I had freaking tickets in my hand courtesy of the radio station I was working at back in the day. I also had a full time job with Osco that put restrictions on my free time. I figured... what the hell... why drive up to Alpine Valley, Wisconsin? OK, sure, Robert Cray, SRV, Clapton, Buddy Guy and even Jimmie Vaughan... I can just catch them the next time they come through town. How wrong I was!!!
I will never ever forget that morning driving into work. No one knew who was in that particular helicopter. I selfishly said... "Well, Clapton, he's a legend. What a way to go. Cray? A new guy on the scene. Would the music world be that affected? Nah. SRV? Oh, that would be a blow."
Like I said, this was the old Jim who still thought he was immortal. I can't even begin to say what I felt like when one of my liquor salesmen (Chuck) came in and said that it was SRV. I've buried a lot of my idols in my day since then... but this was the first one that really hit me hard. I may have been alive when John Lennon was murdered, but he was just a tad bit slightly before my time. SRV was mine. Since then I've buried the entire original line-up of The Ramones. Two separate members of KISS. Another Beatle. And my all time favorite author, Douglas Adams. I tend to take these things with a much larger grain of salt these days.
Still and all... your AA speech is awesome! It's online. Check it out if you've got a moment. Miss you, SRV!!!
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