If you know me, you know that I LOVE music and I go hear bands any chance I get but there’s a whole lot more to it than that. It’s the family and friends who have shared in my concert journey and the memories we’ve made. Sadly we didn’t have an easy way to take, save and share pictures back when I first started going, so old pictures are scarce.
It would be very hard to figure how many bands/musicians I’ve seen over the last 40 some years. I’ve been to over 200 concerts and as you know, sometimes there are anywhere from 2-4 bands per concert. You try the math because I can’t. It would be impossible for me to pick my favorite concert of all 200 + because I loved them all and there was such a wide variety.
Hank Williams, Jr. is my all time favorite musician and I’ve seen him 55 times. I’ve been to as far away as Tallahassee, FL to see him and Merle Haggard opened the show. It was incredible but my favorite concert of his was the one at Market Square Arena on July 23, 1983. I was pregnant with my first baby (her 1st of many Hank concerts). I got my first speeding ticket that night but nothing was going to ruin a Hank Show. I still remember the song that was playing over the speakers when he erupted on stage. It was nothing short of amazing. “The Ride”…………………………..You don’t have to call me mister, mister…………….the whole world calls me HANK………………..And there he was on stage in perfect timing when the song said HANK!
Just 6 months later, I saw him again in Terre Haute, a not so great memory of a Hank concert. First of all, I was 8 months pregnant by then. Hank was so drunk (imagine that) that he couldn’t even stand up to sing or perform. He sat in a chair and did the entire show. In my emotional pregnant state, I was in tears and so mad and was bound and determined that I’d never ever go see him again. Well that didn’t last long. Thankfully, the next 50+ Hank concerts didn’t disappoint.
I wanted my 50th Hank concert to be in some place different no matter how far away it was. As the concerts fell, #50 was set for Deer Creek in Indianapolis, IN. I had lawn seats as I always prefer at that venue but a good friend had a better idea. She scored front row seats from her boss and she invited me. I had never been on the front row but close. It was awesome!!! Thank you, Tammy, for another night I’ll never forget!
I hope I have many more years of concerts and listening to the music I love; making memories with my amazing family and friends because that’s truly what it’s all about…………………………the music is just icing on the cake.
Music is life……….that’s why our hearts have beats!
