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. There are notable geographical areas down south that foster the creation of legendary music. Rick Hall put together FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama; and with the Swampers, he created some of the finest hits in the world. The same held true for Macon, Georgi

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. April 7, 1998, brothers John and Bill Smith and I woke up in Nashville, Tennessee to the news of Tammy Wynette's passing. The three of us had been in Music City peddling our original songs to anyone who would listen. It was the last day of our trip; and, it started

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. After a week at the underground Checkmate club, the Down Home with Eddie Middleton entourage pulled out of Little Rock, Arkansas late Sunday afternoon with our Bumble Bee shades strategically placed as we headed east to Music City USA and the Cockpit Lounge. We didn

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. Spring break 1998 was in full swing for schools across the south. John and Bill Smith were full time Georgia educators. John taught high school English at Pierce County in Blackshear, Georgia. Bill taught music at Sallas Mahone Elementary in Valdosta, Georgia. Bot