Comments for Tom Poland, A Southern Writer

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Tom Poland

Tom Poland — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:35:25 +0000

Not yet but I am sure there will be some. Atlanta has a very active shag club.

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Robin

Robin — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:34:03 +0000

Any book signings in the Atlanta area??

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Melinda Cotton

Melinda Cotton — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:00:41 +0000

Hi Tom!

Congratulations on the successful completion of your project. I know you will find a strong market for your book. I will have to get a signed copy for my father, who spent many, many hours shagging at the beach. He had some smooth moves! Please post your signing schedule when you know. Take care.

All the Best,
Melinda

Comment on Son Of The Deep South by VICKI BRUNO

VICKI BRUNO — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:06:12 +0000

I enjoy all of your e-mails, please keep them coming.

Comment on Ruins Of The South by vaMODERN

vaMODERN — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:23:00 +0000

Great article about ruins!

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Tom Poland

Tom Poland — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:51:30 +0000

Kay … how nice to receive your response to the book. I, however, did not grow up in the shag culture. I grew up landlocked in Georgia and only heard of the shag about the time it was making a comeback in 1980. Nor am I married but none of that stops me from appreciating what the shaggers accomplished. The book will be out in August. I remember Tom. Your story is echoed by many and I think you will really enjoy the book.

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Kay Fuller Vota

Kay Fuller Vota — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:37:29 +0000

Hey,
Cannot wait to read your book. A friend of mine, Tom Shipman, who has been
in touch with you as well, told me of your book. I so identify with what I have read so far.
As a young girl, I outgrew all the boys and was so afraid I would never have a date! I learned to shag by watching the best dancers at the Beach and just as you did,
going home and dancing with the bed post. It was so exciting when I finally “got it right”!
I too had dates and invites because I could dance. Didn’t matter if one was short or tall — if he could dance! If he couldn’t, I taught him…Life was so much more simple “back in the
day”.

Met one of the Fiestas (So Fine) in an elevator in NYC. Still think Sexy Ways by Hank Ballard is one of the all time best Beach Music Songs. And then there is Rocking Crickets by the Hot Toddies — always be a favorite as learned to dance to that!

You are lucky you married your sweetheart who loved to dance as well! My native New
Yorker husband could have cared less. Don’t know how that happened…

Still live in NYC but keep in touch with old friends and family in the South.

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Carolyn S Vaughan

Carolyn S Vaughan — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:57:39 +0000

Glad I found this site! I wondered what was the state of the book. I sent you a contribution a while ago about my romance with the music and dance and my then husband, David Vaughan. Just wanted to be sure you knew that David died two years ago and guess what I have on his tombstone? Save the Last Dance for Me!

Comment on A1A, The Road To Burma Shave by Charlie Smith

Charlie Smith — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:53:36 +0000

Oh Tom! This time you brought the tears. Your story could have been my young life when our parents offered their time and love instead of cell phones and I-pads. Both of my parents are gone and have been since 1988 when my Mother died. This sure brought them back and all the memories that goes with that.
We would get on A1A in Jacksonville and follow it to Daytona Beach and cut across to Silver Springs. I remember one year we rented a house near the beach in Jacksonville with another family that were friends of my parents. The strange thing looking back was we were from Savannah and spent a lot of time at Tybee beach but the beaches in Florida seemed to more fun. In full discloser here we did move to Chattanooga when I was about 9 and most of those trips to Florida were after that. The Burma Shave signs were in Ga. also as you know and all those two-lane roads from Chattanooga to Savannah had their fair share. The only thing that was a little different from your family trip is my Mother thought fried chicken and pimento-cheese sandwich were made to be eaten together. Ha!
Thanks
charlie

Comment on Save The Last Dance For Me by Johnny Drinkard

Johnny Drinkard — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:59:58 +0000

Grandaddy (John P. Drinkard, Sr.) once told me that I would never amount to anything because all I wanted to do was ready trashy paperback novels and listen to that god damn African jungle music. That music eventually became “rock and roll” with the whole world tuning in. I love the groups with “soul” like the Fiestas, Falcons, and Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. The Catalinas and other lily white sounds never rang my chimes. Betty Pope taught me to shag in her bed room on “Courthouse Street” and Sarah K. called it “hot supper music.” I would go home and practice the shag holding on to the bed post in my room on Humphrey St. Even though nobody in Athens ever mistook me for Warren Beatty, I had lots of dates and invites because I could dance. Aunt Helen T. was responsible for what little bit of polish I acquired. She corrected my pronunciation of saLmon and sawsage and made me chew with my mouth closed. But hot supper music, Betty Pope, and the shag paved the way to whatever social success I achieved including leading me to the love of my life and wife for 45 years. She was called “The Dancing Fool” at the Theta house and never would have dated let alone married someone who couldn’t dance.