Billy Kemp

The Waffle House emptied out while the memories went back and forth. We shared so many stories that by the time we got up to leave we were the only ones left. I was a bit disappointed the Waffle House didn’t have a single 8×10 glossy of an Opry member on their walls.

When you go back thirty seven years, the stories may suffer from memory distortion. You wonder, did that really happen? I reminded Terri, when we had played in Chillicothe, Ohio, how she asked me if I would accompany her on an elephant ride that the fair offered. This was probably a retired circus elephant. Well of course I said yes. I didn’t want to disappoint the boss. Terri wasn’t sure about that one. Surely it must have happened?

We talked about the time we drove from Nashville to Edmonton, Alberta, only 2105 miles. Maps say you can do it in 31 hours. My memory tells me we did it in two days meaning, our bus driver, Britt, probably drove two sixteen or seventeen hour days. Just amazing! The town where we probably crossed into Canada is called North Portal (don’t you love that name). From North Portal, North Dakota to Edmonton is 678 miles just to give some perspective. Here is a review of that show:

But it wasn’t just gigs that we spoke about. Terri and Jack spoke about their trips together up to Nashville from Atlanta. Terri spoke about her apartment on West End Ave. I remembered going over to Terri’s on occasion to work out arrangements. Terri had a Wurlitzer piano there that she made sound so good. I wish I would have recorded some of those sessions. There was a gas station across from Terri’s where we would sometimes meet the bus at midnight to go out on the road. There is still a gas station there. One of my favorite Indian restaurants, The Woodlands, is on the ground level of the building where Terri lived.

I enjoyed hearing Terri’s son, David, speak about his work in agriculture, his wife, Chelsea, doing that work as well. I’m a gentleman farmer, and David was speaking about farming techniques. I wish I had taken notes. It wasn’t surprising to hear stories about how many of Terri’s family members, maternal and paternal, who were musical or at least singers, many in the church.

We chatted until after two in the morning, and then sadly it was time to call it a night. We could have carried on until the sun came up, but we had to get back to Mavis and Minnie in Liberty. Hugs and waves goodbye, and we headed back home on 40 East.

The next day I took Jack back to west central Georgia, stayed the night and then drove back to Liberty on Friday. Then a weekend of recovery from a plateful of mileage and smileage.

Here are a few more photos from the Country For A Cause benefit. The top image is Terri Gibbs performing. The middle left is Jack, Sue and Billy outside at 3rd & Lindsley. The middle right is Terri talking with Crystal Gayle in the dressing room. The bottom image is Chapel Hart performing.

The summer solstice was just two weeks away, and so was Terri’s second ever Grand Ole Opry performance. David, Chelsea and Terri hadn’t told us about it that night at the Waffle House. On June 19, the day before the Opry performance, David rang and asked if Sue and I would like to be Terri’s guests for her Opry performance. I didn’t want to disappoint the boss, and said of course we would be thrilled.

The Grand Ole Opry is now held most of the year at the Grand Ole Opry House just outside of Nashville on the Cumberland River. The Opry has been there since 1974. In the winter, when the tourist season tapers off, the Opry is held at The Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville.

My first visit to the Opry was in June, 1976. I was in Nashville for Fan Fair, and I had gotten some free tickets to a taping of The Johnny Cash Show. Johnny introduced Nashville to a new, up and coming comedian named Steve Martin that afternoon. A bit that he did called, “The Incredible Shrinking Man,” was one I liked and remember. I also performed there in 1985-86 with country music singer, Jeanne Pruett.

Sue and I drove into Nashville on Thursday, June 20 for the Thursday Night Opry. We parked at the backstage parking area and headed up the walk to the entrance. David had added our names to the guest list, and we were checked in. I told the Opry greeter that I hadn’t been to the Opry in thirty-seven years, the last time performing with Jeanne Pruett. He smiled and said, “Welcome back,” and gave us a poster for the evening.

There seemed to be more dressing rooms than I had remembered, but we finally found Terri, David, Chelsea and Terri’s nephew and his wife and their kids. Each dressing room has an electric piano, a room width mirror and narrow table top along the back wall, a sofa and chairs, a refrigerator stocked with water and a private dressing area with curtains. That night there were seven of us in the room comfortably, enough for a band to warm up for the show.

Stories were flying around the room that night, and it was wonderful to hear the ones about Terri’s grandparents and how they were farmers and singers, two of my favorite beings on the planet.

Terri gave me a copy of her memoir, Somebody’s Knockin’-The Amazing Life of Terri Gibbs . It was fun to read her stories, as well as other family members. That was something unique to Terri’s memoir, including excerpts of other family members sharing their stories about Terri. Her memoir features all of the important things in this big, ole goofy world; family, place, faith and hope. It reflects her respect for family elders and those that came before. It also is an affirmation of her love and respect for our four legged friends. Birdie, her service dog, seemed a godsend in her life.

Terri performed three songs that night, “Somebody’s Knockin’,” “Misery River” and “Promised Land.” She closed with “Promised Land” and received a standing ovation. The Opry audience are still fans of Terri’s, as I am as well.

Lots to be grateful for here. I am also grateful for those of you who continue to support music in all of its gifts and wonders.

In friendship,

Billy