When the Hales Take Over the New (1964)

I’ve already written a good bit about my camping trips with my uncle Don Hale, his dad Henry (my grandfather) and my brother David and other members of the Hale gang. This song is my personal favorite about those times at Sandstone Falls on the New River. This video features Alan singing this song from … Read more

The River by the C & O (1962)

The “hobo” character in the song is just a guy who never got his life together in a way he was satisfied with. That was Pat Hale. Although I didn’t consciously make the connection when I wrote it — it was happenstance — that’s how it turned out. Pat was never happy with his station; never settled as a family man; caroused … Read more