HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MRS. HANK!!

HERE IS WHY I ALWAYS COME HOME!!!!!!

OF COURSE, THAT IS AN EASY ONE......MRS. HANK, (NORAH LEE), IS ALWAYS THERE TO WELCOME ME HOME!!!!!

WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 50 3/4 YEARS.......THE FIRST TIME I SAW NORAH LEE I KNEW THAT SHE WOULD BE MY BRIDE IF SHE WOULD JUST SAY "YES"......AFTER DATING FOR ABOUT A YEAR, SHE FINALLY ACCEPTED MY PROPOSAL TO BE MY WIFE......IRONICALLY, OUR FIRST DATE WAS TO DO A BACKUP SESSION, SINGING WITH THE TWO OF US AND CAROL LEE COOPER, WHO NORAH LEE WOUND UP SINGING WITH FOR DECADES ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY......SHE STILL SINGS IN THE VOCAL BACKUP GROUP ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY!!!!!

NORAH LEE AND HER TWO SISTERS AND FATHER, (SANDRA, LANA, AND NOBLE STUART, RIP) HAD A TRIO SINGING GROUP....THEIR MOM, IMA MAE, (RIP),ALWAYS HAD THEIR CLOTHES IN SPICK AND SPAN CONDITION, AND COOKED SNACKS AND GOODIES FOR ALL OF THEM AS THE FAMILY TRAVELED ALL OVER THE SOUTH, SINGING ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND......IN THE 60'S, THEY ENTERED THE "GROUP" CATEGORY AT THE NATIONAL QUARTET CONVENTION, AND WON FIRST PLACE FOR THE GROUP OF THE YEAR.......

SO, I CAME FROM A SINGING FAMILY AND SO DID NORAH LEE......SHE SANG, SHE HAD BLONDE HAIR, SHE PLAYED THE PIANO, AND SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL......STILL IS!!!!!! SHE MET ALL OF MY REQUIREMENTS FOR BEING MY WIFE.......HAHAHA

NORAH LEE IS MY ROCK THAT I CAN GO TO......SHE DOES NOT GIVE ME ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT SHE THINKS I WANT TO HEAR.....INSTEAD, SHE TELLS ME WHAT SHE REALLY THINKS......I CAN RECALL HANDS FULL OF IDEAS, ALBUM COVER NAMES, SUGGESTED SONGS FOR THE OAKS TO RECORD, AND DOZENS OF OTHER THINGS THAT HELPED US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS......

NORAH LEE GAVE OUR FAMILY THREE CHILDREN......OUR FIRST BABY, JULIA ANNA, DID NOT LIVE VERY LONG, BUT, MADE A PLACE IN OUR HEARTS THAT WERE BROKEN.....OUR DOCTOR TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER BABY AS SOON AS HEALTH PERMITS......

WELL, ALONG COMES JAMIE DIONNE......JAMIE WAS SO FULL OF LIFE AND HELPED HEAL OUR HEARTS......IF THERE EVER WAS A GIRL THAT WAS SO AWESOME THAT SHE COULD FILL THE GAPS FOR TWO GIRLS, JAMIE IS THE ONE.......

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO JAMIE......JAMIE AND PAUL HAVE GIVEN US FOUR GRANDKIDS.......MARCH, KELL, TEXAS, AND TALLANT......THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME LOVE FOR MUSIC THAT IS IN NORAH LEE AND MY FAMILY TREES......TOGETHER, THEY MAKE UP "ROCKLAND ROAD", AND I AM SOOOO PROUD OF THEM......THEY TOUR WITH THEIR FAMILY GROUP, WORKING FAIRS, FESTIVALS, CHURCHES, AND ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL EVENTS.....

I ALWAYS WANTED A BOY, AND, I WANTED HIM TO BE NAMED AFTER ME....(AN EGO THING, I GUESS).....HOWEVER, I DID NOT WANT HIM TO BE CALLED "JUNIOR", OR, NUMBER 2, SO, AT BIRTH, WE GAVE HIM MY NAME AND HIS NAME.....LATER ON WE HAD IT LEGALIZED SO THAT HE HAS THREE FIRST NAMES.......

THEN NORAH LEE GAVE US DEE DUANE DAVID ALLEN......DEE STARTED HIS OWN R&R GROUP, "TALL DARK STRANGER" WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.....SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF HIS GROUP ARE STILL WITH HIM AND REMAIN GOOD FRIENDS.....DEE SINGS ALL OVER THE NASHVILLE AREA......HE WRITES, AND PLAYS MOST OF THE INSTRUMENTS IN HIS STUDIO.....DEE HAS TALENT ON LOAN FROM GOD.....

SO, TODAY, I SALUTE MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, NORAH LEE, FOR GIVING US BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, A HOME FULL OF LOVE, AND 50 3/4THS YEARS OF WONDERFUL MARRIAGE.....HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN MY WORLD.....THE BEAUTY AND KINDNESS THAT SHE SHOWS ALL THE TIME IS JUST A PORTION OF WHAT SHE IS "INSIDE".......