Thanks for the comment.
I noticed someone mentioned Jim Ed Brown.
Here's a funny story we had to cut out of the book, from an afterword with Harold Bradley (his interview was actually cut down to a funny story). I had over 500 pages and had to cut it down to 300.
I think this is why Jim Ed Brown didn't have any Roger stories to share with me:
In October, 2002 – I was in Nashville doing more interviews and it turned out there was a celebration of 100 years of the Nashville Musicians Union. I called Mr. Bradley the day of the show and he set me up with front row tickets. He really is a great guy. There’s not too many people in positions like he is that will take time to talk to you no matter who you are and be willing to help out any way he can.
After the star filled concert (Willie Nelson, Kitty Wells, Eddie Arnold, Ray Price, Bobby Bare, George Jones and many more), Keith -----, a buddy of mine from Memphis and I went backstage. I guess this was the first time he was around country music legends so he went around getting some of them to autograph his concert program. He went up to Ray Stevens and said “Mr. Price, could I get your autograph?”. Ray was not impressed and snapped back “So I should sign that Ray PRICE?”. He apologized for the mix-up and then he went straight to Jim Ed Brown and said “Mr. Reeves could you sign my program?”. Jim said “BROWN, it’s Jim Ed Brown, Jim Reeves is dead!”. So I left my friend on his own as I didn’t want to get kicked out of there. He was a little nervous I guess – I told him just to call people by their first name.
Thank you for posting and for writing what sounds like a remarkable book!
I'm handicapped in that I haven't any sound or video on this puter AND am also without my 800 or so CD's, which are in storage - so I can't listen to the songs we're all humming and singing - or to the singers and songwriters we're talking about. I have nearly all of them, but am operating from memory, not my best way to post, lol.
Anyway, the roundup of stars sounds like it was fun. I used to work the CMA promos out in the hinterlands (OKla), but never got to go. Didn't get to the Ryman until it was closed down.
Thinking of Loretta Lynn (and Tex Ritter) now *I dreamed I was 'thar' in Hillbilly Heav-in ... oh what a beautiful sight ... I met all the stars in Hillbilly Heav-in ... oh what a star-studded night!"
I 'magine Roger is makin' 'em laugh till they cry.