Page 132 - Been There… Done That!

Gary Graham
“Hell, they can use a little help in there,” and in we went. Rip and I stopped at the bar and Willie went to the stage and took the guitar player’s guitar and jumped right into “Good Hearted Woman,” followed by “Crazy” and finally, “Whiskey River.” I’m here to tell you that place was suddenly packed and we could hardly move. Rip said as soon as Willie gets to the bar, let’s get the hell out of here. The bartender yelled, “thank you guys and what are you drinking?” Willie yelled Cuervo Gold and the bartender handed us a bottle and Willie took the cap off and threw it away, looked at me and said, “We won’t be needing that now.” We went to another bar with no band and for a while, it was all about autographs and people were even asking for mine. I guess they must have thought I was important, being in that company.
The group, The Cats Meow, showed up and while we talked to them, time kind of slipped away. After they left we continued talking and I looked around and, holy shit, there were two cops and it was four in the morning. They told me they were watching out for Willie, not to worry. We made our way back to the Marriott where we had a hospitality room and about a half hour later left for our rooms. To say I was drunk wouldn’t begin to describe my condition. Going into my room I was met with an unfriendly force, my wife Debbie and my son Cody, who informed me that it was 7:30 and I had a stage call at 9:30 for the TV show.
I was awakened shortly and informed a car was coming for me at 9:00. I would have to have died to feel any better. To this day I have never touched Cuervo Gold. Oh my God, I spent a half-hour in the shower and made my way to the lobby for coffee, greeted
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