Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

MEMPHIS, TN - I'm trying to get this done before Saturday this week because Sue and I have plans to head to Tunica, Mississippi on Saturday night and enjoy a concert by Paul Revere and the Raiders. I think next to the Beach Boys, I might have seen them in concert the most. Right up there with The Monkees anyway.

Please include your class year with your e-mails.

T. Tommy

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This Week's

Mystery Poem

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

Not all of us watched the same TV shows when we were kids, but most of us had to take the same English classes and had to read or learn the same poems. Above is a verse from one of the poems to which I was first exposed at Lee High School and has stayed with me for all these years. Do you remember this poem, its name and who wrote it? Okay, I'll admit that I did not remember who wrote it, but I do remember the poem. Who remembers the English teacher that made them aware of this verse? Class year with answers please.

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Jim McBride - Class of '65

To Perform at Von Braun Civic Center

July 25, 2008

From Jim McBride

Thanks to Bob Cochran for the wonderful letter in the last issue of the Traveller. Thanks also to Patsy (Hughes) Oldroyd for her letter the week before. They both serve to remind us of a disappearing generation of very special people who gave us, for the most part, a much better world to live in. What a “tough” group to follow. I’m also writing to let anyone who is in Huntsville on July 25th (with absolutely nothing else to do and $20 bucks they don’t need for gasoline) know about a songwriter show I am a part of at the Play House at the Von Braun Civic Center.

It starts at 6:30 p.m. and also features three other songwriters - Lenny LeBlanc, Jill Colucci, and Jim Parker who is the host. I haven’t performed in Huntsville in many years and I only do this three or four times a year anyway. Most people who have attended a songwriter show seem to enjoy it and I promise if you come I will sing a song about you even if I don’t call you by name in it.

I am excited because this will be the first time my grand-daughter has ever heard PaPa sing the songs he has written. Please, go to Jim Parker Songwriter Showcase website and see more about who the other writer’s are and the great songs they have written. It will be a mix of mostly country hits with some pop, blues and gospel songs included.

I hate self-promotion but my sister Teresa threatened me If I didn’t do this. I am several years older than her and somewhat afraid of her at this time in her life if you know what I mean. Just kidding. Tommy, thanks for the free advertising.

(Editor's Note: In an email from Jim, he confirmed that this is the same type of show I went to see him do in Jackson not so long ago. I will tell you that it is one of the most entertaining events I have attended in a long time and it was fun getting the insight behind some of the great hits that came from these songwriters.)

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John Drummond, Class of '65 - Though the photo is (no doubt intentionally) blurred, I think it shows a young Mickey Dolenz riding a baby elephant in a TV show called "Circus Boy." I did not watch it much either, preferring cowboys to clowns. "Corky" re-surfaced in the latter 1960s as the lead singer of The Monkees; I can't recall if they started out as a TV show about a four-man band, which evolved into an actual band when it was realized that these four actors could actually sing and play instruments, or if the band was formed first, pre-dating the TV show. Classmates? Surely some telecommunications scholar knows the answer. As an additional challenge for next week's edition: can anyone name the three other actors (two guitarists, a drummer) who played in The Monkees???

Sent Two Days Later From John - Tommy, ever since I replied to this week's trivia question, the idiotic Monkees theme song keeps playing in what's left of my brain, over and over and over: "Hey Hey, we're The Monkees / And people say we monkey around / but we're too busy singin, / to put anybody downnnnnnnn." Make it stop, Tommy, MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!

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Skip Cook, Class of ‘64 - I believe that the star of "Circus Boy" was Mickey Cochoran who later became Mickey Dolenz of Monkee’s fame.

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Karen Tucker Oliver, Class of '65 - This week's Mystery Photo jarred my brain. "Circus Boy" was only on a short while as I recall and Corky was the young boys name. If you look real close at the photo you may see a strong resemblance to "Hey, hey, we're the Monkees; we're always monkeying around...". Circus Boy was really Mickey Dolence of Monkee fame. Thanks Tommy for the walk down memory lane.

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Subject:YaYa Weekend

Linda Collinsworth Provost

Class of '66

Last weekend a group of Lee graduates (Class of '66) who have remained friends for all these years, got together with our daughters, daughters-in-law and our granddaughters for a weekend retreat in the mountains. We all became first time grandmothers of granddaughters in an 18 month time period. Pretty cool, we think. We are still very close friends and despite the miles that separate us, we manage to stay in touch and get together a couple of times a year.

The "mature" women seated on the couch holding our granddaughters are (l-r): Lynn Bozeman Van Pelt, Kathy Harris Jones, Darla Gentry Steinberg, and Linda Collinsworth Provost. The mothers of the little ones are directly behind us. Tommy, thanks for keeping all of us in touch and informed. You do a great job!!

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