Lee Holdridge is a legend! He has a wonderful talent for composing music and arrangements for film, television, opera and recording artist. One of the major stars Lee composed symphonic arrangements for was John Denver.
As life-long John Denver fans and long-time tribute artists, you can imagine how thrilled Jim and I were when we first met Lee! It was difficult not to behave like giddy school kids, but we did our best to act like grown-ups and hopefully we didn’t embarrass ourselves too much.
Since our first meeting, Lee has honored us by conducting many of our John Denver symphony shows, featuring Jim singing John Denver’s music with major symphony orchestras. It is always a surreal experience performing with the original arrangements Lee wrote for John, never in our lives could we imagine that we would be doing a tribute performance on that level. But thanks to Lee’s kindness and willingness to work with us in our efforts to preserve and present John’s music, we have a new friend, and we are living a dream come true!
Another major recording star Lee worked with was Neil Diamond. Neil and Lee collaborated on many projects, including the music in the movie “Johnathan Livingston Seagull.”
Now, imagine a show that would put Lee Holdridge and the music of Neil Diamond and John Denver together with members of the La Mirada Symphony Orchestra in one amazing concert…..and you will be imagining the show we will be presenting this May 24 in La Mirada, California! Tribute artists Jim Curry will be singing John Denver, tribute artist Jay White will be singing Neil Diamond, backed by a band and Lee Holdridge conducting the Symphony!
Join us for this exceptional ensemble of musicians and performers that will bring an unforgettable afternoon filled with timeless classics, rich orchestration, and powerful performances that honor the enduring legacy of these American music legends.
This is a true story. There are no names to change to protect the innocent. Any malicious inference to the population living in North Kentucky is unintended and overblown (like most of my stories). Only one individual is described here with total accuracy, and I doubt he will be offended because I’m pretty sure he can’t read.
Here’s what happened:
Jim and I were traveling North in Kentucky and at some point, we needed gasoline. Reluctantly, we pulled off the highway onto Mudlick road and entered the gas station cautiously (who knows what evil lurks on Mudlick road).
We pulled up to a pump – the place wasn’t busy – and we glanced around for suspicious mudlickers (they could be anywhere). We felt very self-conscious with our big white van and our California plates. Someone is bound to notice that we are outsiders, so we quickly begin to fill the tank.
It’s a big tank….it takes a while to fill, and before we knew it, a local mudlicker walks up and starts to tell us everything we would want to know about him and more (much more…too much more). Then he began the expected interrogation, “Are you really from California? What part of California?” and “What brings you to Kentucky?” and finally, “did you push the red button inside the bathroom?”
Inside? We hadn’t yet gone inside. In fact, we were inclined to cut and run as soon as we finished gassing up, but ol’ mudlicker wasn’t having it, “Oh you gotta go inside and push the red button….go on…you HAVE to (wink wink) see what happens!” He crossed his arms and planted himself firmly in front of our vehicle to prevent our exit. He smiled toothlessly, and had an expression on his face that was exactly like you would see on a 10-year-old boy waiting for you to sit down on a sofa with a fart bag hidden under the cushion. We hesitated…..then we went inside.
Store…normal. People…friendly. Nothing to see here. Bathroom….very clean, modern, updated with all the conveniences modern plumbing has blessed us with.
One addition: a big red button that is clearly labeled: DO NOT PUSH THIS RED BUTTON.
I looked around, I was all alone. Normally, I’m a rule-follower but ol’ mudlicker was standing outside waiting for my reaction so I took a deep breath and pushed the red button.
The lights went out and I was standing in total darkness…uh oh! Then, disco music started and a spotlight was activated to shine on a rotating mirrored disco ball that scattered spots of white light throughout the room. It made me feel like dancing, but instead, I left the bathroom laughing.
This is a thing. They are called disco bathrooms and you can find them at stores called “Hop Shops” in various locations. This one was in Verona, Kentucky, a lovely place with lovely people (with ONE exception). I put a YouTube link here so you can see for yourself. They only had the men’s room version so the girls will have to use their imaginations and picture a ladies’ room.
Also, there is no giant cartoon frog in their bathrooms, only in the video.
I’m gonna say, for Jim and I, MOST days are diamonds, but if you are familiar with the song John Denver recorded for RCA in 1981, you know that the song goes on to say, “Some days are stone.”
It would be absurd to think everything in life should be perfect and flawless (like a diamond). We do our best to make good plans and avoid as many problems as possible but….
Sometimes, life throws a big fat stone in our way!
Right now, we are in the middle of another cross-country road trip. This time our drive starts in California (our home) to Maryland, Pennsylvania, back West to Arizona, then Colorado, then back home to CA (whew!) When we get ready for these trips, we do everything possible to be fully prepared and anticipate any obstacle. We make detailed lists…everything is checked and double checked.
Off we go! June 16, 8:00 am… But our tally-ho suddenly turned into a tally-NO! 4 hours into our trip, driving through Havasu Lake (a balmy 113 degrees) when the air conditioner stopped working. We rolled the windows down and suffered. We stopped at an auto shop in Kingman, AZ, but our van is too big for his lift, so we went to the Ford dealer – they needed 2 days to work on it. We didn’t have 2 extra days; we HAD to get to where we were going….so we moved on.
Thankfully, with some midnight mechanics and a new compressor from Auto Zone, Jim was able to get the air conditioner working a little bit. The entire system eventually needs to be taken apart and flushed to get it to operate correctly, but Jim did the best he could do in hotel parking lots along the way….and we made it to our destinations on time. We sure appreciated the air-conditioned comfort of the beautiful theaters we performed in!
How did we ever survive without air conditioning? What is your experience in a car without such luxury? Share your experience in the comments!
Kool-Aid Man Loves John Denver! Remember the Kool Aid Man?
He would burst through the wall and yell, “Oh Yeah” in a deep voice.
Here’s a clip to remind you of the Kool Aid Man
That was my first thought at one of our recent concerts, when I heard a deep voice in the back of the room (it was dark and I couldn’t see who it was). I could hear him bellowing out, “Oh Yeah!” in between songs. “Ha!” I joked to myself, “The Kool Aid man is at our concert!” He was certainly having a great time, and he sounded like he was having a few drinks of something other than Kool Aid.
I couldn’t see the back of the room. The stage lighting only allowed me to see the first 5 rows of tables and chairs at the front of the stage. The first 5 rows were premium seating for concert goers, the coveted front seats, up close and personal. I had noticed at the beginning of our show that 2 of those seats – front and center – were uncharacteristically empty, and they remained empty as the show progressed. We normally have folks sitting in all of the premium seats, and although I was supposed to be performing songs, I found myself looking down at those empty seats and I began hoping that it was just because they forgot the date of the concert and not some sort of medical emergency that kept them from attending. I sent up a quick prayer and got my mind back to work….many folks DID show up, and they deserved my full attention.
Well, guess who else noticed the empty seats? Oh Yeah…..you guessed it; sometime close to the end of our show, the Kool Aid man made his way from the back of the room to the very first row with no one stopping him. In fact, the girl who was serving drinks quickly placed an adult beverage in front of him as soon as he sat down, as if to welcome him and reward him for his boldness. His age, long blonde hair, jeans and tank top made him look like he got lost on his way to a Guns and Roses Concert.
The Kool Aid Man was not content with stealing a front row seat and playing it…..um…..cool. You might think, having gotten away with his crime, he would sit quietly and try to go unnoticed. NOPE! He proceeded to stand with his arms in the air and bellow out deep and loud! When the other premium seat holders protested, he turned around and bellowed at them. It was distracting to us and intolerable to those around him. The lone security guard made two attempts to remove him, and the Kool Aid Man flatly refused to leave. We were close to the end of the concert, so I suppose security decided not to fight him. In his last act of defiance, the Kool Aid Man decided to break another rule and began videoing himself and the angry people around him with his phone.
After the show, the Kool Aid Man told Jim that he just loves John Denver (we already knew that, he shouted it several times during the show). Then he turned and busted through the wall and disappeared. (Not really, but it wouldn’t have surprised me).
Was this a prank? Did this guy lose a bet and his buddies forced him to humiliate himself at a John Denver Tribute Concert? Will his video be on YouTube someday? Tell me what you think in the comments. it was a different and rare experience for us ….hopefully the last one like that.
It was 7:30am a few weeks ago when I was jolted awake by an ear-piercing, hi pitched noise. I covered my ears and took a moment to remember where I was (a hotel in Pennsylvania) and what had awakened me (the fire alarm)
In the next moments I looked at the time (7:30) I looked at Jim (already up and getting dressed.) Next, I visualized our escape route. I quickly dressed (not easy to do with your fingers in your ears) then we checked our door before opening it (the door was not hot) and dutifully made our way outside (easy, we were on the 1st floor). I smelled smoke…..it smelled like burnt toast.
The procedure in any building is to evacuate when you hear the fire alarm. We know the drill; we have practiced the drill in many places across the country and twice at sea in Alaska. You must evacuate – they will go room-to-room and get everybody out until the fire department arrives. In this case, going outside was the best and only way to escape the painful shrieking of the alarm.
During evacuation, so many thoughts very quickly go through my mind: What do I need? Where do I go? What do I bring? What did I leave behind? On a ship in Alaska, I wonder how cold the water is. If I end up in the ocean, my life preserver will only save me until hypothermia takes over. The time it takes to evacuate is the time I have to think about my situation. Even as I am in the process of taking action, I have those very same moments to contemplate the end of my life and how I might die.
In every situation, when we finally get the “all clear” from the fire department I feel relief. I also feel irritated by the rude awakening, and I also feel more than a little bit silly for letting something like the smell of burnt toast cause me to consider my untimely demise. All in all, I am just plain grateful to live another day.
HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF ALARMS AND CAUSES IN MY 20-PLUS YEARS OF TRAVELING:
Alaska Cruise ship FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: Incinerator fire (aren’t fires supposed to be in incinerators?)
Midwest hotel TORNADO SIREN! CAUSE: No tornado, but we made a lot of friends in the stairwell.
Symphony Christmas Concert FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: The entire audience and all performers were evacuated from the building and into the snow during our performance. There was no fire, a vendor was roasting chestnuts in the lobby. Which set off the smoke alarm.
Alaska Cruise ship FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: Dang incinerator again
Midwest hotel FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: No fire, someone smoking in their room.
I saved a news article I wanted to share with all of you, but, time passed…. I lost the article, and I found it again, then I realized that I had forgotten where it came from. So, with apologies and appreciation to the (unknown) news source, here is a true story What is My Coffee? written by Pam Kearney:
I suppose my coffee is entertaining. My goal as a performer is to make people feel good by performing heartfelt music. John Denver music makes it sooo easy for me to make good coffee!
Tell me in the comments – WHAT IS YOUR COFFEE?
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"It was an amazing evening. We have had many different performers at our conferences; The Beach Boys, Tony Bennett, Three Dog Night, America. Jim Curry ranks among these acts. I would book Jim and his band again in a heartbeat."
Daniel Young Corporate Function, Keystone, CO
"I have to tell you I don't know when we've enjoyed a show as much as we enjoyed yours. It just swept us away and we did not want it to end! You are all so gifted. And the music of John Denver speaks for itself. It touches the heart."
