This is an iHeart Podcast. On Fox One, you can stream your favorite news, sports, and entertainment. Live, all in one app. It's fing roll. In unfiltered.
This is the best thing ever. Watch Breaking News as it breaks. Breaking tonight, we're following two major stories. And catch history in the making. Mean spreading.
To base. Drama, touchdown. It's all here, baby. Fox One. We live for lives.
Streaming now. Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra-durable LGX Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it.
The future of sound is now with LG X Boom. And for a limited time, save 25% at lg.com with code FALL25. Bring the bowl. X Boom. Let's be real.
Life happens. Kids still, pets shed, and accidents are inevitable. Find a sofa that can keep up at washable sofas.com. Starting at just $699, our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out. you can say goodbye to stains and hello to worry-free living.
Made with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics. They're kid-proof, pet-friendly, and built for everyday life. Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space.
whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers. It's time to upgrade to a stress-free, mis-proof sofa. Visit washable sofas.com today and save. That's washable sofas.com.
Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Over 300 channels, zero bills. That's TiVo Plus. Curated movies, news series, and sports highlights. No credit card, no logins, just TV that gets straight to the good stuff.
Grab the remote, press play, and start watching TiVo Plus. Free, binge-worthy, always on. Check us out at TiVo.com. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The news agents.
We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. From me, Emily Maitless. And me, John Sopol. With Global's award-winning podcast, the news agents dropping daily, covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the News Agents USA.
Listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the news agents to start listening. And we return to our American stories. Up next, a story about a man who had an extraordinary impact on American music, writing bluegrass and gospel standards such as I'll Fly Away and Turn Your Radio On. Here's our own Monty Montgomery.
With a story. Albert E. Brumley was born on October 29, 1905. Here's his granddaughters. Betsy and Elaine to tell the rest of the story.
Grandpa grew up in a little town in Oklahoma. He was born near Sparrow, Oklahoma, close to Rock Island, Oklahoma. He grew up really poor. His family were sharecroppers and they sharecropped cotton. You know, if you've ever been picked cotton, if you've ever done that, it's terrible.
It's awful. It hurts. I mean, 'cause I remember doing it as a school experiment when I was a kid. I don't know why they had us do that. you know, the pricks and from the thorns or whatever those little sticky things are.
But that was his childhood, but it was musical because his dad played instruments and uh taught him how to love music and he played the piano and we really hated picking cotton. Didn't like the life, which is one of the reasons he decided to uh move toward the music in Hartford, Arkansas. I've heard two different stories. The one that I grew up hearing was he walked. Over from Spyro and his home farm to Hartford with you know, it varies, but around two ho two dollars and fifty cents or so, not much money in his pocket at all.
Um Hartford is like actually twenty eight miles from from Spyro, so the fact that he walked twenty eight miles to go to school, to me, it shows some mighty determination. Which I think when he knocked on Ian Bartlett's door and told him he wanted to learn music is what really.
sold Ian Bartlett on the fact that this guy had something. which is why Ian Bartlett allowed him to sleep on his couch instead of pay tuition.
So it kind of sponsored him in a way. And of course the repayment was that he would have to come work for him. after he taught him how to write music. to pay off the tuition debt. But who was EM?
So, Ian Bartlett was a songwriter. He learned how to write songs from the Stamps Baxter Company and decided to go out on his own. And he began the Hartford Institute in Hartford, Arkansas. And IM did a lot of things at that music school. He was a publisher as well as teaching music.
Music he would teach at temporary singing schools set up in small communities across the country for the purpose of educating poor rural Americans on the basics of music. and tuition was paid for by buying EM's songbooks. That's how like grandpa made money or not, everyone that worked for the Hartford Music Institute made money was by going to sell these songbooks so people would attend school. And as you got more popular and your songs became more popular, you were assigned a page in those songbooks. And as we know, Grandpa was pretty prolific when he was writing his music, and EM taught him the basics of how to.
do it, but the talent of course came from grandpa. He wrote a lot of songs in those convention books. He was one of the, I guess I'm going to use the words, most famous contributors to these convention song books. I mean, if you want a list of songs, I mean, there's I'll Fly Away, I'll Meet you in the Morning. If we never meet again, turn your radio on, Ring Strangers to Me.
Did I say Jesus Holy Hand? No. I guess I can. remember but grandpa wrote all fly away over a period of time it wasn't something he just sat down and did and one of the things that's pretty unique about grandpa i'll just throw this in here uh was he wrote the notes uh the of the music along with the words not many people these days there are so many co-writers and he wrote a he wrote them right to left right to left exactly which is uh totally crazy to think about yeah but that's how he saw it that's how it worked for him and he was very particular about the message and the song and he wanted specific words and for I'll fly away I mean I don't know if he knew this or not because we never discussed it but it meant a lot to him with that song I think and it took him a while four years to Compose it and get it the words right, and he would get stuck on one phrase or one word. And if it didn't suit what his vision or meaning for the song was, because what he wanted to do is paint a story for people so they could see it in their mind and connect to it and feel it, and then I guess in some way apply it to their life to help.
offer them hope and maybe purpose, uplift them a little bit in their day-to-day lives because, you know, people didn't have the things, the luxuries of life. They looked to each other, community, and music as a connection. And so that was the beginning of Off Y Away and the years he started that after he was with Ian Bartlett, right? Yeah, I was like 28 or 29.
Well, and you know, the thing is, grandpa always called that a little ditty. He never really, it was never anything spectacular to him. And grandma is actually the one who made him send it in. Because part of his deal with Ian Bartlett was that he had to send a song in a month. because he was had a works for a hire contract.
Which means th part of his contract was one song per month so it can be submitted to a songbook. And um so he was looking for a song to s submit one month and grandma was like, Why don't you s submit this one? 'Cause he never really thought he just called it he always referred to it as a little diddy. It was never anything huge to him. But he still was so particular about oh, he was particular about everything he did.
That's true. But he he was very particular about that song. But grandpa, I do remember that grandma, they always said grandma. I don't know if the word forced is correct, but she sure urged him to. Get that song out there for people to hear because she liked it.
And as we know, A couple of other people seem to like it. I think because it's easy and simple and happy, and it just, and it's hopeful, and. It's easy to remember. You know, Grandpa always wrote, and he would say that if you can't come out singing the song, then it's not good enough. Because if you have to be something that's memorable, something that people will remember.
And another thing Grandpa used to say was that never you get too far from the people, and then you'll never be too far from the mainstream. Because everything is about people. If you it doesn't matter what you do, whether you write a song, whether you sew clothes, it doesn't matter what you do. If people will not accept it and make that part of their lives, then it doesn't matter how good it is.
So he always kept that in mind. It's like, will people sing it? Does it connect to people? Is this going to be something that they will remember? And I think All Flyaway is a very good example of that.
I mean what 1976 we got we won an award For All Flyaway being the most recorded song in history, gospel song in history at the time. And it was 726 times. And that means, when we say recorded, we mean licenses. And that was 1976.
So here we are, 30, 45 years later. and we're over twelve thousand licenses. When he first wrote it, it took a few years for it to become even popular. And it was even recorded, but not until the Chuck Wagon Gang recorded their recording, and it just somehow connected with people. Plus, things in the industry were changing from convention singing and the things he did to more professional group performances.
But they... Made a recording of that and it just really took off. And that's when the awareness of the song went beyond convention singing and church singing. It was because the Chuck Wagon gang is not necessarily only Christian music. They sing all kinds of music and they've been around for almost as long as we have and are in the second and third generation of their singing.
And so there's a connection there that's lasted as well. And that started the road. And Grandpa was such a smart man, he recognized the shift in the industry and began to do more of the publishing. And that's when he was moving toward his own publishing company and bought Hartford and did all these other things. And so All Fly Away was obviously a part of that.
It's become part of the fabric of America. And the world, even. I mean, the Smithsonian has named Grandpa the greatest American. They did use this, they said the greatest white songwriter before World War II, which I don't know why they made a distinction, but they did. And of course Alpha Iowa is now in the Library of Congress as well, along with Ranked Strangers.
So, you know, I don't know if there's not many songwriters who have two songs in the Library of Congress. And you've been listening to this story of Albert E. Brumley as told by his granddaughters, Elaine and Betsy. and his ditties indeed. Are masterpieces and staying close to the people and making sure that it's a memorable melody.
Well, we learned that about Irving Berlin too. Stay close to the people, make sure they can hum it. And then sing it after hearing it once. By the way, our Irving Berlin piece is beautiful, and you can go to ouramericanstories.com and listen to it in so many ways, though. These men came from different places.
One from New York City, one from Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Their stories are the same American story. When we come back, more of Albert E. Brumley's story. a uniquely American story.
and a great music and art story. and so much more here. on our American story. Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom.
Hit the town with the ultra-durable LG X-Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG X Boom. And for a limited time, save 25% at lg.com with code FALL25. Bring the bowl.
X boom. When you're a pro, you need a project partner who delivers results. Ferguson Home understands that selection and availability are critical to transforming visions into realities. That's why they offer the best selection of home improvement products, spanning the latest trends, traditional styles, unique finishes, and smart technologies. From coordinated job site delivery to online project management tools, they tailor their services to support your goals.
Their experienced associates know construction inside and out, helping you find exactly what you need to exceed your expectations. And I can tell you personally that my contractor used Ferguson Homes and exceeded our expectations and his. With more than 250 showrooms nationwide, Ferguson Home is your trusted partner from concept to completion. Whether you're managing large-scale projects or perfecting a single detail, they have the expertise and selection to help you succeed. Visit your local Ferguson Home showroom or go to fergusonhome.com to discover kitchen, bath, and lighting solutions that set your projects apart.
Ferguson Home, where it all comes together. Explore top brands like Kohler at FergusonHome.com or visit your local showroom. Let's be real. Life happens. Kids spill, pets shed, and accidents are inevitable.
Find a sofa that can keep up at washable sofas.com. Starting at just $699, our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out. you can say goodbye to stains and hello to worry-free living. Made with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics. They're kid-proof, pet-friendly, and built for everyday life.
Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Neat flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space, whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth-friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers. It's time to upgrade to a stress-free, mess-proof sofa.
Visit washablefas.com today and save. That's washablefas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Over 300 channels, zero bills. That's TiBo Plus.
Live news, reality, movies, and more. No credit card, no sign-ups. Available on smart TVs powered by Tibo. Grab the remote, press play, and start watching. Teebo Plus.
Free, binge-worthy, always on. Learn more at Teebo.com. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why.
From me, Emily Maitless. And me, John Sopol. With Global's award-winning podcast, the News Agents dropping daily, covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the News Agents USA. Listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart.
Open your free iHeart app and search the news agents to start listening. And we return to our American stories and our story on Albert E. Brumley, the man who wrote many classic American bluegrass and gospel standards, such as Owl Fly Away. and turn your radio on. When we last left off, Albert had got his start in music.
at the Hartford Music Company after walking there with just $2 in his pocket. and Albert would soon form his own company. Here again are his granddaughters Elaine and Betsy. with a story.
So grandpa started what he called Albert E. Brillmian Sons, his own publishing company in 1944. And he started writing for himself, and he was also writing for Stanis Baxter and for Hartford School at the time. But he went back and purchased all of Hartford so he could get all of his songs back, and that ended up in 1948 when we got all that. Started.
Yeah, when we got 100%, because it was different people had to own portions of it, so he bought each percentage from each person to own 100% of Hartford. And because of his relationships with people, we printed books for literally everybody. I mean, we printed songbooks for the Opry, we printed songbooks for the Louisiana Hayride, printed songbooks for the Renfro Valley, Ozark Jubilee, Bob Wills, the groups, all the groups, Charlie Humbart. We printed songbooks for everybody.
So, over these years that we've had this, we've sold just our own books that we've made, plus our own books we made for ourselves and sold, which we used to sell in the National Inquirer of all things. We did. We sold millions of them, and we've sold them all over the world. We've sold over 40 million songbooks, and we've made over 100 million songbooks. Because grandpa was a genius, the man, he was smart.
So I like to say he invented iTunes, that's just my own thing. But that's because grandpa got he made a contract with all those publishers around and everybody got a list of songs of all the songs that they owned. And he would send them to people like the Opry, the Louisiana Hayride, all those folks. Pick your favorite 150 songs. Send me a list.
We'll put them in a songbook. put your name on it and you can sell it. Which is why we sold so many songs. We made so many songbooks. Because everybody would pick different songs that would personalize.
They would have their playlist of songs. We'd make it in a book, and then they would sell it with their name on the front. Undercover. It was a brilliant shift over in the industry to be able to do that. Yeah.
And on the more personal side of this that I love, I love the songs and stuff, but you know, Grandpa was so artistic in so many ways. He helped create the illustrations on the covers of the book.
So the evidence of his folksy... The way he was in real life was presented on the covers of these books with log cabins and pine trees, which I love, and little church buildings.
So he was such a hands-on person. He had, from the beginning to end, he had an idea. And then in the later days, in the 60s and 70s, Dad and Bill, his older brother Bill, were the only ones really left at the company and they contributed and participated in the creation and putting together these books, which is where we learned how to staple and stitch books. Because we did do that on site for a long time. And I've packed so many books.
But, you know, that was just part of the business. That's what we did in the middle of nowhere. It was enough to where we even have a post office. There's like 10 people in Powell, Missouri, which is where Grandpa and Grandma's house is, and across the road is the business he built, and a post office. But there used to be a thriving community there as well.
But the post office still exists because we shipped from that rural area all over the country. One of the things that I was always impressed with was how he lays the books out. He had a specific way of laying them out with the numbers correlating. Like he loved the number 100. He put his song on there a lot of times.
That's because his songbook was when he had the convention style books, that was his number. That was number one. Number 100, I mean. Uh-huh.
So he kept that connection and put him in those new books. And I think that kind of stuff is pretty cool, you know, the way he continued that tradition, really. And it meant something to him.
So he named his kids after song people. And he kept the traditions of what gave him his beginnings and the music. It meant a lot to him, I think, because of his behaviors. And it showed it. And over the years, because of his work, Albert developed long-lasting friendships with countless well-known musicians.
who would sometimes come over for dinner at his house in Powell, Missouri, where Elaine and Betsy would meet them. I didn't know this was anything. I didn't know about fame or celebrity. I didn't know they were famous people from Nashville. I didn't know anything but what dad and grandpa did.
And what was normal life, and the fact that those people came to the house, they were just friends. We just sat around the table and ate. It was not, I mean, it's all about food. I mean, I have a memory, oh, but totally about food. But, you know, I have a memory of sitting on Ernest Hubbs' lap.
And he had wearing his his um this cowboy hat, and he ate my green beans, because I hate green beans. but I would get in trouble if I couldn't eat green beans, but he ate my green beans, so I would get in trouble. I mean, I have that memory, but to me, that was nothing. It was like, oh man, I got somebody to eat my green beans. That's all I cared about.
You know? Everybody came to the house, it never even occurred to me that they were famous. Not even one time. And we can't not talk about the Hill and Hollow. Yeah.
We had what was called the Hill and Hollow Folk Festival. Where we have local arts and crafts and local music, and it was focused more on the gospel aspect on Sundays and have gospel performers, and there'd be, you know, there'd be a church service locally. And as time moved on, they decided to add in bluegrass and bring in some of those people that were famous that we didn't know were famous to sing on Saturday nights. You bring in the Opry stars like Ernest Tubb and Grandpa Jones and Jones and Minnie Pearl, Olive, everybody came. I mean, you can't not name an Opry star that wasn't impelled on the stage.
and you had dinner with them because That's just what you did. That's what you did. You made some homemade ice cream, had a conversation, picked a little, they went on stage, and then you did it again. You know, you jammed afterward, or you ate more, or whatever. Yeah, because they would just show up.
I mean, I remember the buses coming in and everything, because they. Down behind the stage, there's this low wire that goes to the barn. You have to get in the pickup truck and hold up the wire so the buses could go under. I love, I used to, that was my favorite part, to see the wire. Who's gonna get stuck on the wire?
But, like, you know, the Thrasher brothers got stuck that one time. Blackwood brothers, as far as the gospels are concerned, everybody was there. Everybody came and sang on that stage. I mean, Marty Stewart was with Lester Flatt, when he was about 17 years old, played on that stage. Yeah, Lester Flatt, Nero Scruggs, and Marty.
Marty, and oh, golly, geez. I can't even think of them because they're just like. there but anybody back George Lindsay came one time. I remember Goober showed up. Yeah.
That was weird. But also, industry people showed up.
So it wasn't just the stars showing, everybody would say, I'm going to Brumley. Whether it be the singing or the Hill and Hollow, they would always show up. 'Cause it was such a good time. And it was just whether they were from New York or, you know, 30 miles away, it meant something for people to gather at these events and connect and get away and relax and enjoy.
Well, and grandpa was very particular too. I mean, he did not like to leave pal. He didn't, I mean, even to get awards and stuff, he'd be like, whatever. But I do remember the story when he went down to see Governor Jimmy Davis. The governor of Louisiana who wrote the song.
You are my sunshine. And they were down there in the governor's mansion, and he served fried chicken. And they were everybody's all nervous. And grandpa just grandpa was just grandpa. He had a chicken leg, put his elbows up on the up on the table and just start eating.
And everybody's like, oh, thank goodness. And then everything was fine. Yeah, because everybody, all the nerves were gone, you know. Because grandpa was just grandpa. He was relaxed.
He wasn't stressed about anything. And he didn't want the limelight either. Remember, he was either off behind the stage or sitting on some stairs. He liked to sit on stairs, sit on the stairs or squat on sit off to the side to watch what was going on around. He would talk to anybody that came up, but he never really went up on stage very often.
Even at whatever event we were at, he was. He just preferred that relaxed Everything is okay. I'm eating my chicken leg with my elbows on the table. Very laid back. Very laid back, yeah.
And people loved that because they didn't have to put on a face. They could be themselves around him. That whole authentic self thing, you couldn't help it because that's just who. That's who he was. And you're listening to the granddaughters of Albert E.
Brumley tell his life story. And in a way, the granddaughters are telling their own because these stories are so intertwined in this remarkable American story and this remarkable American family. When we come back, more from the granddaughters. And by the way, if you've got grandkids, Empower them to tell your family's story. Empower them early.
Because my goodness, to not know your family's story for better or for worse. is a crime. When we come back, more of this remarkable American story, Albert E. Brumley, is here. on our American story.
Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra-durable LG X-Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG X Boom.
And for a limited time, save 25% at lg.com with code FALL25. Bring a bull. X boom. When you're a pro, you need a project partner who delivers results. Ferguson Home understands that selection and availability are critical to transforming visions into realities.
That's why they offer the best selection of home improvement products, spanning the latest trends, traditional styles, unique finishes, and smart technologies. From coordinated job site delivery to online project management tools, they tailor their services to support your goals. Their experienced associates know construction inside and out, helping you find exactly what you need to exceed your expectations. And I can tell you personally that my contractor used Ferguson Homes and exceeded our expectations and his. With more than 250 showrooms nationwide, Ferguson Home is your trusted partner from concept to completion.
Whether you're managing large-scale projects or perfecting a single detail, they have the expertise and selection to help you succeed. Visit your local Ferguson Home showroom or go to FergusonHome.com to discover kitchen, bath, and lighting solutions that set your projects apart. Ferguson Home, where it all comes together. Explore top brands like Kohler at FergusonHome.com or visit your local showroom. There's nothing like sinking into luxury.
At washablesofas.com, you'll find the Anibay sofa, which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom, starting at only $699. The stain-resistant performance fabric slip covers and cloud-like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets, or anyone who loves an easy-to-clean, spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slip covers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style.
Whether you need a single chair, love seat, or a luxuriously large sectional, Anibay has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now, you can shop up to 60% off store-wide with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Shop now at washablefas.com. Add a little.
to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Over 300 channels, zero bills. That's Teebo Plus. Live news, reality, movies, and more.
No credit card, no sign-ups. Available on smart TVs powered by Teebo. Grab the remote, press play, and start watching. Teebo Plus. Free, binge-worthy, always on.
Learn more at Teebo.com. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. From me, Emily Maitless.
And me, John Sopol. With Global's award-winning podcast, The News Agents dropping daily, covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the News Agents USA. Listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the news agents to start listening.
And we return to our American stories and the final segment of our story on American composer Albert E. Brumley, and also American entrepreneur. is told by his granddaughters, Betsy, and Elaine. In 1970, Albert would be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame becoming a charter member. Of that organization, which according to the granddaughters was something he really enjoyed going to.
Let's continue. with a story.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, so here's what happened.
So he he goes and wa grandpa left Pal for like five reasons and that was one of them. Grandpa, like Elaine was saying, no limelight, not his thing. He would sit in the back of the room and grandpa would hold a cup of coffee by the bowl in his palm and that's how he would drink.
So he would lean up against the back wall. Very unassuming. You don't know who he is. He doesn't make a fuss. That's just how he spent most of his time.
But this young songwriter had just got some award. I have no idea what it was. He came up and said, man, look what I just did, blah, blah, blah. He was so excited about it. He said, dude, what's your name?
He goes, I'm Albert Brumley. He goes, man, have you written anything I know? He said, I'll fly away. And the guy goes, Oh. And just walked off.
I mean, but grandpa was fine. He just, you know, he just did his thing. He never made a fuss. And he ate weird stuff. He ate weird stuff and slept weird.
And he was an eccentric by today's standards the way I remember him when I was really small. It was normal, but now when you talk about it, it's just humorous, it's funny. Because he did eat funny things and different things that what we normally eat, like buttermilk on Wheaties or tomato juice on Wheaties. Oh, and the treat that was in the yeah, he liked to slice a can of it wasn't called spam then.
Well, it was treat, yeah, which is another kind of canned meat product. It's a pork product that came in a tin can that had a key to it. And he'd leave it open in the fridge and then go slice them off when he wanted it. I hated that stuff. At three o'clock in the morning, many times.
There's tons of stories. And when I was little, before a lot of the other kids came along, I would go down with Grandma Brumbly on Friday nights, and Grandpa would be in his room because he loved a room right off the kitchen where he lived on this couch. And I mean, he slept there, he ate there, he did everything there. But he would come out and he would stand because we weren't supposed to watch scary shows, but grandma would let me watch something called Dimension 16. And that was on the UHF channel, which by the way, we had to run a wire from the house up to the top of the bluff behind the house to get the signal, and that's another story, to watch that.
But he would come out and just stand there. He would never sit with us, but he would just stand there and watch it a few minutes, and he'd mosey to the bathroom wherever he was going. And he would come back through and stand there for a few minutes. you know watch with us and go back to his couch and that was just my friday for a very long time that's how i spent my fridays my nights with grandma brumlee and the snacks and all the things and i should make cinnamon toast for you oh and cocoa we did that yeah and she let me sip her coffee which was also a no-do and uh never did take up the smoking that grandpa did though never cared for that he would smoke a lot or at least hold a lot of cigarettes He would hold them while he was thinking and they would burn down and the ash would drop off and there was a lot of cigarette burns on the table beside his couch where he laid them and I have myself seen grandma Go up to him with an ashtray and tap the cigarette. Into the ashtray, so it wouldn't drop it all over the floor or something.
And it was kind of something he would go, oh, yeah, and then just keep on, because his mind was focused on. Whatever. Whatever. And someti and he he had a lot of thoughts and he would write 'em down on ice cream sticks and pieces of paper and lines for music, music notes and whatever. Telephone bills.
Tele oh, whatever he could get his hands on. Mm-hmm.
And he always wanted Cadillac. And I when I was little, Just to give you a picture because we like to draw the pictures. We live out in the middle of the country with a two-lane road, and just across the street, literally, was where they started their business and built the buildings. I don't know, 500 feet maybe. But it was across a two-lane highway.
So grandpa got his car and he would get up in the morning when he was ready to go to work and he would jump in the car and drive across the street and park it. and walk in the building. And then at lunch he would jump in the car. drive across back to the house and go eat and take his nap and then he would do the same thing in the afternoon and that was his regimen. The walking was not his thing.
He wanted to drive his car back and forth across the street. But you know, dad did the same exact thing. Yeah, but that's what you did because you went to and from work. Yep. It's fun to think about those days, yeah.
Albert E. Brumley would pass away in nineteen seventy seven. Leaving a legacy of over 800 songs. all penned by his hand. But only one of them can claim the title as the most recorded gospel song in all of history.
That song being I'll Fly Away And its legacy isn't lost on the family. I used to work for American Airlines because I wanted to travel and dad said he wasn't paying for it. And I've literally heard I'll fly away all over the world because Kevin and I heard it in Fiji on our honeymoon. But I was in Australia on a bus and nobody has a clue who I am. And I'm on the way to this this um Cave thing, it's like 30 minutes outside town, and myself and my friend are the only Americans on the bus, everybody else is Australian.
And they're singing Waltzing Matilda, and we're like, that's kind of cool, blah, blah, blah. But the next song they sang was I'll Fly Away.
Now they again they had no clue who I was or and I didn't say anything But it's like it's so amazing to be the impact of that song. It's been recorded in every country, in every language on the planet. We have a license for it. Until I keep you know, getting new countries and then we have to go back. But that song has touched.
Millions upon millions of people. Because the song is over 80 years old, so it's been around long enough for generations of people to connect to it and sing to their grandchildren and their families at funerals, at gatherings, at sings and whatever. Betsy story in Australia, those things are motivational to keep it alive because it still does mean something.
So, whenever we can get it out there, like it was recently on a TV show, and they sang it, and I still got tears, and I still got the chills. It's just still relevant and grandpa as Betsy was saying knew that was a factor in continuing things it when it means something to the people. One of my favorite things is when people tell me their I'll fly away story because everyone has one. I have literally. Hugged people in the grocery store.
I've cried with them. I've cried with them in the hospitals. A lady, a friend of mine, used that as her wedding march, which I thought was really interesting because I'd never heard that before. But that song brings back memories for people of things that they may have forgotten about, but it like transports them to a place that they that is so special. and such a place in their heart that nothing else can get them there.
And the fact that they're willing to tell me that story, because it really happens to me almost daily that someone tells me a story. Same here, I'm always hearing stories.
So, one of the ones that I have is that a gentleman told us that. He was in a car accident. And he was being life-flighted out, and he was dying. And he felt that he actually died. And he was singing I'll fly away to bring himself back so he would not die.
So he sang himself back to life, is what he was saying. He said, I just kept singing I'll fly away so I would not die. To know that my name, as a person in this world, represents something that can literally change someone's life in a moment. is so huge. It's an honor to be able.
to be connected to something like that. And it's just that people tell us those stories. I mean, I'm serious. I've cried with so many strangers, I've had more people. Telling me those stories, especially in hospitals.
I don't know how I end up in hospitals, but I tend to, well, I get hurt a lot. I do, I get in the emergency room a lot. I don't know why I'm dangerous, danger-prone or whatever, accident-prone, whatever. But people tell me their stories, and it and I I mean I've just cried and cried with people. They've seen that to their to their loved ones when their older loved ones.
And I mean we've done that in hospice. We've we've brought people into hospice into like the chuck wagon gang because we we still say and work with them. Brought them to hospice and people, and they sing all fly away, and people have come out of their rooms. And it's like the nurses would like, it's like. They haven't walked in a week.
But they come out of their rooms to sing and participate and be near that song. It's amazing to me the power. of the melody that grandpa conjured up out of Out of literally nowhere, out of a cotton field in Oklahoma, you know, to be able to move someone to where. As they are literally slowly passing away, they have the strength to get up and they want to be near that song. That's amazing to me.
And a great job by Monty Montgomery on the production of that piece. A special thanks to Betsy and Elaine, the granddaughters of this great man, Albert E. Brumley. And a special thanks to Katrina Hine as well. And again, remember, he started as the son of sharecroppers in cottonfields.
in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma and walks his way to a new life. and a life of art and music. And in the end, 40 million music books sold. And the greatest and most recorded gospel song of all time that as you could hear from the granddaughters touched millions. We love telling these stories because it connects American history with the American present and everything in between.
A special thanks to any granddaughter, any grandkid who wants to keep the story of their family alive. The Albert E. Brumley story here on Our American Stories. Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom.
Hit the town with the ultra-durable LG X-Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom. And for a limited time, save 25% at LG.com with code FALL25. Bring the bowl.
X boom. Time for a sofa upgrade? Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices, with sofas starting at $699. AniBay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out.
Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus, our pet-friendly stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price.
Visit washablefas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions. Yeah.
Over 300 channels, zero bills. That's TiVo Plus. Curated movies, news series, and sports highlights. No credit card, no logins, just T V that gets straight to the good stuff. Grab the remote, press play and start watching TiVo Plus.
Free, binge-worthy, always on. Check us out at TiVo.com. Every day has a to-do list. but adding Enjoy Belveda to yours can help you knock out the rest of it. Velveeta breakfast biscuits are a tasty and convenient breakfast option when paired with low-fat yogurt and fruit that provides steady energy all morning.
While Belvida Energy Snack Bites give you the perfect mid-morning refuel, best part, they both taste great.
So make the most out of your morning with a bite of Velveeta. Pick up a pack of Belveda at your local store today. The day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club at Boston Logan Airport. You get the clam chowder. In San Diego, it's tostatas.
New York, espresso martini. It's 10 a.m. Why not? It's the quiet before your next flight, the shower that resets your day, the menu that lets you know where you are. This is access to over 1,300 airport lounges and every sapphire lounge by the club.
And one card that gets you in: Chase Sapphire Reserve, the most rewarding card. Learn more at chase.com/slash sapphire reserve. Cards issued by J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and a member of FDIC, subject to credit approval. This is an iHeart podcast.
