Beech Tree News Network

            I’m going to start out with unused names. I may change horses later:

            Did you ever hear of the country duo, Karl and Harty? Both Kentuckians (Mt. Vernon, KY). They composed one of the earliest and, most influential of mandolin-guitar picker and singer. They were regulars on the Chicago WLS, National Burn Dance for over 20 years. Karl was, Karl Victor Davis; Harty went by his nickname, “Harty.” His full name, (are you ready for this?): Hartford Connecticut Taylor. Their big hit song was about a sad, old mother whose son had run afoul of the law: “I’m just here to get my baby out of jail.”

            What about McHorse? I had a weather instructor in the Air Force by the name. I never knew his first name. Surely it wasn’t trigger or race. (A little humor- very little).

            Our daughters friend had a cat named, “Corduroy.”

            Cort Annis, here in Butler County, had a dog named John Scott Trotter. Cort was once president of Green River Bank. (Now Limestone Bank). John Scott Trotter was the band leader on an old radio show back in the 1940’s. He was a man, not a dog.

            A kid from Duck Run, Ohio had a brutal school teacher. One day the kid picked up a rock and hit the teacher and walked off. He hitch-hiked to California; got a job as a truck driver. His name was Lyn Sly. He later changed his name to, Roy Rogers… you know the one; King of the Cowboys.

            One of the most handsome older stars to come out of Hollywood was Cary Grant. His real name was Archie Leach.

            Actor, Tony Curtis real name? Bernie Swartz.

            As I pen this on December the seventh, I recall December 7, 1941… When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (I was 8). The attack was led by Lieutenant Colonel, Mitsuo Fuchida, Japanese Naval Air Force.

            Fuchida later became a Christian, and a pastor, pastoring a large Christian Church in Tokyp, this the result of an American Missionary passing out Christian tracts on the streets of Tokyo… “The Lord works in mysterious ways his wonders to bestow.”

            Something interesting: As far back as 1924, the final exam question at the Japanese Imperial Naval Academy for officer Cadet was: “Plan, and carry out and attacked on the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.”

            My real name is Don Locke, and I’m ‘gonna quit.’

Kindest regards…