I’m a big fan of songwriters and poets. Dottie Rambo was one of the very best, ever…any form of music. To me, her ability to put paper to pen and illustrate a thought was equal to the Gershwins, Bacharachs, Harlan Howards, any prolific composer you can name…Dottie Rambo’s name should be included in any list of great songwriters.

Aside from that, Dottie, along with her ex-husband, Buck and her daughter, Reba made up one of my very favorite trios…ever.  As a matter of fact, just this very day, on the Ipod, I was listening to the Rambos sing about being “sheltered in the arms of God.”  I never get tired of that one or of “He Looked Beyond My Fault”, “If That Isn’t Love”, “When I Lift Up My Head”, “The Holy Hills”, “One More Valley”, “In The Valley He Restoreth My Soul”….I could list a ton more.  Great stuff.  Look ’em up on Itunes…you will be amazed and dazzled.

I can’t tell you how personally, for me, lyrics like “Let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they won’t worry me, for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God…He walks with me and none of earth shall harm me…for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God” have given my weary heart rest and reminder that I’m not doing this thing called Life by myself.

Or lyrics like “Too many sunsets lie behind the mountains, too many rivers my feet have walked through…too many treasures are waiting over yonder…there’s too much to gain to lose” have given me a little extry oomph to keep pluggin…God has been good to use stuff like words mixed together in rhyme to pump me up more than just about anything. Music is a powerful tool.

I find it ironic that Dottie, who had battled a ridiculous amount of trials in her time, especially in the last couple of decades…serious back issues, a divorce from Buck, being near death no telling how many times, that she met her end in a bus wreck, on a way to a gig in Texas…at 74 years old! 

The Gentleman Formerly Known As My Boss, the fabulous David, was good enough to send this pitcher along of he and Miz Dottie.  What a treasure.  Look at Dave….aw…makes me miss the ol’ boy.  Hadn’t seen him in awhile.