login | Register

Outward Bound

“The eye and mind would be functioning as a camera. The writing would be selective and necessarily interpretive—but once the image was written the words would be final.”
--Hunter S. Thompson


…A few notes before I’m outward bound…early hours of April 13, 2008…

The Braves won today. In the spirit of baseball, I thought of Atlanta writer Paul Hemphill. His book, Long Gone, ranks as the finest fiction story about the game of baseball. HBO later made a movie out of the book. Earlier today I called Hemp to see how he was doing. He told me he’s doing well, and working on his book about his battle with cancer titled Dancing with Joe Camel. Hemphill’s new book about Auburn football will hit the streets in August…just in time for football season.

Hemp told me he and his wife will be attending a minor league baseball reunion in Kansas in two weeks. I feel lucky to be able to ring a real hero like Paul Hemphill, and consider him a friend while exposing people to his indelible work.

In other news, I found these interesting stories about Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash and Duck Dunn. Next week will bring a new chapter of high adventure. So, while I have time, I’d like to express a few topics Mystery And Manners will cover in the near future such as a Widespread Panic tour stop next week, Part Two of Jim Dickinson’s Mystery and Manners article, Emmylou Harris, The Black Crowes, David Barbe, Bloodkin, Robert Hardy’s new book about Townes Van Zandt, The Never Ending Soul Food Tour, William Tonks, Mel Tillis, The Drive By Truckers, Ronnie Hawkins, Dust To Digital and Stanley Booth.

I’d like to send out birthday wishes to Marc Ford (great performance with Ryan Bingham on Jay Leno last night). Marc prepares his new batch of songs, and a new run of shows…

And to my Fandango Brother—Eric Carter—I say Godspeed and I’ll see you soon. The Hunter salute goes out to you…

Buy the Ticket...Take The Ride...

James Calemine

related tags

Mystery and Manners,
Oxford,
Nashville,
Muscle Shoals,
Memphis,
Atlanta,
Athens,
West Virginia,
Tennessee,
Missouri,
Mississippi,
Kentucky,
Georgia,
Arkansas,
Alabama,
Discourse,
Music,

Related Dispatches