Marshall Ramsey

I stood five feet from him. His fingers made a mandolin come alive.  His playing filled the room with sweet sounds.  He’s a quiet man. A family man.  And a talented musician.

Rayman Billman is a member of the band Jason Fratesi and the Dirt Road Jam Band. He’s a quiet but powerful presence on the stage.  He’s also a First Lieutenant in the Mississippi National Guard.  Friday night, I had the honor of sharing a stage with him at Phillips on the Reservoir.  Saturday afternoon, he was saying a sad goodbye to his friends and family at the Jackson-Evers International Airport when he and several of his fellow Guardsmen headed back to Iraq.

While Congress and the President spent the weekend talking about the national debt, I thought about our country’s other national debt. The debt owed to the men and women who put their lives on hold to go fight and protect us.   I thought about Ray.  The sacrifices he and his family are making on my behalf.

Thank you, Ray. I look forward to playing on a stage again with you soon.