Ray Stevens

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February 10, 2018

Dear Ray,

Not to make you feel old, but my grandmother introduced me to your music on cassette tape in the late 80’s as a pre-teen.  I was far from your first fan, but you were the first artist I cared to follow.  At the time Squirrel in the Church was probably the most blasphemous song I’d ever listened to, and the funniest. That very scene playing out in the small-town Southern Baptist church we attended wasn’t at all hard to imagine.

My dad and grandfather raised chickens for Pilgrim’s Pride co, and I remember being so excited I could hardly contain myself when my grandparents offered to take me to the Pilgrim’s Picnic the year you took the stage to entertain that giant flock of poultry workers and their families.  I don’t remember what year that was and can’t seem to find record of it in the depths of the internet, but I’ll never forget how thrilled I was to see you perform in-person.

Somewhere along the way I guess I lost track of you.  But through Project Gratitude, in my search for your address, Wikipedia learned me that you were busy cranking out good humor as recently as 2015.  I have some catching up to do with Ray-ality TV and Here We Go Again.  This is just to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the wholesome belly laughs that have stemmed from your good natured comedy.

Sincerely,

Daniel