I've been a Country Music fan all of my life (51 years) and to that I owe a debt of gratitude to my Grandma Mumaw. She is a little old Kentucky hill girl and loved her Country music, a love she passed on to me. Somehow though, the music of Carl and Pearl Butler had eluded me. I had never heard of them. Fast forward to about 1999, a friend of mine, Jim Nelligan, of http://jjphotostudio.net/ loaned me his copy of the movie: "Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar" which can be found here: http://www.purecountrymusic.com/product/SECOND-FIDDLE-TO-A-STEEL-GUITAR/dvds Carl and Pearl are in this movie and they sing their number one hit record, "Don't Let Me Cross Over" and "Just Thought I'd Let You Know". Well I just fell in love with Carl and Pearl's singing. I started buying their LP's on EvilBay as well as their 45's and various pictures and other memorabilia.

A few months later my friend Jim and I are talking about this movie and I mention Carl and Pearl and how much I like their music. Jim says, "well, you know that their former lead guitar player lives in Marion don't you?" Well of course I didn't, lol. Jim gave me his phone number and for some reason I waited like a year to call the man.

Out of the blue one evening I decided to give the former lead guitar player a call and see if he would talk to me about Carl and Pearl. He was shocked that anyone even remembered who Carl and Pearl were! He was in the middle of giving a guitar lesson and asked to call me back. I don't think I really expected him to call me back but he did. We talked for about four hours on the phone and he had me laughing off of my chair with tales of being on the road with Carl and Pearl.

Here is a picture of my new friend, former Carl Butler and Pearl lead guitarist, Don Unterfer.

Thank you for your stories of Carl and Pearl, Don, I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me about them and sharing your memories. More than that though, I appreciate the friendship that we have developed in the past couple of years. I thank ya "cuz".

Until next time, Keep on Honkytonkin !

Here is a picture of Carl with E.T. on the right and I believe Stu Phillips in the middle. Stu was a Canadian Country Music star before coming to Nashville. Stu and his wife Aldona operate Long Hollow Winery in Goodlettsville, near Nashville. He is also an ordained Minister in the Episcopal Church and a member in good standing at the Grand Ole Opry. This picture was taken by the great Opry Photographer (for 32 years), Les Leverett and is used with his permission. Thank you Les, I appreciate that very much!