VFW AND THE MAIDEN’S PRAYER Written by: Barry P. Foley Copyright © 20 MAY 2011
As a boy growing up in foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia traditional Country Music, Bluegrass and Gospel ruled the radio Wasn’t much to do on Saturday night, ‘Cept to drive over to Henry County and go to the VFW Hall Live music, seven to midnight, they never even took a break Great music to dance to or just sit and listen
I started playing guitar when I was about 16, I went over to see band and check out the pretty girls Little did I know it would be the music that would steal my heart Oh what a band they had, Marvin Hudson on Pedal Steel, Tim Stegall on Lead Guitar, Cub McGee on fiddle, and the Bluegrass Boy himself, Bobby Atkins on banjo.
They played really great country and bluegrass music, with standard dance tunes; sometimes even something new from the radio But the song that grabbed my heart, was when Cub McGee played Maiden’s Prayer The dance floor was full and I just stood and listened with chills running up and down my spine.
I didn’t even know the name of the song until some years later When my hero Merle Haggard put it on an album He called it the Proudest Fiddle in world. That started my love for Bob Wills and Western Swing
So I’ll just shut up and let you enjoy it. Milo, if you and the fellars will take us back to the VFW on Saturday night with Maiden’s Prayer
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