Tondeleo: Doc called me on my mobile with quite a bit of excitement in his voice. His old friend, Ronnie Perkins, from Sumter, South Carolina had made contact. It turns out the Ronnie has recently moved to Southern Maryland, in search of work, and a new life. Ronnie ended up settling for a while at least in Bryans Road, MD, about a half hour's drive from Doc and Marilyn. They met up with each other at the Dollar General store where they both were doing some shopping for clothes.
Doc: "I couldn't believe it, Tondy! Me and Ronnie go back a long time. I ain't seen him in years! Last I heard, he was down Georgia stayin' with family! Then me an' Marilyn was up the Dollar General an' I hear someone callin' out, 'Doc! Doc! Izzat you, Doc!' I recognized his voice right away, but I weren't thinkin' Ronnie'd be up here, but sure nough, it were him!
"He's doin' good, too, Tondy! He ain't drinkin' so much, an' said he gave his heart to the Lord an' is tryin' to get his life together an' make a new start up here. He said a new start with a new heart! He's a good man. Marilyn was glad to meet him, too, 'cause she'd heard some "Ronnie stories" from back in the day. You gotta come down when you can to meet him Tondy!
That Ronnie can write a song just by hearin' me play guitar. An' he sings out, like I do. He ain't need no mike like them boys you is used to hearin'. We ain't always got mikes down south."
Ronnie and Doc played some music together in South Carolina a few years back, and Doc is thrilled to have an old mate to play music, swap stories and sing with. Doc thinks Ronnie is one of the more gifted singers he knows, and Ronnie's talents seem to mesh well with Doc and Marilyn's.
I am always amazed at how these roots and country musicians can sit down and play new songs together that neither of them have ever heard before (because they make them up on the spirit of the moment) and actually sound good. I also have noticed that some people are better with making up lyrics off the top of their heads while others are better with the tune and the arranging.
Ronnie's life story is similar to Doc's and to several other people whom I have met through Doc and my other travels in the southeastern United States: A family history of hard working people who struggled to eak out an existence; alcohol and drug dependency throughout the family tree; music and singing being a form of free entertainment as well as supplemental income; regular packing up and moving from state to state to get new starts on life, and to find work; minor jail time, and a non-judgmental attitude towards other people, yet a basic initial mistrust of strangers.
I made it a point to spend an evening at Doc and Marilyn's bungalow so I could meet Ronnie Perkins. Ronnie is a black gentleman with the gracious manners of a Southerner, a ready smile, and a friendly spirit. At first he was quiet, and only began to open up as he watched my interactions with Doc and Marilyn.
I was able to discern within minutes why Doc and Ronnie were such good friends. Like Doc, Ronnie has several trades, including auto mechanics (which must run in American blue collar blood), carpentry work and general handyman skills. Ronnie also can write songs and come up with passable lyrics almost off the cuff.
We shared an evening meal together, and then Doc brought a couple of guitars to the table and Marilyn retrieved her harmonicas from her room. Ronnie had a new tune creeping around in his head, and he wanted Doc and Marilyn to play some back up for it and to help with the arranging.
Ronnie said that people like Doc help him to get his songs so they sound right. "I get a few lines and some words, and then I get stuck for a while. If I can get around someone like Doc, as he plays the guitar and gives a pattern to it, the words come and then the rest of the tune comes. I don't know how it works, it just does.It's like I get half of it and he gets the other half. Then, Marilyn fills it out with the harp. The Lord works through people that way, Tondy" Ronnie revealed to me.
Quickly I got my camera out, and sat it on the tripod, so I could record this song being created. Ronnie hummed a few bars of it, so Doc could find the right key and rhythm. He told Marilyn which harp (harmonica) to use, and she and Doc began to play along with Ronnie as though they had known the song for most of their lives.
Ronnie said that he sings primarily Gospel music nowadays, and he does seem to have a gift for it. He didn't yet have all the words to this new song, which he calls "I'm Coming Home." He told me that he was a little embarrassed singing it in front of an outsider without it being finished, and that he wasn't too thrilled with me taping it. At the same time, he said that it was ok to put it on "the YouTube" if I thought someone might enjoy it. So, here it is. I hope you like it. I think it has good potential, once they get all the bugs worked out.
