Eagle's Lair
Members Roster

March 3, 2008

Ladies & Gentlemen:

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Charlie Ryan, the guy who built a Model A Ford with a V-12 Lincoln engine then wrote a song about it, passed away last week. Charlie wrote the song "Hot Rod Lincoln" and it made the charts back in the 50's.

I had the pleasure of meeting him at the National Street Rod Association Northwest   Nationals, Salem, Oregon in 1987. That's where I saw the real car that he had built. Later that year, Charlie and his band performed his famous song at a hot rod show called "Rockin the Dock" in Tacoma.

Some local rodders had heard of the Hot Rod Lincoln sitting in the back of Charlie's barn in Graham, WA (where he was living at the time). It hadn't been driven in a long time and looked pretty rough. Bob Davidson (pin stripper for the NAE™ project), and a couple other hot rod friends, dragged it out of its dusty hybernation it had been resting in for so many years and began the task of bringing it back to life. They finished it in time for Charlie and his wife, Ruthie, to drive it to Salem, Oregon for the Northwest Nationals.

For those who don't know who Charlie was, here is his obituary: Passed away February 16, 2008. Charlie was born in Graceville, MN on December 19, 1915. His parents moved to Polson, MT and he attended school there. He met and married Ruth Scheffler on December 22, 1937 in Polson and they had three children when he was called to serve in the Army during WWII. After his discharge, he moved his family to Spokane in 1943. Charlie was a cowboy and spent his life as a songwriter and entertainer touring with his band with Jim Reeves and Johnny Horton, to name just a couple. Charlie wrote and originally recorded the "Hot Rod Lincoln" song. He was a member of the Country Music Association, Dukes Auto Club, Lincoln Continental Owners Club, VFW#1435, DAV#51 and local #96 Carpenters Union and was member of the Music Hall of Fame in Arizona and Minnesota.

It was a true pleasure to meet Charlie and Ruthie and get to know a legend..................Ed Shadle 

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