Billy Kemp

In 1983 I toured with country music singer, Tommy Overstreet (TO). We performed in thirty seven states, three provinces in Canada and Germany that year. We also recorded one record, Memories Old and New. Tommy was a terrific singer and an agreeable helmsman to work for. The musicians were a crackajack bunch that I enjoyed making music with.

In the late spring of that year TO performed a concert in Park City, Utah. I can’t remember the name of the venue, but I do remember the night well because it was a pivotal evening for my music path. That night I met a bass player named Jack Hall. Jack was on tour with another country music singer, Terri Gibbs. Jack introduced himself to me during a break. He said he enjoyed the show and commented how much he liked my guitar playing. We exchanged numbers, and later that year, I got a call from Jack. He said that Terri was going to be doing auditions in January for a new guitarist. He suggested I learn four or five of Terri’s songs, which I did. He also invited me to a Terri Gibbs concert in Atlanta that December at the Fox Theater, and I went to see that as well.

The audition was at Studio Instrument Rentals in Nashville which was downtown off of Broadway on 5th Ave South. I’m not sure how many guitarists auditioned, but I have a memory of thinking I got the gig because I could play guitar and harmonica at the same time. One of Terri’s biggest selling songs, “Somebody’s Knockin‘” which was released in October, 1980, featured a guitar hook as well as harmonica. The recording peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary and number 8 on the US Hot Country Singles.

My stint with Terri lasted nearly four years well into 1987. That was the last time I saw Terri and Jack, which was thirty seven years ago. Until last week. My wife, Sue, mentioned about a month ago that there was going to be a concert in Nashville on June 5 called Country For A Cause, to benefit the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

So I went to finding out where Terri and Jack were. I wrote to Jack’s brother, Jimmy, who lives in Nashville. Jimmy wrote back and said Jack would be in touch. Then, after thirty seven years, a text comes in. “Billy, it’s Jack. Hope I got your number right…” Jack, Sue and I decided we were going to go to the concert. We were hopeful we would get to say hello to Terri and reconnect. Then all three of us were trying to find out how to get in touch with Terri, neither of us having any luck. We made plans to go regardless.

When I knew Jack in the ’80s he lived near Atlanta.Terri lived in Nashville and Augusta, and they would sometimes drive up to Nashville together. Jack is still in Georgia but just a block from the Chattahoochee river on the Georgia/Alabama border. Terri is still in Georgia as well. When we were touring with Terri often times Jack and I were roommates. Jack introduced me to a lot of new music back then. Jack is my elder but not by much.

As it turned out, the reunion became a night with Terri and a week with Jack. I drove down to Jack’s place, about five hours south of Liberty, on Monday. On the way there, I traveled on a stretch of road called “Harold Shedd Highway.” Harold Shedd is a producer who started working in Nashville in the late ’70s. He produced the group, Alabama, as well as too many others to mention here. After I arrived to Jack’s place, we walked over to a Korean restaurant nearby, got some carry out, sat on a public park bench, and watched a girls softball game. Tuesday, late morning, we drove to Liberty taking a different route than the trip down and drove north through Alabama. As we were going through Ft. Payne, Jack said, “This is where the band Alabama is from.” As we were driving through Wedowee, in Georgia, Jack mentioned the town had a globally famous banjo shop and hangout owned by a globally famous banjoist, Barry Waldrep. I haven’t mentioned this to Sue. Much of our minimal wall space in our cabin features many of Sue’s banjos.”More banjo, not cowbell,” as Sue likes to say.

Jack and I got to Liberty. We checked Jack into the guest shed, filled with analog tape recorders and a futon; Jack was happy. We had some supper and then watched Let It Be, the 1970 documentary featuring The Beatles. We thought we were watching part one of the Peter Jackson film, Get Back.

The concert was at 3rd & Lindsley, one of Nashville’s finest live performance spaces on Wednesday night. The three of us headed into Nashville on Highway 40 West and got there at 5:30, doors were at 6. Sue and I like sitting at the bar just behind the sound desk, always a good place. We found three seats and settled in. I asked our bartender about getting a note to the backstage dressing room. She said to write a note, and she would do her best to get it back there. The note said. “Dear Terri, Jack Hall, Billy Kemp and Billy’s wife, Sue, would like to come back stage to say hello. We’re sitting at the corner of the bar behind the sound desk.”

The show was to start at 7. We had dinner and about quarter to 7, I get a tap on the shoulder. This tall, young man says in a deep, southern tone, “Are you Billy Kemp, I’m David Daughtry, Terri Gibbs son.” I said, “I don’t remember Terri being that tall?” David laughed and said, “Momma is excited to see y’all. It’s crazy, busy in the dressing room. Let me get your cell number, and we can text about where and when to get together.” We exchanged numbers, and then the show started.

Out of the gate, the show began with Sister Sadie, who were quite good with harmony singing, solid musicianship and memorable songs. Next up was Lee Greenwood. Lee was dressed casual and sang some of his hit records; one of my favorites is “Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her Hand.” There were fifteen artists on the show. Besides seeing Terri perform, the highlights for me were The Kody Norris Show, Sister Sadie, T. Graham Brown, Crystal Gayle, Lacy J. Dalton and Chapel Hart. That last group Chapel Hart received one of the best responses. The crowd was on their feet at the end of their performance.

Just before 11, we get a text from David. “Where would you like to meet? Maybe we can go to Waffle House near The Opry and break bread, have a hang and chat a bit.” This sounded perfect because it was on our way home, and we hadn’t been to the Opry Waffle House. Would there be 8×10 glossies of country music stars on the walls?

We got to the Waffle House at about 11:30. The place was pretty full. We didn’t see Terri or David so we stepped outside to wait. Minutes later a four door truck pulls up and out comes David, his wife, Chelsea and Terri. We hug, and smiles are on everybody. Jack and I have two questions for Terri that can’t wait. One thing to mention for those of you who don’t know, Terri has been blind since birth. Jack asks, “Are you still playing tennis?” And then I ask, “Are you still driving the bus?”

The Happy Reunion will have a part two coming over the next couple of weeks. Terri, David and Chelsea went home to Augusta the next day. Jack and I drove back to the banks of the Chattahootchee that same day.

We didn’t know at the time, but Terri would be coming back to Nashville two weeks later to play the Grand Ole Opry. That is why there is a part two just ahead.

Wishing everyone firefly/lightning bug sightings and the melodic sounds of the whippoorwill on these summer nights.

Billy