Why Go to Mayberry Days?

I’ve heard some say that they don’t like fighting the traffic or the big crowds of people.  Well…there is a crowd…reportedly upwards of 45,000 people or so at the parade on Saturday morning.  BUT, you have to know…this is a DIFFERENT kind of crowd.  The folks that attend the Mayberry events like this one are Mayberry kinds of folks.  Everybody is nice, everybody entrenches themselves in the Mayberry experience, and everybody there “talks Mayberry.”  You’ll see all sorts of Chapters represented, sporting their logos and t-shirts. 

But let’s back up a bit.  Event Director Tanya Jones with help from Terri Forrest Champney, and a host of others, promise a great time for, all with plenty to do.  Thanks so much to these ladies and the staff that work all year long for this great event.  This year, events for Mayberry Days start on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017.  Monday has music and a comedian, John Floyd…and of course the newly renovated Andy Griffith Museum, which is open daily.  Tuesday has repeat performances of the music and comedy, and adds a performance by The Embers at the Blackmon Amphitheatre.  Wednesday, it the day the Post Office starts using the postmark of Mayberry on any cards and letters you send (a pretty cool souvenir to send to yourself)!  Also the Caribbean Chillers will perform at the Blackmon in the evening.  The big event on Thursday is The Emmett, (named in honor of Andy’s longtime friend and Museum creator, Emmett Forrest) aka the Mayberry Days Golf Tournament.  Followed by a great 2:30 pm show - Margaret Kerry:  Tinkerbell Meets Andy Griffith show at the Historic Earle Theatre.  The Mayberry Days Dinner and Entertainment after the golf tournament is at 4:30 pm.  The Tams perform at the Blackmon at 8:00 pm.  Friday it really starts to crank up…with the Horseshoe Pitching contest, and the Mayors Proclamation…officially opening the Mayberry Days festivities.  Here is where you can firs see and hear from the stars:  “Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Rodney Dillard (and the current Dillards’ Band), Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Clint Howard (Leon),  Ronnie Schell (two episodes and also Duke Slater on "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.), "LeRoy Mack" McNees (two episodes as the Dobro-playing Country Boy), Margaret Kerry (Bess Muggins and Helen Scobey),  Joy Ellison (Mary Wiggins and others), Bettina Linke (wife of late associate producer Richard O. Linke), Karen Knotts, and George Lindsey Jr.” [1]  And other notables may end up coming and surprising us as well…even a chance to meet Andy Griffith’s daughter, Dixie.  And of course, the Mayberry Deputy and all of the other Tribute Artists will be on hand.  Afterwards, shows by Karen Knotts, Rodney Dillard and Ronnie Schell are “don’t miss” events…no matter if you’ve seen them before or not.  A pork chop eating contest, Aunt Bee’s Bake Sale, Mrs. Wiley’s Tea, Pie Eating contests are all good to see.

At 3:30 pm…Memories of Elvis with Michael Hoover is an outstanding concert. Also at the Blackmon Amphitheatre, the Mayberry Minutemen Youth Trivia Contest starts, followed by the World championship of TAGS Trivia, officiated by the Tribute Artists at 4:30 pm.  So you think YOU KNOW MAYBERRY???  I did too, until the first time I participated in the Trivia Contest, and only got a small number correct. It is a site to behold if you’ve not seen one.  Be there!

Right after we generally get together and take a picture with the online chapters and web page groups.  Come and meet those that you interact with online as part of the Mayberry family.

Also at 4:30 pm, Leroy Mack will perform his concert at the Andy Griffith Theatre.  (He was one of the “country boys” Band that appeared and played in the “Mayberry on Record” episode. Another great show to see. At 5:30, the Barbeque Judging starts.  At 7:00 pm The Malpass Brothers perform and James Gregory “The Funniest Man in America” goes on at 8:00 pm.  At 9:30, a wonderful show and concert is on stage at the Historic Earle Theatre…The VW Boys.

Saturday is BIG.  I mean Big BIG!  The Mayberry Days Parade starts at 9:00 pm.  People will line the streets “10 deep” for about 2/3 of a mile…so get there early and claim your spot.  Then there’s Horseshoe Pitching, Goober Says Hay Bale Throwing, Barbeque, Vendors at the Playhouse, a big Silent Auction of Mayberry collectibles, another Karen Knotts Show, Mayberry Idle Talent Show, Chester Jones Checkers Tournament, a Corn Hole Toss Championship, and Professor Brower’s Lecture and TAGS Meeting.  The Squad Car Tours, a visit to Wally’s Filling Station and a stop into the Courthouse are all great attractions!  There will be Autograph Sessions with some of the stars below the Andy Griffith Museum starting around 11:00 am until. 

There are two Big Shows of Col. Tim’s Talent Time at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm.  (These usually sell out so get your tickets now).  These shows will feature many of the stars from the series, as well as the Tribute Artists performing and reenacting some of your favorite comedy skits from the show. Among the Tribute Artists expected to attend and perform at Mayberry Days are:  The Mayberry Deputy (David Browning), Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Phil “Ernest T” Fox, Jeff “Howard Sprague” Branch, Michael “Gomer” Oliver, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew, Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown, Christie “Andylina” McLendon, Eric “Mayor Pike” Lowry, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, Ted “Mr. Wheeler/Mr. McBeevee” Womack, Eli “Opie” Austin, Alma “Aunt Bee” Venable, Rick “The Jinx, Henry Bennett” Grimsley, Dennis “Mr. Schwump” Beales, Michelle “Skippy” Bryson, Dixie “Daphne” Griffith,  Mike “Sgt. Carter” Haviland, and Ronnie “Salt and Pepper Barney” Felker, and his wife Elease “Thelma Lou” Felker.  There will a host of other tributes that may be coming as well…Bo “Briscoe” Pierce, Ken “Barney” Anderson, Phil “Ernest T” Lee…and even Mr. Jim Clark...author and the "Head Goober" that started all of this...so do keep your eyes peeled.

Another concert at the Blackmon at 7:30 featuring Balsam Range.

Sunday concludes the festival but has several enjoyable events including Mayberry Days Chapel at the Blackmon at 9:30 am, some more music throughout the day and a special movie showing at 4:00 and 7:00 pm. And music by the Lisemby Family at 6:30 at the Blackmon.

So “Why Go to Mayberry Days?”…the biggest event for Mayberry Fans all year long?  A better question my friends is “Why in the world would you not go to Mayberry Days?” 

---

[1] http://tagsrwc.com/the_ebullet/

Getting My Dose of Mayberry

I don’t know about you folks, but I go through times where I just need a good dose of Mayberry.  I don’t mean binging on watching the episodes, but interacting with other Mayberryians.

So here’s how I like to do it:

1)  I LOVE going to the www.iMayberryCommunity.com site and reading the discussion forum, adding comments to it and communicating with over 950 members, from all over the country, on Mayberry related trivia and just general conversation.  There is something special about this community of folks.  The page also links you to Weaver’s Department Store, and the “Two Chairs, No Waiting” podcast. Weaver's has some great deals on Mayberry apparel, collectibles and some rare treasures. Anybody that is ANYBODY Mayberry, just has to shop at Weaver's!  The Two Chair No Waiting Podcast is iconic in and of itself.  So much information, and so much fun to listen and participate during the show in the Chat Room!  If you haven't been there, you gotta go!

2)  The Facebook Groups are awesome.  There are several out there:  Mayberry, Our Favorite Hometown, TAGSRWC; Only One Word I Can Think of…Big, Mayberry After Midnight, The Andy Griffith Show, TAGS, and I Miss Mayberry.  All unique, and all run by good folks.  The nice thing about them is that they are ALL Mayberry, ALL the time.  No negative attitudes, no politics, no sales, no criticizing allowed…Just Mayberry Fun!

3)  I have our local TAGS Rerun Watchers Club, Trivial Trivialities, and we love to throw out trivia, quotes and pictures to each other.  It’s hard to even see one of them on Facebook and not find a way to make a Mayberry related comment on their posts.  Getting together with them periodically helps me get my dose of Mayberry.

4)  Since I am fortunate enough to be a part of the Tribute Artists group, I absolutely love these folks and their families.  We all communicate regularly on group messaging and it is very special when we get together at events.  There is a kinship among these folks that is hard to describe, other than respect, admiration and a feeling of family!

5)  Mayberry Events.  I look so forward to attending and participating in the Mayberry events.  There are several super events that are available.  I hope you can go to some.  Starting around April, there’s the Eagle’s Wings Fundraiser (Tuscaloosa, AL), then Mayberry in the Midwest in May (Danville, IN), Mayberry Meet Up in July (Mt. Airy, NC), Mayberry Nights in August (Troy, NC), Annual Mayberry Days in September (Mt. Airy, NC), and the Cruise to Mayberry in October (Out of Charleston, SC) to name a few.  To see a more complete listing of events, click HERE. 

6.  Your local chapter of The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club.  Take a look on the web page to see all the chapters and type in your state, then try to find one near you by clicking HERE  

 

7.  If you don’t find a Rerun Watchers Clun near you, then start your own.  Click HERE to find out how. 

 See you in Mayberry!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A SALUTE

Whether I go to the grocery store, or to Wal-Mart, or just drive up to the mall…I HATE to be in a long line.  If people were attentive to the task at hand, and moved with due diligence, it would be different, but they don’t! Even waiting at the traffic light, and I am just four cars back…I know that because of drivers not paying attention or just lackadaisically moving along…I may not make the light.  I am especially irked by the “rubber-necking” drivers that just have to slow down and take a good long look at either a stranded motorist, a car pulled over by an officer of the law, or a wreck.  “JUST PRESS THE GAS and MOVE ALONG!”

We hurry up and wait through most of life.  We wait on the TV Repair guy (unless it’s George’s TV Repair”).  We wait on the lady on the phone after she tells us your wait time is 18 minutes.  We wait on the person to get someone on the phone to answer our question about whether or not they have a product on the shelf at one of those big box stores.  We wait on a table when we go out to dinner, even though we made a reservation. (Unless it’s the Bluebird Diner.)
Now, let me back up, and allow my blood pressure to come back down, and talk about the NOT having to wait.

Mayberry fans all over the world have come to know the meaning of “Two chairs.  No waiting.”  It’s the dream of Floyd Lawson, the quirky town barber, to have two barber chairs in his shop so there wouldn’t be any wait time for customers.  Of course he’d have to have two barbers, and that didn’t work out so well in “The Bookie Barber” episode (S2 E28).  Nonetheless, Floyd had to give it a try, and certainly had “the magazines to swing it.”  I know that I can walk right down the street to Floyd’s Barber Shop and NOT have to wait a long time.  Even if I did, it would be a fun wait.

I also know that I can tune in on most Monday nights and 8:00 PM (EST) and find a lot of my friends in a Guest Chat Room, because here is the “Two Chairs.  No Waiting” podcast.  The easiest way to find it is to go to www.imayberrycommunity,com and click on the podcast there.  You can listen to the podcast, and enjoy some of the best entertainment news on the planet.  News about cast and crew, tribute artists, upcoming events, trivia, interviews, new books, and more.  You can even join in the Chat Room.  The proprietor of “Two Chairs. No Waiting” is Allan Newsome.  He’s done over 400 podcast episodes to date.  Allan also owns the iMayberryCommunity.com fan page, the WBMUTBB (Who’s Been Messing Up the Bulletin Board) fan page, along with several others, and he and his wife Jan also operate Weaver’s Department Store (even on days when Bert Miller isn’t working his street stand).   Allan is also the tribute artist that portrays Floyd, the Barber, and has ably done so for about 20 years.  Along the parade routes and through the Mayberry crowds, he’s always willing to give you a snip and check the length of your sideburns.  In real life, he’s an engineer and lives in the state of Alabama.  No matter how busy his personal life is, he always finds time to share his love of Mayberry.  Whether you’re a casual fan of the show (and it’s hard to just be a casual fan), or a diehard “trained notice” like Barney Fife, Allan’s podcast will give you that down home good feeling.  It’s light hearted, chocked full of information, and provides insights into the lives of the cast, crew and tribute artists that collectively keep the show’s life blood flowing.

I enjoy all of the pages Allan maintains for our enjoyment, the Facebook posts he makes, the pictures he shares, the podcasts he produces, and most of all, appreciate the energy he puts into making Mayberry fun for all of us.  Not only will you get to know more about Mayberry, but you’ll come to appreciate more of who Allan Newsome is and has been for all of our enjoyment. Like Floyd once said to Andy…we say to Allan…”you’re a prince of a fella.”  So find and join the imayberrycommunity.com page, join the WBMUTBB page and tune into the "Two Chairs.  No Waiting" podcast...you'll be glad you did.  

Mayberry Fortunate

I Am Mayberry Fortunate 

One often speaks of how fortunate they are to have this or that, or fortunate to have a particular experience...and so on and so forth. 

Mayberry Days 2016 has come and gone...and it was fantastic.  Many of us took souvenirs away from the weekend.  I came away with a new appreciation for these events.  I attend Mayberry events across the Southeast and Midwest, and am lucky enough to participate as a Tribute Artist portraying Col. Harvey, "Aunt Bee's Medicine Man" ...and I count myself fortunate. 

But I want to reflect on what I think it means to appreciate this good fortune. Spending time with my Tribute Artist friends, I appreciate the time spent with them interacting with the many wonderful Mayberry fans. We visit a good bit, eat meals together often, and work on and off the stage to hopefully bring a little joy to folks as we recreate memories from the Andy Griffith Show...and there is an abundance of love and respect for each other.

I appreciate the wonderful people whom I've met at all of the events, as well as the tireless efforts of the organizers. I've been able to forge new friendships that I will cherish forever. I've become friends through social media venues and now have a bond with these folks that comes to life as we get to say hello, shake hands or hug each other's neck when we meet at Mayberry events. 

I appreciate my good fortune when I meet so many of the real stars from the Andy Griffith Show. I think at last count I had met about 25 of the folks that have either appeared on the show or worked on the set as directors, producers and the like. 

I appreciate how fortunate I am to have a wife and family that not only love the show, but put up with my somewhat "elevated enthusiasm" about the whole Mayberry experience. The family, along with some great friends, are either super "supportive" or super "tolerant" (haha)...either way, I am fortunate. 

With none of us being guaranteed tomorrow, I for one want all of us to reflect on how fortunate we are to have experienced watching the Andy Griffith Show; to have encountered Mayberry stars at the events; to have made new long-lasting friendships along the way; to have enjoyed wholesome fun with a right moral compass in the values taught by the show; and to have had a chance to travel and see places with our families. 

In my reflection of how fortunate I have been with my Mayberry ventures, I don't ever want to loose sight of the blessing, and certainly don't want to allow the normalcy of life to make me numb to the wonderful blessings in life. 

No matter if it's Mayberry, or another passion you have...stop and realize your own good fortune. So for the friends, the fun, the laughs and the joy it brings us. I say to you, "I am Mayberry Fortunate."  What about you?

Have a Mayberry Day, 

Keith (Col. Harvey) Brown

How to Connect to and Share Mayberry

I was watching and listening to a recent podcast, Two Chairs, No Waiting, hosted by our friend, Allan Newsome.  The podcast showcased some of the many great books written about The Andy Griffith Show.  An issue came up during the podcast that got me to thinking.  It centered around the different websites, resources and events, as well as what many consider to be common knowledge about the show.  What came from the conversation here, and at a recent "meet up" event in Mt. Airy, was that there are still a large number of folks that don't know about all of the great resources, interactive websites, and events for Mayberry fans to participate in and enjoy.

With that in mind, I have put together a beginners list of ways fans can connect with the show, and other fans.  The list submitted here is certainly not a complete list, but is one that you can share with your friends. All of the listed sites and books are credited to the folks that own or host rights to them as much as I have knowledge of and my intent in sharing them is to be a good neighbor and friend of Mayberry. 


BOOKS
The Andy Griffith Show Book:  by Ken Beck and Jim Clark
Mayberry My Hometown:  by Stephen J. Spignesi
The Official Andy Griffith Show Scrapbook: by Lee Pfeiffer
Mayberry 101:  by Neil Brower
We Have Extra Security Tonight: by David Browning with Thomas D. Perry
The Andy Griffith Show:  by Richard Kelly
Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known: by Don Knotts with Robert Metz
Barney Fife's Guide to Life, Love and Self-Defense: by Len and John Oszustowicz
Everybody Back on the Truck: by Lee Grant and the Original Dillards
Goober in a Nutshell: by George Lindsey with Ken Beck and Jim Clark
Aunt Bee's Cookbook:  by Ken Beck and Jim Clark
Aunt Bee's Delightful Desserts: by Ken Beck and Jim Clark
Mayberry Trivia -1500 Questions About A TV Classic: by Scott Hopkins
Andy and Don: by Daniel de Visé

NEWSLETTERS
The E-Bullet: http://www.tagsrwc.com/ebullet/joinebullet.htm  Sent every other month with show highlights, cast news, event schedules, and chapter news.
The WBMUTBB Digest: http://www.tagsrwc.com/wbmutbb/joinwbmutbb.htm sent daily with news and updates.
Weaver's Department Store Newsletter:  http://mail.weaversdepartmentstore.com/mailman/listinfo/newsletter_weaversdepartmentstore.com  News of sales and new items available at the online store.

WEBSITES
The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club. www.imayberry.com
Weaver's Department Store - www.weaversdepartmentstore.com shop for memorabilia, gift items and collectibles
iMayberry Community - interactive fan page, forums, blogs, etc. www.imayberrycommunity.com
Whose Been Messing Up The Bulletin Board? This is the Original online chapter of the Rerun Watchers Club. http://www.wbmutbb.com
Sarah's Mayberry Directory:  lots of links to further resources and fun from Mayberry. http://www.tagsrwc.com/sarahs/content/Mayberry_Mailing_Lists.html
Mayberry Wikia - hosted by QueenBuffy - interactive fan page. http://mayberry.wikia.com/wiki/The_Andy_Griffith_Show
Postcards from Goober:  fun and free greeting cards you can create and send.  http://www.tagsrwc.com/interactive/wcard
Cast and Crew news and official fan pages - http://www.tagsrwc.com/sarahs/content/Mayberry_Cast_&_Crew.html
Unseen Characters on The Andy Griffith Show - http://www.mayberry.info/history/index.php?title=Unseen_Characters
Mayberry Historical Society -  http://www.mayberry.info/history/index.php?title=Main_Page

PODCASTS
Two Chairs No Waiting: hosted by Allan Newsome.  http://imayberry.com/podcasts/category/two-chairs-no-waiting/. News, perspectives, trivia and interviews.  Watch live by tuning into www.imayberrycommunity.com on Monday nights at 8 pm EST.  Archived editions can be found on You Tube
Burke on Mayberry:  Hosted by Kevin Burke.  http://imayberry.com/podcasts/category/burke-on-mayberry/
Cultural references, show morals and the lighter, fun side of the fictional town of Mayberry.
Mayberry Bible Study:  Hosted by Allan Newsome, and based on the original bible study work of Joey Fann (1998).  http://imayberry.com/podcasts/category/mayberry-bible-study/. A reflection of the lessons taught by the show through a Biblical perspective.

FACEBOOK GROUPS
I Miss Mayberry:  Tiffany Brown / Keith Brown Admins
Mayberry after Midnight:  Multiple Admins
TAGS:  Idelle Bushy Admin
The Andy Griffith Show:  Multiple Admins
TAGSRWC "Only one word I can think of...Big" : Multiple Admins
Mayberry, Our Favorite Hometown:  Multiple Admins


BLOGS
Mayberry Everyday: Hosted and written by Keith Brown www.mayberryeveryday.blogspot.com - thoughts and perspectives
Guest Bloggers at www.iMayberryCommunity.com


Have a Mayberry Day,

Keith
(aka Col. Harvey)

I Dare You

I dare you to take a trip to any of the Mayberry events and not come away feeling better about yourself and the world around you.  It is a little like living in the past, and we all reminisce about the good old days…at least those of us who are old enough to have had “good old days.”  I dare you to attend the next event.  Travel a few miles, make a weekend out of it, bring along friends and relatives…I dare say, you will not be disappointed.
 
I dare you to attend one of the events and not make friends…or share a smile…or find life a little more laid back and peaceful than the life you left to travel to the event. 

I dare you not to laugh at the antics of the many Tribute Artists…on the street, in the parade or on stage.  These folks travel from all over the country to share in the Mayberry experience and bring a little joy to the fans of The Andy Griffith Show.  The Tribute artists travel from states like Ohio, Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Indiana.  The Mayberry Deputy, Otis, Floyd, Ernest T., Gomer, Goober, Howard Sprague, Col. Harvey, Mr. Wheeler, Aunt Bee, Andylina, Mayor Pike, Barney & Thelma Lou, Opie, and Briscoe are true fans of the show, and love to be a part of your fun.  Engage with them on the street and in parades.  They would love to share a line from the show, give you an autograph and take pictures with you. 

I dare you not to be in total awe of the actual stars of the show that come to the events…as well as the children and spouses of the stars.  Not to be in awe of them for just being stars (although they deserve it), but to be in awe of them for how friendly they are, and willing to engage with the fans.  These folks are stars, but they are great people first, and spending any time around them at all will convince you of their sincerity and how much they enjoy being at the events. 

Even though many of you don’t know who might be the driving force, or the director behind making these events happen, I dare you to try and find out…and thank them.  It is a lot of work and takes a lot of time and expense to make the Mayberry events as wonderful as they are for the fans and participants. 

I dare you to look through the programs and event guides to see who the sponsors are…and then visit their places of business to shop…and to thank them for their sponsorship.

I dare you to support the extracurricular efforts of some of the Mayberry Events, like the golf tournaments, the pancake breakfasts, the car shows, the wonderful Eagle’s Wings fundraiser and the incredibly helpful D.A.R.E. fundraiser to mention a few.  Attend the concerts and shows while at the events...you'll laugh and sing along and make memories that will last a lifetime.

I dare you to stop some of the Law Enforcement Officers on the street to thank them for being there and protecting everyone.  It is such a small thing to say “Thank you!” but it makes a big impact on the men and women who serve us.

So...what do you say?  Will you take the dare? 

Come on out…I dare you!

Keith "Col. Harvey" Brown

It's MAYBERRY Season

Football is over…Basketball and Hockey is winding down…Baseball is in the early stages of their season…so what season is next you ask?  It’s Mayberry Season.

The anticipation of getting to a Mayberry Event is so exciting.  Many times the anticipation of an event builds to such a high level of expectation, that the event itself seems anti-climactic.  Not so with a Mayberry event.  The “season” is upon us as we start the spring and summer months and move through the major Mayberry Festivals.

Here’s what’s in store for you this year as “Mayberry Season” kicks off: 

Apr. 23 and 24, 2015: Eagles’ Wings fundraiser event in Tuscaloosa, AL.  Mark your calendar for this annual event that supports Eagles’ Wings efforts to assist adults with disabilities.  A golf tourney is on Thurs., and the dinner, silent auction, and entertainment, including the Tribute Artists are also slated into the fun.   For info, call (205) 345-5484 or visit www.eagleswingsoftuscaloosa.org.

May 1-2, 2015:  The next event on the agenda as far as major festivals is Mayberry comes to Westminster.  Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Bob “Briscoe” Mundy, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown, and Michael “Gomer” Oliver, Eric “Mayor” Lowery, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew, Christie “Andelina Darling" McClendon, and Bob “Briscoe Darling” Mundy”).  There will be look-a-like contests, trivia contests, Mayberry food, memorabilia, parades, car shows, music, Tribute Artist shows, concerts and “stars” from the Andy Griffith Show in Westminster, SC. LeRoy McNees will be on hand as TAGS alumni and special guest.  ATTENTION:  David Browning's new book, "We have Extra Security Tonight:  My Life as the Mayberry Deputy" will be on sale for the first time at any live event.  You want to be there to get your copy!  For more info, visit www.mayberrywestminster.com or check out Mayberry Comes to Westminster, S.C., on Facebook.

May 15-17, 2015: Mayberry in the Midwest returns to Danville, Ind. Among the festival’s highlights are the parade, the Mayberry Squad Car Nationals, and performances by the Mayberry Tribute Artists. The special guest stars this year are Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling) and her Darling TV brother, Rodney Dillard, and the Dillard Band, who will do a concert on Saturday. Karen Knotts will also perform her “Tied Up in Knotts” show on Sat. and Sun. afternoons.  Visit www.mayberryinthemidwest.com for more info and updates.

June 5 and 6, 2015: David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, and Christie “Andelina Darling” McLendon are back on the truck (or maybe off the wagon in one case) for Mule Days in Gordo, Ala.

Aug. 22: Rodney Dillard and Maggie Peterson are joined by several of the Mayberry tribute artists (including David “Mayberry Deputy” Browning, Allan “Floyd” Newsome, Kenneth “Otis” Junkin, Phil “Ernest T.” Fox, Jeff “Howard” Branch, Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown, Michael “Gomer” Oliver and Bob “Briscoe” Mundy”).  ) for a concert benefiting the Montgomery County DARE program on Saturday at the James H. Garner Center in Troy, N.C. Tickets for the show are $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission.  Tickets for children 6 years-12 years old are $10. For more info, call Jeff Branch at (704) 985-6987, e-mail jbranch205@windstream.net, or visit www.bluegrassintroy.com.

Sept. 20-23: Life Lessons From Mayberry: It’s All There in Black and White in Ridgecrest, N.C. (just outside Asheville) is a Bible study event drawing on the biblical truths and life applications found in “The Andy Griffith Show.”  To register, call Ridgecrest Conference Center at (800) 588-7222 or visit www.lifeway.com/mayberry.

Sept. 24-27: 26th Annual Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, N.C.  This year marks 25th Anniversary of Mayberry Days, and also the 55th Anniversary of “The Andy Griffith Show.”   This is the BIG ONE…the granddaddy of them all. So many events, shows, Tribute Artists, Actual TAGS Stars and concerts…to many to mention here. For info, updates and tickets, visit www.surryarts.org .

These are just snippets from the extensive list of events and special concerts and performances involving Mayberry folks.   All I can say is that the actual events FAR exceeds the anticipation of going to them.  Make it your mission to visit one of these event this year.

For more complete information and ALL of the Mayberry Events, go to the Calendar at www.imayberrycommunity.com.  While there, go ahead and join up to be a part of the iMayberry Community. ..a great interactive site hosted by webmaster Allan "Floyd" Newsome.

So polish up your hats, dust off your good suit, bring your pens and T-shirts, charge your cameras and get ready for some great entertainment and good wholesome fun. 

Thanks and Happy Motoring!  See you at the events!   

 

 

You Never Know When You'll Meet a Mayberry Neighbor

For those of us who love the Andy Griffith Show…and I mean LOVE the Andy Griffith Show…we probably have some sort of Mayberry memorabilia.  It might be a Mayberry coffee mug, a keychain, a hat, some of the collectible villages or plates, a book, a car license tag or tag frame, an autograph or two with pictures of the shows stars…or even a picture or autograph from the Tribute Artists.  But most likely, the most popular item in the Mayberry Collection is the T-shirt.  Most of us have at least one or two.  I’ve either shrunk some of mine through repeated wash and dry cycles, or have just plain worn them out.
 
We have T-shirts for our Official TAGSRWC Chapter, shirts with the different characters and famous character quotes on them, shirts with the iconic places and stores we visit at Mayberry Days, and of course the souvenir shirts from the events we attend.  Even if you don’t find yourself at any of the events, you can always visit old Ben Weaver over at Weaver’s Department Store (www.weaversdepartmentstore.com).  Lots of memorabilia, hats and shirts there.

One of the things that is so much fun about being at a Mayberry Event is looking at all of the great T-shirts.  Another thing I like about the Mayberry Events is this…as you think of lines from the show and throw them out, you know that everybody there pretty much gets every line you.  They know who said it and may even throw a line back at you.  For example if you’re walking down the street and somebody says, “Nip it”, everybody there knows what they are talking about.  You are sort of “braced” for the quotes and lines.  Last year at the Mayberry Days Parade, as I am walking in the parade as my Tribute Artist persona, Col. Harvey…I hear a shout from the sidewalk, “Hey Colonel…What time do the Indians eat?”   Of course I had to respond in kind with, “Indians? Oh….well, they eat most anytime…6:35…7:00…7:15.”
 
Now it’s quite different when you are back home, going about your day to day routines.  You, as huge fan, see Mayberry in lots of things and circumstances, but you don’t usually expect to hear a Mayberry line out of the blue…and I didn't...at least not until today.

This morning, as I was filling up the gas tank, I was leaning back on the side of my car, daydreaming about the day to come, waiting on the auto stop of the gas pump handle to click off, letting me know that I now had myself an “F” as opposed to having myself and “E” like when I first pulled up to the station.

Here’s where it gets good.  As I finished and was racking the handle, I looked over to a guy that was also finishing his gas purchase, and gave the customary nod, as we guys do.  I said something trivial like, “Gas prices were better last week. Hope they stay low.”  He replied to me as he was getting in his car and about to close the door, “Yep.  Depending on how many times the pump goes ‘ding.’  $2.10 a ding.”  By sheer instinct I said, “Water and air is free.”  He laughed, closed his car door, and drove away.

I don’t know his name. I’ve never seen him before. I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. But this I do know…you never know when you’ll meet a Mayberry neighbor.  And I wasn’t even wearing a Mayberry T-shirt.  “Thanks and happy motoring!”

Have a Mayberry Day,

Keith
(aka Col. Harvey)

A Mayberry Cure for the Holiday Blues

I look so forward to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.  All they hype, the excitement of children, the tree and house decorations, the nativity, the services at church, family and the giving.  I pour a lot of my efforts into giving.  I don’t necessarily focus on the monetary values in the gifts I give, but try to focus on people.  How can I serve my family and friends?  What acts of kindness can I do for them?  How can I serve or give to total strangers or to organizations that benefit those less fortunate.  How can I spread joy of the season?

In doing so, as previously mentioned, I really pour myself into projects and making others happy during this time.  And after the holidays are over and we ring in a New Year…what happens?  A lot of people get a little depressed…they get down on themselves and life...they get the holiday blues.  And then it hit me.  Why do I just have to practice giving and sacrificing myself for the good of others just during the holidays?
 
For me, and I bet for a good number of you, the giving is the best part of the holidays.  It just makes you feel good.  Remember old Ben Weaver in The Christmas Story from The Andy Griffith Show?  Everybody else in town was so cheerful and happy…but not old Ben.  He was determined that he was going to remain miserable, and worked hard at trying to bring others down to his level of unhappiness.  On one or two occasions, Andy almost went over to the “dark side”, but fortunately, Ellie Walker was there to steer him back to a cheerful heart.
 
By not giving in to the negative attitude that Ben Weaver was putting out there, Andy and the crew eventually managed to force Ben into letting down his guard and “allowing” himself to be happy.  The turning point was when Ben fell off the crates in the alley, and Andy went to investigate.  Seeing Ben on the ground and asking him, “Ben, what in the world are you a’doin?”  Then glancing over to see the overturned crates stacked up as a step up against the jail cell window, as Ben lashed back, “Aww you’re crazy.  Why would I want to…?”  Then Andy interrupts and asks, “Yeah…Why would you, Ben?”

In the scene that follows, Ben brings his suitcases into the jail as Andy brings him in for Disturbing the Peace.  Barney is asked to inspect the contents to be sure the prisoner didn’t bring in anything illegal.  When the suitcases are opened, all of the gifts he brought from his store were revealed and passed out.  Although Ben gave out his gifts with a little gruff, he still did it with a cheerful heart.
What can we take from this blog and this episode? How can we fix it so we don’t feel so down after the holidays?  One:  be a cheerful giver all year long.  Find ways to devote your time and talents to those who will not only appreciate it, but will benefit from your efforts as well.  Two:  Be appreciative of those in your life that “steer” you back to a cheerful heart.  Three:  Stay persistent in your quest to be happy.  The negative people want others to be negative with them.  Stay strong.  Four:  Be a cheerful giver all year long.  Do things for people all throughout the year.  Don’t be afraid to let your guard down, so others can see you for the nice person you are under your exterior persona.  Giving all year will make you happier.  Five:  Learn to associate with positive, uplifting and fun people.  Ben Weaver finally did, and it brought him a great deal of joy.  You can easily associate with this kind of person if you spend any time in “Mayberry.”

So this year, decide to be happy.  Decide to share your talents and time with others.  Decide to finally make one of the Mayberry Events.  Decide to join one of the Mayberry related Facebook Pages…there are several out there:  I Miss Mayberry; Mayberry After Midnight; Mayberry, Our Favorite Hometown; and TAGSRWC “Only one word I can think of…Big” to name a few.  Join some of the Mayberry websites like the iMayberry Community at www.imayberrycommunity.com  I don’t have time for all that social media stuff you say.  It doesn’t take that much of your time, and it’s certainly more uplifting that many of the social media sites out there.  Go visit the Events Calendar and find a Mayberry Event near you.  “Thanks, and Happy Motoring!”

Have a Mayberry Day,

Keith
AKA:  Col. Harvey

The HEART of Mayberry

I had the privilege of attending another Mayberry Days in Mt. Airy on the last weekend in September just a week ago.  As I return to my work and everyday life routine, I can help by think back to the excitement and anticipation of the events getting underway on that Friday morning.  As I sat down to breakfast at the bed and breakfast where I stayed, there was one couple there that had attended 15 or more Mayberry Days events.  We had met before, and always enjoyed our time together at the table.  But on this trip, there were lots of folks that were experiencing Mayberry Days for the first time.  That is just about as big a thrill for me as going myself.  

There was a couple and then three ladies traveling for a “girls” weekend from Florida.  It took them a few minutes to realize that I was the guy who portrayed Col. Harvey as a Tribute Artist at the events…but after that we got back to talking about the particulars of what brought us all together.  We all shared how we began watching the show as kids, when we really started loving it, and how we came to make the trip this year.

The consensus was of course the love of the show’s characters, the humor and the life lessons.  There was emphasis on the values taught on the show.  There was discussion of “the good old days” and simpler times when everybody spoke to one another as they passed.  There was discussion about how the world has changed so from the times where we felt safe walking down the street at night.

I enjoyed hearing them respond to my questions on Sunday morning, “What did you like best about your Mayberry Days experience?”  “What was the thing you were most excited to see or do?” “What experience can you not wait to share with friends and family when you get back home?”  The answers were a little different among the group.  Some liked the Parade best. Some liked the Museum the best.  Others liked the Mayor’s Proclamation, and still others liked Col. Tim’s Talent time, the Trivia Contest, the concerts and performances by the stars.  Everybody liked the interaction with the original cast members…the true Stars, and the fun they had with the Tribute Artists.  I made some new friends, added some more Mayberry folks to my Facebook Friends page, and got to visit with friends from before.  It’s pretty cool that when you’re at a Mayberry Event, everybody gets it…everybody knows the lines…everybody is in sync.

I have known for years…that the “heart” of Mayberry was the kindness, the welcoming spirit, and the compassion.  I know Mayberry as a place where we can step back in time, and actually bring some of that past to the present.  It is a place where as Barney says something like the following in the episode, Andy on Trial, “That’s because of something he’s been trying to teach me ever since I started working for him…and that is when…you’re dealing with people, you do a whole lot better if go not so much by the book, but by the heart.” 

Unfortunately, there was an incident that occurred, reminding us of the sad times where trust is broken and a person’s heart, although right smack dab in the middle of Mayberry Days, a person shattered our notion of this being a euphoric place.  One of our dear friends, a fellow Tribute Artist’s wife, was sitting on a bench during Mayberry Days eating a sandwich.  As she enjoyed the great weather and conversation with friends, a person from the area decided to steal her purse.  The crook was smooth and bold, taking advantage of a slight diversion to calmly pick up the purse and walk off, as though it were hers and nothing in the world was wrong. Thanks to modern technology and the cameras around town, the thief was caught and most of the items were recovered.  Credit Cards had to be stopped, and other identifying information had to be safeguarded.  It was a lot of trouble and quite an ordeal, as you know the anxiety something like that causes.  There was a considerable amount of cash that was not recovered.  These folks had all of their traveling money taken. 

Here’s the good news.  In no time at all, a campaign was underway with donations to get them back on their feet.  They had no idea that there were others taking such action.  I know and the others close to the situation know that there were many “Mayberrians” who stepped up to lead this charge and those who donated willingly and without hesitation to help them out.  You KNEW it was the “heart” of Mayberry when the victims were given the gift to help them out in their time of need, and you saw the gratitude in their faces.  Names of those who donated or helped organize and collect donations are not important here, but the ‘heart” is…just like Barney said.  

Have a Mayberry Day,

Keith aka Col. Harvy)

Andy Smoking on Tags

 Several folks have asked over the years, how many times and in which episodes was Andy seen smoking  on The episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.  This blog isn't so much a "blog" as it is the findings about this question that is asked so often.

Now the list below is not an "Official" report, yet just the compilation if what I and a few friends from my TAGSRWC Chapter, "Trivial Trivialities" have put together.  So, to my friends in the iMayberryCommunity.com, and my FB friends from the groups,  "I Miss Mayberry"..."Mayberry, Our Favorite Hometown" ... "TAGSRWC. Only one word I can think of...Big".... and "Mayberry after Midnight"... Here you go:

1  Quiet Sam ( after baby)
2  Jailbreak (on bench in front of Courthouse)
3  Wedding Bells for Aunt Bee (on porch)
4  Three's a Crowd (at Mary's house)
5  The Bookie Barber (with Floyd)
6  Mr.  McBeevee ( after talking to Opie up in his room)
7  Opie's Rival (waiting on Peggy)
8  High Noon in Mayberry ( at home after Luke Comstock called.)
9  The Great Filling Station Robbery (When Gomer tells Andy gas is 30 cents a ding)
10 the Cow Thief (While waiting with Fletch for the Mayor, Upchurch and Barney)
11  Prisoner of Love (home on porch)
12  Cousin Virgil - (back room of the jail waiting for Virgil to get Otis out of the cell!)
13  The Clubmen - (At the very beginning, Andy is seen with a cigarette as he and Roger  
              Courtney pull up to the court house after fishing.
14  Gomer the House Guest - (in this one he smokes IN BED - a BIG no-no)
15. Smoking Peace "Pipe" with Barney in The Pageant.

If you know others, please leave it in the comment section at the bottom if this blog.  
Don't forget that two big Mayberry Events are coming up:  
Aug. 22-23...The Cruise-In and Concert...Oakboro and Troy, NC
Sept. 25-27...Mayberry Days...Mt. Airy, NC

Thanks and "Happy Motoring!"

Keith
"Col. Harvey"

What Are The Good Old Days?

Do you sometimes long for "the good old days?"

Many a day over the years, I have had occasion to feel like I just wanted to be somewhere else besides where I was at the time. I will also find myself wishing I could go back to "the good old days." The truth is, we really just want to experience the peaceful and fun times of years gone by.

The good Lord has a way of letting us remember the good times a lot more clearly than the bad times. Oh, we remember the passing of loved ones, the times where we experienced misfortunate times, but for the most part when folks say they wish they could go back to "the good old days," here's what I think we are doing:
We are longing for a simpler and less complicated life. We want to see old friends, as we remember them. We want to live a more carefree existence. We want to revert back to our fond childhood memories. We want to make people as happy as we once were. We want to belong and to share with others so they will also belong. We want to remember the times when we could walk down the street in the evening a fad feel comfortable and safe. We want to be able to go into our homes without having to lock up our cars. We want to go to the store without having to lock our house up and punch in the Alarm Code. We want to walk down the street or around the block and know all of the neighbors, which house was there's and which kids belonged to them.

My friends, we are looking for Mayberry. I don't want to assume that I am speaking for all, ...but getting to participate in Mayberry Events as a Tribute Artist (Col. Harvey), I get to share a little bit of Mayberry with folks. I get to see folks smile and laugh. People seem to relax, have fun, and for just a little while...are "back in the good old days."

So as much as we Tribute Artists get to do for the Mayberry faithful, know this: I suspect all of the Tribute Artists get as much out of interacting with you as hopefully you get from this group of re-enactors. So feed us lines from the show as we walk by. Make sure you take in one of the Tribute Artist's Shows at the events. Stop us and let's take a picture together. Come shake hands, collect and autograph or two, and revert back to a simpler day and time with us. If you get an opportunity to attend a Mayberry Event, even if you have to drive a little distance to get there, do it. Here's an event calendar- http://tagsrwc.com/the_ebullet/mayberry-event-calendar/

And for just a little while over the weekend events, we get to retreat back into our "child-like" personalities and share Mayberry with you...and we get to remember "back in the good old days."

Have a Mayberry Day,
Keith
(Col. Harvey)

It's HARD to BEAT a Mayberry Event!

Everybody longs to be a part of something.  Everybody wants to contribute to their family or circle of friends.  Everybody wants to be valued. Sheriff Andy Taylor made that happen for the residents of Mayberry.  He did it for Aunt Bee in the very first episode, The New House Keeper. He did it for Opie in Mr. McBeevee.  He did it for Barney over and over; Lawman Barney, Crime Free Mayberry, Barneys Sidecar, on and on, and on. He even did it for old cranky Ben Weaver in The Christmas Story episode. 

 

Three days in Westminster gave me insight to another layer of Mayberry Magic.  My wife was not able to attend the Mayberry Comes to Westminster event with me this year.  She hosted a group of her college friends at our house for the weekend.  They had a great time “catching up” with them. Meanwhile, some 260 miles northwest of my home on the beautiful South Carolina coast, I was also having a great time...at another event celebrating our favorite "Home Town."

 

Most traveled with their spouses and or families to the event.  After all, it is a family event.  Some of us traveled alone to this event.  Now I say this, not to make those who did not travel feel bad in any way.  There were those that had other events, previous commitments, recovering from illnesses or even surgery.  Whatever the reason. I know for a fact it wasn't that those folks didn't want to attend. 

 

While at Mayberry Events, we enjoy parades, pageants, car shows, special breakfast events and dinners, silent auctions and shopping for Mayberry paraphernalia, Tribute Artist Shows, Trivia Contests, special musical guests, and especially those stars from the original Andy Griffith Show cast, and their families.  At the Mayberry Comes to Westminster (MCTW) event on May 2-3, we had the wonderful Karen Knotts, in her one woman show; paying tribute to her dad, the great Don Knotts.  We had Rodney Dillard, of the original Darlings from the show with his lovely wife Beverly and the Dillard Band, entertainment was nothing shy of awesome.

 

Now here's where I talk about the other STARS of the weekend...and to the layer of Mayberry Magic I spoke about earlier.  The merchants and residents in Westminster opened their town to us, just as if they were bringing guest into their homes.  The merchants and sponsors who support this fantastic festival are to be commended and supported.  Local stores and eateries were friendly and accommodating. Organizer Tom Rusk and his wife Kathy welcomed us into their home on Friday morning for a “Brunch” and time of fellowship for the Tribute Artists and the special guests, original cast members and grand marshal of the event.  The Rusk's pour their heart and soul into this event and it's always well planned and runs with efficiency. Mrs. Rusk commented as to the dedication of Tom to make this event great when she said, “Starting around February or March, Tom and I don’t see each other as often…he’s so heavy into the planning of the event.”  I’m sure Mrs. Rusk stays pretty busy herself with the event…we all know that behind every good “Mayberry Man” is a “Mayberry Woman.”

 

The rest of the STARS are here:  Being one of the newer Tribute Artists on the block, (as Col. Harvey) this group has welcomed me in and adopted me as a part of that close knit family.  We spend a good bit of time at the events together, either on stage, in parades, just walking around town, or in the hotel lobby.  We share fun times, meals and stories, like families do. We rehearse so we can bring fun and memories from The Andy Griffith Show to life for everyone.  We support and encourage one another, like a family should.  We engage with the festival attendees and recreate scenes from the show to enhance not only their experience, but ours as well.  And we share the love, compassion, and give personal value to everyone we meet, like a family would.  At any Mayberry event, whether you come alone or with others…what you experience is a step back in time to the wonderful values that make a "Family."  Oh, there are a lot of these values in families today, but it just seems different somehow, when you look back to your childhood.

 

Tribute Artists Barney Fife (David Browning), Floyd Lawson (Allan Newsome), Otis Campbell (Kenneth Junkin), Goober Pyle (Tim Pettigrew), Gomer Pyle (Michael Oliver), Howard Sprague (Jeff Branch), Millie Swanson (Tammy Branch), Andylina (Christie McLendon), Ernest T. Bass (Phil Fox), Salt and Pepper Barney and Thelma Lou (Ronnie and Elease Felker), Mayor Pike (Eric Lowry), Hoggette Winslow (Mike McLendon), Briscoe Darling (Bob Mundy), Col. Harvey (Keith Brown), and others would love to see you at a Mayberry Event near you. 

 

If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend a Mayberry Event, find an event closest to you, and go!  When Barney starts tugging at his collar…when he clears his throat…when he starts hitting his fist on the side of his holster…GO!  Don’t wait, just GO! He might count to three; he might miss you…but just GO!

 

Click HERE for the Mayberry Events Calendar

 

Click HERE to go to and join for FREE, the iMayberry Community….where it’s all Mayberry…all the time.

 

 

Have a Mayberry Day,

 

Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown

Mayberry Comes BACK to Westminster

In just a few short weeks, the town of Westminster, nestled neatly into the upper left-hand corner of the state, will come alive with Mayberry.  Oconee County, where Westminster is located, is called the Golden Corner of the State.  Although I love living on the coast of SC, I spent the first four years of my life as a professional out of college in this wonderful place.

Clemson University is just a few miles away, as is the town of Seneca, Walhalla, Oakway and West Union.  I was privileged to call Westminster my home for four years.  I brought my new bride to our first home there and then a couple of years later, my first child.

The mountains in the background touch the sky just at the county line before heading into Georgia.  There are rivers, ponds and lakes all around.  The weather is mild most of the time, but can draw a little snow in winter.  There are miles of rolling hills along the country roads that make you feel right at home.  Apples are a big crop up that way, and a festival is held yearly to celebrate the harvest.

The trees turn colors in the fall, just like they’re supposed to, and create a magnificently painted palette in the tree lines.  The wildlife is abundant, the fishing great, and the recreation relaxing.  But the things I’ve already mentioned aren’t the real treasures in this place…it the people.

Andy once said to the visiting Manicurist that “nature had been real, real good” to her.  Continuing on, he said that he “didn’t remember when he’d seen nature put so much time into one individual.”  I think you’ll find and nature has smiled on this place.

The people here are down-home, genuine and accepting of everyone.  They go about life at a pace that might seem a little slower than what most are used to, but they take advantage of that because they have a genuineness about them that is honest and sincere.  When they speak to you, and ask you “How do you do?”…they really want to know.  When they ask, “Can I help you?” …they really want to help.  When they introduce themselves to you, they really want to get to know you.  When these folks see you again, they remember your name.

On May 2-3, 2014, when Mayberry Comes Back to Westminster, it is a perfect arrangement of spirit and soul.  Not the kind of arrangement that Briscoe Darling made for his granddaughter Andelina and Opie, but the kind that when you see it, you just know it’s right.  It’s a town that values its heritage, and embraces those who come here, to live or just to visit a while. 

My first job was teaching in at Westminster high School, where I was an assistant football coach and the Head basketball coach from 1979-1983…the “Final Four” years of the school before it merged with Oakway to create West-Oak High School.  I made lifelong friends there, and still keep up with many of them today.  As for the ones I don’t really keep in touch with, they’re still there, and when we meet during my visits there, and especially during the Mayberry Comes Back to Westminster Events, we still know one another’s names, we still greet one another as though we were family, and that hug and handshake are just as warm and heartfelt as they were all those years ago.

If you haven’t been to any Mayberry Events, well…this is a great one to attend.  Tom Rusk, the face behind the event is a Mayberry Fan extraordinaire, as you will see when he drives his replica Squad Car around town.  The event is sponsored by some wonderful area businesses, so make sure to patronize them and the town shop keepers as well.  The event is well organized; the street vendors are always helpful, the folks that run the shops and restaurants in town are really happy to see you.  The local papers and media outlets are out in force.  The man who does a lot of the emcee work, Kris Butts, from WGOG, is an enthusiastic Mayberry Fan himself. There are look-a-like contests, pickle eatin’ contests, pies and pageants.   The entertainment is high quality, the Tribute Artists are funny, the parades are festive, and the original characters from the show that are able to attend are wonderful human beings.  No doubt about it, you’ll come away feeling much better than when you first arrived.  Information on the Mayberry Comes to Westminster Event can be found at http://westminstersc.com/mayberry/

 Hope to see you there.  Have a Mayberry Day.

 Keith

Guest of Honor

Not too long ago, I became aware of a wonderful website that I now belong to called the "iMayberry Community."  The site is operated by a great guy named Allan Newsome, also known as the Tribute Artist, "Floyd, the Barber."  The website can be found by going to www.imayberrycommunity.com. It's a little slice of the Internet, just off the beaten path that allows us to go back a little over 50 years to a simpler time.  To a time when life's pace was a little slower...and yet just the right speed for all to take in the lessons the Town of Mayberry taught.  It was a town of character...full of "characters" from every walk of life. It taught us the basic values and morals like "Do unto others"... like "Go out there and act like somebody"...and "When you're dealing with people, you'll do much better if you don't go so much by the book, but by the heart." 

In trying to put my finger on what makes "The Andy Griffith Show" and Mayberry so appealing, I remember the lines at the end of the episode, “Opie the Birdman” when Opie asked, “The cage looks awful empty, huh Pa?”  Andy answers him back with a question to ponder, “It sure does son…but don’t the trees seem nice and full?”  It’s this kind of mentality and simply choosing to look at life through optimistic lenses that make Mayberry so appealing. A life lesson was found in every episode.  Then it hit me...I am so drawn into the simple life...with truth, morals, and dignity for all, that I truly feel like a real "Guest of Honor" every time I watch the show. 

Not too long after,   I ran across this neat perspective from a fellow member of the website. His name is Mitch Hyre.  We know him in the iMayberry Community as "Dud."  Below is his entry as my Guest Blogger:

The Perfect Town That Never Was

Can someone be influenced by a place?  How about a fictional place?  I’m going to go out on a limb and say not only yes, but emphatically yes.  Think of a town that never existed.  The influencing factors of the town are not limited by its geographic features but in a larger sense, extend to the people who live there, or never lived there I should say.  It might sound strange but the place and the people are as real as your next door neighbor, at least they are to tens of millions Americans.  They are avid fans of ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ and the place is the town of Mayberry.  Idyllically set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just a ‘whiff and a whisker’ south of the Virginia/North Carolina State line, Mayberry is the home of about 2,000 fictional characters, and do they have their quirks.  Some couldn't boast an IQ much above 85; others might laugh out loud at the corniest of jokes or become so enthralled with something as simple as an electric pencil sharpener that they were sure the world had entered a new space age.  Wealthy?  Not really.  Beautiful?  Not so much.  Having trouble putting your finger on it?  Me too.  But I am absolutely in love with Mayberry and every corny, half-witted, quirky citizen that idly walked its fictional streets.

In trying to figure out why so many people are so taken by this town, I had to dive deep inside my inner psyche (A place I rarely like to go; some scary things in there) and I may have happened upon a couple nuggets of insight.  First, the most endearing episodes of the series were set in the early to mid-1960s. If one were to try you could not pick a better time to be alive.  Conveniently wedged between the Post War industrial boom and the radical social unrest ushered in by Hollywood, Rock and Roll and recreational drug use, the early 60s offered the absolute best of modernism mixed with sustained, shared and cherished moral values.  More simply put, they had stuff and still knew how to treat their neighbor.  This is a segway into the second thing I discovered.  Their system of values wasn’t a system at all.  It was a simple rule.  Put people first.  Above pride, gluttony, anger, greed, lust, and envy, people come first.   Oh, there were those who came through Mayberry who lived by other, more nefarious and self-serving ideals.  But by the end of the episode, they were either converted or were so uncomfortable, they just moved on.  In Mayberry, if you were obese or not so good looking or not so smart or couldn’t hold a job or had a drinking problem (Otis) there was still room for you at the table and you were treated with the same dignity as its most respected citizen, the Sheriff himself.  If you weren’t, it was an anomaly and the whole town was uneasy until harmony could be restored.

Strange how today, a scant 50 years later, we boast of modern technology, intelligence, and capability to use the threat of war to keep pseudo peace, but what so many truly long for is to return to the simplest place filled with the simplest people who live by the simplest rule.  I watch reruns of the show on a daily basis.  It continues reinforce that simple rule while providing wholesome entertainment.  I’ve watched the scene a hundred times or more but I still laugh when Otis drunkenly stumbles into the courthouse and locks himself up.  I think heaven must be a lot like Mayberry.  I certainly hope it is.

Have a Mayberry day,

Keith