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BELL BUCKLE WEEKEND WITH RUSS AND TORI TAFF

BELL BUCKLE WEEKEND WITH RUSS AND TORI TAFF

What does it take to get this Canadian girl to go to some place called Bell Buckle, Tennessee? Well for starters, a getaway weekend simply titled: Russ and Tori Taff’s weekend in Bell Buckle, consisting of some of the best Gospel music there is today. Throw in some of the best southern cooking, hospitality, and charm. Think it is hard to fit all of this into a charming hamlet of 500+ inhabitants? Well, it is possible because that’s exactly what happened. To quote our weekend host Tori Taff, “A joyful oasis from your daily routine,” and that’s what this amazing weekend delivered.

What I am referring to? The 2nd Annual Russ and Tori Taff ‘s Weekend in Bell Buckle, Tenn., on Oct. 7 and 8. From the moment I stepped into the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall on the Friday for early registration, I was greeted with open arms, which quickly got filled with the warmest and most sincere hug from our greeter

Tori Taff

Tori herself. As a guest, you get treated to a registration bag filled with goodies; name tag/badge, lovely commemorative mug, a professional and gorgeous autographed 8×10 picture of Russ Taff, yummy moon pie samples, Bell Buckle bumper sticker, and an exclusive CD by Russ of never before released songs. In addition, a list of shops indicating their discounts especially for the weekend guests, all packed into a nice yellow tote bag. Tori is definitely in her wheelhouse, hosting, greeting and scheduling this annual event. Leaving Russ, who has been called “the introvert in an extroverts career,” to do what he does best: sing. And that he did, in spades.

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Wisdom from Dusty Wells: This Place

Dusty Wells

By Dusty Wells

One of my favorite cherished memories that I hold onto, of my many years of traveling, ministering, taking care of and walking alongside of the late prolific songwriter, artist and my friend Dottie Rambo, was listening to her tell me stories of how she was divinely inspired to write certain songs. Or how she would come up with ideas for her lyrics and music….you see Dottie was not one that liked to be put into a room and told to write something. She hated having deadlines for writing for a new project. She always wanted her heart, life and soul to be open, honest and vulnerable to where she was on her own journey.

Dottie lived what she sang and then she sang what she lived. She chose to live her songs and then share them with the world. Many days and nights of our traveling together or sitting at her house doing work during the evening, I would hear her crying out in pain from her back problems. I knew one of the only things that would help is when she would get in the anointing, so I would start asking her to tell me about her life, her journey, the fans she loved and the story behind the songs.

I had the opportunity to tape many of those conversations via an old cassette recorder that she loved to tape on while recording new song ideas. She always wanted to have a book out on the Story Behind the Songs. We would always end up with tons of used Kleenex tossed aside, and tears and laughter taking us to new places. She had a story for everything or so it seemed. I loved listening to her and I loved to encourage her to tell me more.

Dony McGuire. Reba Rambo McGuire. Dusty Wells

This morning as I was out walking, I was doing a little praying and seeking God for some certain answers not only for our life but also for several friends who are in desperate need for answers. I looked around at the beautiful foliage and greenery that surrounds the lake which we live close to, and I was reminded so gently that God is all around us. Yes He is in the churches where we worship, in the concert halls we sing at,and in the grand cathedrals that were built in His honor. He is found in all of those places, but He is right here in our hearts. That is His dwelling place. I felt Him in a fresh way and I knew He was right there with us.

I started humming the classic Dottie chorus, “Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome,” and all of a sudden I remembered her telling me the story of how that song came to be.

The Rambos (Buck, Dottie and Reba) had been invited to sing behind the Iron Curtain in the early ‘70’s. They were told they could sing any and all of their songs, but they could not talk about God or the blood of Jesus if they were to talk and share in between the songs. All they could do was sing the Gospel. Nothing else would be tolerated.

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