal truths linger. You can feel it in the breeze late at night.

“Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold

But with you forever I’ll stay

We’re going out where the sands turnin’ to gold

Put on your stockins baby, ‘cause the nights getting cold

And maybe everything dies, baby, that’s a fact

But maybe everything that dies someday comes back.”

BRADLEY’S COUNTRY STORE

GRITS + SAUSAGE = BIG LOVE

By Doc Lawrence



Miss Jan Welcomes Hungry Food Writers



TALLAHASSEE, FL- Jan Bradley Parker keeps the wheels running on her family’s internationally renowned store on Centerville Road about 12 miles from Florida’s capital city. Spectacular Live Oaks are waiting for a Hollywood movie. The smokehouse is fully operational. The grits are ground on-premises from premium corn and the store counters are filled with rare Deep South delights like Tupelo honey, Mayhaw jelly and homemade hot pepper sauce that adds some heat to those turnip and collard greens.

Bradley’s Country Store is pure Americana with a Southern accent. The current affection for farm to table and local grown-too often a contrived marketing slogan that falls flat to a Southerner-has been the norm here for about a hundred years. Bradley’s isn’t threatened by supermarkets; it’s thriving. Shipping out 150,000 pounds of smoked sausage annually along with gourmet grits to customers including Art Smith’s Chicago restaurant and the Seminole Tribe of Florida says loads about reputation and quality.

“Miss Jan,” as friends and customers call her, is a sophisticated lady educated at Decatur, Georgia’s Agnes Scott College. She has the best of all worlds. The natural beauty of the bucolic countryside, loyal customers, rave media reviews and family tradition. What are the spices used in Bradley’s sausage? “It’s a secret we’ve kept for almost a century,” she replied with laughter. It would be easier to obtain the formula for Coca-Cola.

Bradley’s Country Store is a meeting place. Come often enough and you’ll run into football coaching legend Bobby Bowden. Hollywood superstars, Hall of Fame athletes, world-famous celebrity chefs, authors, symphony conductors, major league baseball players and hungry journalists make the journey to this little store to take home some of America’s finest fresh food.

Enjoy some genuine grits and homemade sausage. www.bradleyscountrystore.com.  Everything at Bradley’s is made with a lotta love according to Miss Jan.

This is the week we remember the Titanic tragedy. “The Last Dinner on the Titanic” is a very interesting remembrance of the menu courses, wines, dancing and music of that final gathering.

http://transformingtodaysworld.com/doc-lawrence/the-titanic.pdf

PASSOVER WINES

 KOSHER WINE FOR EVERYONE

By Doc Lawrence

Alexandra de Nonancourt,  part of the family-owned Champagne house Laurent-Perrier, told me over breakfast in Atlanta that there would always be a Kosher Champagne produced by her company. NV Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut

is made entirely of Pinot Noir. Here is a full-bodied rosé Champagne with bright strawberry perfume. “It is our lasting tribute to our friendship with a special family; a wonderful Champagne.” Passover is an appropriate time to become more familiar with the delights of Kosher wines.

Kosher wine, said Mitch Schneider who lives in Israel and is well versed in this subject, “is produced according to Jewish dietary laws, called Kashrut. All the appropriate wine making equipment, tools, and storage facilities must be used exclusively for producing Kosher wine. Beginning with harvest, only Sabbath observant Jews are allowed to work in wine production. Only certified Kosher products like yeast can be used.”

Schneider, a career wine professional, offered a few Kosher wine nuggets:  “With some Kosher wine,” he observed, “you might see Mevushal on the label. "  He explained that this literally means boiled or cooked. “Back in history, the Jewish people would boil the wine in order to make it unfit for idolatrous use. Even if an idolater touched it, the wine would still keep the status of Kosher. Today, we use the process of flash pasteurization to make the wine Mevushal. Flash pasteurization is a very, very fast process in which the wine goes through a continuous flow while subjected to temperatures of 160 °F to 165 °F.”

I asked if the terms Kosher and organic were related? “I don't believe they are,” Schneider replied, adding that “in Israel, Yarden Winery produces an organic Chardonnay from their Odem Vineyard. In America, Baron Herzog Winery is not certified organic, but many of their wines come from sustainably grown, low spray grapes.”

Obviously, with all the diversity inherent in wine for over six thousand years, there are aspects of Kosher wine that should attract everyone who loves good wine.  Mitch Schneider believes that Kosher wine should have the same appeal a non-Kosher wine brings. “A Chalk Hill Cab that is Kosher,” he said, “will taste like a Chalk Hill non-Kosher Cab. I know many people won't even try Kosher wine, but the truth is, when tasting a wine, whatever your preconceived notions you had in your head will effect the taste of the wine.”

Schneider claims that there are amazing Kosher wine available today from around the world. More than a few, he states, “are being written about and rated in top wine magazines and winning top medals in various competitions. The days of sweet concord wine are gone! Today, Kosher wine is something to be proud of like any other wine.”

Schneider said to look at Vodka. “There is a Kosher certification on Stoli. Why? Simply for the marketing aspect. No one thinks of Stoli as the Kosher Vodka. Likewise, don't think of Kosher wine as sweet concord wine.”

Here are some of the superior Kosher wines Schneider said to look for in the American marketplace: Castel Winery from Israel – “Their Grand Vin label is amazing.” Hagafen Cellars from California – “Look out for their Pinot Noir.” Borgo Reale Moscato and Bartenura Moscato.- “Two wineries, one wine - both delicious and refreshing from Italy.” Yatir Winery from Israel plus Goose Bay from New Zealand-“their Sauvignon Blanc is crisp, and very well balanced.”

What about Bordeaux? Or Burgundy? Schneider quickly responded, “we sure do have them,” referring me to two sites: KosherCuvee.com and Kosher French Wine importer.

It’s time to pour a glass of Kosher Margeaux and toast the majesty of tradition. 

Vacationing in the South? A week or long weekend? Places you’ve never been like a Civil War Battlefield? Visit www.winesdownsouth.com.

 

EARL SCRUGGS-AMERICA’S BANJO MAN

EARL SCRUGGS’ STUNNING MUSIC

By Doc Lawrence

NASHVILLE—Earl Scruggs’ immortal soul left this city and his beloved Southland and for a few moments I pondered what he meant to me. While I was a student at Emory University, I saw the quiet, soft-spoken man who literally elevated the 5-string banjo to its exalted status as a purely American instrument. Scruggs was a member of The Foggy Mountain Boys and a then unknown Bob Dylan was the opening act. The students loved the music.

Years later in Boston, booked into the Parker House, I turned on the radio to Harvard’s radio station. The program was “Country in Cambridge,” and there was Earl playing one of his signature songs, “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” Scruggs’ bluegrass music and banjo recordings traveled well, earning him a multicultural fan base. I still have the vinyl recording of the Foggy Mountain Boys at Carnegie Hall.

The South’s voice is found in the art forms, particularly our indigenous music. It’s core Americana, a synthesis of Europe and Africa. In Bluegrass, gospel music remains indistinguishable from secular. This is the birthplace of rock and roll, jazz, blues, gospel and yes, bluegrass. Earl Scruggs mastered each form (check out his recordings with his son Randy as “The Earl Scruggs Review”), and earned acclaim, garnering awards including the National Medal of Arts.    

During the Vietnam War, Earl appeared in Washington to perform at anti-war concerts, a very brave act during those turbulent times. Scruggs, usually along with his son, performed throughout the world, taking his music to new generations.

Earl Scruggs with the Byrds and many other rockers, inspiring other musicians including the cerebral comedian, actor, author Steve Martin, who plays Scruggs-style banjo

Johnny Cash, Elvis, Hank Williams, the Eagles, Marshall Tucker Band, Bill Monroe, Gram Parsons, Bella Fleck, the Carter Family are part of Earl Scruggs’ music legacy. I plan to walk the grounds of Emory University to recall that night long ago when the music from Earl Scruggs transformed my life. Strength, I learned, was made of dignity, modesty, immeasurable talent and skill blended with a measure of courage.

 Weekend trips or major vacation planning? Visit www.winesdownsouth.com

ATLANTA BRAVES 2012

  

SPRINGTIME WITH THE BRAVES

By Doc Lawrence

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL—Baseball’s spring training is a Florida ritual that dates back to the earliest days of America’s national pastime. The older parks like the Detroit Tigers facilities in Lakeland may host some of the ghosts of baseball’s greats. A few cocktails and it’s possible for even the casual fan to feel the presence of Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantel, Roger Maris or Casey Stengel.

The 2012 Atlanta Braves train and play in comfort at Disneyworld, close enough to the attractions to keep the games sold out. Spring training isn’t designed to produce a winning season, and good managers never concern themselves with losses. The objective is to get into shape, look at players in a competitive environment and decide the official roster for this year.

Bad memories of last year’s monumental collapse still linger and still defy explanation. Deep inside, there is a longing for something good to happen again. Like 1991 and 1995. All things are possible in baseball where surprises and miracles still happen.

This is Chipper Jones’ last year in uniform and chances are he will take on a high profile position with the Braves next year wearing a business suit. Baseball might be a great team sport, but by September, it is more about pitching than anything. What about the resiliency of Messrs. Hanson, Hudson and Jurrjens? Will the bullpen be able to meet the extra demands of the Braves’ system which has them pitching in every game?

Fredi Gonzalez, nice guy and likeable, has a season for redemption. Baseball fans can be very forgiving, but the specter of collapse has to be met with renewed enthusiasm and a positive record. Realistically, this team could have a great season. McCann and Ross are the best 1-2 catchers in baseball, Freeman at first base is a winner, Haywood is still a kid getting better, and Martin Prado should return to form.

Keep you fingers crossed about the pitching. Like all other teams, it’s the critical ingredient.

GO BRAVES!

A vacation in the South? Visit Wines Down South: www.winesdownsouth.com.

THEATRE IN THE SQUARE IS GONE

                LOSING A FRIEND

By Doc Lawrence

MARIETTA, GA--News of the closing of this lovely city’s Theatre in the Square felt like a kick in the stomach. This was where I took my kids to learn about life’s components: interpretation, the power of performance, music and dance, cultural heritage, risk and most of all the time-proven, soul-enriching gifts created on the live stage. I always believed that Tennessee Williams, Bernard Shaw, Arthur Miller and Oscar Wilde haunted the theater building. Blanch and Stanley, Big Daddy and Maggie the Cat, Willie Loman, Truman Capote, Reverend Thomas Dorsey, Maria Callas and Patsy Cline were there in spirit.

During the 1996 Summer Olympics I took new friends from foreign countries to see the wonderful musical “Zion,” a tribute to things spiritual and an anthem of reconciliation. Later, I “met” Mahalia Jackson as portrayed by the incomparable Bernadine Mitchell, a singer/actress that we in Georgia proudly call our own.

Theatre in the Square spawned actors, set designers, musicians, playwrights, directors and producers that did the South proud. Never just another local community theater, it was at times on the level with some of the great stages in large cities: Miami, Washington, New York, Chicago, Houston and yes, Atlanta.

According to Atlanta lawyer Sarah Mallas Wayman, who is Greek-American, “the art of performing stories before audiences came from ancient Greece. How many realize that great Biblical stories were often performed in Greece by early Christians?”

Like all great theatrical companies, Theatre in the Square stayed on the edge, refusing to put a wet finger to the air. It lived according to a high standard. However, let it be said that they gave the community a healthy dose of diversity. “The 1940’s Radio Hour,” The Gospel of John,” “The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” had a good home there.

I am grateful for all the blood, sweat and tears, and pray this is not a harbinger of things to come. As Kenny Leon says, the magic in the live stage performance is that, unlike movies, we all breathe the same air.

My flesh and blood had the blessing of watching actors become so real they made them-and me- laugh and cry. That is part of the legacy of Theatre in the Square.

A society that relegates the arts to the trash heap temps triggering the law of unintended consequences. I didn’t say that, but a very prominent Georgia business leader did.

Enjoy a journey along Georgia’s Civil War Trail, following the path of “The Great Locomotive Chase” from Atlanta to just south of Chattanooga:

http://www.winesdownsouth.com/culture/greatLocamotiveChase-foodandWine/GrtLoc.pdf

ATLANTA’S IRISH HERO

                  Father Thomas O’Reilly

By Doc Lawrence

Since childhood days, I’ve known about the incident. Every word is true and remains one of the most fascinating stories I know about the Civil War and St. Patrick’s Day.

This wasn’t about battlefield courage, a strategy that resulted in a monumental victory, or a stirring, inspirational speech. No, it was about how an Irish immigrant priest acting alone on behalf of God and innocent civilians, confronted a mighty warrior, faced impending execution squarely in the eye and peacefully won a victory that somehow escaped history books.

A native of County Cavan, Ireland, Thomas O’Reilly, appointed as pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, arrived in Atlanta in 1861. Atlanta was a strategic transportation center for the Confederacy, and in 1864, the Union army, commanded by Gen. William T. Sherman, held Atlanta under siege with intense artillery bombardment. During the horror of Sherman’s extended assault, Father O’Reilly ministered to the wounded and dying of both armies, along with civilian casualties.

After the Battle of Atlanta, the city fell, and the decision was made to destroy Georgia’s infrastructure as part of Sherman’s well-known “March to the Sea.” Sherman issued the order for Atlanta to be burned, including all homes and churches. Enraged, O’Reilly gained an audience with Sherman at his headquarters, which is now the site of the Carter Center and Presidential Library.

The confrontation was unpleasant. O’Reilly, failing in his efforts to persuade Sherman to spare the city, was told by Sherman that he was pondering whether to have the priest summarily executed by firing squad. Undeterred, O’Reilly reminded Sherman that his army was substantially Irish Catholic conscripts who would likely mutiny before burning a Catholic church. O’Reilly also informed Sherman that, in the event of the destruction of churches, he would take official measures to have every Irish Catholic soldier in Sherman’s army excommunicated.

Sherman relented. Although the city was destroyed, five Atlanta churches were spared—three (Immaculate Conception, Trinity Methodist and Central Presbyterian) remain active today.

O’Reilly was not executed. Upon his death in 1872 at age 41, he was buried in the basement of his church. A few possessions are on display. His resting place, which may be viewed by appointment emits the feel of a sacred shrine. I have visited there regularly over the years.

Each year, at the end of Atlanta’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Hibernian Benevolent Society of Atlanta places a wreath at the memorial for Thomas O’Reilly, which stands on the corner of Atlanta’s city hall. It was erected long ago by the congregations of the churches he saved.

The courage and tenacity of Father Thomas O’Reilly embody the ecumenical spirit

that continues to make Atlanta an international beacon for human rights.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!