Papa’s World – Dueling Banjo’s – Deliverance – over 150 Movie’s – Hanging out with Movie star – Ronny Cox

August 20, 2019August 13, 2019 / Tom / 1 Comment

I did not know he was a Folk singer – song writer and a teller –

that is a teller of STORIES –

A writer – a musician –

and a over all good dude !

His early years started out on Arena Stage in Washington D.C.

As a builder of sets !

We talked for about 45 minutes before his performance

his wife Mary –

How she graduated from Georgetown University –

How they lived in a little basement apartment

Poor – no money – humid and damp –

books on the floor would mold

Ronny Cox ” FOLK SINGER”
writer of his own songs

The sheets to the bed would be damp

But he had his ” MARY”

She was 15 – he was 18 when they started dating.

She was extremely smart – in the top 5% – all over the country !

She later would do graduate work at Sloan – Kettering in N.Y.C.

on Cancer research !

Then after many jobs in the industry

while living just outside NY City

He got the break of a lifetime

A staring role as ” DREW” in DELIVERANCE

with Burt Reynolds – Ned Beatty & Jon Voight

and as the guitar player in DUELING BANJO’S !

Sherry in our kitchen
conversations with Ronny Cox
and Rad

The rest is Hollywood history –

over 150 movies –

Multitude TV roles and series

Playing music before huge crowds and small venues

He likes the small venues where he greets and talks to everyone.

He lives in LA now –

in a small log cabin on his property

He tore out the tennis court so he could build it

And his daughter and family moved into the house

100 feet away !

His grand daughter Katherine – his buddy – they do everything together

Taking her twice to Ireland for several gigs

Dropping her off and picking her up from school

and now – in a short while – she will go to college

a short hour drive away –

always close –

always family.

He asked me how long we had lived here

saying it was a beautiful house

Thirteen years I replied –

” 2006 ‘ he replied .

” The year my Mary passed away” !

Mary was his World –

the only one he ever dated –

Never remarried –

or dated so he says.

I have a feeling that void was filled by his daughter

family

and his buddy “Katherine” !

His best friend became that from the movie Deliverance

Ned Beatty and remains so to this day.

Today – he does not do much acting

his last series was Nashville –

as Deacons father

In 2018 –

he hit the jackpot once again with his writing and music

” Bus to Baltimore ”

he wrote – produced and sang

A classic among Folk Music

He won Best American Roots Song

at the RoundGlass Awards.

And today that song is the theme song for the Alzheimers Foundation !

It was a opportunity of a lifetime to spend a evening and morning

with Radoslav Lorkovic ( Rad) and Ronny Cox

Although we never met Mary –

I feel we have through his music

and the haunting sounds from the accordion from Rad

The guitar and the stories from Ronny

and to know the story of his life

I am forever grateful for that chance

PAPA’S WORLD – HANGING OUT WITH RONNY COX

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Papa’s World where friends and family meet

Papa’s World – hanging with Rad ( Radoslav Lorkovic)

August 19, 2019August 12, 2019 / Tom / Leave a comment

Not many times in your life you get to hang out with a classically trained

Folk and Blues musician – who has produced three live albums

and five critically acclaimed sole recordings !

Sitting in church a few weeks ago –

the announcement came that August 10, 2019 –

A folk concert with Rad and Ronny Cox – movie and TV star –

and a folk singer in his own right –

would perform –

And if anyone could open up their home

and welcome them as guests for one night

To let them know after church.

The day began when they arrived around 3:00 pm.

They had preformed the night before –

and after small talk –

I showed them to their rooms –

where they both rested prior to getting ready for the nights concert.

We did manage to it down for 30 minutes or so and talk.

Rad is very unique in that he also plays the Accordion

Which is dear to my heart – because my mother also played it !

She traveled to lumber camps and played music

My father played the spoons and my uncle Jack the wash board.

His music was haunting

and later I asked him how much he and Ronny practiced together –

Not at all –

have played together for 13 years –

Ronny lives in LA. Rad in Chicago

Ronny’s agent plans their adgenda

then they meet up at whatever airport they need to be at

and any new songs or music they just blend it together !

Born in Croatia and moving to the U.S.A. at a early age –

He grew up in Idaho and now resides in Chicago-

But also has a condo in Croatia.

He has played in Carnegie Hall –

The Kennedy Center

along with small settings of taverns on the upper Mississippi River –

To castles in Italy –

the Yup’ik villages of Alaska –

to being along side such greats as Odetta – Jimmy LaFace –

Shawn Mullins – Greg Brown – Ellis Paul to name a few.

His life is a adventure – traveling the World –

Hosting cruises to Croatia –

Spending time with his girlfriend in Chicago

and playing music with the Movie star – actor –

and known Folk singer Ronny Cox –

For 13 years they have traveled to little venues

Every once in a while –

a special time is presented –

This was but one of them!

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

where friends and family meet .

Hanging with Rad ( Radoslav Lorkovic )

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Next blog part two

Hanging – listening – Movie star -TV actor and a know Folk singer

Ronny Cox

In Papa’s World

Papa’s World – and then the rains came – lightening – winds – trees down

August 18, 2019August 16, 2019 / Tom / 2 Comments

We had to be at the library at 3:00 PM. on Thursday –

We had stopped at Marcus & Tammy’s to pick up library books

We had the twins and Bode –

and then it started – lightening and thunder.

We drove the short distance –

I was going to let them all out in front of the library !

I pulled right into a space right in front of the entrance –

Then literally –

ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE !

The rains came so hard – going sideways with the wind.

It was like a fire hose had been trained on us !

The wind picked up – we tuned to 103 TOP news radio – DC.

Gusts of 60 MPH – torrential rain – take cover –

Then the lightening picked up –

Sherry checked her google weather app –

Instead of showing rain –

it was SOLID YELLOW LIGHTENING strikes.

The kids got scared –

the twins went to the floor in the back seat –

Bode came up front to Sherry’s lap –

We could not see out of the car for more than 10 feet!

We calmed the kids down – telling them we had rubber tires beneath us.

There was no chance of getting out and running into the library –

The lightening and thunder was continuous.

Cassidy got real quiet she was so scared.

Taylor clutched her build a bear – talking to Cassidy –

telling her not to touch metal –

we would be okay because we had tires !

Where we parked
Library with roof over hang

We were parked right in front – the over hang was just across the sidewalk

What was really scary was lightening would hit –

A very loud crack and then the wind –

Bending those trees you see almost over touching the sidewalk.

Legacy park was right across the street –

about a football field away –

This is a 15 acre park –

They closed it right after the storm quit

TREES WERE DOWN !

Branches were everywhere – it was a mess and so close to us in the car

When it was over after almost 40 minutes –

we went inside.

It continued a soft rain –

We got home and I discovered shingles from our roof in the yard

The flag – flag pole and the bracket had been ripped right off the porch.

Small branches were everywhere

The top 12 feet of our neighbors tree came off-

and lacked the width of a finger

from going through his living room window.

On our walk this morning –

this pond came up 3 to 4 feet

and the feeder streams ares still rushing water into it.

Less than 300 yards from where we sat in the car.

Some of these trees – the roots were bigger than garage doors !

We have not had much rain in the last two months –

and I think that weakened the root systems where the soil

was extremely dried out !

So much for all those in Government who say

” THERE IS NO CLIMATE CHANGE ” !

I hope you liked reading my Blog and what happened yesterday.

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Sherry Certified Health Coach
Maddy – College soccer
taking Juice Plus for 13 years
Complete Shake every day
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Where friends and family meet.

Papa’s World-Growing up Eldred Pa. – part Six.

August 17, 2019August 16, 2019 / Tom / 2 Comments

Eldred – a small community situated by the Allegheny River

Among the rolling hills know as the old mountain range

” The Allegheny Mountains “

I wrote a blog a short while ago –

about the title before there was ” STAND BY ME “

There was Eldred –

where everybody knows your name.

Bob – me ( Tom ) – Greg – Mike – John – Sully – Gerry – Gus and Pat

We were friends – we were buddies –

we had each others back

And we once took a little trip down that river .

Canoeing the Allegheny River
I believe our Sophomore year

Our little group grew and grew –

We were part of a national group known as The Exployer’s !

Raising money for our trips –

Staying out of trouble –

Almost all of my buddies belonged

And the younger kids started to follow.

We played sports –

we were not into trouble –

we did not smoke – which back then was a big deal !

A few who did got kicked off the team.

We lived – played and grew up in a small Western Pa. town

close to the South Western New York border

where every one knew your name

In all the years before – and the years since –

The faces have changed –

the names also –

but to this day it remains

The little town – where every one knew your name

Of ELDRED PA .

Thank you for reading

Papa’s World – Growing up Eldred Pa.

The grade school across from the park
with South Main Street
in the background

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From the park to Park Avenue
and Mechanic Street

For Health and Nutrition

For HEALTH AND NUTRITION

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Thank you for reading

PAPA’S WORLD

GROWING UP – ELDRED PA.

Before there was STAND BY ME –

There was ELDRED PA.

Papa’s World – Growing up – Eldred Pa. part four

August 15, 2019August 10, 2019 / Tom / 1 Comment

I remember each and everyone of these men –

This was the volunteers for the fire department –

In every facet of my life growing up –

I most likely came in contact with them all at one time or other.

GROWING UP ELDRED PA. part four of Papa’s World.

Fire department
just down the street from my house

This was a busy building – where the men came together –

all volunteers and the ladies auxiliary also met.

And just across the street next to the Post Office was “SLAVINS ” !

Local hangout bar and meeting place for most of these people !

Run by Russ and Tootie Slavin – a local family –

who in each Slavin branch – all very good athletes

and known through NWPA !

I can remember every year – the firemen would come along the curb

in front of our house on North Main Street –

and with chalk would write and mark where each unit was to line up

and this would go all the way back to the Kendall bridge !

The MEMORIAL DAY PARADE marked the end of the school year

and the beginning of Summer !

I was always told that this bridge was one of only two –

The other I think was in Japan.

It was a two lane bridge – with a road coming off in the middle –

Spanning a railroad track – another road –

and a river running under it !

I do not know if that was true or not –

with a gas station ( Kendall) across from the entrance.

but it is still there today !

The parade back then and today – is always led by the veterans of the town

It seems like that number down through the years never dwindles.

For such a small town – ( 800 to 1000) people

It has provided the military of scores of men

in all the conflicts fighting for their country.

Terry – Ron – Freddie -Paul and Skeet
my brothers close friends

Two are now gone – three remain – four played baseball with my brother

Freddie was in the little league World Series.

Four played for my father

Ron and my father
Clarence Russel Fitzsimmons
known as Bob or Fitz

I was too young – I never went –

But there were families of friends who went every year

To far North in Canada fishing !

We had a old red barn down back –

three stories tall and a stable underneath –

I can still see in my mind

The red front and the big sliding gray door –

and to the left

DOZENS of fish heads nailed up on the wall

Muskie – Pike

Fish that they caught and brought home.

Roger went but I was born ten years younger

I never went but looked at hundreds of pictures !

Thank you for reading Papa’s World part four.

Growing up Eldred Pa.

Part five is next !

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Thank you for reading PAPA’S WORLD

where friends and family meet.

Papa’s World – growing up – ELDRED PA.

August 12, 2019August 7, 2019 / Tom / Leave a comment

Sitting on the front porch of North Main Street –

It was a wide and deep porch –

The kind to sit through a rain storm –

and not get wet !

I guess that is why now when I look at houses –

The very first TWO THINGS I look at are –

Front porches and screened in back three seasons rooms with views !

My childhood had the first but not the last !

Memories – some you just can not duplicate

My grand ma – siting out there on her lap –

I somehow do remember that –

which would make me 3 or 4 years old.

Roller skates – the kind that had a key –

I would strap them on and down the street I would go.

The street on both sides was lined with huge old trees –

The kind that six kids holding hands could not encircle the trunks !

The roots had made the side walks uneven –

and to navigate them did not seem to slow me down !

I would turn around at Slavins – furniture store –

Back then it was also a service station –

And I remember Jack – he worked there.

There was a Coke machine that sat outside between the bays

Sometimes he would buy me a coke that came in a glass bottle !

I lived all the way to the top of this old picture on the left –

some of those buildings still existed when i was growingup

And a few are still there today.

You can see the beginning of those trees even back then.

Then – I got my bicycle –

A red WESTERN FLYER !

That bike – I had those streamers coming out of the rubber handle grips

And a clothes pin with a card on the spokes –

both front and back.

I rode it everywhere – to the park –

across the tracks –

Up Barden Brook –

And just making it home when the street lights came on !

The park – my second home away –

base ball diamond – tennis and basketball courts –

But – the outfield of grass –

beneath the huge telephone poles with lights on them !

Where we choose up teams

and played football for hours !

Back home playing golf in the mountains – hills

Papa’s World – Growing up ELDRED PA.

Part two to follow

after all –

to much to see and tell !

If you would like to read more – just type in

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Part two coming

Papa’s World – Loudoun United coming !!!!

August 10, 2019August 3, 2019 / Tom / Leave a comment

We have been following soccer for I guess 14 years –

Maddy was four when she started to play – then Ella !

Now – we will follow Maddy in college –

and continue to follow Ella in travel and H.S. soccer –

But – on 8 -9-19 – something new is about to happen !

And since I write this a week ahead of time –

last night –

it happened!

We will have a professional soccer team about six miles away !

LOUDOUN UNITED SOCCER TEAM –

A farm team of D.C. United in Washington D.C.

Where players are developed – much as minor league baseball !

Almost across from the Leesburg airport –

and part a huge soccer complex already there –

( where our grand daughter Maddy practiced for three years )

sits a complex of 12 to 16 soccer fields

And is part of Loudoun County !

It also contains a complex of base ball diamonds –

and both grass and turf fields.

Major tournaments both in baseball – softball

and soccer are played here

and is a hot bed for recruitment for soccer for college.

A new four lane road with a traffic signal was built –

along with additional parking for over 700 cars –

along with lots already there for 700 cars.

More parking is in the plans !

In addition to the new stadium –

four more fields are being built

as part of the deal for the land with the county –

and two turf fields also will be built –

along with a state of the art training facility.

One of the turf fields will be for the pro team only

while the other fields will be for the County park.

We have known about this for some time –

as it has been in the news –

and Washington D.C. United –

just opened their new stadium –

which sits about a quarter mile from Nat’s Park

In the last two months !

So – big time Soccer is now here !

Being so close – instead of going into D.C. to Audi Field

we can jump in the car and be in the lot in 15 minutes –

of course traffic may become a problem and it will take longer

but still – to have this is just awesome !

Although Maddy will no longer be coming here for games and practice

There may be a chance that Ella’s travel team may play here.

Our hope is to attend games –

and see some future players play in the big time.

This is a beautiful area –

and as the plan moves forward with the additional complex

It is a gold star for the County !

August 9 th. Professional Soccer came to Loudoun County !

Thank you for reading

Papa’s World

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Thank you for reading

PAPA’S WORLD

Living Life Doing It My Way

Health Family friends grand children senior living

Health

Papa’s World – Dueling Banjo’s – Deliverance – over 150 Movie’s – Hanging out with Movie star – Ronny Cox

Papa’s World – hanging with Rad ( Radoslav Lorkovic)

Papa’s World – and then the rains came – lightening – winds – trees down

Papa’s World-Growing up Eldred Pa. – part Six.

Papa’s World – Growing up – Eldred Pa. part four

Papa’s World – growing up – ELDRED PA.

Papa’s World – Loudoun United coming !!!!

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