Claude Hamner’s country store - part of the inspiration of “The Ballad of Curtis Loew”

This is Claude Hamner’s country store. This was part of the inspiration of ”The Ballad of Curtis Loew”.

“Searching for soda bottles to make myself some dough” in the song is a direct reference to Gene Odom.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music was written about their lives. Ronnie wrote
songs about things that happened in Allen, Gary or his life. For example,
the song “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” starts out, “Well, I used to
wake the morning before the rooster crowed, searching for soda bottles
to get myself some dough. Run ‘em down to the comer, down to
the country store, cash’em in and give my money to a man named Curtis
Loew. Ole Curt was a black man with white curly hair. When he
had a fifth of wine, he did not have a care. He used to own an ole
dobra, used to play it ‘cross his knee. I’d give ole Curt my money,
he’d play all day for me. ”
Well, “ole Curtis” was Claude Hammer, the man who owned
Claude’s Midway Grocery, the country store we hung out at as little
kids. He could playa guitar very well and as a matter of fact, he
taught Ronnie how to play. I was the one who was “searching for
soda bottles to get myself some dough.” I collected bottles for spending
money because my family was poor. My mom and dad had
eleven children and believe me, in their situation, the saying “it’s
cheaper by the dozen,” wasn’t true. Ronnie and Allen took this event
in their lives, phrased it a little different, and wrote a song about it.
They did this with all their songs.