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With Dorinda at a Journey concert in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 2017. (First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, Aug. 14, 2026.) “Hello, I’ve waited here for you, everlong …”— “Everlong,” Foo Fighters Music matters. Sometimes it’s the song itself. Sometimes it’s simply the song that happened to be playing during one of the best moments of your life. And sometimes a song finds you on a day when you desperately need it. I recently had one of those days. I was missi

Ellis Cattan, a volunteer at the Gulf State Park Pier, shows a graduation picture of his wife, Linda, during a sunrise visit to the pier. (Photo by Wayne Smith.) By Wayne Smith “… And dream of a girl I used to know. I closed my eyes and she slipped away …”— “More Than a Feeling,” Boston I first met Ellis Cattan one morning in March. At the time, I didn’t know he was a longtime volunteer at Gulf State Park Pier — an ambassador for one of the area’s landmarks. He’s also an unof

Cowboy Johnson performs at Doc’s along with keyboardist Augie Savage. (Photos by Wayne Smith.) “I need an old friend, ‘cause old friends know just what to do on any given day, when to get up in your face, when to walk away, I need an old friend.” — “Old Friend,” Cowboy Johnson Cowboy Johnson is a relatively new friend. But sit down and talk with him a couple of times and it’s easy to see him as an old friend, like you’ve known him for years. And on the morning of April 25, th

Family beach photo from 2006. Some things come back. Some things make a full circle. Haircut styles. Clothes. Whatever pop culture of the moment. So, too, do people. I had a full circle moment shortly before turning 62 on July 20. (Hard to imagine — I lost 40 years somewhere.) Around 1966, my dad bought several houses from property near the University of North Alabama in Florence. The school was clearing land to make room for new dormitories, I’m told. Dad had them moved to h

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, July 17, 2026.) Dorinda helps Alex with his sunglasses on the beach in July 1993. By Wayne Smith "In another perfect life, in another perfect light, we run, we run, we run, run."— "Run," Foo Fighters I can't tell you the last time I went running. I can narrow it down to probably five or six years ago. I used to hate running. Hated it. Now, with it a struggle just to walk, I like to dream about running again. I work ou

(First appeared for Gulf Coast Media in The Baldwin Times, July 10, 2026.) With Dorinda at Fernandina Beach, Florida, on July 4, 2020, a few days before her birthday. By Wayne Smith Gulf Coast Media Contributor Dear Bear, "How I wish, how I wish you were here." You know the words to the Pink Floyd song. Today would have been your 58th birthday. And as I sit here this morning, a week after one of the most joyful weekends I have experienced in a long time, I find myself thinkin

(First published for Gulf Coast Media in The Baldwin Times on July 3, 2026.) With Rhys and Rynn after meeting her for the first time May 30. "The waiting is the hardest part." Tom Petty fans will recognize that line immediately. Last month, it was quite literally part of my life. I was in Florence waiting to meet my new granddaughter, Rynn, who carries part of her Dee Dee's name with her. Rynn — named in part for DoRINda — was born May 28. And she is beautiful. Just like her

(Column first appeared for Gulf Coast Media in The Baldwin Times, June 26, 2026.) With Dorinda before the storm-shortened Foo Fighters concert at New York’s Citi Field on July 17, 2024. “ … If everything could ever be this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again …”— Foo Fighters, “Everlong” Sometimes the best laid plans … That came to mind last week when our Gulf Coast beaches were filled with rows and rows of seagrass. The City of Orange Beach posted on soci

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, June 19, 2026.) Aimee Bertucci with her friend David Walters. (Photos courtesy of Aimee Bertucci.) “Thanks for all you’ve done. I’ve missed you for so long. I can’t believe you’re gone …” — Opening lyrics from Alter Bridge song, “In Loving Memory” You never know where a meaningful conversation might begin. In my case, it started in a Gulf Shores barbershop. I walked in looking for a haircut a few months ago and walked

(Note: Liza and Kerri completed their journey of visiting all 30 Major League ballparks on June 28 in Minnesota. Column first appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, June 12, 2026.) With Liza and Kerri ahead of the June 3 game in Atlanta. (Wayne Smith photos.) There was something about meeting Liza Subik in person that reminded me of my Bear. I just couldn't put my finger on it. After a nine-inning baseball game last week at Atlanta's Truist Park, though, I fina

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, June 5, 2026.) Dorinda when we first bought our condo in April 2022. Do I or don’t I? On the eve of meeting my new granddaughter — actually the early morning hours ahead of meeting her — I struggled with a decision. That’s nothing new — much like my father, I struggle sometimes making life decisions. Dad, now, he’d call one person after the next asking their opinion when faced with doing this or that. Ultimately, he’d

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, May 29, 2026.) The author with his best friend and wife, Dorinda, in 2011. By Wayne Smith Gulf Coast Media Contributor The famous sports writer Red Smith — no relation — was once asked if it was hard to write a daily column. His reply: “Writing a column is easy. You just sit at your typewriter until little drops of blood appear on your forehead.” This, my friends, is one of those columns. And it’s about friends, some

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, May 22, 2026.) A view of the Seattle waterfront and Public Market at sunrise from a hotel rooftop. (Photos by Wayne Smith.) By Wayne Smith Gulf Coast Media Contributor “In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines …” My dad used to sing those words when I was a boy. Not loudly. Just every now and then, usually sitting on the tailgate of his truck near the backside of property he owned outside Florence in the

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, May 15, 2026) Liza Subik sits in the dugout at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, where she threw out the first pitch for the Mariners game against the Braves on May 4. (Photos courtesy of Liza Subik.) By Wayne Smith Gulf Coast Media Contributor You may never get the opportunity to meet Liza Subik. But her story is one worth discovering, one where she is circling as many bases in her life as possible. Her goal is simple in con

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, May 8, 2026) A view from the seats before the first pitch of Atlanta’s game April 26 against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Wayne Smith photo) By Wayne Smith Gulf Coast Media Contributor “America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers… but baseball has marked the time.”— "Field of Dreams" There are places in a ballpark where the game slows down a little. Where time stands still. At Yankee Stadium, it’s Monument Park.

Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge performs Sunday night at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta. Guitarist Mark Tremonti is in the background. (Photos by Wayne Smith.) By Wayne Smith Music, by some familiar favorites and a couple of new ones, did some heavy lifting for me throughout a difficult weekend. It started with a new album from my favorite band, Foo Fighters. Their music has helped me through tough times over the years—songs that don’t just play, but build, rise and say somethin

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media on April 17, 2026.) The Artemis II launch is captured by NASA engineer and photographer Chris Baker from approximately 5 miles away. (Photo by Chris Baker.) By Wayne Smith Gulf Shores Media Contributor Before heading off to school on the morning of April 7, my oldest grandson sat on my lap as we watched recorded videos of Artemis II launching a few days earlier. With the countdown underway, Rhys joined in. Ten, nine, e

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, April 10, 2026) Lisa Williams-Manning shares part of the approach she credits in her cancer journey, while noting it may not be for everyone. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Williams-Manning.) By Wayne Smith Gulf Shores Media Contributor Sometimes, a story just finds you. I met Lisa Williams-Manning in March through a friend at a restaurant in Orange Beach. We met again later, and I spent about an hour listening to her talk a

(First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, April 3, 2026.) Dorinda celebrates a 10-inning Braves’ win in 2023. (Photos by Wayne Smith.) By Wayne Smith Gulf Shores Media Contributor “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” — Baseball Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby My love of baseball goes back a few decades. I can point to the exact time — getting a copy of Street and Smith’

An exterior view of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, 3614 Jackson Highway. (Photos by Wayne Smith.) (First appeared in The Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, March 27, 2026) By Wayne Smith Gulf Shores Media Contributor “We started to hear this sound coming out. There was an amazing feel, kind of magnetic I suppose in a way, sound wise. Then after a while, this word, ‘Muscle Shoals’ comes into the picture. And you put two and two together and that’s when I said, ‘If w