A second chance...
In September of 1995 Willie Nelson performed in Midland at a very nice, relatively small outdoor show on the Courthouse lawn. My Dad was a golfing partner of the father of the show's promoter and so became the recepient of a backstage pass to the show. Graciously, he bestowed the pass on me. Backstage, in this case, meant sitting on the back of the lowrise temporary platform that Willie performed on. For most of the show I sat on the stage right next to Willie's sister, and longtime piano player, Bobbie Nelson. A great show with Willie playing a solid two hours of his greatest hits.
After the show, the pass entitled me to come to the "meet and greet" with Willie. In this case held outside his motor coach, parked on the street right in front of the Petroleum Building, which later became my office. After Willie relaxed for a half an hour or so, he descended from the motor home, shook the hands of we eight or ten fans with passes, brought out some lawn chairs and invited everyone to stay and talk. And that we did until about 2 a.m. when there were just two us left with Willie. As you can imagine it was a rare treat. Except for one thing, which I've regretted ever since...I didn't have a camera with me. I got an autograph, but no pictures.
But now, fate, serendipity or just good fortune is bringing me a second chance. In the past year I've become good friends with Willie's ex wife, Connie Nelson. Connie is a sweetheart of a woman. Kind, caring, talented and very interesting, she was instrumental in the success of our recent Troop Salute in San Antonio, arranging for bands and raising money. Connie also brought her best friend, Phyllis with her to help out. As I was eating dinner with Phyllis the topic of Willie arose. I asked her if she knew him very well. "Well yes," she said, "his sister Bobbie is my step-mother".
So when I found out that Willie will be appearing soon in Odessa, I called Connie. "Hi Connie, Willie is going to be in Odessa on June 29th, I wonder if you could......" That's all I got out before she said, "you want some backstage passes?" And so she called Willie's manager and within a day it was arranged, giving me all the names in Willie's tour group that I need to know and who to talk to about taking photographs onstage. And when I talked to Phyllis this week she added, "I'll see Bobby tonight, I'll tell her about you and ask her to make sure things go OK."
Sometimes we do get second chances in life....and they may even work out better than first chances.
After the show, the pass entitled me to come to the "meet and greet" with Willie. In this case held outside his motor coach, parked on the street right in front of the Petroleum Building, which later became my office. After Willie relaxed for a half an hour or so, he descended from the motor home, shook the hands of we eight or ten fans with passes, brought out some lawn chairs and invited everyone to stay and talk. And that we did until about 2 a.m. when there were just two us left with Willie. As you can imagine it was a rare treat. Except for one thing, which I've regretted ever since...I didn't have a camera with me. I got an autograph, but no pictures.
But now, fate, serendipity or just good fortune is bringing me a second chance. In the past year I've become good friends with Willie's ex wife, Connie Nelson. Connie is a sweetheart of a woman. Kind, caring, talented and very interesting, she was instrumental in the success of our recent Troop Salute in San Antonio, arranging for bands and raising money. Connie also brought her best friend, Phyllis with her to help out. As I was eating dinner with Phyllis the topic of Willie arose. I asked her if she knew him very well. "Well yes," she said, "his sister Bobbie is my step-mother".
So when I found out that Willie will be appearing soon in Odessa, I called Connie. "Hi Connie, Willie is going to be in Odessa on June 29th, I wonder if you could......" That's all I got out before she said, "you want some backstage passes?" And so she called Willie's manager and within a day it was arranged, giving me all the names in Willie's tour group that I need to know and who to talk to about taking photographs onstage. And when I talked to Phyllis this week she added, "I'll see Bobby tonight, I'll tell her about you and ask her to make sure things go OK."
Sometimes we do get second chances in life....and they may even work out better than first chances.
