As fate would have it, I’ve always been in the right place at the right time. The “right time” for this post happened to be in the late nineties and I was bar tending at night and going to school during the day.
I was born a music lover. Little did I know there was a recording studio right down the street from the bar I worked at. One night, shortly before close a musician walked it. Although, gay-dar has never really been a strong suit, guitar-dar has been. We immediately hit it off. We chatted about music until bar close and afterward I was invited to the studio to check out some of the projects they were working on.
The owner of the studio was out on tour with Bobby Vee and the Vee’s. When I officially met him it had seemed like we had been friends across lifetimes.
Every time I worked I’d stop by the studio on my way home. Rockstars and studio owners hold nocturnal hours like bartenders do. I’d bring mason jars of kamikaze’s and we’d rock the rest of the night away. When the sun would peak out, like a vampire, that was my cue to go home.
The three of us were inseparable. If I wasn’t working then I was in Minneapolis going to shows. The Minneapolis music scene accepted me with open arms and I made friends with everyone. Like a small town, everyone just knew everyone. It wasn’t long before I didn’t have to pay to get into the shows, I was either on the list or the door people would just let me in.
Before long the studio owner had to head out on tour with Bobby Vee again. This time it was over seas and he had an extra ticket that he offered to me! Before you get all…I wonder what she had to do to get that ticket, let me assure you it was NOT like that. Strictly friends.
Let me also assure you that trip was I.N.S.A.N.E. First of all the tour started in Scotland. I couldn’t take all of the time off so I would meet them mid tour. I got my passport, plane ticket, bags packed and I headed out, alone. It was my first time out of the country and I had to catch planes, trains, more planes, buses and a cab, go across countries SOLO to get to the destination. The worst part was I didn’t have any way to contact my friend. My phone didn’t work over there and the last time I spoke to my friend was almost a week prior.
Looking back, I honestly have no idea how I made it to them. I didn’t know the connecting flight number. I was exhausted after days of traveling. My guides were definitely working overtime because I made it on time and safely.
I’ll probably go into more detail about traveling and the actual tour in a later post because I wanted to focus on the main attraction: Bobby Vee.
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Bobby Vee and the Vee’s, his sons, were on tour with the Chiffons, Bryan Highland, Chris Montez and the Big Bopper Jr. I met them all in Scotland.
Bobby Vee captivates and charms the hell out of a room. When he’s in there you’re looking at him. He had this presence about him that immediately makes you want to talk to him. When you do get the chance, he’s present and pays attention to you.
Bobby passed away early last week. He passed of Alzheimer’s and the Ambassador of Joy is now with his late wife. While the world is missing an incredible man, heaven is now rocking away.
One of my favorite memories of Bobby is when my friends mom passed, Bobby and the Vee’s showed up at the funeral and had a little acoustic show as a tribute. It was an incredible friend thing to do and there wasn’t a dry eye in the church.
I’ve had the pleasure of beachside lunches in the Caribbean, castle tours in Scotland and fancy cocktail parties with Bobby and his wife. While they have passed the music created will forever be branded on my heart.
In 1959, the night Buddy Holly died in a plane crash, Bobby Vee was the opening act. When the plane went down Bobby Vee and the Vee’s took the stage and the hearts of the crowd. Buddy Holly’s memory lived on long after he did. I think Bobby had something to do with that.
He truly was someone special and my thoughts go out to his remaining family members and the fans.
Much peace and Love,
Jes xoxo