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Country Music Memories 6/27/2009 8:55:33 AM
Remembering the good old days growing up in the Deep South when Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band were king, Johnny Cash was cool, and those fine Georgia Peaches were juicy, ripe and ready to be eaten. Them were the days!
Back when the tickets were cheap, the beer was cold and the nights were HOT ~ sizzle ~! I remember it well, as Bob Seger said in his song Night Moves "Lord, I remember!"
Its true I have a rock n' roll heart, but whether your panacea is deep fried southern boogie, soulful blues or some other late night radio comfort, I think country music has had the most lasting impact on my rebel heart. I tend to agree with Hank Junior, (and forgive me Lord if it ain't true,) If Heaven Ain't a Lot like Dixie, then I don't want to go! If you ever get down south, come by and visit me and we'll pull up a stool and play a little something on the Waffle House juke box, then son, you will see what I am talking about here. Country Music is here to stay,(and I hope you will too)!
I found a picture recently, that I inherited from my mother. Among all of the lifetime of irreplaceable memories she scanned and put on CD for me, before she passed (see my story here titled, Momma's Christmas Candy), There was one I hadn't seen, because she inherited it from her mothers picture files, before my Nanny passed on in early nineties. That in itself is an amazing story. Aw heck, no one would believe it if they did hear it. I guess that's why people tell lies, cause they are more exciting than the truth sometimes, and easier to swallow. Anyhow, in the pic was my sister Penny (also passed on in her early 50's), my aunt Eileen, and Kenny Chesney, (who has 11 certified country gold albums). He had his arm around them and they all wore great big smiles, like he was as happy to see them, his fans, as they were him. You couldn't have faked it better, if you'd wanted to. They had tee's on that said Country Fest, (maybe 94)? I will look it up. I can post it when I find it again.
Concerts are fun. Yes, those arenas charge a pretty penny for everything. Same with all venues, even here in the Deep South of Georgia. However, can you imagine the overhead for each and every show... many of which they probably just break even. Can't really blame them, since they and the promoters take all of the risk. To me it is just hedging their bets, protecting the vendors that they can take a cut off the top from.
I love country, and have seen Wyonna (flaming red hair under those lights, wow), Billy Ray Cyrus and Jerry Reed in their heydays. If Billy Ray could cut his hair, die it blonde and go punk he could be Billy Ray Idol!
Also, I was at the Marlboro Country Music Festival, cause my friend's HOTTIE sister could not go, and gave me the promtional tickets she got at the bar and dance club she worked at to me and her brother to go in her place. She was a cocktail waitress, at a place in Marietta, Georgia called Miss Kitties on Franklin Road. Don't know if it still there, but my memories of her are, and boy oh boy, woo hoo...Oh yes, and I saw David Alan Coe there sing the perfect country song. "You don't have to call me darlin', darlin!" To quote Coe, "If that ain't country, I'll kiss your ass!"
Back to the Marlboro Fest, I saw a variety of country artists there such as Exile and a young blue grass player named Ricky Skaggs. They were really good, but the finale blew me away and is etched into my memory with fire. Ronnie Milsap did fabulous medley of his songs. And "What a difference HE made" in MY life. Now I know what a living legend really is...Amazing, amazing, amazing...When you hear one and see one like that, YOU walk away a changed person. Now THAT is a legendary artist.
