ways stuck with me. There were so many fun times we had together in those days, and they will forever remain some of the best memo- ries of my life. Rest easy, my friend, and we'll see you in The Next Adventure. Love, Chuck
Johnny Townsend, Sanford Townsend Band “Smoke from a Distant Fire;” The Rubber Band I wish I'd had taken the time to tell Johnny
how much he influenced my life in painful but positive ways. When I first met him, I was a shy little Southern Baptist boy that rarely said a cuss word and thought inside a box where Norman Rockwell was Art. Johnny was some- thing I'd never seen before. It was my very first experience with a truly Free Spirit. Johnny convinced me leaves didn't have to be green or faces have only one nose. He taught me, just by being himself, how to think out- side the box. I wrote my first song because of him. I made some great music and traveled all over the world because of him. He showed me a Universe that I had no idea existed when I was in high school. That period of my life had probably the largest amount of personal growth of all. Artist, Humorist, Philosopher, Writer, Musician and Liver Of Life. I salute your days here on this planet. You left it a bet- ter place and me a more studied man, for which I am grateful. - Johnny
Dick Cooper, Photographer & Muscle Shoals Historian, Music Industry Pro- fessional Johnny Wyker was a fun raiser. He could
make even the most hair-raising and agoniz- ing experiences fun. Whether it was chasing each other up and down the power lines emanating from Pick- wick Dam in Southern Tennessee on scream- ing dirt bikes, or running over anything that got in the way of his Seacamper during a Wild
Waterski Weekend, Johnny Wyker could make life worth living. His artistic talents were also extraordinary.
He was not only a talented musical and visual artist, he was also quite a con artist. He talked me into walking away from a promising ca- reer as a journalist to hang out at the studios in Muscle Shoals trying to worm my way into the music industry.
Wyker & Cooper.
(Photo Courtesy Dick Cooper)
When he suggested I should quit my job and get into the burgeoning music industry, I re- sponded, "Johnny, I don't know anything about the music business." His response was simply, "No one else does either." So, much to the dismay my wife and her
family, I walked away from the Florence Times-Tri-Cities Daily and spent the next two years learning how to make a living in Music. It was the best move I ever made. Johnny helped me through those hard
times. As winter approached, he came to help me cut wood because the low rent house I had found on the top of an isolated mountain near the Shoals had only a couple of fire places and a wood heater. While I cut and loaded wood, Johnny fell asleep on the yellow line in the middle of the road in front of the house. There was never any traffic to disturb him. After a couple of years, I managed to find my first real music job, and found that hang-
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