When I was getting my feet wet within the music biz I would do anything for anyone it seemed. I was lucky enough to work for the record division of Acuff-Rose called 16th Avenue records.
Well I let it be known that I was interested in recording and producing. Jerry Bradley, the president of this whole operation was also a record producer & Nashville legend. I was asked if I wanted to be the second engineer on a Tammy Wynette session. YES!! What do I do? Turn the 2 inch tape around, move mics, make and get coffee, that’s about it. COOL!!
Tammy and her (shall I say) eccentric husband George Richey came to the studio one summer day, 1000 degrees Nashville hot. Tammy was looking beautiful and graceful, perfectly dressed, and George in a full length fur coat….
Anyway, hugs, handshakes and intro’s all around and we went to work. Tammy sang 2-3 songs, usually 1 take of each, and George said that’s enough for today and they left. When Tammy sung she took her gigantic hanging earings off and put them on her music stand. Well she forgot them and as she left and I noticed. I asked Bill the engineer what should I do, he said ‘go get ‘em and chase ‘em down.’ So I grabbed her earrings and chased them down.
‘Excuse me Ms Wynette, you forgot your earrings,’ I said. ‘Oh thank you sweetie’ she said, and kissed me on the cheek. I really don’t think we have such country music royalty anymore. She really left an impression on me to say the least…