My life as a childhood Redneck

I grew up in a predominantly Black but mixed-race neighborhood in Nashville. There were lots of kids on my street and we all used play together; baseball, football, those kind of things. We all used to listen to music together too but I remember when things changed for me.

It was 1979, I was in the 6th grade, maybe 7th, and Charlie Daniels came out with "Devil Went Down To Georgia". Everybody loved the song but it was controversial because Charlie said "son of a bitch" in the song. Well, some radio stations played the "son of a gun version" but only KDF, & maybe KQB, the rock stations played the "son of a bitch" version. I tuned into KDF - KQB was a bit hard core for my 11 year old ears - and never turned back.

Several years later, while in high school, I attended several of the Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jams. I saw Skynyrd, Allman Bros and all sorts of other bands I don't remember.

There was even a time when I bought a Tom Petty "Southern Accents" tour shirt that had a Confederate Flag on it. I was doing it out of spite, I think I was trying to say this flag means nothing to be but who knows I was kid. I just liked the design.

Anyway, I've trailed off... That was just a taste of my life as a childhood Redneck.

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