Gram Parsons was the one who saw me photographing folks at the swap meets back in 1968. He knew I loved the salt of the earth real folks that came from near and far and gathered at places like this.
He was the one who said, "You need to go to the south—you need to go to the Ozarks—you need to go to the reservations—you need to see what makes America a place of roots."
And I did. Together with my friend Cheryl Winette, we headed out with our cameras. Two girls, a convertible and a heart full of appreciation for the people we met. This gentleman in the Ozarks liked to wear skirts, so he had a breeze on hot summer days. He played, "You Are My Sunshine," for his goat and us.
