James Blackstock '62

PLAYED MUSIC PROFESSIONALLY FOR 51 YEARS (KEYBOARD), BUT ALWAYS KEPT A "REAL" JOB AS WELL. THOSE REAL JOBS INCLUDE A CAREER WITH TDCJ (FORMERLY TEXAS DEPT OF CORRECTIONS), FROM 1984 -2003, THEN FOLLOWING A 5-YEAR RETIREMENT, RETURNED TO THE AGENCY IN 2008. PRESENTLY LIVING IN HUNTSVILLE, WORKING AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS.
PLAYED MUSIC FOR MANY COUNTRY BANDS, INCLUDING BOBBY BARE AND GENE WATSON.
MARRIED DONNA AYDELL IN 1969, HAVE A SON AND A 2-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON JACK; EXPECTING A GRANDDAUGHTER ON 11/11/11.

DON'T RECALL TOO MUCH FUNNY ABOUT IT; HAD TO WORK TOO HARD, JUST TO GRADUATE. NAW, REALLY I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL FUNNY STORIES, BUT NOT MANY SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC PRINT.

CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING, ACTUALLY. I ALWAYS WANTED TO TRAVEL WITH A BAND IN A BIG FANCY BUS, AND PLAY ALL OVER THE U.S. DONE THAT.
ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY THE GRAND OLE OPRY, JUST ONE TIME. HAVE DONE IT 25 TIMES NOW.
WANTED TO SEE SOME OF THE WORLD, ON VACATION. DONNA AND I HAVE BEEN TO HAWAII, GREECE, CANADA, BRAZIL. . .TAKEN SEVERAL CRUISES. PLAN TO TRAVEL EVEN MORE. OH, I KNOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO. . .LIVE TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN GROWN. BUT BRIAN AND HIS WIFE DIDN'T BLESS US WITH ONE 'TIL WE WERE 65, SO WISH ME LUCK ON THAT ONE.

I PARTIED PRETTY HARD, 'TIL 1980, THEN QUIT DRINKING ALTOGETHER. BEEN DRY AS A BONE FOR OVER 31 YEARS NOW. GUESS I'M A FIRE HAZARD.

I GUESS IT WAS TURKEY. YEAH, KHUSADASI, TURKEY. THAT WAS ON THE TRIP TO GREECE AND THE GREEK ISLES IN 1988. WALKED THE STREETS OF ALABASTER IN EPHASUS, WHERE THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS WAS WRITTEN.

WORKED AS A DISC JOCKEY AT KIKK IN HOUSTON BACK IN THE 60s & 70s. ONCE INTERVIEWED ANN MARGARET. ALSO MANY COUNTRY MUSIC STARS.
ALSO MET LLOYD BENTSEN, WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR SENATE THE FIRST TIME.