Some years back, I used to go country western dancing on Route 38 at Prospector's. It was so much fun, but eventually my eyesight precluded long distance night driving and my knees were less than happy about all night line dancing. Nonetheless, from early childhood and my Sally Starr television days, I have been a fan of Country Western music, clothes, movies and lore.
A few years ago, before she passed away, I the the chance to see Sally Starr in person through a Paulsdale Institute program. She was still pretty, still wearing her boots and hat and gorgeous cowgirl outfit and still lucid and interesting.
Last week, I went to see the new film about Hank Williams, I Saw the Light. To me it was disappointing. It seemed flat and missing the magic that I remembered from my early days when my parents had all those singing stars on 45 rpm records. When they got the big stereo, I was allowed to play the 45's on my little portable. I wish I had them now.
Although the movie was disappointing, the book upon which it was based as been very informative and being such a great fan of my state, New Jersey, I wasn't too surprised to find there was a connection between Hank and Jersey MGM paid 3.5 million dollars to convert a munitions plant in Bloomfield, NJ, into a record pressing plant "Capable of churning out 40 million records a year." (pg. 66)
Hank's first records were pressed here and distributed in March 1947 (the 'launch date') One of the first hits the label achieved was Hank Williams song "Honky Tonkin" Although I searched out the origins of the term honky tonk, I was unable to find a definitive answer.
All my life I have craved a cowgirl outfit. Last year I tried to buy one on-line for my birthday, but I couldn't find the kind I wanted. I wanted a Sally Starr, Dale Evans outfit. All I could find however, were sexy aloon girls and wierd midi length fake suede get-ups or mini skirted outfit that looked like something some poor waiter would be forced wear ina Western dive bar (a la Hooters). What I did find, though, were two Country Wetern outfitters in the Woodstown area off highway 40 one of them in Cowdtown. I will let you know when I go there, what I find. Also, in Woodstown, in the summer, there is an excellent Bluegrass festival I have enjoyed in years past, but missed the last two years due to the night driving problem.
My eyesight problem is genetic and it is called Fuch's Dystrophy. It is a deterioration of the cornea over time. I can see well enough to drive in daylight but I don't feel confident at night, but I do drive when I need to and high beams and my glasses help enormously. There is no cure or treatment for Fuch's but only when my corneas are shot, to get a transplant. I hope to die before I need to do that, by which I mean that I hope it progresses so slowly I am in my nineties when I die with my own cornea still in my eyes.
Anyhow, Happy Trails! Go see the movie and let me know what YOU think of it!
Jo Ann
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