Newspaper Page Text
October 16, 1991
FLAGPOLE MAGAZINE
Page 25
Country
According
to Greece.
Howdy, howdy,
howdy. How ya’ll doing this week? I hope
everybody made it to some of those shows
last weekend. It was a time of great music
that ain’t over yet, because this Friday night
we get to see Johnny Paycheck. Yes folks,
it's time to head out to the J&J Center and
kick up those heels with Johnny.
Paycheck has been playing guitar
since he was six years old and began
working clubs as a teenager.
After his release from the
Navy, he signed on with
George Jones, playing
bass and steel guitar. In
addition to playing, he
sang tenor back up for
the Possum. But Jones
wasn’t the only person
to enjoy having the tal
ents of Johnny Paycheck
m the band. Faron Young,
Ray Price, and Porter Wag
oner benefitted from Paycheck’s
performance ability.
Playing wasn’t the only area
Paycheck was making a name for
himself. His songwriting skills were
also proving to be of great quality.
His song, “Apartment #9," was the
first big hit for Tammy Wynette and
Ray Price benefitted from "Touch
My Heart." But Paycheck didn’t
give them all away, He had a hit of
his own in 1965 with “A-11," a
great jukebox-honky tonk song.
From here on Paycheck worked
for himself.
When it comes to success
the numbers must speak for
themselves- six gold albums, one platinum
album, one double platinum album and 33
hit singles. But failures can also speak for
themselves-drug and alcohol problems,
financial difficulties, and personal mistakes.
In 1989, Paycheck began serving a 7 to 9 1/
2 year sentence for aggravated assault, in
Ohio Most people could be written off after
this but not Johnny Paycheck 1 Paycheck
proved the strength and character he al
ways displayed was not B S While in prison,
he earned his G E D and set his mind on
being drug and alcohol free He was granted
an early release in January 1991 and has
remained clean cut. drug, alcohol, and nico
tine free since Paycheck says this of
the experience, "I feel better than
've felt since I was 20 years old. I
jidn’t know how good life was. lam
never going to do anything to en
danger my freedom again."
Paycheck is now national
spokesperson for Progres
sive Educational Resources
of Atlanta, Georgia. This or
ganization helps people get
theirG E D by providing them
with a preparatory package.
He is also making Public Serv
ice Announcements for drug
and alcohol abuse counselling.
Johnny Paycheck is also a
movie star 1 In the summer of
1991 he and Porter Wagoner were
being filmed for the big screen by
West Virginia film-maker Daniel
Boyd. The movie is named Para
dise Park and deals with a par
ticular day in the life of a trailer
park in West Virginia. It seems
someone had a vision that God
was coming to grant each one of
them wish.
Well folks, if you miss this
show and claim to like country
music, you got problems. Get
out to the J&J Center for this one. It
will be a biggie. Don’t forget to wear white
clothes. You’ll see why when you get there
if you ain’t never been. Because I’m writing
this at work during my last day, until next
week- TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT!
Greg Reece
Udderly horrifying
I was out on Highway 78 last week trym’ to
hitch a ride into Snellville, my home town,
when this old man in a black Ford pick-up
pulled off along the shoulder with a screech.
It wasabout midnight, I guess, and he opened
the door and smiled at me. His teeth were
bad, but I got in. Strangely, I noticed a volley
ball sittin’ on the front seat.
“You play?" he asked me. Then he
stomped on the gas pedal and we were off.
My head snapped back, and grandpa popped
in a tape, breakin’ off the volume knob in his
hand. It sounded like Black Sabbath, but
louder, grungier. The old man looked at me
and laughed, clutching his crotch — "Heee heee heel Heee heee hee! I was scared. I lit
a cigarette. Then, suddenly, the mad geezer pulled off onto a dirt road, the truck bounding
so hard my head hit the ceiling twice. He stopped at an old shack. The windows were
broken, and I could hear music coming from inside. Good music. It was a party. The old
man leered at me. “Udder," he mumbled, drooling. "Udder...
We went inside. The place was packed with people in black leather, some partially clad.
They passed me a jug of moonshine and I took a long swig I smoked something, but I can t
say what, exactly. All I know is, I had a ball.
There was this girl with pus on her finger wailin on the drums. And another one
screamin’ something about an incubus. I saw this long-haired guitarist. He was mutilating
his ax with a stapler. Man! .
I woke up in a ditch the next morning with a smile on my face, a bg headache, and a
note pinned to my chest. It had been scrawled in blood Udder. The 40 Watt. Oct. , i
said. "Heather needs money for drums Be there, or III kill you... Rick j anes
MONDAY NIGHTS
featuring *he adult
contemporary
& original
sounds
of .
Southern
Exposure
Athens' Premiere Nightclub
Located at
Downtown Park Plaza
320 E. Clayton St.
Athens, GA
348-7733
Vintage Clothing
Collectables
Fun Fantastic Neat Stuff
You won't find anywhere else.
1739 Lexington Hwy.
Athens, CjA (Next to Putt-Putt)
543-8023
'm going over
to Crazy Al's,
"cause he has a lot of
FREE PARKING^
SUNSHINECYCLE SHOP
Athens'Alternative Bike Shop
294 W. Washington (across from the 40 Watt)
Sales • Repairs • Tune-ups
Cool Bike Stuff • Free Parking
(404) 548-6088
Talk About Bikes with Spiffy Bike Guys
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Call 549 - 5052
for Entertainment
Thursday, Oct. 17
Stewart
& Winfield
$1.50 Longnecks
Friday, Oct. 18
Common
People Band
$ 1 Well Drinks
Saturday, Oct. 19
Roosevelt
$2.75 Pitchers
Monday, Oct. 21
Monday Night Football
$2.75 Pitchers
Young Bucks
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Dean Dollar Band
$ 1.50 Longnecks
95 Hoyt Street
at the old train station
404.549.5052