Long before I knew the Rolling Stones, I knew Tim Carroll, or really just knew of him, having lived in the same rural West Terre Haute neighborhood. I think he lived in my neighborhood, in Westwood and I lived on the next road west in Maplewood.

I have a memory that I cannot substantiate – that he lived in a house near the path we took through the woods to Van Horn’s Lake. I don’t even know why I think this; I guess I knew it to be true at the time, somehow. I suppose I think I watched him get off our school bus, Old #66, driven by Phil Glick, as students at Consolidated Elementary. I could be wrong.

Tim, I guess I should write you a note and ask you.

We both graduated from the same high school, a couple-few years apart. From there I went on to college at Indiana State and then to pull off a series of stupid stunts, and so on, that I guess I am lucky to have lived through; some funny, some not at all. Tim, on the other hand, went on to college at IU then on to Nashville to something really cool.

Long before I knew of him as a musician, I knew the Rolling Stones.

The only Stones LP I have ever owned was – is (I have it on both CD and iTunes, now) – Some Girls, and it is the song on this album, Far Away Eyes that brings me back around to Tim. I hope he appreciates that during a bike ride last year, Far Away Eyes came up next on my Shuffle, and the first thing I thought was, “That sounds like Tim Carroll.”

At full circle now; Tim reminds me of the Stones‘ Far Away Eyes, which may have been inspired for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards by Gram Parsons and his connection to Bakersfield (and Joshua Tree), California, though they do not say so directly. (At one time Richards and Parsons did have a close relationship).

I have never had the opportunity to ask him, but I’d like to know his view of the legendary and tragic Parsons, who, according to Steve Leggett of Allmusic, referred to his work as “’cosmic American music’ (a seamless blending of country, blues and rock).”

Seems clear to me Tim Carroll has avoided all the demons Gram Parsons, who died in 1973 of a combination of alcohol and drug overdose, could not. By sharp contrast, Carroll appears to be well grounded and healthy. He now travels worldwide playing, and has for many years.

Like Gram and the Rolling Stones, and his ultra-talented wife, Elizabeth Cook, Tim has paved his own way and is paving the way for many others to follow.

- Michael E Conner, Ask A Hoosier.com

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Reprinted from the original article at Ask A Hoosier.com

http://askahoosier.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/aahs-top-5-for-june-2013/

Tim is also listed on the "We Like" page at AAH:
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