big kenneth or little kenneth?

I'm asked all the time if I'm a junior. I'm named after my dad but I'm not a junior. I think the rules say that the oldest son is the only child qualified to use the suffix. I don't know where I heard that, but it's been my excuse since I got the word. My brother Mark is the oldest of Kenneth Bishop's sons.

These days everyone calls me Kenny. Except, from time to time I'll run into someone who calls me Kenneth. When they do I know we go way, way back. When I started elementary school my teachers called me by my formal name. I didn't know we were allowed to tell them otherwise. All of my family, all of my friends at home, everyone at church and in the neighborhood called me Kenny. But at Waco Elementary School my name was Kenneth. With a fresh start in middle school I asked my teachers and new friends to call me Kenny instead. Up until then, when someone would call our house and ask for me or my dad we'd always have to ask, "big Kenneth or little Kenneth?"

Mr. Kenneth Bishop, my dad, is a remarkable man. When we were traveling and singing and making records and appearing on TV he never really seemed to be enamored by all of the attention. When others were talking about the honor of appearing on a certain stage or on a particular show he was bragging on his family or his church. Of course he was humbled by the opportunities that he'd say a simple, country boy usually doesn't enjoy. But the notoriety never seemed to amount to a lot to him.

Having his name is a huge honor. It's a lot to live up to. My dad is a pure heart. He sees many things in a black-and-white kind of way that I can't seem to. He has settled issues that I still grapple with. I admire that in a way. Today is his birthday and I hope the day is worthy of the claim.

Happy birthday Dad!!