Buddy made trips to the mechanic fun
I take a good deal of pride in being on a first-name basis with a lot of people, but even I know that if you exchange birthday and holiday cards with your mechanic, or the guy at the liquor store, there might be more to the story than just being friendly.
My wife and I bought a 1976 two-tone green 300D Mercedes-Benz back in 1993 or so. While I loved that car and eventually would own two 240Ds and one 420SEL, it was the relationship that developed with Buell “Buddy” Cummings that I most cherish.
A trip up to Soddy-Daisy was always more than just dropping off a car for service. Getting to know his fellow mechanic, Rob, was also worth whatever it cost to have the car fixed. I once took the car up there because the engine wouldn’t turn off when I took the key out, I watched dumbfounded as Rob picked up a twig from the ground and plugged up the vacuum line to fix it. Worked like a charm.
I counted on spending a little time with Rob and Buddy talking cars, but also reveling in the stories.
Like the one Buddy told about how he and his brother, Claude, had trained a donkey to haul the moonshine they made through the woods back to the hidden place where they kept it. The donkey knew the way through the woods which were so hilly and thick with overgrowth that the police could never follow.
Buddy said one day the cops drove down the road just as the donkey, loaded with shine, crossed in front of them. They got out and tried to follow, but couldn’t. Buddy and his brother just sort of stood there and laughed, he said.
Buddy passed away last week, and I wish I had gone up to Soddy one last time to see him before he went. ›
The Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame will induct the class of 2019 on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro, and both Gene Lovin and WSKZFM 106.5 will be included in the class.
Lovin made his name locally at WFLI-AM 1070, but like a lot of on-air folks who have been around awhile, he has worked at several other area stations, as well as outside this market. He has come full circle, so to speak, and can currently be heard weekdays from 2 to 7 p.m. on WFLI.
KZ-106 will be inducted as the Station of the Year after being the city’s source for new and classic rock for more than 40 years.
Also, syndicated talk-show host Dave Ramsey from Nashville will be inducted in the career category.