I met the father who started the Bluegrass Mountaineers Friday night at Springfield Lake Park near Akron, Ohio.

When I found out he was from Mannington, and since I’m from Monongah, I walked over to the Gazebo during a break in the musicians’ performance and talked to him.

I’m almost 84, so Edward “Beanpole” Efaw is only 2 years older than me. We talked about Cassie Ryan, the Mannington High coach, and Jim Feltz, the Monongah High coach, who are both deceased and were outstanding coaches.

It was like being home again.

Beanpole left Mannington in the 1950s, as I did, to come to Ohio. In his case, the family landed in Norton, Ohio.

At the age of 22, he started his own band in Mannington, Jug Head and Beanpole and the Bluegrass Ramblers. In the early 1960's, when he moved to Norton, Beanpole changed the name to The Bluegrass Mountaineers.

Eventually, they wound up on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville.

Son Larry Efaw, grandson Stanley Efaw, Tom Isaacs, John Bryan and Anthony Prater are in the band.

Prater is married to Larry’s niece, Jennifer.