SUGARFOOT
RAG
By NANCY
JINKERSON
I can remember having music in my house every
evening. My Dad would play his 78 RPM records on an old record player. At one
time he had a reel-to-reel tape recorder and he would record on this thin wire.
Quite often he would get it messed up, but we always had music in the house.
We loved to dance and liked to watch his little girls dance. There were three of
us: Judy, Jane and Joan. Some called us the three Js. We were 13 and 18
months apart. Judy was the oldest, Joan was the youngest and I, of course,
was the middle child. My name is actually Nancy Jane, but they always
called me Jane at home. My sisters and I were between the ages of seven
and ten at this time in my life.
My Dad was from Tennessee and thought country music
was the greatest. As time went on, I learned why he loved it so much.
There are great stories in those songs.
One particular record he had was “Sugarfoot
Rag” by Hank Garland. My husband Bob tells me Hank’s nickname was Hank
“Sugarfoot” Garland because he wrote this great song. My Dad would let
us know when he was going to play this record and that was our signal to take
our shoes off and get ready to dance. As the record started, Hank’s
voice would come on and say “Come on you gals, put your shoes on and do a
little dancing to the Sugarfoot Rag”.
I remember this as if it were only yesterday.
I can visualize my Dad sitting by the record player with such a wide grin on his
face. The music and his girls dancing always made him smile. I know
he was proud of us then and he would be proud to know I have followed in his
footsteps with my love of country music. Thanks Dad for giving me the love
of music.
Nancy Jinkerson