Tommy Lee Atcheson claimed to be a cousin to Brenda Lee... and remotely related to Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Lee Swaggert, Elvis Aaron Presley (don't know how he fits in), and many other Southern Descendents of the good General Robert E.. Tommy Lee was musically gifted, though he didn't apply his talents in that area, and haled from a musically accomplished family. His father, Bobby Lee, worked at an Atlanta TV station as a graphic artist, and had hosted his own live music/variety show for some years previously. Tommy Lee knew his 'country'.
One night, Tommy Lee and I were having a post-midnight breakfast at a steak and waffle house in Nashville, Tennessee. We'd been working cameras on an All-Night Gospel Sing , and were chowin' down (sleepily) on steaks and eggs.
The place was deserted except for Tommy Lee, myself and the counterman, and aside from an occasional "more coffee?", or, "man, you cook up a pretty fine steak", soft clinks and rattles were the only sounds to be heard.
Sometime around two o'clock, another fellow entered and took a booth at the very back of the diner. The counterman walked over to the guy and wordlessly poured coffee... then went back to his post behind the counter. The guy in the back booth was bald, wearing thick eyeglasses, and casually dressed in obviously very good quality, but not 'showy' slacks, shirt and sweater. He got up, walked to the jukebox, and dumped in a pocketful of quarters. I barely noticed the fellow. The music started up... ("I can tell) You've never Been This Far Before." Tommy Lee tipped his head and said, "Conway." "Yup," says I, "Good song." "Conway," repeats Tommy Lee. Tommy Lee has a way of saying the same thing more than once... but usually not in the same exact words; he'll say, "'I never liked spinach. Never did I like spinach." Or, "Man, that chick was hot. That was some hot chick." That's how he talked. So when he said, "Conway' for about the third or fourth time, I still paid no attention... other than to say, "Yeah, man... Conway... and I hope that dude played a few Johnny Cash or Waylon tunes, also, 'cause I got Conway comin' out my ass."
Tommy Lee wearily looked up from his plate, shook his head and said, "That's Conway Twitty back there... and I think he heard what you just said." I looked up to see the dude sipping his coffee... and peering at me over the rim of the cup. I started to say something, but the guy just held up a hand... like a traffic cop... and stared me down.
I worked several times with Johnny and June Carter, with Dolly, Waylon and Porter Wagoner among others. We worked together professionally and in a cordial, if not downright friendly way. But I never got to shake the hand of the late, great Conway Twitty.
good story, bob, enjoyed! takes me back to when i was in nashville back in 1979 when i went to the grand ole opry; would LOVE to go back there and back to the opry~!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in tx., karen lynn. :D
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