Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Over the course of my life, I've listened to a lot of music. In the early years, it was my daddy's expansive record collection—albums by Hank Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Patti Page, and Guy Lombardo; 45 rpm records of Marty Robbins, Webb Pierce, Johnny Cash, an

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Countless country music records—George Jones, Lynn Anderson, Tammy Wynette—and more than a few rock recordings—Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, George Harrison—have featured the melodic stylings of a steel guitar impresario whose early work contributed to the success of a la

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Back in 2016, I had been reading about this place in Lynn Haven, Florida called Roberts Hall, where Americana songwriters were being featured in concert virtually every Sunday of the year. Several familiar names jumped out at me; so, I decided to get in touch with

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. I've said it before; but it bears repeating. Waycross, Georgia songwriters have a unique 'something' that sets them apart from others. It's not that I think we're better than anyone else. I don't quite know what it is; but, I can tell you when I hear it. In 2003

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. I dedicate this Tail of the Weak to the memory of one of my earliest heroes who passed away November 12, 2018. May you rest in peace, Stan Lee. Excelsior! By 1964, I had lived in Tripoli, Libya —where I'd had my Christmas cowboy suit swiftly and systematically rem

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Jim Lauderdale, the King of the Americana Troubadours, strummed an Epiphone copy of Gibson's Dove acoustic guitar in the corner of my living room. Patty Pfister, fiddle player for Tampa's Crabgrass Cowboys, was sawing away in a frenzy right next to him as he sang “

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. From the time I was old enough to utter the word, Hank—I was listening to the haunting sounds of the King of Country on my daddy's record player. Daddy had a varied collection—Vic Damone, Guy Lombardo, Patti Page—but it was his country music records that still reso

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Throughout history, certain small Southern towns have ingrained themselves in the cultural hearts and minds of people around the world. Whether it be through the townsfolk, born or raised there, who went on to fame and fortune—or a hallowed building, whose spirit l

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. The first time I ever heard a pedal steel guitar, I was about four years old, listening to Daddy's Hank Williams records. I must've been drawn to that haunting, melancholy sound because, by the time I was 19 and had grown up listening to The Beatles, Rolling Stones

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. Hearin' the sound of a lonesome whipporwill Breakin' up the still night makin' me feel so lonesome I could cry Lonesome I might die—so lonesome can't you see—I need you here to comfort me — “Lonesome” by Uncle Dave Griffin On a December 31st afternoon in 1952, Hank

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. In the past, I've read quotes, from Bob Dylan and John Lennon, stating that, “the best songs are written in the shortest amount of time”. I also heard that, when asked how he wrote songs, Hank Williams, Sr. said, “Hoss, I don't write the songs—I just hold the pen”.

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. The Waycross/Hortense/Alma contingent of The Newfanglers were flyin' high after the recording session with Don Helms, fabled steel guitarist of Hank Sr.'s Drifting Cowboys band. It was Sunday, October 30, 2005; and, we were still in Nashville, Tennessee soaking up m

Tail of the Weak is a series of insights and musical memories from the mind of Uncle Dave Griffin, singer/songwriter and founder of the Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, from Waycross, Georgia. “Six souls on board,” Mike Johnson, Waycross pilot of the single-engine Piper Lance, spoke into the mic of the plane's radio, right before we took off from Nashville's John C. Tune Airport. It gave me an eerie sense of mortality; but, after the weekend we'd had, I