The Ralph Moore Story

Ralph Moore was born and raised in East Central Alabama, in the county of Clay about half way between Barfield and Delta, Alabama at a place called McKays Crossroads.  He was one of five children born to Willis and Eunice Sims Moore.

Ralph's driving career began when he was just a kid.  One of his uncles had a car but could not drive.  He would pay Ralph 25cents to take him to the general store, and to the mill to have his corn ground.  Although Ralph had to sit on a pillow in order to see over the steering wheel, this driving opportunity was a most regular thing.  He always got a lot of back seat driving responses from those who often road along.

After Ralph got his drivers license, at the age of 16, he was paid  two dollars to drive a three day trip to North Alabama for his cousin after the cousin broke his arm and was unable to drive the trip himself.  Three adults, with Ralph driving, was packed in the cab of the 1952 Chevrolet pickup truck, and three kids riding in the back.  From the beginning Ralph was a respected driver by family and neighbors.  Sometimes when the neighbor teenagers wanted to go out on the weekend, the parents would not say they could go until they said that Ralph would be driving them. 

Even though he had been driving the farm tractor for some time, Ralph recalls the first time his dad finally let him drive the family pickup.  It happened one day when He and his dad were alone, and his dad had to carry him to a neighbor's house for Ralph to do a chore.  When the chore was finished and they were ready to go back home, Ralph began to beg once again for his Dad to let him drive.  His Dad gave in this time and said, "Well, I guess you can."   As they got into the cab of the truck his Dad realized in order to get out of the neighbors yard it would require backing up.   Suddenly his Dad became concerned about the position and was about to cancel the entire driving request.  "Can you back this thing up Ralph" he ask with a doubtful look on his face.  "I sure can" I replied.  "Well, take it easy, he said, and we'll see if you can."   The backing up process was perfect and smooth.  Pulling the gears from reverse to low, and driving down the neighbor's drive way left his Dad speechless.    From low gear to second, and then down to high gear, the pickup truck moved smoothly down the road as though Ralph had been driving for a long time.  With a pleasant response, his Dad said, "Well, if I had known you could drive like this you could have taken the truck and came up here alone."  From that time on, Ralph drove most every where he wanted to, even though it was quite a while before he got his drivers license.   At this time most of the roads were still dirt and there was very little traffic.

Ralph first realized the importance of smooth driving in 1958 when he was asked to drive the county school bus as a substitute driver.  It seemed in those days some of the kids had rather be on their feet in the bus instead of being in their seats.  Ralph recalled how he would keep a careful watch on the interior mirror when he would come to a stop, or begin to start moving forward.  "I was paid the biggest compliment of all one day, Ralph said, when one of the kids was about to get off the bus.  The kid was standing there near me holding on to the rail as I was bringing the bus to a stop."   The kid said to me, "We like it when you drive us Ralph.  You don't sling us around all the way to school and back." 

When Ralph was hired in 1963 by the gospel singing LeFevres from Atlanta, Georgia, he was not hired as a driver of their motor coach.  It was some months later when he was driving for the Johnson Sisters that Mary Johnson realized Ralph had a special gift for driving.  "He is not the normal driver," she said one day to Eva Mae Lefevre.  "He has that special touch that causes that Limo to feel like it is gliding as he drives so gracefully through these West Virginia mountains."  When the time came for the LeFevres to get a new driver, Ralph was asked to drive.

Ralph has driven for a number of famous singing groups and musicians during his career.   Singer, Kelly Nelon Clark once said, "I don't have to see Ralph under the steering wheel to know he is there.  I can be in any part of our motor coach as it reels down the highway, even from my private quarters to the back lounge, I can always tell when someone else is at the steering wheel besides Ralph."

After retirement, and millions of successful accident free miles on the road, Ralph still drives occasionally for the singing group, Hope's Journey, or fills in for a charter tour.   He has trained a number of new drivers who give him praise for their success today.  

Valuable driving tips can help any driver who wants to improve their driving skills, whether they are just beginning, or if they already have many miles behind them.   The book is the testimony behind the man that makes driving a pleasure.   Get the book and enjoy a new experience in driving pleasure.

  www.valuabledrivingtips.com

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