On Monday, June 23, 2003, at approximately 9:30 AM Eastern time, I found myself standing beside my parents’ graves in Arlington National Cemetery. I had flown into D.C. early that morning to tape a segment with Brit Hume for a FOX News Network Fourth of July program.

I have to admit I was more than a bit tired. The Oak Ridge Boys have been hitting the road hard the last few weeks, including a performance on the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville the previous Saturday night.

We have been away from home for most of June. From the Windmill Festival in Nebraska to the RV Fest in Louisville, on through Arkansas with stops in Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Alabama, Virginia and Pennsylvania —we have been doing a lot of singing on the summer portion of our Red, White, and BluBlocker Tour.

After the Opry, I drove out to my farm and joined my wife for a day of work and good food. Needless to say, I went to bed late that Sunday and got up really early for my flight to Washington on Monday morning. Like we used to say in our younger days, “This going to bed at 5:45 AM and getting up at 6:00 AM is gonna kill us!”

So on that breezy and warm Monday morning, after placing a book on the grave of G.I. Joe and Lillie Bonsall, I headed for the FOX News studios, where just a few weeks earlier, the whole group had taped a show with Cal Thomas.

At that time, being the FOX News junkies that we are, the Boys had literally invaded the place. No one was safe, not Brit Hume, not Tony Snow, or anyone else whose talking head we recognized from our satellite Channel 360!

We had a ball and handed out sufficient quantities of our Colors CDs and my G.I. Joe and Lillie books.

Well, it seems that Mr. Hume read my book and immediately invited me to come back to FOX to tape a segment he was putting together for his July 4th show. After makeup, Brit Hume and I sat and chatted for a while about the show.

I wish the camera had been on for this intimate conversation. He told me that he loved my book and that it moved him deeply. He told me that the most moving experience in his many years of journalism was covering the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, in June of 1994, from Normandy, France. His eyes grew moist as he spoke. I have always liked and respected this man and as he candidly spoke to me in that dressing room, on this, his 60th birthday, I came to like him even more.

We spoke about G.I. Joe and Lillie on the set for about eight minutes. He was so nice to me. He held my little book in his hands the whole time and facing the camera told the whole country that it was a good book. I was nervous and a bit emotional in the presence of this legendary journalist and I wished that I had been a bit more rested.

I think I could have spoken a little more eloquently. (I guess I’ll find out on July 4th!) By the way, that view of the Capitol building on his set really IS a view of the Capitol building. It is not a fake TV picture!

On the way out, Brit Hume introduced me to Armstrong Williams, which was also a real honor. The Supreme Court had just handed down their controversial ruling on racial quotas for college entrance and Mr. Armstrong was there at FOX News to lend a black conservative viewpoint. Brit Hume recommended that Mr. Armstrong read the book and listen to Colors. And I was right there to provide him with a copy of each! What an honor.

Good friends of Mary’s and mine who were kind enough to pick me up at the airport and hang out with me for the six hours or so that day. Ed White works for the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Division and his wife Sandy worked in the Pentagon for years. After the taping, the Whites dropped me back at the airport, where I would fly on to Norfolk to tape an appearance on The 700 Club the following day.

I am pleased to report that there is a great sushi bar in the Reagan airport and after getting my fill of tuna, yellowtail, salmon and a few Rainbow Rolls, I boarded a small US Airways prop job called a “Dash 8” and flew to Norfolk.

That part of the trip was a nightmare! I was stuffed in the back and the plane was packed. It was also stifling. Why couldn’t they cool this thing down? It was only a forty-minute flight to Norfolk but for yours truly, a borderline claustrophobe, it seemed like six hours.

As we flew over Norfolk, VA, I looked down and saw several battleships and destroyers in the harbor. Then....... my eye caught several old World War Two Landing Craft. Big LCI’s (Landing Craft Infantry). I choked up a little thinking how cramped up those guys were 59 years ago. My father could have been aboard one of those very ships as he crossed the channel. It made me feel a little better. Thankfully, we landed within five minutes.

Mr. Derrick Brown was holding a 700 Club placard with my name on it when I deplaned. He took me to the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach, where I scurried to room 2201, turned the AC as low as it would go, took a hot shower, called Mary, crawled into bed and slept for twelve hours!

On Tuesday, June 24, 2003, I awoke around 8 AM and ordered a huge breakfast on Pat Robertson! After all, I had pretty much slept through dinner.

The 700 Club television studios, The Founders Inn, and a huge University were all part of this monstrous complex, and I was honored to be here.

After make up, I had a production meeting with the CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Mr. Little, and an extraordinary group of women led by Molly Young. We spoke for a while about the future of Country music television, now that TNN is gone. CBN has some great ideas for new programming that would originate from a new complex on Dickerson Road in Nashville. The network recently purchased this facility from Qwest Communications. Mr. Little asked if I might be interested in being a part of this project as a possible host, and I told him that I would talk about it again later when I wasn’t so busy! That might be in 2015! His ideas were sound, though, and some new Country music programming would be welcome.

The aforementioned 700 Club show is going to be really special. Airing on July 4th, it features a wonderful Christian photographer from Australia, who spent three years lugging a camera across America; an endearing little Christian man from New York, who has been in charge of maintaining the Statue of Liberty for thirty years; and......... your author.

Before the taping, Dr. Robertson and I reflected back to the Republican National Convention in New Orleans in 1988, when The Oak Ridge Boys and Republican nominee George Herbert Walker Bush shared the stage as balloons and confetti fell on our heads. Pat Robertson had made a good run at the nomination that year, and he was up there with us supporting Bush. I could tell that he was enjoying the chance to reflect on that night and, obviously, remembered it well.

Before the cameras rolled I thanked him for the positive influence that he has been on American politics the last several years. He has been responsible for energizing many Christians to get out to the polls and vote for candidate who reflect American values and Godly ideals. Dr. Pat Robertson is a good and special man.

After showing Oaks footage, he held up my book and encouraged his audience to buy and read G.I. Joe and Lillie. It was a wonderful interview and I am grateful to him for the incredible way he treated me, the Oaks, and my book. (You can buy the book as well as Colors at CBN.com)

After the taping, I was led by Molly Hunt to the Chapel, where about 200 employees of the CBN organization were in prayer for our nation and leaders. It was very moving. Mr. Little introduced me as the day’s speaker and I took the floor.

I spoke lightly at first. I did my routine about how my middle name is “Of The.” As in, “Aren’t you one of the? There goes one if the…,” etc. 

I had them all laughing. After bringing regards from all the Boys I talked for a while about how fortunate I was to be living out my dreams in this great land and about how fortunate I am to be with The Oak Ridge Boys, a group of men who tried their best everyday to live right, honor God, and affect people in a positive way.

I spoke about my “Crossroads Theory” and how God places different people in our pathway to help us make the right turns. I gave a few personal examples and encouraged them to always keep their hearts and minds open to God’s call and plan for their lives. 

I closed by talking about the two most important people that I have ever met at life’s crossroads. My mother and Jesus Christ. The place stood as one and applauded. 

Then some guy yelled out, “sing Elvira!”

Everyone laughed. He yelled again. “Sing anything” and they kept applauding......

So.... I sang “G.I. Joe and Lillie”..... accapella. It was very cool.

I flew to Nashville through Charlotte, North Carolina (Mom’s home state) and arrived at the house around 8 PM. My Mary had dinner waiting. I told her all about the last “cup la daze,” repacked and climbed aboard the bus for Branson.

In a “cup la more daze” the Oaks will be in New York City at FOX News to do Hannity and Colmes. We will sing “Colors” — and we are pumped!! 

The New York FOX guys this time!.......  All right...... let’s go!

I am sure that rhe Oaks will once again attack, with abandon, seeking out Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren, and Linda Vester

I wonder if Brit Hume has called ahead to warn them?


June 26, 2003
THE BIG APPLE

After two great shows in Branson yesterday at the Grand Palace, we awoke on the bus just outside of the airport in St. Louis. Then we boarded a plane, ultimately headed toward the Big Apple.

We landed inside a mall in Pittsburgh, PA, and spent about an hour eating sushi. The Oaks and our Road Manager, Captain Irish (Timmer Ground) all chowing down on tuna and eel rolls was a sight that could possibly indicate that the apocalypse is truly upon us.

What have I created?

We landed in New York City and were met by Spring Hill Music publicist Beth Blinn. It was she who secured for us a spot on Hannity and Colmes, and it was great to have her with us.

We checked into the Edison hotel, which took forever. Around 7:30 PM we met downstairs in the lobby and headed for FOX News, where we immediately established a beachhead and attacked with abandon. 

We would pre-tape our interview with Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes at 8:15 PM for actual broadcast tomorrow night (Friday, June, 27), and it all went so very well. Sean was just wonderful — and so was Alan. They treated us like gold, and we had a ball.

Sean Hannity loved “Colors!” He said he would play it on his radio show because “America needs to hear songs like this.” Sean is heard on 379 stations and his support of Daryl Worley’s “Do You Remember” song is what started the groundswell and made it a huge hit. We knew that Sean Hannity was a great guy, and he didn’t let us down a bit.

Our old friend Jack Kemp, now with EMPOWER AMERICA, was there, as was one of our FOX favorites, Shepard Smith. We all gathered in a semicircle and talked for about 30 minutes. Right in front of everyone our longtime friend Jack Kemp thanked us “for representing what is right about this great country of ours.” It was very moving. Beth Blinn gave copies of Colors and G.I. Joe and Lillie to everyone and took pictures!

Then we sat in the studio for the live H&C broadcast. It was a busy news day with the Supreme Court, once again, handing down a controversial decision; this one involving gay sex. In another court, the verdict was reached for the Texas woman involved in the windshield murder. 

We left the FOX studios with a standing invitation to come back anytime to do H&C, as well as an invite to do FOX and Friends and Sean’s radio show. I am positive that we will be back!

I went back to my room, changed clothes and walked around Times Square for a while. At 11 PM the streets were packed. There is an amazing energy that permeates these streets. With huge video billboards everywhere, it reminded me just a little bit of the movie, Blade Runner, with Harrison Ford. I think I saw a Replicant or two walking around just outside of The Matrix. The Musical, Urinetown was just letting out as I passed the theater right off
Broadway. 

URINETOWN!!! What? The theater had been packed, too! Only in New York, I guess.

I walked a few more blocks and found a little Italian restaurant called Tony DiNapolis. Hey, Tony and Carmella had eaten there and so had Paulie Walnuts so it had to be good. In fact, Michael Corleone may have shot Salottzo in this very establishment.

I ordered veal piccatta and linguine with garlic and olive oil, sipped on some good cab and thought of home. My Mary has probably been in bed for two hours and was no doubt fast asleep — with at least three kitties resting against or on top of her. And here I sit by myself, eating pasta at a corner table nestled in the middle of the most energetic city in the world. I had just taped Hannity and Colmes but I missed my wife...... and the kitties..... and home.

Oh well, I’ll be there in just.........a cup la daze!