Getting Drunk With A Legend

  Recently, I was on the computer, listening to a net radio station, when an old familiar tune came on. The soft melody and lyrics "I'll be there, before the next teardrop falls" instantly, brought a memory from days on the road.

  The band had been asked to play and be presenters at a musical awards show. It was at this show that I got to meet a part of my childhood.  While the guys were upfront on stage, I waited backstage, taking advantage of the hospitality in the green room. I watch the show on the monitor and I quickly got a buzz on the free beer and drinks.

At some point, I looked up from my beer and looked over to the corner, where the keg was sitting in. To my utter surprise and thrill, there by the keg was Freddy Fender.

For those who do not know, Freddy Fender was a crossover success who with hits such as "Before The Next Teardrop Falls' and "Wasted Days And Wasted Nights", introduced a new genre of music to the American public. 

  I was just a kid when Fender became a sensation with his mix of rock, country and Latin music? Now here I was, just an arms length  away from Freddy Fender, the legend who helped break the Spanish and English barrier, the man who first broke the Tejano and pop music  barrier. Long before there was a Selena, there was Freddy Fender and now here in front of me, was a member of the musical genuis that was "The Texas Tornados". 

Again for those that do not know, recording both in English and Spanish, the Texas Tornados performed all over the world and even performed at the White House. The Tornados, came into being when Freddy Fender, Dough Sahm, Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers, all succeful musicians in their rights,  peformed together in front of a San Francisco audience in 1990.

Mustering up my courage, I casualy walked over to the keg .With a slight smile and a nod, I gave a soft "Hey". I reached for the keg's pump and refilled my cup. "Need a refill?" I asked this Texas legend. Hey must have said yes, because I do remember filling his cup.

For the next hour we talked of music and about the road, this and that. Since I knew he had been born in San Benito Texas, I mentioned how I grew up in Edcouch , which was just a few miles from his hometown.

Before I knew, it was time to go and the bus and the guys were leaving. I said my goodbyes and told Mr. Fender how much of a pleasure it was to meet him and out the door I went.

Once in the bus, I told the guys, what had happened and then they asked who else was in the green room with me. I thought for a second and for the life of me, I could not remember who else was there.

But I will always remember the time I got drunk with a legend.