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Verlon Thompson, Genuine Songsmith

5/2/2016

24 Comments

 
copyWrite By Mark House
PictureVerlon Thompson
Much less considering your home state and home county, somebody said somewhere somehow that if you're an entertainer, it's hardest to be most popular in your hometown. An oddity but seems truthful when it comes to singers, songwriters, musicians and Jesus. I have no answer for such phenomenon. Being a novice songwriter and not much of a performer, I've never had to worry about such.

As a fan though, my reactions are usually opposite of the norm. So, back in the late 1960's when I heard ole Verlon Thompson play at the Lookeba-Sickles (Oklahoma) high school gymnasium, I thought Elvis or Johnny Cash had come to our small town. It was that exciting to me. I confess referral to the late 60's as I can't remember if it was 1968 or 1969? Despite the memory loss of exact dates, as a young six or seven year old kid hearing a live performance for the first time, it made quite an impact. One that evidently floats around in the back of a much older mind with a recall of it being truly a sensational experience. If I had to guess, I'd say it was 1969.

From that moment, It would be about 1979 until my ears would hear the music of Verlon Thompson once again. Between then and then, the only tie to his existence would be that my mom fixed his mom's hair near once a week or so. I just remember that (Darwettia) was Verlon Thompson's mom.

Before I left Lookeba (Oklahoma) and Caddo County, I also learned that Darwettia was Rex Thompson's mom as well. Ole Rex could throw a baseball near what seemed a 100 m.p.h. So, you can only imagine what that meant to a younger pup wanna be baseball player. Humorously, as a naive and youthful right-hander, I remember trying to throw lefty like Rex thinking that is where the speed is. It's funny to think back at how things were thought out as a kid. The non-scientific and experimental switch to lefty sure didn't seem to help any at all with speed or accuracy while trying to hit that "broad side of an old barn." Back in the good ole days of 1976, Rex struck out 39 of 51 batters while pitching all 17 innings of two back to back extra inning tournament victories for the Panthers of Lookeba-Sickles (Oklahoma). Now that's some glory days of legendary stuff worth remembering for sure.
Although Verlon Thompson has composed and performs a captivating number entitled "Caddo County," many from his home town area, county and state are unaware they own braggin' rights to one of America's greatest songsmiths.

In my opinion, the vocal, writing and guitar pickin' abilities of Verlon Thompson are much overlooked and somewhat under appreciated. This not being the fault or intention of anyone. Just circumstances of that old hometown phenomenon. "Cain't be nobody that good from round here?" We probably should also consider a few generations have come and gone since Verlon moved to Nashville to hone his trade. From there, he has journeyed a great many places to share his authentically fashioned compositions.

Maybe, through this blogUmentary, a chosen few from our younger generations will learn of who he is, where he's from and what he's done. If it influences any talented individuals towards the thought process of a career in the music industry, then that would make the effort worthwhile for sure.

Working as an on-air personality in the late 1970's at a radio station in western Oklahoma, somehow, what I think would be one of Thompson's first recorded efforts showed up in our album bin. I have to admit, that one impacting performance from my younger years influenced me to a point of spinning that album a bit more than others. "Don't Follow A Plow Boy" was one of my favorites and honestly the only cut I can recall. Coming from a family with farming roots, I could easily relate to and enjoy the words he shared with western Oklahoma's traditional country music radio listeners. This at a time when Alabama, Kenny Rogers and many others were preparing to throw country music tradition right out the window as our "elbow hung out and we were rollin' free."

From that moment of spinning that first album in the late 1970's, it would be the early 1990's before I picked up on the trail of Thompson's music again. While moving closer to the big city and enjoying the fruits of cable TV, I just happened to catch a video on the picture tube entitled "She's The One." I can distinctly remember thinking, hey, that's Verlon Thompson!
An early Capitol Records career performance of Verlon Thompson's original song titled "She's The One."

Between then and now, I've tapped in to the enjoyment of surfing the world wide web and discovering a multitude of songs written and performed by Thompson that can be found floating around in cyberspace. These discovered mostly at a cyberspace station called YouTube. Most have heard of it and it is easy to search and find numerous Thompson performances that, to me, are most pleasurable to listen to and visually enjoy. One of my favorites to date is an original tune Thompson performs with Shawn Camp on the Porch Stage at the 2010 Suwannee Springfest in Live Oak, Florida, entitled "He Left The Road."
Shawn Camp assists Verlon Thompson at the Annual Suwannee Springfest with a Thompson original titled "He Left The Road."

For those who've taken the time to view the video performances included with this blogUmentary, I'm confident most will have developed an appreciation for the true talents of Oklahoma's own Verlon Thompson. Doesn't matter if you like the music style or not, no one can deny the depth of pure and natural talent that exists.

Except for a brief commercialized attempt in the early 90's, there's been no synthetic sound effects, no extravagant light systems, no major awards and no major press coverage. Just a solitary man with a creative songwriting mind and six strings that seem to captivate live audiences everywhere he goes. Very similar to the unaccompanied young man I remember performing on that small high school auditorium stage back in 1969. Or, was it 1968?

Before concluding what has been one of the more interesting and fun pieces to research and write, I share one last song discovered to be representative of one of Oklahoma's greatest songsmith talents. "The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle" is a most enchanting piece of music written by Thompson, Sam Bush and Guy Clark. It's lyrics capture the story of the murder of well known Nashville, Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw banjo playing star David "Stringbean" Aekman. Aekman and his wife Estelle were murdered by John Brown and his cousin Marvin Brown during a home invasion robbery on November 10, 1973.
Verlon Thompson's performance of the poetically bewitching lyrics of "The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle"  is captured in a most fascinating way within a video produced by Genuine Human Productions.
If Paul Harvey were still around, he'd certainly have to share the "rest of this story" as John Brown more recently was released on parole despite his involvement in the horrific double murder of Stringbean and his wife Estelle. John's cousin and cohort in this crime, Marvin Brown, died while serving his time in prison.

Four plus decades following this "atrocious" crime, many are deservedly disturbed that Brown has been set free from his "life without parole" prison sentence. Of course, now we can only wonder if there may be one last challenging verse to be composed for inclusion in "The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle?"
Nashville's WZTV FOX 17 reports in 2014 of the parole of John Brown who was convicted and sentenced to 198 years in prison for the murder of David "Stringbean" Aekman and his wife Estelle back in 1973.
24 Comments
Carla Hicks
5/29/2016 08:21:06 am

After moving to the Lookeba-Sickles area my eighth grade year, Verlon was a year behind me in school. I remember our fall and spring school picnics where we would go to a couple of state parks where the administration cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for all the students. Then over the camp fire Verlon would get out his guitar and sing a handful of songs with Ring of Fire (originally done by Johnny Cash) usually being the finale.
One other memory comes to mind as well. When Verlon married his first wife, they were both late for the wedding. It was suspected that they had decided to elope instead, but as the guests patiently awaited my dad, the minister came out and told us that Verlon and his fiance were on their way. See they had gone to Oklahoma City to pick up his future brother-in-law and speeding back home for the wedding had got stopped by the Highway Patrol and ticketed.
Arriving at the church approximately an hour later the wedding finally began. Oh, the ticket?? The best man and groomsmen pitched in and paid for the ticket.
Lots of other memories of Verlon. We as a community would like to see Verlon more.
Congratulations Verlon on getting to do what you have always loved to do!!!!

Reply
Mark House
5/31/2016 10:43:33 am

Carla, thanks for sharing your memories. Verlon's performance of "Ring Of Fire" might possibly be why I thought he could of been Johnny Cash way back when. As a kid, things of such can seem larger than life.

Reply
Candace thompson
5/30/2016 08:57:49 pm

Just wanted to say Thank You for this amazing artical my father is Rex and you mentioning the two of them is heart warming along with my grandma 😍 My dad and uncle are two of the most amazing men, and I'm glad to see such well spoken words for them!

Reply
Mark House
5/31/2016 10:55:32 am

Candace, thank you for your thank you. I was not embellishing the fact that your dad could throw near 100 m.p.h. It was amazing to watch him pitch and dominate fearful batters while he was at L.S. I was scared just watching from the stands...lol. I set my mind on doing the same but never could throw too fast. With some creative thought processing, I was able to develop some junk pitches and enjoy some success within the game of baseball for awhile.

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    About The Author

    Mark House is a self trained historian, researchist and archaeologist focused on the collection of cool iMages, dOcuments and rElics relative to cool pEople, tHings and pLaces. Cover iMage of Oklahoma City base ball July 4, 1889.

    ​Contact Mark House at: markhouse6@gmail.com

    Picture
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    Oklahoma City Base Ball Genesis


    Lookeba: Memwires Of My Hometown

    Paul Lorenz: A Foul Murder

    Laryn Garrison: Big Dreams In A Small Town

    Mike Moore: A Hall Of Fame Story

    ​Johnny Bench: Legend Nearly Lost

    Carl Mays: MLB HOF Case #2020-2021

    Tom Jones: No Fear

    Corky Billen: Shot Unheard Around The World

    Stan Rosenfield: Oklahoma HOF Nomination

    Curt Gowdy: Baseball Genesis - Eye Witness Account

    Mike Moore: A Hall Of Fame Nomination

    Lane Frost: The Last Ride

    Oklahoma Football 1897

    Bedlam Football Genesis

    Treasure Of Past Pleasure

    Ace Gutowsky: A Pro Football HOF Nomination

    Verlon Thompson: A Genuine Songsmith

    Ty Cobb: The Genesis Of

    Mike Moore: 2017 HOF Nomination

    The Convicts Dream

    Bill Greason: HOF Nomination

    Leader Of The Band

    First Friday Night Lights

    1941 Caddo County Champs

    Life of Lura

    Carl Mays: The Infamy Of

    Eddie Reeser: T-Bone Well Done

    Johnny Bench: Appreciation Day 1970

    Confession Of A Murder

    Mark House: The Last Inning

    Mike Moore: 2015 HOF Nomination

    Lookeba: Memoirs Of My Hometown

    Bill Greason: A Monumental Flag Salute

    Caddo County's Greatest

    Leroy "Ace" Gutowsky: A Pro Football HOF Nomination

    ​
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