I should mention that I changed a flat tire for Waylon Jennings in 1979, without even knowing it was him.
I was stationed in NC and had orders to Okinawa (my 6th tour there) and I wanted to drive cross-country once again. Oki is pretty confined and the max speed limit there was just 37mph on the highways, enforced with gusto and ferocity.
I had a Mercury Comet 289 convertible WITH air-conditioning (rare combo) and wanted to drive 3,000 miles before spending a year locked on The Rock. My plan was to sell the car in California before flying out of San Bernadino.
Not finding anyone interested in the car down in town, I was driving up to Big Bear Lake to a swap meet/car show near the top.
As I climbed up the 2-lane highway in the San Bernadino mountains, a silver hubcap came rolling past me at high speed in the downhill lane. No other traffic was in sight in either direction. I was a little puzzled at that until up ahead I saw a car on the downhill shoulder with a small camper trailer on the back.
As I cruised past it I saw an obviously obese shaggy haired sweaty older man staring forlornly at a flat tire on the left front of a very perfect 1969 front-wheel drive Buick Riviera (and the trailer missing a wheel cover). He was obviously too far out of shape to change it himself and his girlfriend was standing near him, arms folded. It was long before cellphones and we were in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a mountain. I turned around and came back downhill and parked behind them.
As I changed the tire his girlfriend brought him a folding chair and a mason jar of moonshine from the tailer. I respectfully declined. Then she brought him out a really expensive professional 6-string and he sat there playing while I worked. He was really good.
When he asked me if I had any favorites I'd like to hear I requested "Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys", which had been a recent big Waylon hit. They both laughed, which I thought was strange. But he hit into it and did it so well, I actually stopped work and sang along with him. When he finished I told him he could make an excellent performer if he ever wanted to play and sing professionally, and told him he did that song every bit as well as Waylon Jennings did. They both roared with laughter. The girl said, "He IS Waylon, and I'm Jessi Colter!".
I was stunned. I looked carefully at them and saw they really were them. In their sloppy sweaty summer street clothes, unshaven and without the makeup, hair dye and costumes, I hadn't recognized either of them. They both looked a decade older and grayer (especially her) than their stage personas.
Anyway, that was my first and only encounter with the 'real' Waylon and Jessi.
|
I know I had more pics of the event but I have not been able to find them. 
Don't ask.