Because I was in the "music business" in the sixties and seventies, I was fortunate enough to meet three members of the Andy Griffith Show cast in person. The first one I met was Jim Nabors. I was B. J. Thomas's bass player at the time, and we were playing in Los Angeles. We were there to play Knot's Berry Farm, The Tonight Show, and Dinah Shore's daytime syndicated show, among other venues. I think we were at the Beverly Hilton, I am not sure, and I got up early one day to get some breakfast. The restaurant was empty except for me and B. J.'s backup singer Rodney Justo, and I looked across the room and there sat Jim Nabors by himself, eating breakfast. He looked very tired. Rodney told me to leave the guy alone, but I couldn't resist. I went to his table and told him I was from Alabama too, and that I had played in his hometown recently. I asked him if he had been back home lately, and he said he hadn't. He was very cordial, but I could tell he was tired. I shook his hand and left him alone. Three or four years later I attended an event in Montgomery, Alabama, a private party associated with a charity drive, and a lot of Nashville stars were there. Over in the corner, by himself, sat Jack Dodson (Howard). As I approached him, he stood up and smiled. We shook hands, and I told him an outright lie. I said I wanted to get his picture for my mother, who was as big an Andy Griffith Show fan as me (she really was). Actually, the picture was for me. He was glad to let me photograph him, and invited me to sit down at his table. I did, but only for a moment. Instead of talking about himself, he directed the conversation towards me, asking about why I was there, and who I was and he asked other things about me. I had things to do, so I left his table, and I have always regretted doing that. Ordinary people aren't that nice, and, especially today, famous people never are. In 1989, Alabama celebrated its introduction as a state, and part of that celebration was a train that traveled all over the state picking up passengers, with the trip ending in Montgomery. At the time, I was the editorial cartoonist for our local newspaper, and my boss was Doug Bradford, editorial page editor. He was from George Lindsey's hometown, and they had been best friends. In fact, George was Doug's best man at his wedding. As we sat sweating on the train in Dothan waiting for the governor to arrive (the air conditioners on train cars didn't work unless the train is in motion) and get on board, George went from car to car, seat to seat, shaking hands with everybody on board. I don't really know about or care too much about the celebrities of today, but I have to think, they aren't much like the the ones of my experience. We are fortunate to have grown up in our own time. Sorry about this post being so long, but these are things I remember that might be interesting to others who grew up in their own Mayberry. I know its not good to try to live in the past, but it can't hurt to go visiting back there when you can. Jimmy Dean in Dothan, Alabama
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