From Azaleas to Zydeco: My 4,600-Mile Journey through the South

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments Ihave refrained from following the advice of Clay Travis about acknowledgments in his hilarious book about SEC football, Dixieland Delight: A Football Season on the Road in the Southeastern Conference. He says to mention as many people as you can because it will aid in book sales. But I’m keeping my acknowledgments brief. First, my wife, Cheri. As one female cousin said to me after I explained to her that I was traveling the South one week at a time: “Your wife sure is nice. I’d never let my husband go gallivanting around the South like that.” I agreed, but I’m not sure that Cheri knows how much I appreciate the inconveniences she endured in letting me do what I wanted to do. Maybe this is a good way to tell her. Next, my son, Will. I didn’t realize that with a little bit of planning, Knoxville could be such a crossroads of the South. It was fun to pass through and see him happy in the place where my father went to college. I must thank my sisters, Gail and Anita, and their husbands, Ron and Buddy, for their gracious hospitality in Georgia and Florida throughout my travels. I think the only gift I ever brought them on my many visits was some hand-rolled cigars from the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa (which, now that I think about it, neither sister probably appreciated). As I traveled, I visited my cousin Linda Hasty, niece Allison Barger, and second cousin Nanette Fields on their home turfs as I passed through. Even though he’s technically not family, my friend Daniel Carey 11 got me a good rate at a good hotel in Savannah and, in less than two drinks at a local water hole, told me more things about Savannah than I could ever use. Likewise, ex-Arkie John Pagen’s help in navigating Richmond was invaluable. In the same vein, I’d like to acknowledge Blake Eddins, Bob Denman, Brian Nolen, Dabbs Cavin, and my cousin Alan Holman. Their help made my understanding of Montgomery, NASCAR, South Carolina, and the Civil War much better. Early in the process, my friends Ted Parkhurst, Rex Nelson, and Jay Edwards gave me invaluable assistance, and my old college friends Scott McKibbin and Roger Shinness provided great insights and feedback, especially in the early part of my travels. And I can’t forget Laura Hudgins, the former proprietress of the New Harmony Coffee House. Because of her hospitality , I stumbled across Mr. Daniels’ book. I’d also like to thank Bobby Roberts of the Central Arkansas Library System for recommending that I meet Rod Lorenzen. It was Rod’s recommendations that really got this thing done. He first suggested that I take the manuscript to Sally and Huey Crisp to see if they would edit it. Sally is the director of the Little Rock Writing Project and a faculty member in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Huey recently retired as director of composition and instructor in rhetoric and writing at UALR. Not only are they great at what they do, they are fun to work with. Besides being marvelous editors, Sally and Huey found Sarah Fleming, who created the map of the Journey. Rod also recommended H. K. Stewart, and through his wonderful work, pictures got integrated into a manuscript, a cover took shape, and an actual book got printed. Rod also got Ali Welky to undertake the thankless job of copyeditor. I can’t thank him and her enough. As we begin the modern process of marketing and I transition to a new role of itinerant bookseller, I’m relying on my young friend Sandra McGrew to guide me through these newfangled social media. Finally I’d like to acknowledge my mother, Carol Harkins Nichols. She was very interested in talking about my Journey through the Southland, but I think she was a little uncertain about why I was doing what I was doing. Once, she smiled and said, “At least you’ll be more 12 interesting to talk with at cocktail parties.” We had a lot of laughs and a few arguments about the South. She died in September 2011 and never got to see the final product. I hope she’d be pleased. 13 ...