I was first introduced to the music of the Rambo's at home as a child. In the 60s my parents, grandparents and Aunt Sue Fritter, would gather in my living room and sing gospel music. One song in particular they would sing every time they got together was, "It's Me Again, Lord." "…I don't mean to worry you, but here I am facing something new. When I need, I know it comes from you. It's me again, Lord." It had such an impact on me, 40 years later, I can still recite every word.

Fast forward to 1978, I was a rookie broadcaster on WYCA in Hammond, Indiana. One of the very first songs I played my first evening on the air was, "I've Never Been This Homesick Before." Over the next 30 years I would play dozens of Rambo's songs, hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

After moving to Nashville to work at Solid Gospel in 1997, I had several opportunities to meet Dottie personally.

First let me say, she is funny. Very funny! She didn't have a filter. If a thought hit her, it came out. Her comments were never hurtful, just plain hilarious.

Secondly, she still had a drive to minister. She was still writing songs. She wanted to perform. Whether to 10 or 10,000, just point her to the stage and let her do her thing.

Speaking of pointing her to the stage. I was blessed to play the piano for her on several occasions over the past few years. For a few years, at Crabbfest, I was asked to play the piano and lead the Crabb Family Band at Dottie's showcases. She would always introduce me as one of her past husbands. See what I mean? NO FILTER!

Dottie's manager, Larry Ferguson called me one day and asked me to put a band together to play for Dottie at the Midnight Jamboree, live from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on WSM. That evening created a life long memory for me. Although the broadcast concluded at 2 a.m., she sang until 2:30. She would have sung all night, and the crowd would have stayed, had the folks at the record shop hadn't made us leave.

I'll never forget that evening and I'll never forget Dottie Rambo.