White Oak Mountain Ramblers is a family band that has been playing together for 6 years. Named for the place our ancestors settled over a century and half ago. We still live & play music in the mountains. Their memory lives on through our music, a legacy to pass down to further generations. We honor them & hope they are never forgotten.
Tom Acton has been interested in music and singing most of his life, playing and singing with family and friends as time and opportunity presents itself.
When he was 13 years old a younger brother, David, age 5, died suddenly from a viral infection. This was very unexpected and heartbreaking for the family. Needing an outlet to help cope with the grief and pain of losing his younger brother he decided to learn to play the guitar.
At 14 Tom bought his first guitar and a chord and song book from Sears with money earned from working on the family farm at Scotland, Arkansas, where he grew up with hard working parents and four brothers and a sister. The kids called it the "poor farm." And that's what they call it today. Melissa, Tom's oldest daughter, and her husband Mike make the "poor farm" their home today.
At the mercy of his family he began to teach himself to play. He had a very talented friend in school, Dennis, who could play the guitar. They would get together at each other's home and practice. In time they were good enough to perform at school and community functions, playing and singing.
Tom has a very powerful voice range, due in part to natural talent and in part to an older brother in church, Brother Stroud, who put together an acappella quartet, singing gospel songs. Tom was the soprano for the quartet during his junior high and high school years.
At age 16 he was visiting a church in a neighboring community where he met a pretty young lady, Linda. He became quite interested in her and she in him and he began to visit her and bring along his guitar to entertain. They would listen to Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride all those good ole country singers.
During their high school years they would continue to develop their relationship on weekends since they attended different schools and she had no telephone. They both graduated high school and Tom went off to Harrison, Arkansas to school where he continued to entertain the students he attended school with. The next summer they were married and moved to Harrison. Their first child, a beautiful daughter, Melissa was born there. They moved to Missouri and a second child, another beautiful daughter, Michelle was born. Then they moved back to Arkansas, close to home and guess what, another beautiful daughter, Lisa, was born.
The family was complete and maturing. Tom spent most of his time working two jobs so Linda could be home with the girls and to create a good place to come home to. This left not a lot of time to devote to his love of music but he would spend all the time he could, playing and singing.
In the 80's he began to develop an interest in Bluegrass Music, listening to Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, going to see them perform at festivals and buying all the albums and cassettes then cd's and listening to them, both at home and in the car.
To celebrate Tom's birthday in 1992, Tom and Linda attended a festival near Branson, Missouri where Mr. Monroe was appearing. Without Tom knowing, Linda asked one of the Bluegrass Boys if they would play "Walk Softly on this Heart of Mine," in the show tonight, because it was one of Tom's favorites and today was his birthday. A little while into the show Mr. Monroe said this song has been requested and after singing it he said, "there is a young man in the audience having a birthday today, Tom Acton, would you please stand." When he stood they sang "Happy Birthday" to him. That was such a nice surprise and one of the best birthday's he ever had.
In the 90's Tom was playing some with a group of friends that would meet at Richard's house on the weekend. Richard was a banjo player and a singer who also wrote some of the songs he sang. Tom began to get interested in writing songs. In the early 90's he wrote a number of songs performing them mostly for friends and family for a time and then laying them aside until the last couple of years. Tom, also, continues to learn new things. He has learned to play the mandolin and enjoys it more than the guitar.
His daughters never showed interest in playing music while they were home and growing up. However, they have been blessed with beautiful voices and have grown up singing in church and with family and friends. As they have gotten older and with the help of their husbands and children, they are making music a part of their lives, learning to play and even writing some great songs.
With Melissa and Mike, her husband living near by, Tom enjoys getting together with them to play. Mike has spent most of his life entertaining either by himself or with a band. He is a very talented singer and entertainer. Whether playing a gig or jamming at home Tom always enjoys playing with his son-in-law.
There now are grandchildren getting involved both in playing and singing, to Tom's delight. Every time the children and grandchildren come home for a visit we have a great time.
Tom's immediate goal is for the family to cut a cd of original family music, hopefully sometime this year.
Linda Jackson Acton
Mike Redmond learned to play guitar in his early 20's and started singing & playing on his back porch. Before long, he was playing local venues & benefits with his self-titled band “The Mike Redmond Band”. They played country & southern rock. Mike has a very powerful voice & strong stage presence. Once you hear him you're blown away.
Songs “Brother John” & “Sophie's Lullaby” are by my sister, Lisa Acton Smith © 2007. Lisa's band, The Bulger Mountain Band, made up of her husband & children, was named for our grandfather. His nickname was Bulger, pronounced (Bull-jur). Their website & publishing company is coming soon. We will publish through her company. More songs will post as soon as the copyrights are obtained. Making music is a family affair.
Mike Redmond Singing "Wolverton Mountain" for Clifton Clower's 101st Birthday. Video taken Aug 30, 1992. Check out Mike's New YouTube Channel RattlerMan-Unscripted
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