Now I MUST talk about the one person, aside from God, my wonderful husband of twenty-five years and my three beautiful children, that has made ALL of the difference in my life.
When I was eight years old, my brother's girlfriend came to our house, and brought some vinyl albums. I sat with her, while we listened to the albums on our turntable. One album that she put on was "Almost Like a Song" by Ronnie Milsap. It was recorded in 1977. I listened to his mesmerizing music, as I stared at the album cover. For those who don't know who Ronnie Milsap is, SHAME ON YOU! He is a Country Music megastar, plays piano, & has a voice that is tranquilizing. He has forty number one hits! He is blind, born blind.
While listening to him sing that day, I fell in love with his music.
For Christmas that year, the only thing I asked for was a Ronnie Milsap album. My brother bought me one! It was "Only One Love in My Life" from 1979. I played that album continually on my little turntable, until I had memorized every word of every song. I just had to find out more about this Milsap guy. As I read the small print on the back of the album cover, I read the address to Ronnie's Fan Club. It cost $10 to join. I babysat my nieces, nephews, and cousins to earn the money to join the fan club! I still have all of the contents of the package that was sent to me. Now I had learned a little more about Ronnie Milsap. I was nine years old then. When I was twelve years old, Ronnie was scheduled to come to Wichita Falls (only twenty-five minutes away) for a concert. How would I ever get the money and transportation to go, but I just had to go! My older brother's wife purchased two tickets for me and her to go. All I had to do is help my brother detail cars. He had a auto body shop in my parents' garage, and he also detailed cars. I even made enough money to have a red t-shirt made that read "Milsap's #1 Fan" and $3 for a poster, which was sold at the concert. (That poster went tacked up on my bedroom, wall as soon as I got home.) I can't accurately describe the feeling that I felt, when Ronnie walked onto that stage. I tried to take pictures, but I was sobbing so, that I couldn't. I just couldn't believe I was in the same building with Ronnie! It was March 28, 1982, and the most exciting of my night! Ricky Scaggs was his opening act.
I continued to follow Ronnie's music, buying his albums, and playing them repeatedly. I memorized every word to every song. I even had a cat who seemed to have one litter after another. I would name each kitten after something related to Ronnie. I'd name them Joyce, his wife, or Todd, his son, or Smokey, because Ronnie grew up in the Smokey Mountains. Everything I did was somehow related to Ronnie.
I received regular updates from the fan club, along with posters and 8 X 10 publicity photos, which I immediately tacked onto my bedroom wall. I was updated on new albums to come, so I began saving my money from babysitting, so I could purchase all of Ronnie's albums. As always, I listened to each album, learning the lyrics to every song. There was, and still is, something about Ronnie's music, his voice, that had me obcessed with him and his music. My dream was to simply meet him just once, but I doubted that would ever happen.
I got a clock am/fm radio for Christmas when I was twelve. Every night I slept with it next to my pillow, set at our local Country radio station. Strangely, it seems the only time I was awakened is when the DJ played a Ronnie song.
I was fortunate enough to attend several more concerts, but I was never allowed to attend the "meet and greet", because Ronnie's road manager, Phil Jones, was a jerk. I didn't have any "pull" to get back stage to meet Ronnie. From the time of that first concert until I was 24, I had attended numerous shows, but still never got to meet Ronnie. I waited twelve years from my first show, before I finally got to meet Ronnie. That was only because the fan club had decided to issue a back stage pass to be used once per year. That night in Tulsa, OK was one of the biggest highlights of my life! However, we were rushed through like cattle, just long enough to take a picture and move on. It didn't matter. I had waited since I was eight years old to just give Ronnie a hug. On the five-hour drive back home, my husband had to pull the car over, because I was vomiting. That's how pumped I was! Crazy! Actually finally meeting Ronnie had made me ill.
Since, I have seen Ronnie in concert more times than I count. I know I have thirty-two framed 8 X 10 photos of he and I together. I have a huge collection of Milsap memorabilia, including two autographed shirts which belonged to Ronnie and four of his RIAA gold albums, not to mention his entire album/CD collection, and numerous other memorabilia. He and his wife send us a Christmas cards every year. I've saved them all, and have made two scrapbooks containing a variety of items pertaining to Ronnie. I even got a Ronnie tattoo on my upper right back. I designed it myself. Of course, my parents were quite upset about it. It's the only tattoo I have, and the only one I'll ever have. No, I've never regretted it, and I don't think I ever will.
Over the years, Ronnie and I have incredibley become friends. It's like a dream come true. I get to see him at every show. We are always Ronnie's "guest", and never have to buy tickets.We get the best seats possible. I have become friends with his band and crew, too. They are like family to me, and they always take care of me at the shows. Once at a show, just after their soundcheck, got up form my seat, and fainted. The next thing I knew, Ronnie's band and crew, along with Paramedics, were surrounding me. Kerry, Ronnie's sound technician had ran to the bus to get me a Coke. Although it was one of the most embarrassing things I've ever experienced, they stayed right there with me, until I felt better.
I've spent a lot of time with his wonderful wife, Joyce. We've been allowed onto the tour bus several times, and almost nobody gets onto the bus! Ronnie and I visit and share our deepest secrets. Often, he has mentioned my name on stage, thanking me for my friendship and for being a long-time fan. I have seen him in concert in seven states. He is a very kind, gentle, and humble man. Recently, we were talking with him and Joyce about taking a trip to Nashville. They both immediately told us that we have to come by their house for a visit! They gave us their cell phone and home telephone numbers, as well as Ronnie's email address. I already had his email address and his cell phone number. Unfortunately, we will have to wait awhile to make that trip, due to finances. Ronnie and I have talked on the phone on occasion, and emailed each other as well. I try to leave him alone, because he is a very private person. That's why I feel so special, when he shares personal subjects with me. He tells me "ya know this is very personal, and not many people know it, but I know I can trust you not to tell anybody. After all, we are friends, and that's what friends do. They can share their innermost secrets, trusting they will keep their conversations to themselves". I have shared with him as well. The majority of my blogs, he already knows. He agreed as well that anything either of us share with one another, stays with one another. I have kept my promise.
This is something that I despise discussing, but I must mention it as part of my therapy. I often think of how I will react when Ronnie dies. He IS twenty-seven years older than I am. Although he is in reasonably good health, odds are he will pass on before I do. Sometimes I truly wish that I would go first, because I don't know how I will deal with the tremendous pain when he dies. My Psychologist (who encouraged me to start this blog) has even mentioned how I would react to Ronnie's demise. All I know is it will take a lot of counseling and a very long time to heal...if ever.
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