A Tribute to Tom T. Hall

By Joann M. Ringelstetter

Tom T. Hall is one of the best loved country music storytellers of our time. When we were kids, we used to watch him perform on Hee Haw, the country music variety show that aired every Saturday night.

In 1973, Tom recorded his most successful single – a song entitled, “I Love.” It’s a simple song about loving simple things and it reminds me of some of the things I love about hitting the backroads with my camera.

"I Love"
By Tom T. Hall

I love little baby ducks,

Old pickup trucks,

Rusty Old Coca Cola Truck, Barren County, Kentucky

Slow-moving trains and rain.

Diesel Train, Clinton County, Iowa

I love, little country streams,

Otter Creek at Baxter's Hollow, Sauk County, Wisconsin

Sleep without dreams,

Sunday school in May and hay.

Hayrolls in July, Vernon County, Wisconsin

I love leaves in the wind,

Pier Natural Bridge Park, Richland County, Wisconsin

Pictures of my friends,

Joann with her Autumn Shunpiking Friends, Dane County, Wisconsin

Birds of the world and squirrels.


I love coffee in a cup,

Little fuzzy pups,

Yellow Lab Puppies, Casey County, Kentucky

Bourbon in a glass and grass.

Autumn Gravel Road Scene, Sauk County, Wisconsin

I love honest open smiles,

Kisses from a child,

Tomatoes on the vine

Tomatoes on the Vine, Dane County, Wisconsin

and onions.

Onions in the Garden, Dane County, Wisconsin

And I love you, too.

Thanks for reading the stories we tell each week and sharing our love of the backroads with us.

Happy Shunpiking!
Joann