Williamson County - Relocation Information

Site Sponsors

Archives

Read past editions of Williamson County magazine.

Local Advertisers

Local Advertisers for the Williamson County Area

Site Sponsors

Contact Us

Feedback
Let us know your thoughts...

Advertising Info
Need more info? Looking for ad specifications?

Special Section

Carbine Development
Click here to read

Local Advertisers

Local Advertisers for the Williamson County Area

Culture

Web Page Tools Digg! This Article

Uncle Lester Entertains Audiences With His Clogging Talents

Uncle Lester

Uncle Lester puts on a show at Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant.

Get within a country mile of Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant in Leiper’s Fork on any given night‚ and you might hear the sound of a fiddle and a banjo doling out a happy tune.

Listen closer‚ and you might even hear the clackety-clack of Lester Deal’s sparkly rhinestone clogging shoes.

The 69-year-old country boy (who the locals affectionately call “Uncle Lester”) has been dancing for 36 years and often performs at Puckett’s Grocery‚ a combination grocery‚ eatery and live-music venue.

On the Williamson County farm where Deal was born and raised‚ how­ever‚ dancing wasn’t exactly proper.

“Mama was Methodist‚ and they (his parents) didn’t believe in things like dancing or playin’ cards‚” he says.

But it wasn’t long before Deal’s feet began dancing to the beat of their own drum‚ or umm‚ fiddle.

“After my wife and I married‚ my son and I started going to places where they had bluegrass music‚” he recalls. “We got us some shoes‚ me and my son‚ and we’d sometimes take a whole carload of people‚ and we’d go have a big time dancing.”

A lot has changed since then – Deal’s wife died in 2006‚ and his kids are all grown. But he’s still dancing to the delight of regulars and tourists who stop in for a sandwich or a cup of coffee at Puckett’s.

“I get up on the table and dance and everything‚” he says grinning.

Occasionally‚ his audience has included some notable folks. One November evening a few years back‚ Gov. Phil Bredesen and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn were among the onlookers.

Deal’s signature costume is nothing more than his everyday clothes – a plaid shirt with bib overalls and an old baseball cap.

“I guess I just look like an old farmer‚” he says.

And he does‚ with one exception:

His clogging shoes were tailor-made by Manuel‚ the famous Nashville clothier to the stars‚ to the tune of $2‚500 – a gift from his friends in the Homer Dever band‚ a hillbilly jam band that performs in the Leiper’s Fork area.

“They’re not on the radio or nothin’‚ but they play better than any band on the Grand Ole Opry‚” Deal says. “And they almost always play for free.”

Deal retired four years ago after working at a Franklin lumber supply company for 21 years. Nowadays‚ he spends his time feeding the chickens‚ dogs and cats at his home on the same property where he’s lived all his life‚ seeking out the best bluegrass shows and slipping into his sparkly‚ silver clogging shoes.

“The doctor says dancin’s good for your heart. I dance like I do so maybe I can stay young‚” Deal says‚ letting out a loud‚ jolly laugh. “It’s a lotta fun. And I’m gonna keep doing it just as long as I can.”

Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Brian McCord

Back to top