The Music Faded and the Dance Ended --- Part 3 (Silver Wings)

The weekends turned into months, --then years. My learning escalated along with my confidence. I was in a whole new world that was as seductive as it could possibly be. Pat thrived on it too. I could tell by the way he moved up to the microphone and then poured his soul into the feel of the song, just after one of Mike’s mesmerizing lead breaks.

Pat played up his talent and sang straight from his big heart. Mike was great, also. Our band became more of a marriage of souls with the purpose of touching the hearts of the folks who came in, sat down, drank, danced, had a great time, and then became a part of us.

I was still a minor, but I learned to mingle with the crowd. I was young enough to not be spoiled by the pain and turmoil that comes with the years of adulthood. I communicated with them in a naïve kid-like way, but still was able to reach the love that was in their hearts. I loved them. I would give anything to step back in time, stand on stage and watch those folks two-step around the dance floor again, and dream on each other, --one more time!

As the boom in country music built during the seventies, we went from place to place. We would play the lodges, clubs, and the beer taverns. We kicked butt! Like all bands, we developed a following. I may not remember their names, but I remember their hearts.

We had other bands come in and check us out where ever it was we were playing (ya know, what’s our competition? And how do they sound?) And, when time allowed, we did the same. I remember a band that came into the Kings Valley Tavern to check us out. The bass player of this well-established band came up to me and told me what a SOLID bass payer I was; I swelled with pride. We became good friends after that.

As the weeks went by the places, that hired bands, sought to bring in the crowds. Money is money and capitalism is a great thing.

Sunday jam sessions became very popular. There was always a jam session somewhere every Sunday. It was a strange day to pour drinks and play music, but it as fun as could be.

Those jam sessions were great for us. We either got jobs from them or we just met other musicians. We got our name around and we got to know a lot of other players in the area. It was one hell of a hay-ride (to say the least).

Although, this new life for me was so cool, my teenage years suffered badly and my high school friends, pretty much, went their own way for the most part. My high school friend Rick, on the other hand, was a bit different. He started learning to play drums in school and loved music. He was a good friend (the first day we met we got into a fist fight while walking down the hall after Math class. Kids are stupid!) He eventually became our drummer and stayed a life-long friend.

It really would have been nice to go camping, fishing, hunting, or just bombing around with my buds, but I was playing, and that seemed to matter most to me. To this day, I’m not sure why, but I still wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.

A brief but very important aside (Misty):

Ted’s folks took in Foster children and gave them a warm and loving country home for a time. Most of the time, they provided that home for teenaged girls. Ted’s place was a magnet for the boys in our community. I was no exception. During the week I was in high school, but on the weekends (during the day), Id either be at Pat’s place or Ted’s.

They took in a girl named Misty. Misty was a couple of years younger than me. She was a petite brunette with green eyes, pretty face, and a sweet voice. I was captivated by her from the get go. She became more than just puppy love to me. She was the real deal (or so I thought). There comes a time when a boy becomes a man; Misty changed my life forever.

The music took on a whole new life to me. I had a love in my life to center my emotions around. The songs had a truer meaning than ever before.

During this intense and naïve love affair, Misty got the chance to go spend a week with her brother who lived out of state. She caught a plane there and that was one of the most difficult weeks of my life, and then some. At the same time Pat was teaching me a new song (new to me, anyway) that was more complicated in the chord progression than what I’d been used to. The song is a Merle Haggard song called “Silver Wings.”

We played the song the following weekend and, that emotion, that song, and that particular moment in my life has stuck with me as one my fondest memories.


Silver Wings (by Merle Haggard):

Silver wings shinning in the sunlight,
roaring engines headed somewhere in flight.
Their taking you away, leaving me lonely,
silver wings slowly fading out of sight.
Don't leave me I cry, don't take that airplane ride.
But you locked me out of your mind. Left me
standing here behind.
Silver wings shining in the sunlight,
roaring engines headed somewhere in flight.
Their taking you away, leaving me lonely.
silver wings slowly fading out of sight.
Silver wings shining in the sunlight,
roaring engines headed somewhere in flight,
their taking you away. Leaving me lonely.
Silver wings slowly fading out of sight.
Slowly fading out of sight.

Misty came back but she wasn't the same person. I knew She was leaving my world as I felt my music world growing, at the same time. I had no choice but to pour my love into song, now that Misty was gone. And, I did it with a passion.