THE MUSICIAN’S LIFE.
I started playing saloon piano when I was about sixteen…
the only boogie piano guy in the area.
The room would get rockin’ and I might play one song for a half hour non-stop.
I got a lot of attention, especially from the girls.
I like attention. Isn’t that why we go into the music business?
It can’t be the financial security.
ON THE ROAD…
It was getting dark and the exit sign said Casper, Wyoming.
The Holiday Inn was full,
so we started cruising around town looking for someplace to stay.
I went into one motel and heard cowboys yipping and yelling in the lounge.
The clerk said, “I can rent you a room,
but you wouldn’t want to bring your wife in here. It’s rough on Saturday nights”
We finally found a place and then drove back to the Holiday Inn for dinner,
and had Cherries Jubilee for dessert.
My grandfather was an engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
My grandmother was a telephone operator.
They met over the telephone,
which indirectly resulted in my being here.
TWO HIGH SPOTS IN MY MUSIC LIFE…
1. Roger Miller visiting our recording session.
I walked over to say I was a fan of his,
and he offered his hand and said, “Hi, I’m a fan of yours.”
2. I was talking to some songwriters on 16th Avenue, South,
and Harlan Howard said to me, “You’re my favorite songwriter.”
I bring these up every chance I get.
THE MUSIC CAREER…
There are factors at work we can’t control.
Besides change, there are chaos and luck, all wild cards.
If you are really good at what you do,
work hard, and are lucky, you’ve got a chance.
A chance has always been enough to keep me going.
A ticket in the race.
The Leesburg riots have been cancelled due to a lack of interest.
Misty is proud of her spaghetti sauce and I like it a lot.
I brought home a jar of Paul Newman’s sauce a couple of weeks ago,
but she hasn’t served it.
I think she’s jealous of Paul Newman.
I feel like I’m cheating on her… with Paul Newman.
Groucho Marx sent me an autographed picture, saying “Keep trying, Jack”.
I was a big fan of his, and had sent him a humorous little book I’d written.
Groucho was wheelchair bound and I was Alabammy bound.
I know that’s cruel but Groucho would have liked it.
Orlando is building a $155 million soccer stadium
in an area where many children are going hungry.
Misty just came from Publix.
She told me a guy said this to her:
“I saw you over there giving the bananas a dirty look.’
She said, “They started it.”
Jack Blanchard
Copyright © Jack Blanchard 2015