Well, when we last communicated, I had finally found my way to the Lubbock, Texas, cemetery.
I turned in and followed the narrow little road to the right, as my friend Mark Paden had instructed. Not more than 40 or 50 feet up the curved paved path, I saw it on my left. I pulled over and parked half on the grass. Standing there in front of Buddy Holly's grave, I couldn't help but wonder what Richie Valens' and the Big Bopper's graves looked like. Buddy's is actually quite quaint.
The flat white marble marker is somehow very much in keeping with Buddy Holly's seemingly shy personality. It reads "In memory of our very own Buddy Holley" (the family name was spelled with an "e"). A Fender guitar is carved in it and is leaning up the right side. It was very peaceful and I was glad I came.
I found out that Maria Holly, Buddy's widow, has avoided the curiosity seekers en masseBy not having a monumental gravestone erected. I applaud her for that. In addition, there's substantial tribute to Buddy and his musical comrades in front of the civic center, which I talked about a couple of issues back.
I drove back toward town and met up with Mark for lunch before leaving Lubbock. I headed out straight east on a beautiful two-lane state highway. I stopped in Norman, Okla., and visited John and Judy Hadley. John's my co-writer on "One of Two Thousand." He is also the writer or co-writer of many great songs such as "Too Old to Die Young" (Moe Bandy), "Old Bones" (George Burns) and others. He also writes comedy for and with the Smothers Brothers. We still have a song to finish, John.
John, a proud Mazda Miata owner, invited me to go on a Miata club drive the next day, but I had home on the brain by that time and opted to head that way, and made the long but pleasant run from Norman to Nashville.
Since then I've covered a good bit of ground, road-tripping and writing in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. So folks, if you don't hear from me for a while, don't be too surprised. Just remember, I'll be out here somewhere making music.
Oh, before I go, do you know how many folk singers it takes to change a light bulb?
Ten. One to change the light bulb and nine to be on the guest list.
Adios.