A Follow-Up from the "Ashes"

Back in January, I was contacted by a former Sing-Out South cast member, Morris Lovette (1969-1971). He had the lyrics to a Sing-Out/Up With People song he couldn't get out of his head, but he couldn't remember name of the song or the rest of the words.

After he told me what lyrics he could remember, I quickly identified the song as "Ashes," which was actually co-written by another former SOS cast member Cabot Wade, along with his former-wife, the actress Glenn Close, and another co-author named L. Reeder.

I got Morris and Cabot in touch with each other and then I shared on this blog (posting January 20, 2010) what Cabot remembered about how the song was written during an Up With People tour in Italy. You can check out the posting by looking through our site archives.

Morris asked if he could find the sheet music, lyrics or a recording of "Ashes?" How about two out of three?

Just recently someone under the name of SSchoonmaker visited this blog site and left a message on the comments section of the January 20 posting, including leaving the song lyrics (from the album Up With People III)


Ashes


Can you build a new world on the ashes of the old

If your heart is full of ashes and slowly growing cold?

Can you make other people want to care

If you're all burnt out from finding trouble ev'rywhere,

Trouble ev'erwhere!



Chorus

No there's a better way I know there's got to be

The weight is just too heavy and alone we'll never see

That world we could build together, nothing like before,

With new life to fill the emptiness forever,

With new life to fill the emptiness forever,

With new life to fill the emptiness forevermore.


Can you mold a new world with the red hot fires of hate?

Can you bring on peace when men cannot seem to wait

To tear down their enemies, then probably their friends,

To add to all the misery that never seems to end?


Chorus


While I haven't been able to find any sheet music, here's a recording of "Ashes" from the album "Up With People III"

Free music - Ashes

See, isn't technology a great way to take a trip back through time! Any other SOS/Up With People tunes someone wants to hear again or know more about? Just leave your request by clicking on remarks link below.

Another Sing-Out Dad Has Passed Away

Willam Albert Goodman, the father of Sing-Out South members, Gayle Goodman Sasser and Dave (Harry) Goodman, passed away (June 24) at the age of 95 in Portsmouth, VA. An obituary printed in today's SUNDAY TENNESSEAN (July 11) says he kept "his quiet wit to the end." Mr.Goodman's wife of 56 years, Ann had previously passed away. They had 3 children (William was their other child), 3 grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.Both Gail (Suffolk) and Dave (Chantilly) also now live in Virgina.

A 1934 graduate of Hume Fogg High School here in Nashville, Mr. Goodman served in the Army Air Corps in World War II, then worked as an accountant for the Dr. Pepper Company, as well secretary-treasurer for both Sumner Construction and Walton Construction Company before he retired. He remained an avid golfer until just a few years ago at the age of 88.

What I and others in Sing-Out best remember the Goodmans for was their willingness to share their two children with the cast and to allow us to come to their homes for get-togethers, parties and other activities during those years in the late 1960s and early '70s.

Gail Goodman Sasser is second from the left (slightly obscured) singing with a group at an SOS show in the spring of 1967. Others in the photo include Marlene Echols Kinnard, Debbie Jones Bauder and Karen Davis Brock. I believe Gail, was are a member of the original cast of Sing-Out South and also spent some time traveling with one of the national Up With People shows.

Dave "Harry" Goodman was a leader in Sing-Out South, both on and off stage. After performing in the cast in his early days, he became was a major part of the stage crew often operating the sound board. He also served on the cast's Steering Committee.

There will be a memorial service for Gail & Dave's Dad at Woodmont Bpatist Church, 2100 Woodmont Blvd., on Saturday, August 14 at 10:30 a.m. Mr. Goodman was a member of that church for over 50 years. Memorials are requested to Progress, Inc, 319 Ezell Pike, Nashville, TN 37217. Mr. Goodman was a co-founder of Progress, Inc., a not-for-profit organization for adults with developmental disabilities.

May he rest in peace and fruitful long life!

The 4th of July!

Given the many patriotic songs we performed, there's no question the 4th of July is the national holiday that most comes to mind when you think of Sing-Out South.

But ironically, the original SOS cast did not perform live on its first July 4th in 1966. Instead, the group was winding up its time at the ACTION NOW national Sing-Out conference in Estes Park, CO., where many were joining up with one of the Up With People national casts.

Sing-Out South did, however, have a major presence in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area that holiday some 44 years ago. Our first TV special "A Living Declaration" (which was taped at WSM-TV studios in May) aired on the station on July 3, 1966 and then had an encore performance on July 9 (by public demand reported a story in THE NASHVILLE BANNER).

Jim Troutner

Eddie Lunn

The Channel 4 TV show featured cast members Jim Troutner, Eddie Lunn and, indeed, the entire cast reciting major portions of the Declaration of Independence, all intermingled with our many patriotic songs such as CAN'T YOU HEAR AMERICA CALLING?, VOLUNTEERS OF TENNESSEE, WE VOLUNTEER,and perhaps, most appropriately for this holiday (as performed by the UP WITH PEOPLE national cast), FREEDOM ISN'T FREE....

Free music - Freedom Isn't Free

By the way, there is an audio recording of the "A Living Declaration" TV show that has survived these past four decades plus. I hope to find a way to post portions of it here on the blog in the future.

As for the other 4th of Julys back in the late 1960s, SOS did perform in the Kingston Springs' 4th of July festival in 1967 as well as participating in the parade that was held in that small town just outside of Nashville....

The 1967 4th of July holiday was a big one for Sing-Out South as we also performed a major show on July 2 for area Boy Scouts at Camp Boxwell. The following year on July 4, 1968 we gave a show for members (and their families) of Post 88 of the American Legion on Elm Hill Pike, which is still an active American Legion Post to this day.

This is how hundreds of thousands of folks in Nashville celebrate the 4th of July today! Beginning under Mayor Richard Fulton back in the mid-1980s, the city has returned to its roots along the Cumberland River to celebrate our nation's birthday with a major fireworks show and a world class musicial concert (as only Nashville as The Music City can do).

Courtesy of YouTube, here are some highlights from the 2009 celebration, featuring Wynonna, the Nashville Symphony and other artists, then closing with some unbelievable fireworks...

I'd like to think that if Sing-Out South was around today, we'd be a part of Nashville's major 4th of July celebration just as we were so many years ago.

Happy 4th everyone! Happy Birthday and God bless the U.S.A.!