Dickel's John Lunn

[TNbourbon]

The Tennessean Sunday features section had this profile of George Dickel master distiller John Lunn:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611190331

Pretty good story and pix, with only a couple of eye-raisers: an implication that Fred Noe learned 'the craft' from Booker, and that Eddie Russell (and, presumably, Jimmy? I guess it could be via his mother) is a direct descendant of Elijah Craig. Now, the latter issue may be entirely true -- but it's the first time I've ever heard the suggestion. Did I miss a page in my "Bourbon History, Myth, and Legends" text?

Lunn, by the way, is from Spring Hill, Tennessee, which is where I spend a couple of evenings a week purveying liquor. He would have been a student in the county school system during my early years as a teacher here, at a high school which was frequently on my sportswriting beat. Might have to get over there and see if our paths have previously crossed one of these days.

[jbutler]

Lunn, by the way, is from Spring Hill, Tennessee, which is where I spend a couple of evenings a week purveying liquor.
Isn't Spring Hill also the location of Saturn's primary assembly plant? I say primary because I haven't paid attention to them in quite some time, they may have others by now.

[smokinjoe]

Spring Hill is where the Saturn plant is. I do believe I have heard that some Saturns are, or will be produced at other GM facilities.

[TNbourbon]

Spring Hill is where the Saturn plant is. I do believe I have heard that some Saturns are, or will be produced at other GM facilities.

The now-defunct L-Series Saturns were built in Wilmington, DE on an Opel chassis (part of why they didn't survive long, I guess). The Spring Hill plant was recently re-named GM-Spring Hill Manufacturing, and made only the Saturn Ion and Vue this year. The Ion was slated for extinction, too, until rising gas prices led to greater sales for smaller cars. Thus, there will be a 2007 model after all.
About 1,700 workers were laid off and quite a few more have taken GM's retirement/buyout offer last summer. The plant will eventually build other-labeled GM brands, and Saturns will be built elsewhere, too.
Incidentally, I was a full-time newspaperman back in 1985 when GM announced its plan to locate Saturn here. Our little local daily became national media central for a few weeks, and we won some awards for our coverage of the story.
Spring Hill, which numbered about 1,200 souls then, is now approaching 30,000 at last count.

[cowdery]

I can attest that the story's author, Jim Myers, is a fine journalist and convivial drinking companion.

[dgonano]

Got a chance to talk to John Lunn in NYC... a big man!...Seemed very enthused and quite happy to be working at GD.

[cowdery]

... John Lunn in NYC... a big man!...

Booker introduced me to the term I prefer. He said men our size are "full grown men." He also referred to himself as a "big ole handsome thing," but I'll leave that expression to him.

[dgonano]

Well here's to all the "FGM" I know...not a bad one in the bunch...except that Porky guy in the movie of the same name.