My long-time duo music partner, Preston Webber, a real music/entertainment legend around Lexington, passed away Sunday. We worked together from 1975 to 1994.

I would begin the evening on keyboards at 8:00 PM and play until he got there...always late...usually around 9:40 PM or so. He would play a 2 hour set, with me backing him up on guitar, bass, mandolin,...whatever. I'd play a short 1/2 hour solo set and then we would finish the night; often in the lobby or parking lot, singing all the requests he forgot or didn't get to. He would hit his stride about closing time, and piss off the help, because he didn't want to stop. We never had a rehearsal. His timing was bad. He didn't bother to learn the right changes. He didn't know the right words to many songs. He broke lots of strings, but wouldn't pay the small cost to fix the nut to prevent the problem. Instead, he built that changing of the strings into the act..."oh no, folks, I broke ANOTHER G String" (lots of laughs, believe it or not). A folk-singer, he transitioned to modern country and novelty songs when it was time to do so. He wore a tux every night. He knew every patron and often had people wait two or three sets to be called up on the bandstand to sing, play "gut bucket", etc.

He started at a Ramada Inn in 1966. He wanted $200.00 a week and the place would not pay that. Instead, they paid him 10% of alcohol sales. They made the mistake of paying the percentage on all sales, all day, not just bar sales from 9:00 to 1:00, and the National Governor's Conference was held at the hotel. He made over $58,000 plus a room, laundry and meals that first year.

His salary generally equaled my playing money, plus my pay as a full-time corporate person. He was worth every cent, even though I stood beside him, working twice as long every night wondering why the hell all those people were there.

Sadly, even though he never smoked, all those years in smoky lounges took a tragic toll. In 1994, he had 3/4 of his tongue removed-tongue cancer, and had a 25% chance of surviving 5 years. He lived another 15 years, on a feeding tube. He couldn't talk or sing and, since they took skin and other materials from his left arm to repair his throat, couldn't play guitar.

We weren't the closest of friends, but I enjoyed working with him and learned a lot from him.

* Entertainers are a special breed. I can't do it, but respect the really good ones. Preston was one of the best.

* The danger of second hand smoke is real and the results can be life ending.

* He was adored by thousands, but dropped immediately by most people as soon as he couldn't entertain. He said I was one of the very few who stuck with him.

* You can learn from and appreciate almost anyone; even a loud, habitually late, ego-driven folk singer/"teddy bear" dude.

* He'll be missed by many, including me.

Let's all treasure the time we have with those we care about.


Russ



[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 07-21-2010).]