Just Among Friends


This appeared in The Neshoba Democrat - July 10, 2013

Marty Stuart came home last week and what a home he has to come home to!

Philadelphia lived up to her reputation as a city of genuine love and hospitality as we welcomed Marty and Connie, his band and their friends from RFD-TV Nashville.

From my vantage point, as a volunteer at the Community Development Partnership at the Depot, I saw how Philadelphia worked together to make Marty's homecoming a day to remember.

RFD-TV was in Philadelphia to film the final show of the fifth season of The Marty Stuart Show, viewed in Philadelphia on RFD-TV Channel 14 at 7 p.m. on Saturday evenings.

While in Philadelphia, they filmed in "Marty places," such as his grandparents home place, his and Connie's cabin at Route 8, Philadelphia, Peggy's, Philadelphia Gun and Pawn and of course, Williams Brothers, where they were treated to bologna sandwiches.

The show itself was filmed before a packed audience in the historic downtown Ellis Theater Friday evening, June 28. The newly restored "Ellis" marquee proudly blinked in the night, announcing the showing of The Marty Stuart Show inside.

The restoration of the marquee was the gift of a private benefactor, whose identity will be revealed later.

Through all the preparation, I came to appreciate more than ever before, how blessed our community is to have both a radio station and a newspaper. They are the tie that binds us all together, keeping us informed, or paraphrasing our Editor Jim Prince, "They are the soul of our community."

I love it when I have breaking news releases to report.

The Marty Stuart Show, as filmed this past week in Philadelphia, will be shown on RFD-TV Channel 14, Saturday, August 31 at 7 p.m.

Over the weekend our church choirs sang praises and lifted prayers for America in celebration of the Fourth of July.

At the patriotic musical, "Celebrate America," presented by the choir at Grace Baptist Church, directed by Tim Moore, I sat behind Tony Sharp and his two-year-old year grandson, Evan Sharp.

Evan, standing on the pew beside his grandad, was unaware of the adoration in the eyes of his grandfather.

I thought to myself, this is just a little sampling of the love that has made Philadelphia and America great.

Ayla, Neshoba County General Hospital and Nursing Home's service dog, and Stacy Cook, Ayla's trainer and friend, were among the excited overflow crowd who gathered Sunday afternoon to celebrate the opening of our new Hospital and Nursing Home, "The day we've all been waiting for."

And this is the "home" Marty Stuart came home to. Home to, as Marty calls us, "The best people in all the world!"

Who are we to argue. We are proud of you, too, Marty.

By Rachel Evans


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