Thursday, February 23, 2006
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Thursday, February 23, 2006 |
FeaturesBlack History Month - A tribute to Willie “Buck” Boyd By
REV. WILLIAM B. MITCHELL Soul music captivated sounds that formed sweet music of liberty and freedom. It ignited the soul, which is the free agent, given by our Father, the Creator of all things. Soul music is the sound of string instruments, harmonicas, drums and brass, that vibrates into beautiful music. It is the sound that is universally accepted as the original music. Now the lovers of this music can claim and declare that it is a natural birth, but painless. It is a natural stimulant for the soul. Soul music is a mixture of love, emotions and compassion - for the good times and bad times. It is beautiful music, music without color, music without walls, and it’s good, sweet music for all. Legacy of The Five Keys The Five Keys of Holly Springs, a group of musicians and vocalists known as Little Willie and The Five Keys, played rock ’n roll, blues, jazz, country, but were lovers of that sweet soul music. We entertained and traveled in most of the Southern states in the mid 1950s to 1970s. Group members include Willie “Buck” Boyd, founder, manager, lead vocalist, musician; Don “Putt” Boyd, lead guitar-vocalist; William “Sugar Bear” Mitchell, bass guitar-keyboard, vocalist, comedian; George “Gee” Leggs, saxophone-bass guitar, vocalist, music arranger for the group; Clyde “Zooma” Anderson, trumpet, vocalist-music arranger; Grant “Spaceman” Belfoure, drums, vocalist, and the all-around man of the group. The Five Keys accepted soul music as the guiding light through the early entertainment society. The group was loved and welcomed by all. We were the links and connections to Southern joy, entertainment and hospitality. I can cheerfully say we were blessed by God, to be color blind to His human race, a creation that He will always love and take care of. We must thank God for our spiritual hearts and sound minds. The Five Keys didn’t make millions, but we pleased thousands of music-loving people. It wasn’t our time to become wealthy or rich, but our time to be blessed. Tribute to Willie “Buck” Boyd In February 2006, Black History Month, The Five Keys family pays tribute to Willie “Buck” Boyd. He was a door keeper that carried a large ring of keys – a key that opened the doors of live, a key that mended broken hearts, a key that opened the doors of joy, a key that opened the doors to education and a key that opened the doors to God’s family life. Buck would say to this generation – Keep doing what you do best, but do it with righteousness. (Note: William Mitchell now lives in Columbus.) My conversation at sundown with Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King By
DAVID STRATMON, Early in March 1957, a friend of mine at the Ministry of Education in the West African British Colony known as the Gold Coast called me to say Dr. and Mrs. King had checked into the Ambassador Hotel in downtown Accra, and were sitting around as if they did not know anybody in Accra, and asked if I wanted to come over and help welcome them to the Independence Celebration for the Gold Coast from the British Empire, scheduled to begin at midnight on the fifth of March, 1957. I went to the hotel and explained that I was the cultural attache at the US Consulate, and invited both of them to come to my home that evening where they would have the opportunity to meet with some officials from the University of the Gold Coast and the Ministry of Education. Dr. and Mrs. King readily agreed to come to our modest home in Accra, and they arrived in the early afternoon of March 5 for the dinner. Mrs. King was very pregnant with their first child, I believe, and Dr. King and his associates had just emerged victoriously from the Montgomery Bus Boycott. During the dinner, we admired Mrs. King for getting involved in the Civil Rights movement even if this meant that she could not spend very much time on her musical career. When our guests from the Gold Coast left, Mrs. King, my wife, my daughter Laurice and my son David Jr., retired to our living room to talk, while Dr. King and I went out to our front porch, pulled off our shoes, put our feet up on the banister and talked for over three hours. We talked about the Civil Rights struggle, repeated threats against Dr. King’s family, and where the Civil Rights fight seemed to be heading at that time after the bus boycott battle had been won. We also talked about the Freedom Movement then gaining momentum in West Africa, and the way Dr. Kwame Knrumah, and the Convention People’s Party had literally “forced the British Lion to throw in the towel and agree to give the Gold Coast independence” effective at the stroke of midnight on the 5th of March, 1957, at which time the new nation of Ghana came into being. At one point, after listening to Dr. King talk about threats and attempts on the King family and other leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, I asked if he had considered moving to another part of the country lest serious harm come to them in the Deep South. Dr. King’s response was that although the constant threat was real, that would not make him give up the struggle. He was determined that threats of violence would not make him give up his work of helping to make America a better place for all Americans — black, white and brown. Now Dr. King and his gracious wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, have both gone home to God. It is for us, the living, to see to it that “the Dream marches on.”
Pages from the Past10 Years Ago - February 22, 1996 Rep. Gadd and wife adopt 11-month old Russian child Rep. Jack Gadd and wife Pebble are the proud new parents of a son. The Gadds returned last week from Kungur, Russia, where they adopted 11-month-old Cody Allen. Last week the family of three traveled to Jackson for the Legislative Session. Members of the House of Representatives welcomed the Gadds and Cody with a reception in their honor. The Chamber casting call An open cast call will be held in Drew Feb. 24 for extras for the movie “The Chamber,” based on the novel by John Grisham. Annual spelling bee held at Rust The 16th annual Marshall County Spelling Bee was held Sat., Jan. 27, sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Winners were Emtisha Manning, Holly Springs Intermediate School, third place; Agnes Anosike, second place Holy Family School; and Anna Greer, first place, Marshall Academy. 25 Years Ago - February 19, 1981 Gets a basket Maxine Tucker of Holly Springs assisted the Northwest Junior College’s Lady Rangers with a basket in their 112-47 win over Itawamba Thursday. Posting a 19-0 record, the Lady Rangers are currently No. 1 in the conference. Johnson kills wolf Tony Ray Johnson, a 10th grader at Holly High, shot and killed a wolf Friday, Feb. 6. Tony was about to shoot at some blackbirds when three wolves charged him. He killed one of them before the other two ran off into the woods. Tony was visiting his grandmother, Bessie Mack, of Red Banks, when the incident occurred. Tony’s parents, Cleveland and Earnestine Johnson are very proud of their son and they are asking everyone to be cautious of wolf packs in the area. 50 Years Ago - February 23, 1956 Walter Utley opens Elite Cafe here Walter A. Utley is adverting “something new” this week. His Elite Cafe is open for business. Located on Hwy 78-N just beyond the weighing station, he invites you to come see him. Mr. and Mrs. French entertain at bridge Mr. and Mrs. Richard French entertained the Saturday night bridge club. The high score for the women was won by Mrs. Norman McKenzie and Miss Ruth Finley. Annual spring Pilgrimages expected to draw big crowds In just another month Mississippi towns again launch into the spring home and garden Pilgrimage season which this year is expected to attract between 30,000 and 50,000 visitors. At least five areas are planning spring events: Natchez, which runs the month of March; Vicksburg will hold a variety of events during their shows, running from March 2-April 7. The Columbus Pilgrimage with 15 lovely antebellum homes, runs April 4-8; Holly Springs’ annual Pilgrimage will be April 27-29. The Mississippi Gulf Coast also hosts a well-attended annual tour. Report News:
(662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
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