State historical marker honors musician Ervin Rouse

More than a hundred people gathered Saturday morning at Buzzard's Corner to celebrate the life of a Craven County native who wrote a song many simply call "The Special."

The N.C. Department of Archives and History honored Ervin T. Rouse by dedicating a historical sign at the intersection of N.C. 55 and Wintergreen Road, one-quarter mile from the place where he was born in 1917.

In 1938, Rouse wrote "Orange Blossom Special," a song about a train that traveled from New York to Miami. Over the years many notable music artists, including Johnny Cash, have recorded the song. Many have also tried to take credit for writing it.

"The song belongs to the world now, but Ervin Rouse belongs to Craven County," said Randy Noles, an Orlando, Fla., resident and Rouse biographer. "I'm sure Ervin, wherever he is, is looking down right now saying ‘See, I told you so. It was me and no one else.' "

Marty James, who plays the fiddle in a New Bern group, said "Orange Blossom Special" is a staple of country music and western swing music. James estimated he has played the song 1,000 times since the first in 1955. He said at least 100 people have tried to take credit for writing it.

"It used to be, if you couldn't play that, you weren't hired to play in the band," James said.

Harold, Eloise and Ervin Thomas Jr., Rouse's three children, attended the ceremony. The children now live in northern Virginia and Maryland.

Ervin Thomas Jr. said he remembers his father playing at clubs and getting home at 4 or 5 a.m. He said his father would get up at 1 or 2 p.m. and play for the family. He has heard stories that his grandmother taught his father how to play the fiddle.

Ervin Thomas Jr. said he once met Charlie Daniels at a Washington, D.C., airport. Ervin told Daniels he was the son of the man who wrote "Orange Blossom Special." Ervin said Daniels would not let him leave the airport until he met all the members of his band.

Eloise said her father was a wonderful fiddle player, but he usually played guitar when he wrote music.

"Some of my vivid memories of my dad were of him sitting up by candlelight, writing songs and playing guitar," she said. "He was a crack-shot entertainer. He brought a lot of joy to a lot of people all over the world."

Several members of the Rouse family and other people played fiddle songs at the ceremony. On a television, people watched a video of Ervin Rouse playing "Orange Blossom Special."

Jason Jones, chairman of the Craven County Board of Commissioners, said a group from Edgecombe County asked in 1999 if officials would consider naming the convention center in New Bern after Rouse. Jones said plans were already in place to name it the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center.

Jones said he remembers family members humming and singing "Orange Blossom Special" to him when he was a boy.

"He (Rouse) is the soul composer, and there is no other," Jones said. "This is a day that is long overdue."

At 11 a.m., family members, county commissioners, and Michael Hill, the research supervisor for the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, pulled the cloth off of the highway sign. Hill said the sign is made of aluminum. He said it is the 37th historical sign in Craven County and one of 1,525 in the state.

Preston Rouse, one of Ervin's cousins, said many people used to credit Chubby Wise as the writer of "Orange Blossom Special." Preston had a radio show in New Bern, and Ervin stopped by to play on it in 1954.

"I don't remember what he played," Preston said. "He might've played ‘The Special.' I saw Ervin three times in my life. He never pushed for credit, but it's all his now."