DeKalb County Resident Graduates from Lee University

May 31, 2019
By:

On May 4th, 2019, five hundred and seventy four students graduated from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. Lydia Danielle Trail, a resident of Liberty and a first-generation college student, was among the numbers earning her Bachelor of Arts in English-Writing and a minor in Spanish.

After graduating from DeKalb County High School in May 2015, Trail started Lee in the fall of the same year. She became a member of the Student Leadership Council, a leadership council member of Sigma Tau Delta (the university’s English honors society), a community builder of Tharp Hall, a student worker for the Department of Language & Literature and the School of Nursing, a member of the Anthropology Club, and an intern for GenZ Publishing. While at Lee, she also traveled to Guatemala on a university medical missions trip and represented the university at the annual Sigma Tau Delta convention in St. Louis and presented her creative nonfiction piece “I Loathe You, Asthma.”

Trail was a Lettie Pate Whitehead scholar for four years, which is a scholarship awarded to less than 40 female Lee students every year, and was also awarded the Presidential scholarship.

She is the daughter of Heidi Trail, granddaughter of George & Linda Tripp, great-granddaughter of Doyle & Jesse Christian of Woodbury, and niece of Angela Tripp and Cassie Tripp.

May 31, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

If you love gospel music by local talent you are in for a blessing.

Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad presents Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour from 5-6 p.m. Sunday night, June 2.

The program airs once a month, on the first Sunday night of each month, from 5-6 p.m. featuring recorded local talent performing gospel music.

Sunday night’s program will showcase the music of the Joyful Praises and Right on Time.

Tune in the first Sunday night of each month for the Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour from 5-6 p.m. on WJLE.

WJLE is proud of our partner sponsors of religious programs each week and hopes you will tune in often and let them know you listen.

•Got A Minute?: 60 second message presented by the Smithville Church of Christ with Dan Gulley-Twice a day Monday-Friday each week (various times morning and around noon)

•Cross Connection sponsored by the Upper Helton Baptist Church featuring Jimmy Arms: Monday-Friday at 11:55 a.m. each week

•Morning Devotion: A 5 minute daily devotional by a different minister each week Monday-Saturday at 7:25 a.m.

•Amazing Facts sponsored by the Smithville Seventh Day Adventist Church: Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. each week

The following are weekly sponsored Sunday programs:

•7:00 a.m.: Speak Life with Richard Bane

•7:30 a.m.: Royce Moore of the New West Point Freewill Baptist Church (The Way of Life Ministry)

•8:00 a.m. Elders Joseph and Ricky Arnold for the New Bildad and Mount View Primitive Baptist Churches (The Firm Foundation)

•8:30 a.m. Outreach Baptist Church with Nathan Thomason (The Outreach Pulpit)

•9:00 a.m. The Keltonburg Missionary Baptist Church (Only Through the Blood)

•9:30 a.m. LOCAL NEWS

•9:35 a.m. Trent Colwell of the Smithville Church of the Nazarene (The Living Word)

•10:00 a.m. Steve Warren of Faith Chapel Ministries (Faith for the Hour)

•10:30 a.m. Bobby Thomason of the Covenant Baptist Church (Fountain of Faith Ministries)

•11:00 a.m. Worship Services from either the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian (Isaac Gray) or Smithville First United Methodist (Dr. John Carpenter) Churches

•12:00 NOON: LOCAL NEWS

1:00 p.m.: Truth that Transforms with Aaron Wright

•1:30 p.m. The Preaching Ministry of Toy Lawson of the People’s Pentecostal Church

•2:30 p.m. Billy Hale of the Christ Pentecostal Church of Brush Creek (The King is Coming)

•3:00 p.m. Prophet James Ferrell of the Church of Jesus Christ (The Word of the Lord)

•4:00 p.m. LOCAL NEWS

•4:15 p.m. Royce Curtis of the People’s Missionary Baptist Church

•5:00 p.m. Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour (1st Sunday)

•6:05 p.m. Gospel music sponsored by Cantrell’s Furniture and Appliances

•9:05 p.m. LOCAL NEWS

Listen each week on WJLE AM 1480 and WJLE FM 101.7 and LIVE Streaming at www.wjle.com.

May 30, 2019
By: Shan Williams

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival has announced the Blue Blaze Award recipient for 2019. Bluegrass legend, Ronnie Reno, will be honored on Saturday, July 6^th, 2019 during the festival competition at approximately 5pm followed by a mini-concert performed by Reno on the main stage in the Smithville, Tennessee Downtown Square.

(VIEW VIDEO OF RONNIE RENO BELOW)

When asked about the nomination and honor, Reno replied, “You know….over my six decade career, I received numerous awards and recognitions, but I am particularly honored to receive the Blue Blaze Award from the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree. First of all, we share a common mission–to preserve old time Appalachian and bluegrass music for future generations to enjoy and to celebrate its history,” explains Reno. “They’ve been at it for just about as long as I have (they are coming up on 50 years now),” he jests. “Second, it is the ‘official bluegrass festival of the state of Tennessee, my home state! SAL-UTE!. Finally, I’m in great company—Dailey & Vincent, Sierra Hull, Danny Roberts of the Grascals, Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, and Michael Cleveland have all received the Blue Blaze Award. I am absolutely honored, and look forward to performing at this year’s event.”

“The Jamboree Board was unanimous in the decision to honor Ronnie Reno as our Blue Blaze Award recipient for 2019,” said festival president and coordinator Sam Stout, “Reno embodies everything that is at the heart and soul of bluegrass, and will be a great addition to our long, list of deserving honorees. The award is designed to honor a group or individual that ‘keeps the embers of bluegrass music glowing for future generations.’ With decades of experience, crowd-pleasing talent, and a rich family heritage steeped in bluegrass, Reno was a natural fit for this award. We appreciate all that he has accomplished to encourage the long-term appreciation of bluegrass music, and look forward to his upcoming performance.”

Reno had a very early start in his future musical career. In 1955, seven-year-old “Little Ronnie Reno” climbed atop a milk carton, stretched up to the mic, and performed for his first national audience on “The Old Dominion Barndance.” This performance would prove to be the beginning of one of the most colorful, diverse and distinguished careers in the music industry–one that spans over 60 years, alongside some of the most legendary entertainers in Bluegrass and Country Music history.

Reno was launched into bluegrass greatness when he picked up the mandolin and joined his father’s band. His dad just happened to be banjo pioneer Don Reno and one-half of the Hall of Fame duoReno & Smiley. While juggling schoolwork with TV tapings and top-billed performances, young Ronnie honed his chops and was a part of that act’s great recordings in the 50’s and 60’s. He earned a reputation as a fine utility player and picked up additional work with groups like the Louvin Brothers, or whoever needed him.

With the desire to spread his own wings, Reno joined the famedOsborne Brothers and provided part of the trademark trio harmony during the height of their commercial success. In 1971, they were awarded the covetedCMA Vocal Group of the Year.

His talent and credibility as“Bluegrass Music’s Youngest Old-Timer” caught the attention of Merle Haggard, who hired him back him up, alongside Bonnie Owens andThe Strangers. As an additional bonus, Reno would serve as Haggard’s opening act, allowing him to build his own name as an artist.

The transition from Bluegrass to Country music was a natural one. Reno harmonized and played guitar withHaggard & Bonnie Owens in the 70’s and early 80’s, appearing on ten of Haggard’s albums and classic hits like“If We Make It through December,” “If We’re Not Back in Love by Monday,” and“Ramblin’ Fever.” He even wrote several of Haggard’s cuts, including the hit“I’ve Got a Darlin’ for a Wife.” Reno also opened for acts like Mel Tillis, Ray Price, Tom T. Hall and even Three Dog Night.

It was also during this time that Reno signed his own deal as an artist withMCA Records and released his debut album, appropriately titled For the First Time. He also hit the studio with many other artists including such legends asJohnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Willie Nelson andLeona Williams.

As a songwriter, Reno also experienced great success. In addition to his cuts with Haggard and many other artists, including Sammi Smith and Vassar Clements, and his song“Boogie Grass Band” became a smash hit for Conway Twitty.

Reno also celebrated success as a producer, churning out albums such asThe Bluegrass Sessions by Merle Haggard and the celebrated Kentucky Gold (which reached #1 on the Bluegrass charts),Swing West (which reached #1 on the Americana charts) and Drawing from the Well by The Reno Brothers, which he teamed up with after the passing of their father Don. The distinguished group was nominated for anIBMA award in 1997.

In 1993, Reno became an ambassador of traditional music, producing and hosting the first and only national television show featuring Bluegrass music, “Reno’s Old Time Music Festival,” which could be seen in 28 million households. The show earned a nomination for the prestigiousCable Ace Award for “Best Musical Series” and Reno became known as “The Dick Clark of Bluegrass Music.”

After six decades in the entertainment business, Reno shows no signs of slowing. His new show“Reno’s Old Time Music” can be seen weekly in over 50 million homes on theRFD-TV network and earned the IBMA “Broadcaster of the Year” honors in 2013, which he added to his IBMA “Distinguished Achievement Award” earned in 2006.

Reno released his first solo album in over a decade,Lessons Learned, on Rural Rhythm Records on March 17, 2015 to warm reviews, including the Washington Post, who gave the album “top pick” honors.

In 2016, Ronnie Reno received SPBGMA’s highest honor with his induction into the Preservation Hall of Greats.  His name joins a list of legendary bluegrass trailblazers, beginning with Bill Monroe, and including Ronnie’s father, Don Reno, who was inducted with Red Smiley in 1984.

Ronnie dedicates a great deal of his time in the preservation and remastering of great archival performances of bluegrass and acoustic artists, ensuring not only their legacy, but his own, for future generations to enjoy.  His catalog of work during his 60-year career will certainly have a marked impact. (biographical information courtesy of https://clicktime.symantec.com/3Mm9Dwu3HPbzsmvkri4dBx27Vc?u=www.ronniereno.com)

For more information on the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree, go to:www.smithvillejamboree.com or join their FaceBook Page.

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