By Whitney......
It's funny how so many memories are associated with music, and the memories of my Daddy are no different. Sometimes when I think of times with him, I can literally hear the songs he always listened to playing in the back of my mind. With the death of George Jones last week, I started thinking about how much my Daddy loved country music. Daddy always had the radio on a country station and he didn't care much for the "new guys" as he called them, but preferred the artists he had loved since he was young: George Jones, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, The Statler Brothers, and his favorite (and mine), John Conlee.
When Daddy lived with us in 2006 during his longest period of sobriety, I took him to Billy Bob's to see John Conlee. The decicion to take him to a BAR to attend a concert was a bit frightening to me and I wasn't sure that he could handle the atmosphere. They say an alcoholic should never, ever have a drink and I don't disagree with that. Daddy always said, "don't wake a sleeping tiger", so he embraced this ideology as well, but that night, he did have a couple of beers and honestly, he was fine. And I was incredibly proud of him for limiting his intake to two beers, when before he would have had 10 or 12 and then some whiskey.
We had front row, middle of the stage, seats and John Conlee did not disappoint. Not only did he put on an amazing show, he stood and signed autographs for about two hours afterward. He is such a real person, so kind and down to earth. Then, the highlight of my Daddy's night happened. John Conlee actually sat down with us and talked to Daddy for almost an hour. I can't tell you how thrilled Daddy was! They talked about fishing, singing, women and their kids, while I just sat there smiling at how animated Daddy was around him, almost childlike in his excitement. It was the best night I ever had with my Daddy. He cherished the pictures and the memories. When I went through his belongings after his death, I found an entire folder labeled "Pawjerr and Who-Who.....The Concert".
Shortly after Daddy died, my sweet mother found out that John Conlee would be playing at the Riverwind Casino not far from her home and she asked if I wanted to go. Ummmmm....yes! It was precious of her to take me in the first place, but for her to be so kind as to realize that John Conlee brought back many happy memories of a perfect night with my Daddy, her ex-husband, was amazing. We had dinner at the casino that night, and as I was eating, I looked up and there, by the ice cream machine, was none other than John Conlee, Not wanting to bother him, but overwhelmed by the urge to talk to him, I walked up to where he was standing and thanked him for giving me and Daddy the only perfect night we ever had together. I told him Daddy had just passed away and that the night at Billy Bob's was a memory he had always cherished. I am quite sure John Conlee didn't remember us, but he was so kind to me, as he stood there with a dripping ice cream cone and talked to me. He said he was happy to have been part of that night for us and he was sorry that Daddy had died. He gave me a little pat on the shoulder and said he hoped I would enjoy the concert later. And I did, immensely. I sang and I cried and drank a beer with my momma in my Daddy's honor.....and now, John Conlee has given me two perfect nights for which I am so thankful.
It's funny how so many memories are associated with music, and the memories of my Daddy are no different. Sometimes when I think of times with him, I can literally hear the songs he always listened to playing in the back of my mind. With the death of George Jones last week, I started thinking about how much my Daddy loved country music. Daddy always had the radio on a country station and he didn't care much for the "new guys" as he called them, but preferred the artists he had loved since he was young: George Jones, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, The Statler Brothers, and his favorite (and mine), John Conlee.
When Daddy lived with us in 2006 during his longest period of sobriety, I took him to Billy Bob's to see John Conlee. The decicion to take him to a BAR to attend a concert was a bit frightening to me and I wasn't sure that he could handle the atmosphere. They say an alcoholic should never, ever have a drink and I don't disagree with that. Daddy always said, "don't wake a sleeping tiger", so he embraced this ideology as well, but that night, he did have a couple of beers and honestly, he was fine. And I was incredibly proud of him for limiting his intake to two beers, when before he would have had 10 or 12 and then some whiskey.
We had front row, middle of the stage, seats and John Conlee did not disappoint. Not only did he put on an amazing show, he stood and signed autographs for about two hours afterward. He is such a real person, so kind and down to earth. Then, the highlight of my Daddy's night happened. John Conlee actually sat down with us and talked to Daddy for almost an hour. I can't tell you how thrilled Daddy was! They talked about fishing, singing, women and their kids, while I just sat there smiling at how animated Daddy was around him, almost childlike in his excitement. It was the best night I ever had with my Daddy. He cherished the pictures and the memories. When I went through his belongings after his death, I found an entire folder labeled "Pawjerr and Who-Who.....The Concert".
Shortly after Daddy died, my sweet mother found out that John Conlee would be playing at the Riverwind Casino not far from her home and she asked if I wanted to go. Ummmmm....yes! It was precious of her to take me in the first place, but for her to be so kind as to realize that John Conlee brought back many happy memories of a perfect night with my Daddy, her ex-husband, was amazing. We had dinner at the casino that night, and as I was eating, I looked up and there, by the ice cream machine, was none other than John Conlee, Not wanting to bother him, but overwhelmed by the urge to talk to him, I walked up to where he was standing and thanked him for giving me and Daddy the only perfect night we ever had together. I told him Daddy had just passed away and that the night at Billy Bob's was a memory he had always cherished. I am quite sure John Conlee didn't remember us, but he was so kind to me, as he stood there with a dripping ice cream cone and talked to me. He said he was happy to have been part of that night for us and he was sorry that Daddy had died. He gave me a little pat on the shoulder and said he hoped I would enjoy the concert later. And I did, immensely. I sang and I cried and drank a beer with my momma in my Daddy's honor.....and now, John Conlee has given me two perfect nights for which I am so thankful.