August 2006                                                        The Megaphone                                                                Page 3

Family Treasure

by Larry Courtney

  My father was a Pentecostal minister for over 50 years. If any of you know anything about the Pentecostal faith, you know they enjoy singing gospel songs with a passion for their religion.

  My father had a 4 string tenor banjo that he played in church for years. I remember him playing it in my earliest memories of the early 1940s. It was in pretty bad condition when he died in 1979. I got the banjo and had it restored to mint condition in 1985. It is beautiful and there have been several big money offers for it. But as they say, it is PRICELESS!

  My grandson, Nathan Courtney, has his great-grandfather's passion for music but in a different format. He has been writing and playing his own current style of music for all his teen years. It is the present style the young audiences want today. He has his own band and plays guitar and sings. He has talent as his great grandparents had also.

  He graduated from high school this spring and will be attending Middle Tennessee State University majoring in Recording Industry Management this fall.

  I decided it was time to give him his great grandfather's banjo as part of his graduation. It is a family treasure and he will pass it on down to his children someday.

  I wrote this following poem about the old banjo and presented it to him at his graduation party. 

A FAMILY TREASURE, PRICELESS

His name was Albert Russell, not a famous name,

And picking on this banjo, was not his claim to fame.

I don’t know when he got it, way back before my time,

I think the nineteen-thirty’s, when he was in his prime.

He was a country preacher, and such a humble man,

Doing just the best he knew, to preach God’s master plan.

As long as I remember, He and Mom would sing,

Harmonizing gospel, such joy their songs would bring.

Her name was Nellie Lucille, they met in Arkansas,

Your Dad and also Uncle Tim, they called her just Grandma.

He would play this banjo, and they would sing out loud,

A joyful noise unto the Lord, no matter where the crowd.

So let me tell you, Nathan, who these people were,

They were your Great-Grandparents, Courtney’s that’s for sure.

Grandparents to your father, they loved us all so dear,

Their family always first to them, and so much more each year.

You never got to meet them, your birth a little late,

But there’s a similarity, I’m sure it’s more than fate.

You have their love of music, it’s in your family tree,

So here’s a little something, from your Grandma and me.

We searched for you a present, we thought that this was right,

Your Great Grandpa Russell, is smiling with delight.

As you play upon his banjo, enjoy the sound it makes,

We all believe that you have, the talent that it takes.

It is a family treasure, so care for it with pride,

Hoping it will let you, set your woes aside.

Enjoy the music it makes, remembering this day,

Live your life a good man, and don’t forget to pray.

For your friends and family, who helped along the way,

Stay humble in your success, and be thankful every day.

Pass this old, old banjo, someday to your offspring,

Remembering your family, the most important thing.

As years go by in your life, and it will go by fast,

You’ll need to stop a second, and dwell upon the past.

For this day is a milestone, as you step into manhood,

Be kind and always helpful, as a good man should.

Nate with Carol (Brobst) & Larry Courtney

Larry Courtney

Class of '57