posted
Got back yesterday from another wonderful Letterhead experience, in Laurens, South Carolina. The meet was hosted by a really warm and friendly guy, Donald Thompson of #1 Sign Designs. Donnie has one of those shops most of us dream about. When I pulled up Friday night, Joe Buck and Ryan Young were slinging paint on one of the many incredible panels they produced over the weekend. Next to them was my favorite Letterhead guitar player, Paul Bathe, and shortly thereafter, in walks Jim Norris with his talented entourage. If you were at Ricky Jackson's meet in 1986, you'll remember how Jim, Timi and Punch just blew everyone's mind. He's still doing it.
One of my favorite parts of a meet is watching a first-timer try something new and seeing that "awakening" in their eyes. There were also 3 sign companies from the same town who had never met each other, and at the end of the meet were making plans to get together later. Letterheads is without a doubt the single best thing that's influenced my life in this business, and Donnie, thanks for opening your shop and your heart to keep the spirit alive.
See y'all at the Sandcastle Jam - I can hardly wait.
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
You said it Sonny. Thanks go out to Donald and his warm and friendly family for puting up with us {me}. This was a small meet that will hopefully grow every year. Thanks for all your hard work on putting this on you did a great job. Thank you for letting me sleep on the shop couch! The seat in my truck would have been terrible.
Thanks go out to my new humble freind Joe Buck. You are a great artist and I enjoyed working with you on both days. I am looking forward to doing this with you in the near future. You are the man
I also got to work on a truck with one of this areas best. I can now say I worked with Jim Norris on a flame job. This is a pretty big deal for me becouse ever since i was small i have seen his work at dragstrips and car shows and considered him one of my heros. It was very nice to work on something with him. He also got me started with gold leafing./ I have been waiting to start but never got the chance.
I also got to meet THE Sonny Franks. I enjoyed our short conversations and cant wait to see you at the sand castle jam. I also must clarify that the awsome panels that Sonny saw were Joe Bucks!
Thanks to everyone else that was there. John, Paul and everyone else you made this a great time.
-------------------- Ryan Young Indocil Art & Design indocil@comporium.net 803-980-6765
I highjacked Letterville!! Winter Muster 2004 Posts: 904 | From: Rock Hill, SC | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I wanted to go but did not have a chauffer.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sonny & Ryan, I am horoned to have met you both. I really appreciate all of the nice comments. I do plan on making this an annual event because of guys like you both. I am sure that Joe Buck will read this, but from what I understand, he won't respond. I had a fantastic time this weekend, not much rest though. It was worth it. For those of you who know Joe Buck, that guy is an animal. I left at 1:30am Fri. night and he was at an easel, and when I got back at 7:00am Sat. morning he was still there. Ryan has pictures. It really was an honor hosting guys like Ryan, Sonny, Joe and Jim among others. You would never know those guys were "World Famous" by their willingness to help guys like myself. I am still working on the trip to Ft. Myers. See ya later, Donald P.S. The couch is reserved for Ryan next year!
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic