Posts Tagged ‘Not for Sale’

Why I Talk Politics

Posted on: October 5th, 2012 by R.W. Hampton 14 Comments

Flags at Sunset

Folks, last night someone commented that they didn’t like politics coming from my Facebook “music page”. Obviously they don’t know me very well.

You won’t find me telling you how to vote, just telling you TO GO VOTE. I like to hear the facts (when I can find them) and I want people to be interested in what is going on in America.  I am proud to be an American & I am proud that my father, forefathers & my son have all stood up & swore to protect this great nation – and some of them have died doing it.

I won’t ask you to vote for my candidate, and I won’t tell you who I want to win; but I will tell you that you should be praying for our country and for all of the candidates that they will be leaders who are guided by values other than personal greed and self-empowering goals.

This country can not stand with the polarization that is happening among us – right or left we need to learn to look towards the middle in order to build our great nation’s strength back.  And we need leaders who will do the same.

It takes each of us learning the facts and educating ourselves, holding to our values and then working hard to reach a compromise with those who have different values and ideals to achieve a plan that works for those who are willing to work hard to make it work.  There is not a one of us who is not able to do something for the good of our country and our neighbors; no matter our financial well-being or our physical abilities.

America was built by hardworking people who all came here to follow a dream. They didn’t come here for a hand-out, just a hand-up.  These same people made it great for all of us who live here today.

Working together to put strong leaders in our government is important if we want America to get back on her feet.  We can no longer sit by and say that someone else will take care of it while more and more of America is bartered off to foreign countries when we have a wealth of human and natural resources right here.  You have heard me say it before, America is not for sale!

I want to hand my children and grand-children a great nation to grow up in but I know it will take an effort of hard work.  Telling others how to vote just won’t work. But helping to find and support leaders worthy of voting for on both a local and national level does help.  Making sure I’m as educated as possible before I vote and knowing what my own principles and values are, and praying for our leaders those are ways I can help.  And, if doing my part includes reminding people what values I think are important – through my music, my writing and this page…. then so be it.

God Bless America!

I’d love to hear from you.  How do you educate yourself about the candidates?  Do you vote along party lines? What issues are the most important to you?

Road-Trip Postcard: California

Posted on: July 18th, 2012 by R.W. Hampton No Comments

Postcard from California

Hi folks!

If you’ve been around me long you will learn that I write painfully slow.  I don’t use a computer at all, instead I write everything down in what Lisa calls “block printing” on my yellow legal pad.  I scratch things out, rearrange with arrows, and my spelling is horrible. Then I give it to Lisa and she goes through it and types it up so it will make sense.  We have done it this way ever since she married me and brought one of those confounded computers with her.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I can run a fax machine and am learning to text (slowly) on my cell phone so I’m not a complete technology misfit!

But as slow as I write, letters are rare.  I prefer the postcard.  It has a pretty picture of where I am, a nice small box where I can print about 3 sentences if I’m lucky and then I address it, slap a stamp on it and away it goes!

So (with Lisa’s help) I figured I will try this on here and occasionally send you an electronic “postcard” when I don’t have time to write something longer but want to say “hi”.  This first one is from here in California where I’ve been working in the studio between gigs on my newest songs, Hell in a Helmet and Not For Sale.

So here it goes:

Postcard from California

Greetings! From sunny Southern Ca, where folks here dress like they drive: WIDE OPEN!

I had a great day in the studio and am working with some tremendously talented players including the most sought after drummer in history!  He even played on “Jackos” Thriller album.

Can’t wait for you to hear the new songs!

Adios for now. Your Amigo,

R.Dub

America – It’s Independence Day!

Posted on: July 3rd, 2012 by R.W. Hampton 5 Comments

So tomorrow is the Fourth of July, right? Well of course it is. But to me it’s more than that. It’s Independence Day! Isn’t it great that we are Americans and have such a great day to look back on in history.

A few years ago my wife, Lisa, and I wrote our first song together. I hadn’t done anything with it until one morning before the Fourth of July I asked her to film me singing it on our porch as a little Independence Day gift for my fans. Folks seemed to have liked “Not For Sale” and although it’s taken a lot longer to get it recorded than we have wanted, I’ve been in the studio working on it and hope to release it and another song “Hell in a Helmet” very soon.

 So as Americans around the world get ready to go celebrate our Independence Day, I find myself remembering back to when I wrote this song and thought I would share the little prch video again. So much has changed in the past few years, but the cost of freedom is still the same and the song seems to become more relevant with each passing year.

If you’ve watched this one before I thank you, if you like it I hope you will consider forwarding it along to share with your friends. And of course, I always love to hear what you think about the songs I write & sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChXt_c0uOwg 

 

Happy Independence Day, America!

She’s Not For Sale

Posted on: May 28th, 2012 by R.W. Hampton 5 Comments

American Flag @ Washington Cemetary

Not For Sale

There’s a trail of blood

Back through the sacred halls of history

Follow it back to where our fathers fought and died

Across the waves see the crosses on the hillside

On the wind hear their voices as they cry

We’ve got to get back

To the faith of our fathers

And find our way back

To the Liberty Bell

And never forget that ol’ flag

And all she stands for

It’s time to rise up and say

“This country’s not for sale!”

She’s not for sale

From Valley Forge they’re callin’

Not for sale

From Gettysburg they cry

From Belleauwood to the battle for Fallujah

She’s not for sale no, not at any price

There was a time

When we all stood together

There was a time

When by fire we were tried

But we lost our way

And it’s a way that cost so dearly

It’s not too late

To saddle up and ride

We’ve got to get back

To the faith of our fathers

And find our way back

To the Liberty Bell

And never forget

That ol’ flag and all she stands for

It’s time to tell Washington

“My country’s not for sale!”

From the Alamo hear ’em call

To the sands of Iwo Jima

From Normandy hear ’em cry

To that Chossen Reservoir

Back to Battan

To the muddy Mekong Delta

From the Helmand Province

To the Solomon’s bloody shores

They cry

We’ve got to get back

To the faith of our fathers

Written by R.W. and Lisa Hampton – ©June 2010

Flags at Sunset

Hampton’s Cimarron Sounds, BMI

R.W. is in the process of recording this song as well as another, “Hell in a Helmet” with the proceeds to be donated to a Wounded Warrior program close to his heart.

If you are interested in contributing to this cause please contact the Hamptons at rw@rwhamton(dot)com or call their office in New Mexico 1-800-392-0822.

To see R.W.’s Youtube Version of this song recorded on his porch at Clearview Ranch right after the song was written click here:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChXt_c0uOwg