Page 2-MmROR-HERALX>-Tueaday, September IS, 1977
The Further Trucking Beaver Got
Away, And Other Songs By Cecil Null
By TOM McIntyre
Editor, Mirror-Herald
Jonas Bridges has
s<Hne very humoroi's
friends. One of them,
Cecil Null of Madison,
Tenn., was here to visit
recently.
Null is a tall drink of
water with graying
blond hair and an ever
present smile. He also
has a way with words.
He should. He’s a
songwriter.
Some ot you who go
back a few years will
probably remember
"I’ve Forgot More Than
You’ll Ever Know’’ by
Sonny James and ’Ihe
Davis Sisters. Null
wrote that.
"It was my first hit,”
Null said. "Sonny
James recorded It first
and it went nowhere.
Then the Davis Sisters
recorded It and had a
hit. Since 1003 that song
has been recorded over
100 times.”
Even Bob Dylan and
Johnny Cash have
recorded the tune. Null
said Cash recorded the
song in 1006 before
anyone knew who he
was. After he became a
big hit, then all of the
songs Cash hadn’t sold
were put Into an album.
"My ex-wlfe has
made a fortune off that
tune," Null laughed.
Some of his other
songs have been "Little
Pedro,” recorded by
Tex Ritter, "Paint Me
The Color Of Your
Wall,” "Same Old Me,
Same Old You,” suid
“Mommy, Daddy Tell
Me.”
"Another of my hits
was ‘When I Die And Go
To Nashville,” Null
said. "There’s a story
behind that title. Once
when I was selling Jim
Walter Homes up In the
mountains, my boss told
me to sing some country
songs for the customers.
He said the mountain
folk Just love country
music. He said when
those people die they
think they’re going to
NashvUle.”
Null has done a
variety of Jobs and
according to his tales,
all of them must have
been fun.
"I owned a music
store once,” he said.
"Well, I only managed
It, but the boss was
away so much I got to
feeling like the store
was mine. I remember
getting In a damaged
piano once. It sold real
fast and I had a bunch of
calls about more
damaged goods. So I
took a screwdriver and
scratched up some
pianos. I sold 26 of them
before you could bat an
eye. I told the boss those
pianos weren’t selling
when they were In good
shape.”
While visiting here
Nun brought out his
guitar and sang a couple
of his niunbers for the
staff. One was called
"I’ve Never Cheated In
My life Before, But I’ll
Hold StUl While You
Do.” Another song he
sang was ‘ ‘Tliat Further
’Trucking Beaver Got
Away.”
“Song titles? I reaUy
(km’t know where they
come from,” he said.
"Sometimes I hear
someone say something
that catches my fancy.
Other times the words
come first, then the
title. I started writing
poetry while In the third
grade. Songs came from
that. I guess when the
good Lord gives you a
talent, you’ll use it
whether you get paid or
not.”
NuU has spent most of
his life around country
music and for a time
wrote a colunm for The
Showman, a country
music magazine. "I
wrote the column In
dialect. I used to do
exposes on certain
country artist, but I
wouldn’t use their
names. I told the truth
and didn’t no one but me
and the artist know who
I had written about.
They couldn’t afford to
make a big thing out ot
It or then everyone
would know.”
Null and his wife do a
few small shows now
and then, but neither
has any Interest In going
the big time route. “(M,
I’ve recorded a few of
my own songs. At
Christmas I buy a lot of
pencils and shoe boxes
and make wagons using
my unsold records for
wheels.”
Before he and Jonas
left. Null said, "I guess
If I’m ever gonna be a
success songwriting
I’ve got to quit writing
such serious stuff. Do
more comedy.”
And with that "The
Further Trucking
Beaver Got Away."
SIDEWALK CONCERT - Cedi
Null of Madison, Tenn., a country
music songwriter visiting friends In
Kings Mountain last weekend.
Photo By Ttom McIntyre
dropped by The Mirror-Herald for a
chat and to offer a sidewalk concert
of his music.
cCampaigidng liltfpiigh,C!tvalanrt;^
no Jnew ^ -t TotnsJi '
.is /e ism oiti
ANOTHER WINNER - Deanle
Conner, l6-year-old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Roger Conner, proudly
displays the blcyde he won In The
Photo By lib Stewart
Mirror-Herald summer circulation
drive. Pictured with Deanle are
Paul Carson, left, and TGAY
Assistant Manager Jim Hill.
Dave McKnight, A Backpacking Candidate
By’TOMMcIN’TYRE
Editor, MlrTor-Herald
Library Presented Bronze
Statues By KM Citizens
Mauney Memorial
Library has been
presented with two
bronze statues — one of
Hiawatha tor the Junior
Rooms, and one of
Cleopatra for the
Hlstorlccd Section — by
Mrs. M. A. Ware In
menwry of her mother,
Mrs. Caroline Ross
Pettus. The statues once
berlonged to Mrs.
Pettus and Mrs. Ware
said, "I think Meuna
would be pleased to see
them being used In our
library.” They are an
added attraction to the
library and the public Is
Invited to come to see
them.
The Library would
like to encourage
citizens to take ad
vantage of the large
type books which are
available from the State
Library free of charge.
Please ask the
Librarian how you may
get these books If your
eyesight Is poor.
Recordings of books are
also available for the
blind and physically
handicapped.
Another service that
your library offers Is
free films for 16 mnm
cameras. These must be
ordered at least 8 weeks
In advance of use and a
cataloge of these films
is In the library.
NEW BOOKS
AT THE LIBRARY
YOUTH
The First Book of Vice
Presidents
Picture Studies of
Italy, France, England,
China, Japan, West
Germany, Rtissla, Spain
and Switzerland.
Biggest Riddle Book
In the World
Pantomimes,
Charades and Skits.
Hawkins
Humorous
Mmiologues
101 Best Magic TYlcks
Anatomy for Children
Discover the 'Trees
Could Be Worse!
Easy Crafts Book
Musical Games for
Children of All Ages
Mattie — The Story of
a Hedgehog
Simple Pictures Are
Beat
ADULT
TVek to Kings
Mountain
Breakaway
Handball Basics
Women In Transition
Karate and Self
Defense
Easy Motorcycle
Riding
After Dlanner
Laughter
How to Raise In-
dependent and
Professionally Suc
cessful Daughters
North America From
Earliest Discovery to
First Settlements
’Ihe Norse Voyages
Kings Mountain Men
Golf Explained
People Power
(Consumer Action
Guide)
Non-Profit Cor
porations,
Organizations k
Associations
Ethics and Profits —
The CMsls of Confidence
In American Business
'Ihe Church In 'The
Power of the Spirit
A Garden of Pleasant
Flowers.
The Herbal Or
General History ot
Plants
The Picture Book of
Annuals
Dave McKnlght of
Fayetteville Is "walking
tor the U. S. Senate.”
The 29-year old
Democratic candidate
for the Senate seat
currently held by Jesse
Helms brought his
backpack campcUgn to
Kings Mountain Wed
nesday. ,
"I’m breaking in my
fifth pair of shoes here
In Kings Mountain,’’
McKnlght said.
The walking tour of
North Carolina began
last April and will end In
October. McKnlght said
he has "targeted Oc
tober 22 as the wrapiq;).
At that time I will be in
Murphy. After that I
Intend to begin
developing my state
wide campaign In
November.”
McKnlght will be one
of about five candidates
in the Democratic
primary next May.
Before Joining the
campaign trail,
McKnlght was an
editorial writer for The
Fayetteville Observer.
Pvt. Stokes Recently
Assigned New Duty
Army Private
Leonard V. Stokes,
whose wife, Mary lives
on Rt. 1, Kings Moun
tain, recently was
assigned to the 1st In
fantry Division at Ft.
Riley, Kan.
Pvt. Stokes entered
the Army In May 1970.
He Is a 1970 graduate
of Kings Mountain High
School.
The private’s father,
Luella Stokes, lives on
Rt. 4, Kings Mountain.
B ■ ■
i«4
BACKPACK CAMPAIGN - Dave McKnlght of
Fayetteville Is walking through North Carolina
counties to campaign for the Democratic
nomination to run against Jesse Helms for the U.
S. Senate in 1978. McKnlght was In Kings Moun
tain campaigning Wednesday.
Photo By
Thm McIntyre
He resigned his Job last
January when he
decided to become a
candidate for the
Senate.
"As an editorial
writer I couldn’t get
Involved beyond the
point of expressing an
opinion,” McKnlght
said. “I felt strongly
about some Issues and
how they affect people,
so I decided to get right
to the heart of the
matter and try to do
something con
structive.”
McKnl^t will be SO In
December and he
figures that makes him
the youngest candidate
to seek the U. S. Senate
In North Carolina, "at
least during my
lifetime, ” he said.
Cleveland County la
the 40th county
McKnlght has visited
since last April. He said
he hopes to have visited
at least 66 counties
across the state before
the October 22 target
date.
The young candidate
said he Is running
because he feels
"Helms should be
replaced. I think he has
done a good Job of
spotting the evils of
bigness In government
and business, but he has
tailed to do anything
constructive about the
sttuatldhs.
"I feel there Is too
much premium placed
on bigness,” he said.
"This Is In both
government and our
free enterprise system.
I am ccnoemed- about
the unfair burdens
placed on small
business and family
farm operatlona. I also
feel the federal tax code
Is far too complicated
and should be sim
plified. I also think we
need a complete
overhaul of our present
system cf overlapping
welfare programs and
move toward a sim
plified program of
direct asslstsmce linked
with Job and work In
centives.”
McKnlght said he
plans to create his
campaign organization
out of the Individuals
from every comer of
every county In North
Carolina he has visited.
He said state politics,
when examined, are
shallow because all the
concentration Is on the
larger areas. There are,
according to the can
didate, numerous
pockets of people who
are entirely missed by
the politicians.
To keep himself
going, McKnlght says
he likens his tour to that
of a traveling basebiJl
team. “I’m a big
baseball fan and I know
that every week during
the season Is a crucial
week In baseball. I have
to figure that every
week Is a crucial week
to me and my cam
paign.
"I’ve had my slumps.
Just like a team has, but
now that September Is
here I’ve got the fever
because the end Is In
sight,” he said.
McKnlght spent the
morning In Kings
Mountain, popping Into
vsLrious businesses to
say hello suid chat with
peqiile, then he took a
hitch In his backpack
and started out for
Shelby.
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