Postby WildcatOne » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:27 am
Many thanks for the great words about the Blues For Becky weekend, BP and Jer. That was something that just went beyond words. It just happened. The Wildcats ain't together anymore, and the Citykings at that time were backing Amy, doing her cover tunes. Shorttsy pulled me aside by the neck after that set and commanded me to retool that band back to running nitro again and do our originals and make the CD that he wanted to hear from us. He is thanked in gold letters on the back of the CD. They had the Pro Stock Superbowl that weekend at HRP...we all went. WJ showed up, got stuck in the mud out in the sportsman pits, got pissed, unloaded and ran a 6.68 right out of the box. Me and BP were on our way there from the airport when he made that run, but at the time (February 2004), 6.60s in NHRA Pro Stock were something our of a Jules Verne novel. Only Greg had hit better numbers by then. It was cold, sunny and windy, and we went ahead and split early, but not before BP went up and visited his buddies in the booth and made the announcement about the benefit to the crowd. 15 bands showed up Sunday and played blues all day long. 5 more bands were beating on the door to get in...I couldn't believe all those bands were doing that for somebody they were told was a friend of mine who needed help. BP ran the show and his ability as a world-class dancing machine was showcased that day with a non-stop parade of beautiful ladies who saw his talent and were anxious to get their song on the floor with him. I have to say that Brandigirl went out of her way to hang out and party with all of us, and I don't think there was one guy there who didn't fall in love with her. She was wonderful. Jerry videotaped 90% of the show and sent copies to all of us afterwards, and he and Cheryl and Robbie not only bought the autographed team shirts that were sent to me by the guys that Jerry had contacted for donations (Doug Herbert shipped a huge box of his stuff, Larry Dixon sent me his team shirt from his first championship season, Team Kalitta sent a Jesse James shirt autographed by the whole team, and George Bryce sent us his championship season shirt, all signed...) anyway, Robbie, Cheryl and Jerry re-donated those shirts after they bought 'em and auctioned 'em off on e-bay and made even more money. Jerry then re-bought the shirts from the guy who won 'em from the auction...unbelievable, man. Becky's received somewhere between 5 and 6 thousand bucks from us. I auctioned my 1977 Gibson SG, the "Six String Devil" at the benefit and got $950 for it. A young kid and guitar prodigy from around here named Dangerous Dalton Dunn won it with his mom and a friend of theirs doing the bidding. I could go on all day, but "Blues For Becky"...yes. It was the one.
Saw Engelbert Humperdinck a few years ago and it was excellent.
My favorite line from his show..."My name's Arnold, too...and my Humperdinck is every bit as big as his Schwarzenegger...I've seen it..."
The original Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1973 would be hard to top for a rock show...they were glowing...the fastest, tightest jazz-rock fusion group ever.
Liza Minelli in 1971 at Jones Hall downtown, with Joel Gray. Awesome show.
Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard a couple of years ago knocked me out. So did Asleep at the Wheel with the Charlie Daniels Band about a month later (wife's boss gave us the tickets)...Gordon Lightfoot in '82 was wonderful...The Ventures at Rockefeller's in '82 also was a great slice of Americana...Freddy King with Nitzinger at Liberty Hall in '74...Randy Newman, solo on piano with Ry Cooder, also solo, at the Music Hall also in '74...ZZ Top gave me more bang for the buck over the years as kings of boogie...The Blasters at Fitzgerald's in '80...saw the '75 Yes show here, BP. Donovan opened. Great concert...Jeff Beck with the "Rough and Ready" group in '71...like most guys my age, I haven't gone out to a lot of shows in the last few years, but I've been pretty dang busy playing in a few bands out there. It's been a wonderul party! WC1
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