Flora-Bama regular Rock Killough passes away

Flora-Bama regular Rock Killough passes away
Dixie Flyers included Larry T Wilson, John Joiner, Bryan Wheeler, Darrel Roberts

By Fran Thompson
A memorial for honorary Flora-Bama Possible/Probable entertainer Rock Killough has been tentatively penciled in for Feb. 16 from 2-6 p.m. in the FloraBama Tent.
Rock’s family, friends and the many musicians who want to play at the memorial look forward to sharing a special day honoring Rock, and the Flora-Bama family has graciously stepped forward to host the celebration, according to a facebook post from Rock’s family. Tributes have flooded social, print and broadcast media since his family announced Rock’s passing on Sept. 12.
“If you would like to honor Rock, find a porch made for sitting, pour a glass of tea, and listen…Really listen to one of his ballads. It might be the best thing you do all day,’’ Killough’s family posted.
The family also posted these lyrics from Rock’s The Absence of Love: “The churches are empty, the jails are all full. It’s over our own eyes we’re pulling the wool. Making us blind to decay from within. Where misguided values and Greed are no sin…’’
A Greenville native, Rock was an Army vet who crafted songs for some of country music’s very best. He was a perfect fit immediately upon being welcomed into the ‘Bama possible/probables around the turn of the century. That was partly because he had already recruited arguably the area’s best guitarist (John Joiner), drummer (Bryan Wheeler), bass player (Darrell Roberts), and vocalist (Larry T. Wilson) to back him up at the “Bama and on the road for sweet gigs such as the Bum Phillips Charity Golf Tourney. The band, The Dixie Flyers, was able to record one CD, before Wheeler and then Larry T. passed away.
“To those who got to visit the Bama before Ivan blew it away, this CD will bring back a flood of memories,’’ Rock said about that recording.
Rock performed with The Oak Ridge Boys, Sammy Kershaw, Randy Travis, Brenda Lee, Waylon Jennings, Hank Jr., Merle Haggard, David Fizzell, Larry Cordle, Jerry Reed, Carole King, Jerry Jeff Walker and Mickey Newbury.
He began playing guitar at age 8 and was writing music by the time he was in high school. He honed his songwriting in the Army, and continued on that writing path at Auburn.
In 1976 he connected in Nashville with HOF songwriter Hank Cochran and that led to a publishing deal and an appearance on the very first “Austin City Limits” songwriter’s special with Floyd Tillman, Sonny Throckmorton, Cochran, Red Lane, Willie Nelson and Whitey Shafer.
Always a storyteller first, Rock gathered his wit and wisdom for a 2022 book that includes an audio version scored by Craig Morris. He wrote this in his book: “Sometimes it’s hard to keep my spirits up, what with being a short-timer and all. But sitting on the porch, getting to see the sun come and go, with the wind whispering in the pines, I feel the certainty of that line in the Twenty Third Psalm, ‘“He restoreth my soul.’’’
Pictured: Rock with Flora-Bama co-owners Joe Gilchrist & Pat McClellan and fellow songwriter/musician Rick Whaley.