Happy Father's Day

Virgil "Sonny" Rivers II 

Happy Father's Day to my dad, no longer with us but always a part of my soul. I wish I could be in Texas right now to mark this weekend with flowers on his grave but I'll do that soon as I can. For now I will celebrate him in thought and with a lifetime of memories...

I love going back to the time when my father proudly ran his record stores all around Houston, Texas. They were called Budget Soul Records. This time period was during the late seventies when soul music rang supreme. I remember my father telling me to grab a couple records that I like from his store. He left me alone and I went to town! I picked up albums like The Big Payback by James Brown and anything else I could find by Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, Earth Wind & Fire, Rufus & Chaka Khan, etc etc...There was just TOO MUCH good music at that time! When my father came back in the front of the store he seen this HUGE stack of records and was like "umm..son, I said just a couple records.." (smile) It was funny now that I look back on it but then I was pretty serious about taking all those albums. My feelings were hurt that day but I celebrate the moment in memory, now.

Another cool time was when my father had been awarded a golden key to the city of Houston by the mayor for being the number one black business man in town. They sent a news crew over to the main store on Alameda Rd. My father did the interview and I stood by looking all proud. Then rather than go home that evening to watch the report on television, my dad took me to the Velvet Turtle restaurant. We ate good that night... Lobster, steak, bake potato... whew!

I hope my father is smiling down upon me. I believe I'm doing okay and I'm always trying to do better. I wish I had my dad's knack for hustling/selling, but I know I have his determination to always work hard and put in a good day's work. Thanks Dad... I hope I make you proud..Love you.