With the passing of another day comes the sad news of the passing of another country music giant. My memories of Porter begin in childhood-the TV show, my Dad's albums, my Mom even called me "Porter Wagoner" sometimes, in an accent imitating Porter's. When the Pistols played Opryland in 2003, I walked into the backstage men's room and lo and behold, there stood Porter. Terrified, I fled the room and hurried to the safety of our dressing room, where I would remain until our performance. Call me a chicken, but there was no way I was ready to meet the man who had the guts to never give up on the Nudie suit, record songs as diverse as Lonely Comin' Down, Dark End of the Street (as a duet!) and Who Will Buy the Wine, not to mention putting James Brown on the Opry! The Two Dollar Pistols owe an unfathomable debt to to the Thin Man from the Plains. Goodbye, neighbor. God bless.

John Howie, Jr