Most current Clinton County residents likely never heard of, or perhaps barely remember accounts about an individual who lived here in the 20th century and was commonly known as “Poet Bill”.

A writer of short stories, songs and poetry, Bill Chambers was a well recognized “character” who lived in Clinton County after moving here from Chanute Tennessee, in the early 1900s with his family.

Although he worked at many occupations during his life here, including farmer, share cropper, soldier (WWI), and teacher, he was perhaps best known as an author.

Chambers was killed in a March, 1968 shootout with an Albany Police Officer on the Albany Courthouse Square, in a conflict that garnered top of the page headlines in the Clinton County News, the same newspaper that had routinely published many of Chambers’ poetry works.

A new book has been published, and is currently available through Amazon, which features many of Chambers’ works – both poetry and short stories, as well as a brief introduction of his life that was a self-written version that Chambers was credited with penning in 1953.

“Dad’s Dream” was released in its first publishing just last month, November, 2021, and currently is available for purchase on Amazon ($16.95) in paperback, with a hardcover version expected to be available in January ($21.95).

After Chambers’ death in 1968, according to an introduction of the works by his daughter, Elsie Chambers Woodworth, the collection of writings sat idle in suitcases for over 50 years.

It wasn’t until another relative, Tomy Jo Shipley Galbreath, offered to help Woodworth organize and transcribe that the works were ready for the self-published book to be printed.

Galbreath is the niece of Chambers’ wife, Minnie Shipley Chambers.

Through the efforts of his daughter and niece, “Dad’s Dream” is more than 300 pages chock full of Chambers’s literary works which range from the comedic to religious to historic to political and even philosophic.

There are a host of works included in the book, such as songs, short stories, historical musings and even a few reprinted photos of Chambers, his family and locations that were pertinent to his life in Clinton County, Kentucky, and Chanute, Tennessee.

The first section of writings in “Dad’s Dream” is a collection of his works composed while he was serving in World War I

However, most of “Dad’s Dream” are Chambers’ works of poetry.

“The Old Sow raised nine pretty little pigs, as pretty as pretty could be. But she mashed the runt, which the others would stunt, and that was the luck for me,” begins one of Chamber’s poems, The Old Sow and Pigs, which was also recorded on a 45 rpm record that Chambers released in the 1960s.

Other works in the book reflect on well known institutions and people from Chambers’ era, such as “We’re Proud of the Clinton County High School” and “Doctor Hay Knows What’s Best.”

Other works continue along the theme of important places in Chambers’ life here… “Caney Branch Church-House and Graveyard” is the title of one of the last songs in “Dad’s Dream”.

Another set of lyrics near the end of the book tells of one of Chambers’ long purported side activities.

“I took a roll of copper up on a high hill, and out of the copper, made a moonshine still; I placed that baby right under the floor, and then ‘by gosh’ I made the old whiskey pour” notes the verse from another song, “That Moonshine Still In The Furnace Had Stayed.”

“Dad’s Dream” Writings of Bill Chambers “Poet Bill” Huntersville, Kentucky 1930s – 1960s.

Whether it be for the history, the entertainment or for the memories of days past, “Dad’s Dream” is a read worth investing in.