Jan/Feb 2013 issue

Connected
January/February 2013
The search
continues
years after missionary
vanished in Venezuela
Connecting
loved ones
halfway around the world
Music Museums
Noteworthy places to visit
Published for
customers of
Industry News
Partnering in a time of change
Rural telecommunications providers are working together to save
money and bring enhanced products and services to their subscribers
By Stephen V. Smith, Editor
T
here is an old fable about a dying
man who challenges each of his
sons to break a bundle of sticks.
Only when the bundle is untied and the
sticks are separated can the young men
break them. The father knew his sons were
facing a future of uncertainty and change,
and he wanted them to understand they
could accomplish so much more if they
would work together.
Like those sons, the telecommunications industry is looking at a future of
unknowns. Changes in government regulations are retooling the very mechanisms
that determine how telecommunications
companies make their money. And just
like the lesson of the bundle of sticks,
telcos are finding ways to increase their
strength by joining forces with their fellow
utilities.
The age of partnerships
“Partnerships are an absolutely essential tool for reducing costs that can’t be
reduced any other way, if certain services
are to be maintained,” says Fred Johnson,
general manager of Farmers Telecommu-
2 | January/February 2013
nications Cooperative (Rainsville, Ala.).
Johnson serves on the Industry Committee of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA).
This group of telco leaders from across
the country reviews developments and
recommends policy affecting technological developments, industry structure and
member needs in federal and state regulatory matters. Levoy Knowles is also a
member of this committee.
“Our industry is going through monumental change,” says Knowles, former
CEO of Ben Lomand Connect (McMinnville, Tenn.). “In the past, when we were
launching a new service we did it all
ourselves. We must get out of that mindset
and work through partnerships with other
companies in order to be efficient enough
to launch new products and services.”
Jason Dandridge, CEO of Palmetto
Rural Telephone Cooperative (Walterboro,
S.C.), serves with Johnson and Knowles
on the Industry Committee. “For better or
for worse, the Federal Communications
Commission has made up their mind and
they’ve set an agenda to where they want
to see industry consolidation,” says Dandridge. “There are definitely some synergies we can take advantage of for small
companies to partner and share resources
to be more cost efficient.”
Partnership examples
Rod Ballard is a principal with Jackson
Thornton, a certified public accounting
and consulting firm based in Alabama. He
oversees the firm’s telecommunications
division. “Telcos are looking harder than
ever at the concept of cost-sharing through
joint ventures,” Ballard says. “Customer
billing is one area where telcos are working together.
“We’re even seeing joint ventures between telecommunications companies and
electric cooperatives,” he adds.
“FTC already shares video headend
facilities with a number of other companies,” says Johnson. “Other industries,
such as airlines, railroads and automotive, have experienced the same type of
changes we are facing. Companies learned
they could share certain costs with others
in their industry and thereby provide a
better product at a more efficient price. We
are just following that model.”
Another example of partnerships in the
telco industry is Telecom Management
Services (TMS), a group of centrally
managed companies that includes WK&T
Telecommunications (Mayfield, Ky.), Ben
Lomand Connect and Ardmore Telephone
Company (Ardmore, Ala. & Tenn.).
Knowles transitioned from his role at Ben
Lomand Connect two years ago to that of
chairman of the board for TMS. “We are
leveraging the knowledge and expertise
of employees across our companies,”
explains Knowles, “to allow us to operate more efficiently, benefit our members
and bring new products and services to
our service area without adding a lot more
staff at our different locations.”
Not only do the TMS companies share
employees skilled in areas such as marketing, human resources and technology, but
they are also leveraging their collective
buying power to create partnerships with
vendors to save money for each company.
A partnership tradition
The idea of partnering with other telcos
is not a new one. For more than 20 years,
five East Kentucky telcos have enjoyed
the benefits of partnering through the East
Kentucky Network (EKN).
“It was a very positive move,” says
Allen Gillum of the formation of EKN.
Gillum is the general manager of Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative (West
Liberty, Ky.), a partner in EKN. “For 22
years we’ve had the same five partners,
and we each own 20 percent interest.”
Through EKN, the partners have built
a fiber ring that connects all their service
areas to provide greater reliability for their
customers. The partnership also operates
Appalachian Wireless, a regional wireless
phone service provider.
Owning a wireless company is critical for these rural telcos, as consumer
phone habits continue to shift. “It’s very
important to the future of our company
that we have a piece of that wireless pie,”
says Keith Gabbard, general manager of
partner company Peoples Rural Telephone
Cooperative (McKee, Ky.). “Wireless
accounts for an increasingly substantial
portion of our revenues.”
In South Carolina, Spirit Telecommunications is a long-time partnership between
the state’s independent telcos. “It was
originally set up to help us get better long
distance rates,” says Dandridge, “but has
morphed over time into a robust statewide
fiber network that allows us to compete on
a statewide level for state contracts, with
schools or other state entities.”
Publishing partnership
The magazine you hold in your hand is
the latest example of partnering in the industry. For the first time, telcos across the
Southeast have come together to jointly
publish a magazine that brings company
and industry news to their subscribers.
“Like many other telcos, we have long
seen the value of staying connected with
our members through a print publication,” says FTC’s Johnson. “Through
this regional partnership, we will end up
with a better product at less cost for each
participating company.”
Knowles of TMS agrees. “We can now
communicate with our subscribers through
a top-quality, professional publication that
none of us had the time or resources to
do alone,” he says. “This publication is a
shining example of what we can accomplish by coming together as partners.”
Looking to the future
In a future where traditional revenue
streams are being disrupted, partnerships
will be “critical for the success — and
maybe even the survival — of these companies,” says Leo Staurulakis, executive
vice president of JSI. His telecommunications consulting company celebrated 50
years of service to the industry last year.
Staurulakis sees a future where an
increasing number of rural telecommunications providers form partnerships to
develop and market new products and
services, as well as to operate more efficiently. “By combining operations and
leveraging each other’s networks, back
office systems and human resources,” he
says, “we can reduce the cost of operations for everybody.” 
Lifeline
Service
When you need help paying
for telephone service
Is your annual household income at or
below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty
Guidelines for a household of its size? Do you
or someone in your household participate in
any of the following low-income government
assistance programs? If so, you may qualify
for Lifeline Service.
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program
To find out whether you qualify for Lifeline assistance, customers
must fill out standard forms, available at your local telephone
company’s office, as mandated by the Federal and/or State government. Your telephone company is not responsible for determining who qualifies for these programs or who receives assistance.
Customers must meet specific criteria in order to obtain assistance
with their local telephone service, and qualifying is dependent
upon government-established guidelines. To qualify for Lifeline
credit, each customer must apply and provide proof that he/she, or
a household member for whom he/she is financially responsible,
participates in at least one of the programs listed above or that
the customer meets the income-based requirements. Additional
eligibility requirements may also apply. Customers must choose
to apply the Lifeline discount to a landline or a wireless number,
not both.
For more details about Lifeline Service and
to apply for assistance, please contact your
local telephone company.
January/February 2013 | 3
From the General Manager
A new year of hope & progress
As the calendar turns over and we recover from
all the holiday gatherings (and all the food), the
new year calls us to a time of reflection. What
did we accomplish in 2012? What were the milestones? Where are we headed in the new year?
At FTC, I’m pleased to report that we made significant progress in several areas. One of our more exciting projects is the
magazine you are reading now. With so many changes taking
place in our industry, and so many things happening at FTC, we
knew we needed to ramp up our efforts to keep you informed.
For those of you who regularly read this column, you know
that I frequently describe the rural telecommunications industry
as being in the midst of interesting times. That’s a good way to
put it. We certainly have our share of challenges.
In the face of hugely uncertain government policy, FTC is quite fortunate to have many
positive things going for it. All across the country companies like ours are looking for
ways to partner with other like-minded neighbors in an effort to bring more value to our
members in a more efficient manner. These efforts are paying off and we’re taking full
advantage of them.
This issue of Connected marks a milestone in the history of the publication. Our magazine has for quite some time been highly regarded across our industry. We’re very proud
of the awards we’ve won, but nothing makes us happier than the amount of positive
feedback we get directly from you our readers.
Now, we’ve taken another huge leap. In partnership with nine other telecommunications companies across the southeast, we have expanded a portion of Connected to
include a regional perspective in your reading experience. Be sure to read Pages 2 and 3
to learn more about the increasing importance of such partnerships.
Make no mistake, Connected is still your magazine serving you primarily. We will continue to update you on our network improvements, share information about our services
and shine a spotlight on local people and events. In the new Connected, you will also find
helpful tips, industry news and interesting feature stories from across the Southeast.
Not only do we give you an improved and broader product, we’ve also substantially
lowered our production cost by sharing with our neighbors. In short, it’s a win for all. In
one respect, it’s cooperation at its best. We hope you enjoy the improved version. Please
let us know what you think.
“We Keep You Connected”
is a member-owned corporation
dedicated to providing communications
technology to the people of Northeast
Alabama. The company has more than
15,000 access lines, making it the state’s
largest telecommunications cooperative.
Board of Trustees
Randy Wright, President
Flat Rock Exchange
Gary Smith, Vice President
Fyffe Exchange
Danny R. Richey, Secretary
Geraldine Exchange
Lynn Welden, Treasurer
Bryant Exchange
Kenneth Gilbert
Pisgah Exchange
Gregg Griffith
Henagar Exchange
Randy Tumlin
Rainsville Exchange
Connected
Vol. 17, No. 1 January/February 2013
is a bimonthly magazine
published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2013. It is
distributed without charge to
all customers of FTC.
Farmers Telecommunications
Cooperative, Inc.
P.O. Box 217
144 McCurdy Ave. N.
Rainsville, Alabama 35986
Telephone: 256-638-2144
www.farmerstel.com
Produced for FTC by:
www.WordSouth.com
Fred johnson
Executive Vice President and General Manager
On the Cover:
Bob Edwards is
using technology
in his search
for his friend, a
missionary pilot
who vanished in
Venezuela in 2009.
4 | January/February 2013
ps
i
h
s
r
a
l
o
h
Sc
av a i l a ble nd
chool a
for high s nts!
ude
college st
Are you a high school
sophomore or junior?
You could win a trip to
Washington, D.C.!
FTC Scholarshi p
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative understands the rising
costs of education. That’s why FTC offers two $2,000 scholarships to
students in our service area. One scholarship will be given to a deserving high school senior, the other to a student enrolled in college.
Applications can be picked up from guidance counselors or downloaded from www.farmerstel.com. Completed Applications must be
received at the FTC business office by 4 p.m. on March 11.
FRS Scholarshi p
Scholarships are also available through the Foundation for Rural
Service (FRS). FRS awards 30 scholarships worth $2,000 each to high
school seniors across the nation. If a senior from the FTC service
area is selected, FTC will contribute an additional $500, bringing the
scholarship total to $2,500. Applicants should note that preference
will be given to students who plan to return to a rural community to
work after graduating. Completed applications must be received at
the FTC business office by 4 p.m. on February 20.
To be eligible for these scholarships, at least one parent or legal guardian must be a customers and have active service with Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative or its affiliate.
New directories in mailboxes soon
2013
“We Keep You
FTC is searching for two outstanding
high school students to represent our
area in the nation’s capital in June (must
be under the age of 18 at time of trip) as
part of the FRS Youth Tour sponsored by
the Foundation for Rural Service.
•All-expenses-paid trip to Washington,
D.C.
•Tours of the Capitol and other landmarks
•Meet elected officials, hear speakers,
meet teens from across the country
and take part in many exciting activities
Connected”
The 2013 Northeast Alabama Regional Directory will soon
arrive in the mail.
This comprehensive directory features listings not only
from Sand Mountain, but from several surrounding cities in
northeast Alabama, as well as northwest Georgia.
The popular blue-tabbed Government Section lists important contact information for every level of government,
from U.S. and state offices to county and city agencies.
The community pages provide information for both
Jackson and DeKalb Counties. The listings of local agencies, government contacts, tourist attractions and calendar of events are useful tools for newcomers as
well as long-time residents.
For an extra copy, visit the FTC location nearest you.
E
TELEPHON
DIRECTORY
11ftc.com
online at www.4
Directory
Geraldine
tions Cooperative
Payne • Fyffe •
Telecommunica
• Flat Rock • Fort Dawson • Rainsville
Visit Farmers
•
Crossville • Dutton
• Collinsville • • Mentone • Pisgah • Grove Oak
Bridgeport • Bryant
Brow
• Valley Head
Ider • Langston
Distribution to:
• Trenton • West
• Hollywood •
• Stevenson • Sylvania
for: Rising Fawn
Henagar • Higdon
Scottsboro • Section • Skyline | Georgia Listings
ville
Gault Ave. N.
• Boaz • Gunters
Payne - 2612-D
for: Albertville
- AL Hwy 71 | Fort
: 866-698-0926
Higdon
Including Listings
|
Support
217
Tech
t
Box
P.O.
l.com | 24/7 Interne
McCurdy Ave. N.,
Rainsville - 144
www.farmerste
service area |
FTC LOCATIONS:
the
within
-2144 or dial 611
PHONE: 256-638
Phone
Book p
u
Round
Applications and an information packet
about the program are available from you
high school guidance counselor.
Applications can be downloaded at
www.farmerstel.com, and must be turned
in by March 4. For more information,
contact Kim Williams at 256-638-2144 or
email [email protected].
To be eligible, at least one parent or
legal guardian must be a customers and
have active service with Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative or its affiliate.
It’s not too late to recycle outdated Northeast Alabama Regional
Directories and help earn money for local schools. Gather them from
your home or business and give them to a student or take them to the
school of your choice by March 1. FTC proudly sponsors this project
that helps keep tons of waste out of landfills while helping schools
earn money.
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
January/February 2013 | 5
Broadband Focus
How to outsmart
scammers
The AARP Fraud Fighters have
helped more than 600,000 seniors
who have been victims of fraud, says
Program Director Jean Mathisen.
These volunteers share fraud prevention techniques, such as:
• Never share personal or financial information with anyone
unless you initiate the contact. If
someone calls claiming to be from
your bank and asking for information such as account numbers,
tell them you do not share such
information over the phone. Then
call your bank using the number
on the back of your statement, not
the number on Caller ID.
• Don’t make a decision on the
spot. “If told you have to decide
now, say no thanks,” Mathisen says.
• Use a locking mailbox or take
your outgoing mail to the post
office. “Often, crooks pop open
curbside mailboxes and remove
outgoing mail that contains
checks or applications with tons
of personal information,” Mathisen
says. “You wouldn’t want that to
get into the wrong hands.”
• Do not carry your original
Medicare card in your wallet.
Mathisen advises making a copy
of your Medicare card and crossing the number off of the copy
but leaving the letter at the end of
the number. Carry the copy with
you and leave the original in a safe
place at home. If you are going to
the doctor and you need to take
your Medicare card, then retrieve
the original just for that day.
6 | January/February 2013
Avoid being a victim
of phone and Internet scams
By Nancy Mann Jackson
D
uring the past few months, FBI
offices have received numerous
calls from citizens who have
been affected by the Reveton ransomware
scam, says Supervisory Special Agent
Marshall Stone. The scam is activated
when a computer user visits a compromised website. Once the virus is installed,
the user’s computer locks up and displays
a warning that the FBI or Department
of Justice has identified the computer as
being involved in criminal activity. Users are instructed to pay a “fine” using a
prepaid money card service in order to
unlock the computer, and are threatened
with criminal prosecution if they fail to
make the payment.
“This is a scam to extort money,” Stone
says. “This is not the way the FBI works.
Fines resulting from criminal activity are
assessed and processed by the court system. The FBI will never demand payment
to unlock a computer.”
However, a number of citizens across
“Seniors are targeted because that
is where the money is, not because
we are less smart or competent,”
says Jean Mathisen, program
director for the AARP Fraud Fighter
Call Center.
the country have fallen for this scam and
lost money in the process. In many cases,
those victims are senior citizens.
Targeting seniors
While telephone scammers have long
targeted older Americans, Internet fraud
has also become a danger. “As Internet
use among senior citizens increases, so
does their chance of falling victim to
online fraud,” Stone says. According to
the FBI website, Internet fraud includes
non-delivery of items ordered online and
credit and debit card scams.
“Seniors are targeted because that
is where the money is, not because we
are less smart or competent,” says Jean
Mathisen, program director for the AARP
Fraud Fighter Call Center, which provides
one-on-one consumer education, victim
advocacy and assistance for the financial
exploitation of older people. “In addition
to having maybe a retirement nest egg,
seniors are also more likely to be home, to
answer the phone and to be polite. Many
times I hear, ‘I finally gave him the
information he or she wanted because I
couldn’t get them off the phone.’” In addition to Internet scams such as the
Reveton ransomware, Mathisen and her
team see a number of other types of fraud
such as investment fraud; in-home service
fraud; lotteries and sweepstakes; workat-home; “official” business such as IRS,
bank or Medicare needing money or information about the victim’s accounts; and
“grandparent scams,” whereby the victim
is notified that a grandson or other relative
has been involved in an accident or arrest,
had luggage stolen or something similar,
and the victim is being asked to wire cash
to save the relative in distress.
Resisting fraud
The FBI says there are several warning
signs of telemarketing or Internet fraud.
To avoid becoming a victim, be wary of
phrases such as:
• “You must act now, or the offer won’t
be good.”
• “You’ve won a free gift, vacation or
prize.” But you have to pay for “postage
and handling” or other charges.
• “You must send money, give a credit
card number or send a check by courier.” You may hear this before you’ve
had time to carefully consider the offer.
• “You don’t need to check out the company with anyone.” The callers say you
do not need to speak to anyone, including your family, lawyer, accountant, local Better Business Bureau or consumer
protection agency.
• “You don’t need any written information
about the company or its references.”
• “You can’t afford to miss this highprofit, no-risk offer.”
If you or a loved one becomes the victim of a scam, it is important to report the
crime. “Often, older people are reluctant
to let anyone know,” Mathisen says. “We
fear loss of independence, embarrassment,
loss of trust and that the family will turn
against us. These fears sometimes happen. But it is important to find someone
you trust so that you can recover emotionally, if not financially.”
For help, call the Senior Information &
Assistance program in your area. Seniors
and their family members can also call the
Fraud Fighter Call Center at 1-800-6462283 for consumer education and victim
advocacy.
Click to learn more...
www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud
www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors
Broadband: Changing the way our world works
Rural telecommunications companies across the Southeast are upgrading their networks to provide
faster, more reliable connections to their subscribers. This is creating amazing opportunities for rural
communities, changing the way people work and live. Consider these real-life examples:
• A single mother in East Tennessee with limited travel capabilities is taking distance learning classes over broadband at
a local campus extension.
• A fire department in West Kentucky saves travel time and
money by connecting with training videos over broadband.
• Students in North Alabama have access to remote psychiatric services thanks to a broadband connection to a major
university.
• An East Tennessee woman has regular video conversations,
over her broadband connection, with a daughter who is
stationed in Japan.
• The owner of a small tire store in South Carolina remains
competitive by connecting to his suppliers over broadband.
• A healthcare clinic in a small East Kentucky community uses
electronic medical records accessed over broadband to deliver better patient care.
• Owners of small shops, restaurants and tourist attractions use
their broadband connections to attract customers.
• Public safety agencies, including law enforcement and 911
centers, use broadband to achieve faster response times.
• Economic developers across the region use the availability of
broadband to help attract new jobs to rural communities.
January/February 2013 | 7
Donna and Ronald Harris’
son Jason was deployed to
Afghanistan in May. They
were able to Skype with
him for the first time in late
October. “It’s so good to be
able to see him,” says Donna.
Broadband connects families
with loved ones half a world away
W
hen your loved ones live half
a world away, an Internet connection is far more than just
strands of copper or glass fibers.
That connection is a message letting
you know they are safe. It’s an update on
school days and life away from home. It’s
a connection of love and caring that makes
the loved ones seem a little closer.
Broadband Internet service provided
by FTC allows local families to stay in
touch with soldiers serving in Afghanistan,
family members who live across the globe
and friends who have moved far away.
8 | January/February 2013
Whether it is through social media such
as Facebook or an Internet phone service
such as Skype, the communication keeps
family members in touch with each other.
“It’s really priceless,” says Janet Williams, whose 23-year-old son Ryan is on a
deployment to Afghanistan. “Any type of
communication is a blessing — we know
he is doing fine.”
Janet messages Ryan almost every day
on Facebook, sending him short updates
on their lives. It can take up to a month
for mail to arrive from Afghanistan, so the
daily communication is a lifeline for the
By Mariann Martin
mother back in Rainsville.
The Williams’ can’t use Skype to call
Ryan, because the Internet connection
where he is stationed in Afghanistan isn’t
fast enough to support it. (Skype is a free
Internet program that allows people to talk
with a microphone, use video with a webcam or send messages over broadband.)
Even if they can’t talk to him, just hearing from Ryan through Facebook lets them
know he is okay, Janet says. She tries to
keep the messages she sends him light and
cheerful.
“We tell him how proud we are of him
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
and that we are thinking of him always,”
says Janet, who works as a secretary at
Plainview High School. “This is a way we
can encourage him every day.”
Messages from home mean a lot to all
the soldiers who are far away from their
families, not just her son, Janet says. She
encourages people to reach out to soldiers
and let them know people are keeping
them in their thoughts and prayers.
“It’s important for them to know they
are supported by their friends and family,”
she says.
Ronald and Donna Harris also depend
on modern technology to stay in touch
with their family. Their son Jason is
stationed in Germany and is deployed in
Afghanistan. Their daughter-in-law and
two-year-old grandson live in Germany
while Jason is in the Middle East.
The Harrises send Jason Facebook
messages almost every day. When he was
in Iraq, they usually talked to him via
Skype. Since his deployment to Afghanistan in May, they have only been able to
Skype with him once. That was nearly
five months later in October. The Internet
connection in Afghanistan is so unreliable
that on their other attempt, Jason’s face
was only a blurry image they could barely
recognize, Ronald says.
But the Facebook messages they exchange frequently let them know Jason is
safe and doing well, Ronald says.
And they have used Skype to keep up
with their grandson since he was born, as
Jason moves around to different military
assignments.
Seeing their grandson grow up over
Skype brings him a little closer, Ronald
says. He is now running and playing,
which means sometimes he doesn’t want
to stay in front of the camera long enough
to tell his grandparents hello. Holding up
an action figure like Iron Man or some
other toy usually stops him in his tracks,
Ronald says.
“He’s a busy little guy,” he laughs.
Technology has changed the way families stay in touch during wartime. Ronald’s
father served in World War II, and letters
to Ronald’s mother took at least two
weeks to arrive. His mother would usually
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
Carolyn and Tim Hale of Fyffe have hosted three exchange students over the past six years.
Once the students return home, they stay in touch using Internet services, such as Skype
and Facebook. Here, Vilde Pederson Skypes with the Hales from her home in Norway.
hear from his father only a few times a
month. It was much more difficult, since
family members didn’t have the daily assurance that their loved ones were doing
well.
“It’s a lot better with technology,” Ronald says.
That same technology that keeps family
members connected to loved ones serving
in the military also helps Carolyn Hale
stay in touch with three former exchange
students and loved ones around the globe.
Carolyn, who owns a flower, gift and
catering shop in Fyffe, worries that Skype
may not always be free or so easily available. She uses it almost every day to stay
in touch with her own family members
and with her exchange students from
Europe who have returned to their families
and homes. The students — from Sweden,
Germany and Norway — lived with the
Hales over the past six years.
“Technology is so wonderful,” says
Carolyn. “I just love it.”
It is hard to see a student leave after
living with them almost a year, Carolyn
says, but she and her husband, Tim, talk to
the students several times a week. Carolyn
will even set her alarm clock and get up in
the middle of the night to catch them when
they aren’t in class or working.
Her computers at home and at her shop
are all equipped with web cameras so she
can use Skype to give them a call whenever she wants. They also send each other
messages on Skype, but video chatting
allows them to see each other.
“They give us tours of their homes;
we can see they are doing well,” Carolyn
says. “In the past, it would have taken 10
to 14 days to send them a letter. Now we
can be in touch daily. I don’t know what
we’d do if we didn’t have that technology.” 
January/February 2013 | 9
Photo courtesy Ryman Auditorium Archives
A circle
unbroken
Museums across the South trace
the region’s musical roots, celebrate
the larger-than-life personalities
who make the songs come alive and
educate legions of new fans.
By Cassandra M. Vanhooser
L
egendary entertainer Conway Twitty may have said it
best: “Country music takes a page out of somebody’s life
and puts it to music.”
Twitty’s words are etched in stone outside the entrance to the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville, Tenn., and they sum up the enduring popularity of the
South’s favorite music. Simply put, we can relate to it. It’s real
music about real people, and there’s no better place to learn about
country music than Music City U.S.A.
Gone Country
The sparkling Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum stands
as a monument to Southern songs and traditions. Multimedia exhibits take visitors on a journey through the development of this
uniquely American art form, from its roots as folk music from the
British Isles through its various incarnations to the mainstream
country pop enjoyed today. The story is masterfully told with
photographs, original recordings and video clips.
In addition to two floors of exhibit space, visitors can also peek
behind the scenes into the museum’s archives thanks to the glass
walls that encompass the staff’s workspace. Artifacts currently
on display range from Carl Perkins’ blue suede shoes to Webb
Pierce’s 1962 “Silver Dollar” Pontiac Bonneville convertible.
Even the building’s architecture helps tell country music’s
story. From afar, the windows in the front of the museum resemble the ebony and ivory of piano keys. The swooping arch
of the building’s roofline speaks of a ’50s Cadillac fin, while the
tower atop the rotunda mirrors the WSM tower that still sits just
south of town.
The Mother Church of Country Music
The Ryman Auditorium, just a couple of blocks north on Fifth
Avenue, is more of a religious experience. “This building is
10 | January/February 2013
Visitors enjoy the Grand Ole Opry display at
the Ryman, where they can see stage clothes
worn by stars such as David “Stringbean” Akeman, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.
alive,” says museum curator Brenda Colladay. “There is a great
vibe to this place. There is no other place like the Ryman.”
The soaring stained-glass windows and worn oak pews speak
to the building’s past as a church. Visitors can take a leisurely
self-guided tour of the many exhibits, or splurge on a guided
backstage tour. There’s even an opportunity to have professional
photos made center stage or make a record in the Ryman studio.
In many ways, the Ryman’s history parallels the story of country music itself. In the 1940s, fans stood in lines that stretched
for blocks to get a seat, but by 1974, when the Grand Ole Opry
moved to the new Opry House at Opryland, the Ryman was
slated for demolition. It survived — barely. The old auditorium
was allowed to fall into disrepair, until a crop of young artists
embraced their country roots and traditions and lobbied for the
Ryman’s renovation and rebirth.
Today performers young and old yearn to take the stage at the
Ryman, and they come from every musical genre — just as they
always have. “Everybody loves to play here,” Colladay says,
“and it’s a great place to see a performance because it means so
much to the people on stage.”
Where the Bluegrass Grows
The International Museum of Bluegrass in Owensboro, Ky.,
pays tribute to the “hillbilly music” of Appalachia, that high lonesome sound developed by the state’s own Bill Monroe and now
played around the world. A large portion of the first floor is dedicated to telling Monroe’s story, from his birth in Rosine to his
recognition as the Father of Bluegrass. Visitors can also access
documentaries from the Video Oral History Project, an ongoing
effort to record first- and second-generation bluegrass musicians.
In addition to preserving the history of bluegrass, the museum
Dixieland Delights
Together Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry
and Jeff Cook are known as Alabama,
one of the most successful bands in music
history. Since signing with RCA Records
in 1980, the group has sold more than 73
million records. They’ve had 43 singles hit
No. 1 on the music charts, and 17 albums
are Platinum sellers. Eight times they’ve
been country music’s “Entertainer of the
Year,” and they claim a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Though the band gave its farewell tour
in 2003 and 2004, admirers still visit their
fan club and museum in Fort Payne, Ala.
The museum itself is a modest collection
of memorabilia, awards and hit records, as
well as a souvenir and gift shop.
Tiny Muscle Shoals in the northwest
corner of the state has been a hotbed of
music since the ’60s. A number of country,
rock and R&B performers have retreated
to small-town Alabama to write and record
their best. FAME Studios and Muscle
Shoals Sound Studio are both still in operation and allow tours by appointment.
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame,
located in nearby Tuscumbia, offers a
glimpse into the lives of artists such as
Lionel Richie, Hank Williams, Emmylou
Harris, Gold City and Martha Reeves.
A favorite exhibit among visitors is Jim
Nabors’ Gomer Pyle costume.
Country on the Beach
If not for Myrtle Beach, the group Ala-
bama might still be laboring in obscurity.
The boys got their start playing for tips in
the honkytonks here. Still, Calvin Gilmore
was the one to open the area’s first music
theater in 1986. Today, the Missouri-born
musician and a bevy of talented performers entertain more than 300,000 visitors
each year at the 2,200-seat Carolina Opry.
Alabama and Dolly Parton now have theaters on the Grand Strand, too.
“I thought when I came out here that it
would work,” Calvin says. “I bet everything I owned on it, but even in my wildest dreams I could not have imagined the
success we’ve had.” 
Photo courtesy International Bluegrass Music Museum
is dedicated to educating and training a
new generation of fans and musicians to
carry on the legacy. Audiences around
the world can tune in to Radio Bluegrass
International, an online radio station that
broadcasts round the clock. The museum
offers a Saturday Lessons program that
outfits students with instruments and reasonably priced instruction. The museum
even sponsors a Bluegrass in the Schools
program that takes instructions and information to students around the state.
The tiny community of Renfro Valley
claims the title “Kentucky Country Music
Capital.” This vast entertainment complex
is home to the country’s third longest running radio show, Renfro Valley Gatherin’,
broadcast every Sunday morning since
1943. The Renfro Valley Barn Dance, a
live stage show, is performed on Saturday
nights, and other headline acts take the
stage throughout the year.
The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and
Museum, also at Renfro Valley, features
an Instrument Room, a fully functional
recording booth and a blue-screen studio,
where visitors can perform with their
favorite Kentucky music stars. Honorees
range from Rosemary Clooney and Loretta
Lynn to the Kentucky HeadHunters and
Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman.
The International Bluegrass Music
Museum takes visitors on a historical
tour of this uniquely American art form.
Click or Call for more info...
Alabama
Tennessee
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
www.alamhof.org
800-239-2643
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum
www.countrymusichalloffame.com
615-416-2001
The Alabama Fan Club & Museum
www.thealabamaband.com
256-845-1646
Ryman Auditorium
www.ryman.com
615-889-3060
Kentucky
South Carolina
International Bluegrass Music Museum
www.bluegrass-museum.org
888-692-2656
Alabama Theatre
www.alabama-theatre.com
800-342-2262
Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum
www.kentuckymusicmuseum.com
877-356-3263
Carolina Opry Theater
www.thecarolinaopry.com
800-843-6779
January/February 2013 | 11
Search
Engine
Dedication and
technology drive
search for missing pilot
D
By Andy Johns
uring his time as a missionary medical pilot, Bob Norton
is credited with saving the lives of more than 200 people.
So it should be no surprise that a huge number of volunteers have helped search for the Sand Mountain man and his
plane since they went missing in the Venezuelan jungle in 2009.
What is surprising, however, is the dedication of the searchers
four years later and the technology they are using to try and
answer questions about their friend’s disappearance. “For me,
more than anything, I want to find my friend,” says Bob Edwards
of McMinnville, Tenn., who is leading the search team. “If I had
gone missing he would have gone out there with his German
shepherd and a machete and would have found me. That’s the
kind of guy he was.”
Norton, his wife, Neiba, and five passengers on the plane
disappeared on Feb. 16, 2009, in the Gran Sabana area of
Venezuela near the country’s borders with Guyana and Brazil.
“Bob made the statement ‘Mom, if a plane went down here no
one would ever find it,” says Norton’s mother, Nytta Norton, of
Bryant. “I didn’t know until years later it would be my son that
went down.”
The Man
Growing up in a missionary family, Norton had always been
“missionary minded.” His father, Elwin, was a missionary pilot
until he died in a plane crash in Mexico. Despite knowing the
risks firsthand, Norton and one of his brothers followed in their
father’s footsteps. “He went on a mission of faith,” Nytta says.
During his eight years in Venezuela, Norton developed a
reputation as one of the best pilots around. On the day he
disappeared, he was carrying sick patients from a tiny village to
a city doctor. A line of squalls passed through the region that day
and many Venezuelans interviewed said they saw the plane and
knew it was Norton because other pilots couldn’t handle such
storms.
On top of the bad weather on the day of the crash, Norton
was piloting an old, second-string plane because his primary
12 | January/February 2013
Nytta Norton’s son, a missionary
pilot, disappeared while flying his
wife and five passengers over the
Gran Sabana region of Venezuela
in 2009. Nytta’s husband, also a
missionary pilot, died in a plane
crash in Mexico years before.
plane was in the shop. Nytta is convinced it must have been
catastrophic mechanical failure — similar to what claimed his
father’s life — that brought the plane down. “I think the motor
burned up and they had to come down,” she says. “My son was
an extremely good pilot.”
The Search
It didn’t take long for Norton’s friends to spring into action.
Within 10 days of the crash they had already contracted with
a satellite imaging company to take high-resolution images of
a 200-square-kilometer area where the plane was believed to
have been. The images were shared as far away as Alaska with
volunteers who pored over the photos for crash sites or anomalies
in the plane-swallowing trees. The team also ran a computer
program across the images that scanned for straight lines, which
are common on airplanes but rare in the jungle. “Fundamentally,
I don’t even know how we would have done that without highspeed Internet,” Edwards says. “Tell me how you would have
done that 20 years ago.”
Norton’s friends in Venezuela have checked out reports and
interviewed countless locals who say they heard or saw an
airplane on the day the missionary’s plane vanished. Once the
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
In his eight
years in Ven
ezuela,
Bob Norton
(top left) had
developed th
e reputation
as
one of the b
est pilots aro
und.
team checks the legitimacy of the report, they
shift their ideas of what Norton may have done
on that final flight, which has steered their search
in different directions. “It keeps changing as
we’re learning more,” Edwards says.
While rumors of hijackings, kidnappings and
other foul play have circulated, the passage
of time and lack of ransom notes make those
ideas less likely, Edwards said. The most
intriguing and legitimate-sounding report
came from a man who heard an unusual
call in English over the radio three days
after Norton disappeared. The man doesn’t
understand the language so no one knows if it
was Norton or what was said.
Edwards has made three trips to Venezuela to search, and
the team has refined its methods each time. After attempting
to search on foot in the jungle in an early trip, he and the team
began brainstorming more efficient ways to comb the area. “You
could be 30 feet away on foot and not see the plane,” Edwards
says. “We started thinking there’s got to be a way to scan the area
without cutting through the bush.”
That’s when the search took a groundbreaking turn. The team
is now working to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
that can fly over vast areas of jungle while scanning for metal
objects and taking photos. “It’s been amazing to see how that’s
come together,” says Edwards, who hopes to take the UAV back
to Venezuela this year.
Other groups around the country are working on UAVs and
search drones, and some are taking notice of the Norton team’s
work. “The big guys are looking to see what these little guys are
doing because it’s cutting edge,” Nytta says. “I understand it,
almost. It blows my mind sometimes.”
Nytta says there is more to it than just the dense jungle. “That
Bob Edwards employs technology, even using an unmanned
aerial vehicle, in the search for
his missing friend Bob Norton.
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative
tells me that God wants him to stay hidden,” she says. “So many
capable people have searched for him. Only God knows where he
is and we have to trust Him.”
The Aftermath
That unshakable faith is what has kept Nytta Norton strong.
A church organist and piano teacher, she says the hymn “It
is Well with My Soul” has become particularly meaningful
to her since her son’s disappearance. It’s an appropriate song
considering its origin. The verses, about trusting God regardless
of circumstances, were written by Horatio Spatford in 1873 after
all four of his daughters died in a shipwreck in the Atlantic.
It’s also appropriate because of Nytta’s attitude. “We’re still
wondering what happened because we don’t know,” Nytta says.
“God must have some greater purpose in all of this.”
She believes her son’s mission of sharing the gospel can be
continued through the search. “It shows the unselfish love of
many people,” she says. “Hopefully people will get a better
understanding of the God of love.”
She says she has asked Edwards how long he plans to continue
the work. “He tells me ‘As long as it takes,’” she says. “It would
mean a closure that we haven’t had.”
After four years, closure is about all Nytta can hope for.
“Everyone’s pretty much satisfied Bob’s not coming back,” she
says.
For his part, Edwards acknowledges that he is hopeful, but not
confident they will ever find the plane. While there are stories
of survival in the jungle, he admits that his friend will never
make it out of the jungle alive. “It’s the most probable outcome,”
Edwards says, grimly.
But he says he’s going to continue the search until “there
is nothing left to do.” He’s simply unable to give up the work
knowing his friend has not been found. Restless and a man of
action by nature, he remembers a conversation he had with his
wife shortly after the disappearance when he was struggling
to cope with the potential loss. “She said, ‘Do something,’” he
remembers. “‘Go find Bob.’” 
January/February 2013 | 13
Photos by Nathan Morgan Photography
Southern Kitchens
Grits have
gone gourmet
Grits are as true to the South
as sweet tea in summertime.
They’re a patch on our culinary
quilt. And in these parts, you’ll
find the once-thought-of lowly
grain in the fanciest of restaurants.
I remember my first taste
of grits. “No bigger than a
junebug” my granddaddy
would say about me, as he carried me into our neighborhood
diner and put me down on a
big round stool. Then he would
belly up to the counter and order a platter of pancakes and a
big bowl of grits for us to share.
Back then, the grits were
pretty watery. Nothing that a
little butter or gravy couldn’t
cure, but for the life of me I
really don’t know why I liked
them. Then something happened in my adult years. Grits
went gourmet, and now they’re
showing up on the fanciest of
menus.
So get your grits going and
enjoy them however you want.
They’re back in vogue. But really, they never left.
Email your recipe and story
ideas to Anne Braly at
[email protected].
Anne P. Braly
Food Editor
14 | January/February 2013

The Chow 45 roadside sign
welcomes visitors.
Chef Mark Madrey has put
Mayfield, Ky., on the culinary
map with Chow 45.
Chow down on grits
W
ith the twist of a spoon or the
flip of a spatula, Mark Madrey
turns simple grains into culinary
creations that smack with a complexity of
flavors that only grits can bring.
Madrey, chef and owner of Chow 45 in
Mayfield, Ky., relishes the glory of grits —
particularly their versatility.
“You can do just about anything with
them,” he says. “You just need to be adventurous. Get them off the breakfast table and
eat them for lunch and dinner, too.”
Chow 45 keeps grits on the menu with
one steadfast, signature item: Cheesy Grit
Cakes (crisp on the outside and creamy on
the inside). Other grit specials range from
lowcountry shrimp and grits — one of
Madry’s favorite dishes to make — to gritsstuffed portobellos.
Chow 45 opened in an 80-year-old
building in May 2010. It’s small, with just
16 tables, but that’s all Madrey wanted
after retiring from a lifetime of managing
restaurants and moving home to open his
own place. During his career, he’s worked
with numerous trained chefs and learned
from them. “They were all very creative
people who were not afraid to think outside
the box,” he says. “That’s the whole key. I
like to mix flavors that don’t traditionally
go together.”
And that’s where grits come into play,
enticing customers who might not have
liked grits in the past.
“I have never been a huge fan of grits,”
admits Erin Carrico, executive director of
the Murray County Convention and Visitors
Bureau. Now she eats at Chow 45 a couple
of times a month.
“What grabbed me the first time were the
shrimp alongside the grits,” she says. “So
when my plate arrived, I took the chance
and tasted the grits. Bam! I had never tasted
grits with such awesome flavor.”
“I’m particular about every dish,”
Madrey says. “I want every dish that goes
out of the kitchen to be special.”
He keeps his recipes a closely guarded
secret, but was willing to share one of his
favorites. “Our grits-stuffed portobellos
are really simple, but they’re excellent,” he
says. 
If you go...
here: Chow 45, 1102 Highway 45 N.
W
Phone: 270-247-4545
Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mon.
11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tues. – Sat.
Grits: New twist on a Southern tradition
4-5 large portobello
mushrooms, stems and
gills removed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely
chopped
2 cups chicken broth
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried
rosemary
1/2 cup grits
1/3 cup English peas (You
may substitute another
type of pea or corn.)
3 tablespoons fresh
chopped parsley
Swiss or cheddar
cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese
Sauté onions in olive oil and
butter until they begin to
brown; add the chicken stock,
pepper, sage and rosemary;
bring to a boil. Gradually add
grits, stirring constantly. Turn
heat down, cover and cook
for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add peas during
last five minutes of cooking.
Remove mixture from heat
and stir in the parsley.
Lightly brush mushrooms
with butter or olive oil. Stuff
each mushroom with the
grits mixture, then top with
cheddar or Swiss cheese and
sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for
15-20 minutes. Serve as an
appetizer or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or
shrimp.
Source: Mark Madrey, Chow 45
Grits-stuffed portobellos
make a great appetizer or
side dish.
Grits and Greens
1 pound young collard
greens, beet greens,
chard or kale
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large garlic cloves,
thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
flakes
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Good-quality cider
vinegar or red wine
vinegar
1 recipe hot stone ground grits
Remove tough stems, wash
greens and drain in a colander. Heat the olive oil and
butter in a heavy-bottomed
3- or 4-quart saucepan over
low heat until butter melts.
Add garlic and cook slowly,
stirring constantly, until
golden brown — about 3
minutes. Using a slotted
spoon, transfer garlic to a
small dish; set aside. Increase
heat to medium-high. Add
greens to the pan and cook,
tossing frequently with tongs,
just until the leaves wilt,
about 2 minutes for collards,
beet greens, chard or spinach,
and about 3 minutes for kale.
Stir in red pepper flakes and
salt, return the garlic slices to
the pan and toss well. Season
Grits are a simple dish, but
it’s important they be made
correctly. Mark Madrey
prefers using stone-ground
grits from Anson Mills in
South Carolina or Falls Mill
in Tennessee. Stone-ground
grits have more flavor and
texture, he says.
Also: Use half-and-half
instead of water for a
creamy, rich texture. Use
more liquid than the recipe
calls for. Again, this will
make them creamier.
Do not overcook your grits.
Photo by Nathan Morgan Photography
Grits-Stuffed
Portobellos
to taste with vinegar. To serve,
spoon hot grits into a warmed
serving bowl or plate and
surround with greens. Drizzle
with olive oil, if desired, and
potlikker. Serve immediately.
Source: Anson Mills
15
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