Maybe not on the Library but.....inspirational anyway when you are planning an event that will bring hope and opportunity to young folks just like this.. 

From Buddy Buie's address to the Saturday, March 28th DHS Class of '59 50th Reunion

I started writing songs in my head when I was in high school-probably in Miss Jones’ English class. I hated school from the time I began to the time I graduated. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my friends and all the fun times, but studying was not my strength.

I graduated from Dothan High School in 1959 with great distinction. The distinction was the fact that I was one of the worst students to ever walk those hallowed halls.

As you might remember, Bobby Goldsboro and John Rainey Adkins were our classmates, and they had a little band called the Webs. They weren’t good talkers but I was, and so I became their booking agent and manager.

But secretly I wanted to be a songwriter. I listened to Big Bam, WAGF, and WDIG all the time. I loved the songs themselves and I knew what I wanted to do.

John Rainey Adkins was the first person to take me seriously as a writer. My writing career began in the front seat of my 56 Chevy. We would sit in front of his house on Main Street and I would sing A-Cappella the songs in my head and he would pick them out on guitar. Later Bobby and I began writing together.

Our ticket to the big time was Roy Orbison. I brought him to Dothan when I promoted a concert at the Houston County farm center. He loved the band and hired them to be his back up band and I became his road manager.

Roy was from a tiny town in Texas called Wink. He was a dreamer like us and we all shared the small town experience. I believe that was one of the reasons we all related to each other so well.

Bobby left to go on his own when he had a big hit with Funny Little Clown. I went to New York with him as his manager and met everybody at United Artist Music.

One day Mike Stewart, president of UA called me to his office and told me that I was too young and inexperienced to be managing an artist with a top ten record. He said – I’ll make you a deal. You give up management and we’ll sign you as a writer. I really like your writing and I’m willing to advance you $75 a week for five years. There was no contract, just a handshake, but for 5 years a check would arrive at 1008 Irwin St, Dothan Ala, my folks home.

Later I saw him at award dinners and he’d always smile and say –“I knew you’d make it.”

From 1966 to 1980 my co-writers and I had around 30 billboard hits, including Spooky, Stormy and Traces of Love. One of my proudest achievements was when I formed the Atlanta Rhythm Section from a group of session musicians. Everyone said you couldn’t make a rock and roll group from a bunch of session musicians, but we did it.

From that endeavor came hits like So Into You, Imaginary Lover, Bother Me Tonight, and Champagne Jam. We wrote most of them on Lake Eufaula and I produced most of them in my Atlanta studio. In the 90s, I became enthralled with contemporary country music and had cuts by Travis Tritt, Wynonna Judd and Garth Brooks.

I list these accomplishments not to be boastful, but to make the point that big ole dreams come true in little ole Dothan, Alabama.

I remember Dothan in the post-war years, the soldiers were coming home and downtown was buzzing with enthusiasm. New businesses were starting and there was a feeling that the sky was the limit.

I miss Nip & Ernie’s, Oscars, Toms, Porters Fairy Land, Kelly Springs and Sky-View drive in..

I grew up believing good wins over evil and that friends and family are important. Dothan Alabama taught me these lessons and I am truly thankful.