Missing my Dad on Father’s Day (as always). Thanks Curt Koverer, for the wonderful gift you gave Scott McKain and me by writing an article so long ago that can still make our hearts happy.
Curt Comments
by Curt Kovener
Still Giving Warm Memories
It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you
It’s what you leave behind you when you go.
Those words from the popular Randy Travis song “Three Wooden Crosses” took on re-newed meaning Sunday with the passing of former local businessman and regionally renown musician Dallas McKain.
Forty-something native Jackson Countians will remember Dallas as I do: he was the Mom & Pop grocery store owner of our youth and the voice of a country music band that brought packed crowds to his performances.
Growing up, I knew Dallas as the kindly father figure who would sell you three slices of bologna on credit so you could eat some lunch. Wearing the white meat cutter’s apron around the store, Dallas gave the appearance of being chronically tired. It was something I little noticed and couldn’t comprehend in my teen years. Now having run a business for 20-something years, I understand how Dallas could exude a fatigued persona. But given a cue he could break into a song and comic dance step simply to bring a smile to those around.
His slow drawl could never mask his genuine interest in how life was going for each of his customers…even we know-it-all teenagers.
Dallas came from a large family who grew up poor during the depression. He knew the value of a dollar but just as importantly, he knew the value of kindness and compassion and dignity. He operated an old-fashioned corner grocery where if someone needed food in the middle of the week but lack the funds pay for it until Friday’s paycheck, Dallas would “write it down” for payment later. Don’t expect our current day big box corporate stores to consider doing anything like that.
Dallas and his band—comprised of his brothers and others—played at countless CHS proms and alumni banquets to not mention the VFWs, American Legions, wedding receptions and anniversaries and other clubs throughout the region.
His band played for one of the high school proms in the 60’s and caused a bit of a stir with school officials when the group played George Jones’ “White Lightning”. It seems one overly protective class sponsor didn’t think a song about the effects of drinking moonshine was appropriate for the tender ears of high school students. Little did she know that we students were the one’s who asked Dallas to play the song.
At different times, Dallas had invitations to go on the road to play for country music stars such as Jimmy Dean and George Jones. But his strong sense of providing for family and being a good Dad to Scott and Shelley kept any big time music dreams on a shelf.
So what a national stage never experienced, we southern Hoosiers got to enjoy on a regular basis. Dallas would engage his audience and embrace them in song and down home repartee. If he spotted a familiar face while singing, he’d wink or wave at them, point them out to the rest of the audience and joke a little bit about them before kicking off the next song.
Among his last Crothersville play dates included a anniversary celebration for The Butcher Block and a “surprise” birthday party a few years back at the local VFW where he was the guest of honor.
For the last several years, Dallas has been a staple part of the Saturday night Corydon Jamboree in Harrison County—a weekly entertainment venue which more often than not played to a packed house.
Dallas frequently asked several of we weekend porch pickers & plunkers to come down for a visit and play music with him. But that four letter word—work—always seemed to get in our way.
But a week ago Sunday, his brother Max, Mike Brumett, Bill Burns, Rob Wheatley and I made it a point to pay him a visit at his home in Brandenburg, Kentucky. We played some old tunes on his front porch. He even got out his guitar and though the fingers may have been a bit rusty and slowed, the twinkle in his eyes let us know he was having a wonderful time with some old friends from home.
We left that day with more warm, happy memories. Just like Dallas spent a lifetime giving.