Page 7 - ION Indie Magazine JulyAugust 2019

For The Love Of

Gary West

Music by Gary West
“I Don’t Do It For The Money (I Do It For The Love Of Cash)”

Story and Interview by Scott Wikle
www.mkocradio.com

Photo credit: Studio Photography by Alex Morgan
Live Concert Photography by John Coyle

Gary West was born and raised in a rural farm area,
35 miles east of Indianapolis, Indiana. His given name was Gerald Boger Jr.
In 1985, while on tour with Tommy Cash (brother of Johnny Cash), Tommy
told Gerald that he needed a new name if he was going to be in show
business. Later that night during Tommy's performance, Tommy introduced
Gerald as, "Gary West on the drums.”

In 1988, Gary moved to Nashville, TN in a 1963 GMC 4104 tour bus with
everything he owned, and the journey began. Later that year, Gary
played on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time with his hero, and Grand
Ole Opry Star, Del Reeves. He honed his craft while sitting backstage in
Dressing Room #3 at the Grand Ole Opry, watching, learning, and waiting
to play the next show. Gary continued on to work with many great Opry
legends over the years including 12 years with the great Little Jimmy
Dickens. He toured with Jett Williams and The Drifting Cowboys (Hank Sr.’s
original band with Don Helms and Jerry Rivers), Melba Montgomery, and
backed up many more -- like Johnny Paycheck, Charley Pride, LuLu
Roman, Porter Wagoner, Hank Thompson, Tommy Cash, and many more.