On June 28th 2007, my Father Vernon Reeves passed away after a 6 Year fight with cancer.
It's been a very emotional Time for me and my Family but with lots of prayers and warm wishes from Family and Friends we're doing as well as can be expected.
I made this Video as a tribute to my Father. It's here for all that knew Him to remember who he was and for those who didn't know Him to get an idea of the Person He was.
The last clip is of our Family Friend Ron Spears playing The Fields Have Turned Brown at His funeral.
Ron played my Fathers mandolin that he cherished for many Years.
My Father was born on April 8th 1934 in Straight Creek Kentucky to Margaret and Orville Reeves.
His life, as many in those Years, was rough and fraught with many hardships but He always managed to struggle through and come out a winner.
He joined the Air Force and fought in the Korean war. He stayed in for a little over 14 Years and decided it was Time to get out when Viet Nam was escalating, He could see what was about to happen.
He was so tired from fighting in Korea and had a Wife with Two Children at Home who needed taking care of so he sacrificed His career for His Family.
He became a Truck Driver for Consolidated Freightways in the mid 60s and we ended up transferring to Salt Lake City Utah in 1970. We lived there for many Years but ended up moving back to Kentucky twice.
Once in 1980, where I met my Wife in School.
We moved back to Utah in 1983 and stayed until 1996 when we moved back to Kentucky for good.
His love for Kentucky and it's music never died and while living in Utah he started several Bluegrass Bands.
That's where we met Ron Spears, the gentleman featured in the Video performing The Fields Have Turned Brown.
Ron became a permanent fixture in our Family and I always considered Him as a big Brother.
I remember His talents as an excellent musician, not to mention magician, Yo Yo guru, Ventriloquist etc...
He had such drive and it took my Father a while to accept Him into His Band but he never regretted it in all the Years they played together.
Ron split from the group in the mid 70s to start His own group and hasn't looked back.
He's played with many well known musicians like Bill Monroe and Doyle Lawson to name a few of the may wonderful musicians in the Bluegrass industry he's had the honor to play with.
My Dad had a very gruff exterior but if someone crossed His path in need of help, He was there with a helping hand.
I remember as a small Boy of 11, one evening, he came Home from work with a young couple.
They had been hitch hiking across the Country and he brought them Home to get a hot meal and cleaned up.
My Mom helped with their Laundry while me and my Sister sat in the Livingroom listening to the fascinating stories they told of their travels on the Road.
I don't know what ever happened to them but I'm sure they remember the kindness of the stranger I called Dad.
I remember the Days of them playing in festivals up in the Mountains of Utah in a little Town called Park City.
This was way before it became Hollywoodized with the Film Festival crowd.
Back then it was a sleepy little mining Town that had such wonderful charm.
They where always regulars at a Pub called Mulldunes. It was some of the most exiting Times of my Life and taught me lessons I could never have learned in School. People back then where so different, I miss those Days.
We traveled all over the United States and Canada. As I grew up my talents turned to Photography and electronics. I was the sound man/Photographer when I became a young Man and went with them to some wonderful places and got to meet some of the most colorful, tallented and charming People.
I'll never forget the Time they entered a local talent show in Salt Lake called The Eugene Geleznick Show.
The name of their Band was Obedias Organic Bluegrass Band.
They won second prize and where beat out by a Girl who sang Donkey Serenade.
The reason She won was that while practicing, my Father tuned Her Guitar. It was so bad out of tune and She didn't know how to tune it.
She won $500.00 and My Fathers band won an all expense paid trip to Wendover Nevada to showcase at Jim's Casino.
I'd never been anywhere like this Town in my Life. The huge Neon Cowboy waving His Arm fascinated me as a 10 Year old Boy.
Then, less than a Year later they where showcased on the PBS program Sound Stage. I wish they'd kept a copy of that show because it was even more fascinating than the Neon Cowboy in my Mind at the Time.
The Video Tech's let me sit in the control Room and watch them work. With my Jaw dropped and Eyes wide open I watched as they transformed My Fathers band's performance into a work of art.
My Father wasn't the easiest Person to get along with and he often had a hard Time showing His love but I always knew deep down He loved His Family very much, and We'll miss Him terribly.
Tribute to Vernon Reeves, My Father
April 8th 1934 / June 28th 2007
