Dick Hall remembered for music, service to others

A former Vine Grove councilman is remembered for his love of music and, more importantly, his love of sharing it with others.

Ernest “Dick” Hall, 85, died Sunday at his home. Hall was well known throughout the city as a musician willing to lend his talent wherever he felt it was needed.

Hall served on the city council for several years beginning in the early 1970s, but music had long been a part of his life. He began playing square dance and country music when he was young, after fashioning a mandolin himself and teaching himself how to play it, said his son, Darrell Hall.

Dick Hall first used music to support his family after his father died. But he soon began helping others with it by playing at benefits and fundraisers for people who needed help with medical bills or lost homes to fire, Darrell said.

He also performed at area nursing homes to entertain the residents, Darrell said. Along with the mandolin, he played many other string instruments such as the guitar and banjo.

“Anything that had a string, he could play,” Darrell said.

Sandra Sally is a longtime family friend and often performed at Dick Hall’s Music Barn with Dick and his band. She recalls she sang her first song with them, “Blue Kentucky Girl,” when she was 13. The Music Barn was torn down a couple years ago, she said.

Sally remembered Dick as a “good man” who brought her milk for her baby during a particularly bad storm several years ago, and took her to see her ill father when her car broke down.

“He was a remarkable person,” she said.

Along with music, Hall had another love — his 1967 Ford Torino convertible. He often drove people in parades in the Torino, including his good friend, former Hardin County Judge-Executive Glen Dalton, his son said.

“He loved to haul people in parades in his convertible,” Darrell said. “It’s the only time he ever drove it, really.”

Dalton said not only did Dick use his prized convertible for parades, but he was a tremendous help while Dalton campaigned for political office, because of Dick’s connections.

Dalton said he will miss Dick and he was a “true friend.”

“He was a great asset to the people,” he said. “Just a fine individual.”

Visitation for Dick Hall is from 5 to 8 p.m. today and at 9 a.m. Friday at Nelson-Edelen-Bennett Funeral Home in Vine Grove. The funeral is 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.