Rock and Roll Never Forgets (The Rock and Roll Trilogy) (9 page)

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

Chapter Nine

I
n June they went to Eleuthera for a long weekend to relax. Andy needed it, still catching up from the tour and working on the new album. Beth was just happy to join him. She knew, but didn
’
t know if Andy would, that this was a special time in their relationship. When they arrived she was pleasantly surprised.

It was early in the afternoon and Edwina had already done her magic, opening and freshening up. Later in the evening, there was a knock on the cottage door. Edwina was there, holding a beautiful cake, fluffy with coconut. She came in and set it on the table. Andy came from the other room, and as he hugged her there was an exchanged whisper. She turned to leave and looked back with her big smile. “Bless you both” she said as she went out the door. Beth turned to Andy and he was smiling too.

“What?” Beth asked, with a laugh.

“Come here,” he said. “Reach in my left pocket,” and she roared with laughter. “No! I’m serious. I have something in my pocket for you!”

“I bet you do!” But he raised his arms, and she did. Beth reached in his pocket to find a felt pouch. “What is this?” she asked as she opened it and found a beautiful freshwater pearl bracelet.

“Thanks for the best year of my life,” he said, and then added, “so far.”

June 24, 1979 ~ Wrapping
me in his arms, all I could think about was how happy I was that he remembered…

They enjoyed their time on the island, being together, sharing long walks on the beach, and lazy days relaxing in the sun. Andy kept a keyboard there and worked on music. That never stopped for him, it was a constant, he had no switch to turn it off.

~ ~ ~

In August the guys were in L.A. wrapping up the new album. Beth flew out for a long weekend and ended up staying a week. She squeezed in as much time with Andy as she could with the crazy schedule they kept while recording, but he wanted her there, so she went.

When the band got in the studio they would never leave. They had meals delivered, and there were sofas all over the place, and they would go till they just couldn’t go any longer. It was ‘crash and burn.’ When they got up, they showered and started it all over again. Sometimes they ended up working all thru the night until they got it just right. Beth napped on the sofas, because she wouldn’t leave either. She didn’t want to miss anything.

There was such camaraderie between the guys, joking, and laughing. Some differences of opinion, but in the end a lot of hard work, devotion
,
and dedication. Andy said this album was easy; live recordings from the last tour and a few new things.

Beth spent a lot of time in the booth with Sam, the engineer. The guys nicknamed him the
‘
sound engine.’

August 20, 1979 ~ I love to watch Andy make music. Whether it
’
s the piano, guitar, or just standing at a microphone… When he sits on that stool and sings, with his eyes closed, I can feel his passion, it
’
s like he makes love to the microphone, and I find myself closing my eyes, feeling like he is singing only to me
!

Andy flew Kimmy in on the last two days of recording. Dina and Megan were there and it was like a huge party. The guys were wrapping up, and one more song popped up. It came with a laugh and a big collective sigh among them. It was late and they were all whipped. Everyone was in the big room where the guys played and sang while they were recording, and they were getting punchy. Andy started playing a tune on the guitar. Nathan joined in on the piano, then Nigel, and then they were all playing and everyone was singing. It was “The Letter”, written by Wayne Carson Thompson, recorded in the 1960s, by
The Box Tops.

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane,

Ain
’
t got time to take a fast train.

Lonely days are gone,

I
’
m a-goin
’
home,

‘
Cause my baby just a-wrote me a letter.

It was fun and the guys in the booth loved it. Laughter could be heard on the play-back and they decided to leave it.

~ ~ ~

By mid-September the tracks for the new album,
Divinity
, were complete. The guys all decided that “
The Letter”
would definitely be included as the last song on the album. Andy showed Beth different versions of the album cover art. There were several smoky, hazy, looking drawings of the Greek God, Zeus. In each he held a colorful bolt of lightning, but the ‘bolt’ was a musical note – to represent the power of music. The drawings were beautiful, done by Dylan CeMann, who had done the artwork for their earlier albums. In addition to photographs from the last tour, each of the guys added a message to the inner album sleeve thanking producers, managers, and family. Beth saw a message to her from Andy.

“My Bethy… How do I say thank you for understanding this crazy life we share? I
’
m happy you are part of it, craziness and all. Thanks for sharing yourself, your love, and your time with me. In My World is yours and I am so glad you are in mine… All my love, Andy”

September 13, 1979 ~ I keep waiting to wake up and this whole beautiful, crazy dream to end… a
nd then I pray that it doesn
’
t.

~ ~ ~

They commuted between Andy’s home in Houston and Beth’s in Florida. Andy still suggested she leave her job, and she thought about it, but there was no financial security for her if she did. He told her he’d take care of her, but she wasn’t ready for that. She went part-time at work and it worked well for her and Andy, as well as her company. She was able to work her schedule around ‘them.’

The band released “
In My World”
and it did very well. The release of the album was still weeks away, and then promotion of the album would begin. It would be released in mid-November in time for holiday sales. The guys were doing some small appearances to get the public
excited
for the release.

October 1, 1979 ~ The guys were doing a mini concert on the TV show
The Midnight Special
.
Kimmy and I flew out for the taping. It was soooo much fun! We got to meet The Wolfman, and had our picture taken with him. He stood between us and just as Andy snapped he gave us both a tickle poke in the ribs and we screamed!

~ ~ ~

Beth had never been happier. She and Andy had been together
a
year
and a half
, and it was good, but she continued to feel a nagging ‘something’ in the back of her mind
; i
nsecurity, that kept her wondering, constantly. She always felt as though she was waiting for something to happen, never able to pin it down to anything that Andy did or said.
‘
I’m trying to just let it go, enjoy ‘the now’
.’
Beth thought.

“
In My World
”
held the number one spot on the music charts for weeks. Each time it played reminded Beth of the first time
Andy played it for her at Christmas. She could see herself sitting at the piano with him, and feel how special it was when
she
realized it was for her.
Traveler
was on the road promoting the album on radio and television.

By mid-October the guys had been on the road a couple of hectic weeks. Beth stayed home to work and share time with her family. As she and Nana got ready for ‘Apple Butter Weekend’ it seemed odd that Andy wouldn’t be there.

They talked every night, no matter where he was. Andy liked to hear about whatever was going on in her life
, and
s
he loved to share it with him. They talked about everything; work, her family
,
and all about Andy’s travels. Beth loved hearing about the life they were learning to share. It had been two weeks since she had seen him because of the travel
, and s
he missed him more and more.

In early November, on a Thursday night, the phone rang. She rolled over to answer it. A quick glance at the clock said it was 1:20, earlier than usual but thinking it would be Andy she snuggled in and answered
.

“
Hello…” she said.

“
Beth, it’s
Pops.”

Hearing Pops’ voice, she sat bolt upright in the bed. A call from him in the middle of the night couldn’t be a good thing
.

“
It
’
s Nana, Beth. They
’
ve taken her to the hospital… 911… ambulance…” he mumbled. She heard the emotion in his voice and felt tears well up in her eyes.
“They are calling us all there,”
h
e said
,
his voice heavy with emotion.

November 4, 1979 ~ Hanging up, I suddenly felt so very alone.

Numbly and quickly she dressed and drove to the hospital. It took thirty minutes, and when she pulled up Pops and Pappy were sitting on the curb outside the Emergency Room waiting. The others were all inside.

“What happened?” she asked, dreading the answer as she lowered to the curb to sit down.

Pops put his arms around her and pulled her to him.
“
She
’
s gone Beth.” 

“Gone? What? Why?”
s
he mumbled, but there was no answer to give
then.

Gone? A sob clogged my throat, but no tears came. Nana was gone. Pappy would be alone now, and my Pops was crying.

She slid an arm around Pappy, laying her head on his shoulder, he cried, too. She let the tears run down her cheeks and started making mental notes. Her family was so close. She knew this was would be very difficult
.

The next hours were a blur. In a daze, she kept busy, calling family and friends and trying to comfort her family.

It was mid-afternoon when she finally arrived home, drained mentally and physically, her heart held a light spot, knowing that there would be a message from Andy wondering where she had been when he called. She needed to tell him, and talking with him would give her some peace. But the message wasn
’
t waiting
.

She checked the clock, they were in Spokane, Washington, and it would have been around noon there. Instead of dialing Roddy like normal, she dialed the hotel where she knew they were staying. She needed him. He’d shared a code word to reach him in an emergency. She always knew where he would be, but had always gone through Roddy to reach him due to his weird hours
.

She dialed the hotel and asked for ‘Peter Pan’s’ room
.

“
Hello?
”
It was a woman
’
s sleepy voice that answered. Beth knew, right away, they misdirected her call. She apologized, but as she hung up, she heard the voice say,
“
Hey, Andy, wrong number.”

Numb. She replaced the phone in the cradle and suddenly, sobs shook her body. The tears that did not come earlier came in a rush now. It was only a few seconds later that the phone rang. She let it go to the machine. She didn’t have the strength to do anything more.

“
Bethy, it
’
s me, pick up.” She heard Andy’s voice. “Bethy, please, it
’
s not what you…”

But she knew she couldn
’
t talk to him. The bottom had finally dropped out. She picked up the phone, then hung it up, disconnecting the call and left it off the hook. She stretched across the bed and cried herself into a deep, heavy sleep of exhaustion. Sometime later Kimmy was standing in her room trying to wake her. Ethan, her oldest brother called her because they couldn’t reach Beth.

She felt like a Mack truck hit her. Kimmy sat on the side of the bed, gently rubbing Beth’s back, such a comforting gesture between two friends.

“
Hey,” she said, and then picked up the phone and called Ethan to let him know Beth was OK.

“He called me. Andy knew it was you, he called the desk and they told him someone called and asked for ‘Peter Pan
’
. He knew it was you,” she said again. “He said he tried and tried to call and finally when he couldn’t reach you, he called me.”