Vol. VI No.37
22, 1990
From the Greenbrier
Valley of West Virginia
esse
Bob Black Retires From
But Plans To Keep
The Greenbrier
Charles Lobban
e
ht
months of hospital
including 66 days
Judge Charles
home in Alder-
of the Eleventh
said he hopes to
as soon as he
from his illness.
Lobban suffers from
syndrome, a dis-
nerves leading to
destroyed. However, they do
grow back. Recovery time varies
greatly, so we're not really sure
how long it wlll take until I'm
back to normal."
In its worst stages initially,
the disease left Mr Lobban with-
out muscle control from his neck their lives," Mr Black smiles,
to his waist. With no ability to "because they had five girls be-
breathe on his own, he was at- fore they had me and they were
By Chas/L Goddard
The first piano Bob Black re-
members was one which came
from his grandmother's home.
This was when he was about
seven years old -- in 1930. The
instrument was kept locked "...
because my parents didn't want
us kids to bang on it." However,
the young Robert William Black
found away around this. "You
could open it with the key from a
can of potted hamI We used to
wait until our parents were out
and we'd sneak in and play that
old piano.
"My first song was "rhe Star-
Spangled Banner'. Of course I
didn't know what I was playing
at that time, but I d/c/play it."
The piano has played an im-
portant role in Mr Black's life
ever since those early childhood
days. He has held a number of
different Jobs during his life --
construction worker, waiter,
chauffeur- but he always came
back to those 88 ivory and ebony
keys.
Bob Black was one of seven
children born to Kenneth and
Jessie Leftwlch Black in White
Sulphur Springs. "The year k as
born was the happiest year in
Musician Bob Black and his wife Sybil
Care until early duly.
days in a private
to the Greater
Rehab Hospital in
Pennsylvania,
received three months
and occupational
Hospital personnel
r Lobban work on re-
tached to a ventilator for 16longing for a boy. father ended up in White perched high on the back of ainstruction from Nat Portnoff
days. Although he never totally "My daddy worked on the Sulphur Springs -- through flat-bed truck. [one of the Greenbrier Hotel's
leaving thelost the use of his legs. he was laundry machines at the [Green- their friendship. Mom was from "Reginald Berry played well-known early musicians] and
the use of many not able to walk unassisted until brier] hotel. He had done theLow ..... Moor, Virginia," drums. . Charlie Banks was on from Lelia Thompson, who was
disease is not per-a short time ago. The lingering same kind of work in Long Is- Mr t laCK'S nrst paying job the trumpet and Arthur Foster the organist at the First Baptist
:ver, and the judgeaffects are most evident in his land and in Philadelphia before was with a Tramp Band" which played saxophone. Harry Flood Church in White Sulphur
ning muscle use. hands and arms, and he still ........ ,-nmina , ..e_e.h r Mr Britt was the serenaded", the Greenbrler was the guitarist. We played Springs."
....... j ...ana ,er back th n
)°toms first becameneeds assistance in rising from a Immrtrv m a en a d Hotel's guests at the old C & O mostly Dixieland music in thoseAbout 1938" or 1"939, Mr
chair. However, he is now able to he kne~v Dad from their Philadel- Railway Station. Mr Black played days.
Black went to Westbury, Long
,*arly May, when Mr
[alned of weakness,walk unassisted, vhia days I guess that!s how my a small 4 and 1/2 octave piano We were really 'down home'. Island. He found a job doing lay-
hie night as I was "it's a frustrating experience," - ~ "~ : tThey had us dress In overalls, outs for airplanes at
In this chalr--I began he said. "l haven't been able to . . . I bandanas around our necks. Fanntngdale, Long Island. and
aching in my fore- take care of myself and have had :CharheMcCo.y.Nashville Mus,cmn, l mdSMr:Ke2a::. e ;: ca tao managed, because of his age and
to have of things done for the job he held, to stay out of the
flng, and I was not me" Everyone has been marvel- upaeat , '.pI rO a [ finances:i'd get maybe $2 or$ : tt strt long,
ly arms very high." ous in their support -- my wife. |aweekoutofit." however, until Uncle Sam
to Humans Hospl- my family, and my friends have ing people here taking pride In | Mr Black is a sel -taunt pl- c ught tip wlth Mr Black and
theirs If you study them these " a ah h
Valley in Fairlea visited, called and sent cards. '. 7'. [anlst and sln,,e :thcug ..e shlp h out to the South
olaer structures are mucn petter
ly transported to That's meant a lot to me."
Hospital in Mot-Marjorie Lobban, Mr Lobban's put-together than the modem [later , . . had a lot of musical ~e ~
ones/"
he remained in wife, sald her husband has re- Mr McCoy, 49, was born in
ceived communication from hun-
dreds of persons in the past few
months.
"No one knows what causes
this illness," the judge said.
"They say it often occurs after a
virus. Throughout the illness I
haven't really had any pain, and
I've never doubted I'll someday
be able to go back to work."
While Mr Lobban has been
recuperating, about eight judges
have shared the circuit judge's
case load. The Eleventh Judicial
Circuit covers Summers, Poca-
hontas, Monroe, and Greenbrier
cotmtles. Mr Lobban, 60, has
held his elected position since
1977. He and his wife have four
children and four grandchildren.
the muscles in his
In preparation for
of the affected
now travels
of Greenbrier
Fairlea three times
therapy.
a type of illness
recover from," he
rlerve endings and the
around the nerves are
Sulphur S
Still Unresolved
of a lawsuit filed
of White Sulphur
Permutit Corpora-
installed the filtra-
ting system at the
plant at Harts
to replace the
le news was an-
the 12
2ouncil.
a sult last sum-
Count), Cir-
it experienced
which re-
expenses.
The case has not been settled
yet. Since Permutlt has asked for
permission to send crews to
White Sulphur Springs to re-
place the system, Council mem-
bers voted to require the corpo-
ration to submit a plan describ-
ing the planned work and a pro-
jected date by which the system
will be in normal working condi-
tion. Permutit will be held liable
for all legal fees the City has
paid in the case. It was also be
liable for $360,000 if it fails to
hold to its time limit, the Council
decided.
In other business, the Council
voted to further investigate the
feasibility of changing city gov-
ernment to a city manager-based
system. A recently appointed
committe made the recommen-
dation. Cotmcilman Leo Lewis
will schedule further meetings
on the topic and gather informa-
tion for future discussion and
decision -making.
The Council was informed the
City Water Plant recently re-
ceived an award from the West
Virginia Rural Water Associa-
tion. The annual award, which is
the top in the state, cited the
plant for quality and efficiency of
operations.
The next meeting of the Coun-
cil will be December 10, 7:30
p.m.. at City Hall.
Charlie McCoy
Charlie McCoy relaxes at the
keyboard while singing a mellow
tune about his native West Vir-
ginia, its New River, and its age-
less mountains. He wistfully
looks out over his audience and
beyond, seemingly lost in the
nostalgia of being back home.
The mountaineer has made It
big in Nashville's country music.
In the past 19 years he has trav-
eled to 47 states and 16 coun-
tries, playing for crowds as large
as 38.000, Mr McCoy and his
band were at Carnegie Hall in
Lewlsburg for a November 17
concert, playing for a reduced fee
in order to contribute to the res-
toration/operation fund for the
regional cultural center.
"I'm really impressed with thls
building," he said in an earlier
interview. "I'm glad they're trying
to preserve it. After being in Eu-
rope where people are trying to
save old buildings, it's nice see-
Oak Hill and grew up in Fay-
ettevtlle. While 'still a child he
moved to Miami, Florida. "When
I was In high school In Florida I
began playing for a weekly barn
dance," he said. "Mel Tlllls was a
guest star for us once, and when
he heard me sing he said he
thought I could do well in Nash-
ville. I went on up to try out but
didn't make it at that time. How-
eqer. I went back to Nashville in
1960, and things worked out for
me then. I've been at it ever
since. I started out by playing
harmonica on demo records. A
record producer heard them,
liked them. things took off for
me,"
Despite its many changes over
the past few years, country mu-
sic continues to appeal to large
numbers of people for many rea-
sons, Mr McCoy said. "Most
people can identify with some-
thing they hear in country mu-
sic--things such as a man who's
lost his job and other such situ-
ations."
Mr McCoy's concentration is
on studio music. He averages
more than 200 recording ses-
sions per year with other Nash-
ville musicians and has released
16 albums of his own in the last
18 years. He currently serves as
music director of the syndicated
television senes "Hee Haw." He
has won a Grammy Award, two
Into Our Past:
Study Area
Stephen McBride enjoys dlg-
ging into the past --- literally. Mr
McBride is an archaeologist who
is on the faculty of the Univer-
sity of Kentucky. Recently he
and a group of diggers were in
Greeflbrler and Summers coun-
ties looking for artifacts which
would substantiate the locations
of Colonial forts.
*We located eight of the 13
sites which fie can verify pretty
confidently, Mr McBride said.
Positive identification of the
other five forts will have to walt
until Mr McBride can continue
his studies In this area at a later
date.
"The Summers County His-
toric Landmarks Commission
contracted for us to do an ar-
chaeological survey of the Colo-
nial forts in this area. We started
our field work In August. We
spent about ten days in actual
digging.
"l do what is called historical
archaeology. I concentrate on
sites occupied by Old World an-
cestry, primarily of the 18th and
19th centuries. Most of my work
has been done in Kentucky, but
we have done two other projects
here In West Virginia -- mapping
of two Civil War sites In the
Stephen McBride
quest to locate Fort Savannah.
"We had no luck. There has been
so much fill It wasn't possible for
us to verify the site. We'd need
much more time In this case."
The other four fort locations
which still remain to be verified
include Stuart's on Davis-Stuart
Road near Lewisburg;
Clendenln's Fort on Houfnagle
Road in Richlands; Baughman's,
Country Music Association Monongahela National Forest. See"Digging",Page2-A
Awards, and eight Academy ofOur work was done In order to " ""
Country Music Awards. At- get the two battle sites noml- Murder Trials
tllough his primary Instrument nated for the National Registry of Continued
is the harmonica, he also plays Historical Places." Mr McBride
Trials for three area per-
the keyboard, guitar, drums,said. sons indicted for murder by a
bass. and numerous wind In-
struments.
Mr McCoy began traveling in
1971 and has played concerts in
all states but the Dakotas and
Alaska. "I hope to get to those
areas eventually, too," he said.
He has presented concerts at the
State Fair of West Virginia on
two occasions and at numerous
other events throughout the
state.
He and his wife have one
daughter, a nurse in Nashville;
and a son, who will graduate
from Tennessee Tech University
in December. The couple has a
three-month-old granddaughter.
Mr McBride attended schools
In Greenbrler County before re-
ceiving his degree In anthropol-
ogy at Michigan State University.
His wife Kim. also an archaeolo-
gist, is the daughter of Charles
and Nora Arbogast of White
Sulphur Springs, Mrs McBride
accompanied her husband on
the trip to West Virginia and
conducted much of the actual
professional search.
Mr McBrlde's mother, Beverly,
is a psychologist who lives in
Lewlsburg, His father, John, also
a psychologist, lives in Logan.
In Greenbrier County the
team hit a blank wall in the
November 13 Greenbrler
County Grand Jury have been
contlnu ed until the April
1991 term of court, according
to the Greenbrier County
Prosecuting Attorney's office.
2he three -- Roger E. Cline,
25; Tummy S. Wilson. 29: and
Harry Joe Johnson, 22, are
all charged with murder in
connection with the October 6
shooting death of Tod
McQuaid, 36, of Lewisburg.
The continuances were
granted in the Greenbrler
County Circuit Court upon
motions by the defense.
.... 4B
..... 10A
...5A
.......... 12B
..... 11B
Comics .... 10B
................ 5A
................. 12B
B
.............. 10A
........................ 9A
............. - ........... 4B
.......................... 3A
....... 2B
..... IB
• •
