Chapter 12 -- A step backward--Just a tad...
Chris and I attended church Sunday Morning anonymously. Then we had a good time just driving around and resting the rest of the day. Monday morning we checked out of the hotel and went over to the studio. They had an assistant take our luggage and other things over the new hotel where they checked us into a suite under the name of the studio.
(I will not go into Chris and my activities after hours. We did the usual things that I have already described...But vivid descriptions of the same old things get boring and we will get to the hot parts again in the next few chapters...)
The producer took us into the main studio and let us set it up the way we wanted it to be. We had our guitars and would accompany ourselves for the initial vocal tracks, but they would be replaced on the final cut by session musicians. They would have several different musicians play the same part on different tracks and then select the best one for the final cut. We had 128 tracks to play with so they wanted us to take full advantage of what they had to offer.
We sat around jamming on the different songs we had selected in order to relax so that the studio engineer could establish basic recording levels. Then we both recorded the guitar parts of the songs together. Separately we went into different sound booths and record our vocals while the guitar tracks played through our headphones. That afternoon, we went into the main studio together and did tracks of us singing harmony. We probably did twenty or more takes of the first few songs. Later that evening, we reviewed the tapes and the engineer did a preliminary mix. The producer would use that mix for the session musicians to listen to when they recorded their parts. That first day was drudgery.
Both of us were experienced in the recording studio--Chris more than me. But for me it was all different now because I never had to make any decisions before--Daddy had done it all. I just did as I was told. Now I was paying my share of the sessions and had some say in the final outcome. After the first day, the basic routine and nervousness was over and we could focus more on the singing and less on the mechanics of the process.
Although we practiced all the other songs that first day, we only recorded "Battleground" and one other song. For better or worse we had a time schedule and planned to record a total of twelve songs during the first three days. On Tuesday evening we had an appointment with one of the top Photographers in Nashville for publicity stills and promotional photographs. We were in his studio until almost midnight for casual and formal poses. He promised to have the proofs ready for us by the time I got back from my southern tour. We would then select the ones we wanted for the CD cover brochure and for promotions...We planned to order thousands for our tour. Wednesday and Thursday we would continue in the studio until it was time for me to be picked up by the family.
Chris and the studio engineers would do the final mix and deliver the master to the Label early the following week. Hopefully, the CDs would be cut and distributed within the month. Meanwhile I would be on the road with my family and then on to California for the awards show and the west coast tour. Chris and I would then be free to do a promotional tour for the actual release of our CD.
Daddy and the family picked me up late Thursday evening in Nashville and off we went for a three week tour of the south. Then we would fly to California for the Music awards show and then tour the west coast. I was looking forward to it because the family had never played out of the south.
In the week since the Opry show, "Ripples" was back in the #1 spot on the Gospel charts and "I Surrender"" had finally broken into the top 10. So things had taken a decided upturn since we had been apart. Daddy was going to become wealthy from royalties both songwriter and as one of the artists on those two songs alone. As for the royalties for the actual release, each partner would have their shares deposited into trust funds except for mine. They would be paid into my personal corporation and invested by the attorneys' staff.
It was different being back with the family--very different. I had to force myself to be a boy again instead of a man. The white suit that I wore on the Opry and for the photographer went into the basement storage of the bus. When on stage or in church singing I was back in the family uniform. Even though I was one of the leaders of the group, off stage I was just another one of my Daddy's kids – no better and no worse than the youngest in the group. That was hard to get used to again after the special way that Chris treated me. Despite anticipating all of the good experiences things to come in the next few months, I was homesick for the two weeks of freedom that I had with Chris. Now, it was back to the discipline of being home schooled by Mamma as well as life in the family music business.
The coach made it easier to take. Unlike the Silver Eagle, it had dual rear axles and air ride so it floated with a softness that made sleeping easy. Daddy had "auditioned" several experienced entertainer's bus drivers . The one he hired was paid a premium salary and he earned it by careful driving to give us the most comfortable ride possible.
My room had more privacy than the old one and had a regular lower bunk. But there was a fold-down upper bunk like a Pullman. When Daddy designed the coach I justified having the extra bunk by telling him that I would like to have Bobby or some other teen travel with us once in a while just to find out what it was like to be a teen. Bobby and I had maintained contact with each other over the years. As you may remember he was my annual partner in those early revival days when I was finding myself. We had pledged our eternal friendship long ago. If I had ever had a true friend my own age, it was him.
My room also had a small sink and a mirror where I could do my own stage makeup for when we did shows--even Gospel performers needed to put on makeup because the harsh stage lights and the spotlight washed out all of your features when you were viewed from the audience. And from my own ego centric prospective, I wanted to be seen--but I didn't want those damn girls screaming... although it gave me a certain charge when they did it, secretly I just wished it was boys...
I also had all the electronics that I could want--TV and VCR, radio and a big stereo setup and games. Chris had given me a boxed set of all his CDs so I was determined to memorize his best songs in case we wanted to sing them together on our future tour.
We headed south into Alabama and did package shows in three major cities and performances in many large churches and a few multi-day revivals. Daddy was in top preaching form and if he would have had his way, we would have done revivals in smaller churches as well. That was his calling. But the facts were that we were all getting spoiled by the success we were having.
We were not financially spoiled, but realistically the cost of keeping the family on the road in the style we were fast becoming accustomed to was over $60,000 monthly. All the fuel, maintenance, bus mortgage payments, driver's salary, sound system, etc. added up. As much as Daddy might have nostalgia for the good old days of sleeping in someone's spare bedroom and running the roads all night in an old Chevy, I for one hoped we would not have to go back to those "good old days..."!
(Momentarily jumping ahead to the conclusion of the story many chapters in the future, that is exactly what Daddy and Mamma eventually did--they retired from the road and resumed preaching revivals in smaller congregations .)
At every show we had a booth or table set up in the lobby selling CDs, Tapes, T Shirts and other Stone Family memorabilia. We always announced, "Don't forget to stop by "Stonemart" on your way home tonight and get you one of our CDs... Then we would announce our "blue light" specials of the week..."
We now received top billing and top money for most shows and when we played in churches, management could demand a guarantee on the love offerings. It was now almost a "Love Demand". Due to our growing fame, we now sometimes regretted having the Stone Family logo on the sides of the coach because it became tiresome stopping in rest areas and truck stops and trying to do things like normal families. We had to graciously give out pictures and autographs and generally be available to talk to one and all.
Our next stops were Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and then, after three weeks, back home to Tennessee. When we got ready to turn off the interstate highway towards the Hollow, we saw a new lighted billboard that read, "Welcome to Hastings, Tennessee, Home of Billy Ray Stone and the Stone Family"! I was flabbergasted! I said to Daddy, "I wonder if any of those guys that used to kick my ass in school for being that Preacher's kid now wanted to claim to be my best friend?????? ...
Chapter 13 -- A giant leap forward
The Label and the promoters were paying for us to go first class for this trip to California. They sprang for air fare, a family-sized condo on the beach at Malibu and the whole works. As I said previously, we had never been out of the south except Daddy when he served in the Army. It was going to be like the Clampets on the Beverly Hillbillies and we would bring Tennessee to Los Angeles--only not quite as naïve. All we were missing was Granny.
Daddy had our driver drop us off at the airport Memphis. He had given strict instruction on the route the driver was to take in order to bring the coach to California and where and when he was to meet us.
Meanwhile we were flying out and would take a short vacation while we were there--something we had never done in our lives. Ordinarily when we came in off the road, we spent our time either in the Hollow or somewhere nearby.
Getting thorough the Memphis airport with Momma and Daddy and four mostly teenage kids and was like trying to herd cats. All of us wanted to eat barbeque and buy knickknacks and magazines. We finally wound up in the First Class lounge. All the people in the lounge looked at us like we didn't belong there.----if they only knew... Eventually we boarded the plane and relaxed all the way to California. Flying was not all that much different than travelling by our own coach only faster.
When we checked into the condo, we found it was at one of the best surfing beaches in California. All three of us boys wanted to try that, and Daddy wanted us all to do some fishing while we were there. Mamma and my sister would shop.
As we enjoyed our vacation time, Mamma and Daddy and the rest of the family were tight-lipped about the Awards Show. I kind of felt guilty due to the family not being nominated for an award. But win or lose, my nomination really should have been for the whole family.
Under the old contract, it was the Label that had released those songs under my name-- Billy Ray Stone and the Stone Family--trying to capitalize on my age. Although I had sung the lead on both songs, the entire family had done the backup and played the instruments. So, while I was receiving all the acclaim and publicity, it should have been for the whole group and our non-traditional harmony. That was what really set those songs apart.
In the month since our Opry appearance, the sales had just about doubled on "Ripples" and it was still at # 1 on the charts and "I Surrender" was now at #5.
When we arrived at the awards ceremony the family was all dressed in their stage clothes. I was told by the Label to wear the white suit that I had worn on the Opry. We were not fancy by California standards but we would look like hot stuff to the Southern Gospel Music fans.
There were other nominees and we were all seated in the same general area with our families or management. Our Label's California distributor was our escort and he just didn't seem to be too thrilled to be sitting with a bunch of rubes from Tennessee. He was one of the reasons I was praying I would win, just to see his face.
We didn't have any idea how long the show was going to be, but it was the usual TV production so we planned to be sitting for at least an hour. There were awards for many categories besides Top New Male Vocalist. Most of the awards for technical achievements and productions were done off the air so it was to be mainly a talent show.
Most of us New Male nominees were regional winners. Most were older than me and really were genuine newcomers to the business. Compared to them I was a veteran. I had the two national hit songs and even though we were based in the south, I was part of a group which was becoming nationally known. While statistics didn't matter, I felt I had a pretty good chance to win because "Ripples" had been Number # 1 twice for a total of 12 weeks and sold over a million copies of the Stone Family's first CD. Our appearance on the Opry and other shows should also help.
When our category was announced, each of us nominees were introduced with a two minute film clip. As I later found out, while Chris and I were in Nashville, a film crew had visited Daddy and Mamma at the Hollow and they had been interviewed and had contributed some family pictures and videos of us singing at various fairs and shows. They had filmed the area around the Hollow and even the inside our new coach. Then they had edited it all down to two minutes.
When the read off our names as nominees, I saw the red light of the camera pan over all of us. The announcer said, "And now to present the award for best New Male Vocalist, I would like to introduce a past winner, Chris Baker"!!!!
I was stunned! Chris was supposed to be in New England! What the hell was he doing here???
Chris walked on stage in his Opry black suit and he kind of smiled towards me as if to say, "I guess I fooled you didn't I"!!!! How can that be, he told me he was going to be on the road in New England??
I was shocked! I had no idea he was going to be on the show or anywhere near California. He stood behind the microphone and as the applause died down he announced, " And now for the award for the Best New Male vocalist", he paused and as he opened the envelope he read, "Billy Ray Stone of the Stone Family"!!!
I was floored! In spite of my normally calm, mature demeanor, a few tears began flowing. The camera swung towards me and the family. Momma and Daddy hugged me and whispered , "I bet you thought we couldn't keep a secret didn't you"?
I turned and I walked down the aisle towards the ramp leading up to the stage. But something was wrong...Chris was walking away from the podium towards the stage's center curtains and they opened revealing two stools and two guitars. Chris grabbed one of the mikes that stood there and announced, "I am sure we are not going to crown a best New Male Vocalist without a song"!
"Come on over here Billy Ray".
He continued, "Billy Ray and the Stone Family currently have a #1 song and a #5 on the charts. You might not know it, but Billy and I have a new release coming out this month and we'd like to give you a little preview of it"...
When I got over to Chris he grabbed me and gave me a big hug--in a brotherly sort of way. With that, we both picked up the guitars and sat on the stools and Chris nodded towards the Orchestra leader. They started off the song with a string intro and we sang, Battleground--it floored them! We received a standing ovation from our peers--even the other nominees who lost out for the best new male vocalist -- and there were those damn screaming girls again.
When the applause died down, I said, "I gladly accept this award on behalf of my whole family because there are six voices on those two songs not just me as the lead singer. I'd like to introduce my two brothers Donny and James, my sister Kathy, and most of all my Momma and my Daddy who wrote both of the songs. Daddy is also the one who taught us all to sing...The Reverend John Stone". The camera cut to them standing and smiling. The teeny-bopper girls screamed even louder when they saw my two cute younger brothers.
That small recognition of the other family members went a long way towards healing some of the jealousy that being singled out for the award had caused--it wasn't bad for CD sales either.
The show cut to a commercial and Chris hugged me again and apologized for the surprise. We both left the stage and the Family joined us back stage. Later that evening, I found out that after we had all appeared on the Opry, my parents had received a call from the award show producers informing them that I had won the award. I had received so many votes due to that show that I nobody could possibly beat me.
Chris told me that while the family had been on the three week southern tour, the producers had contacted him and set up the rest of the arrangements. He had been in California for two days to rehearse with the orchestra. The other nominees had also been informed and kept it secret in exchange for an all expenses paid trip to California and an special appearance on a Cable TV gospel channel show which was being produced. We would all be appearing on that special wich we would tape the following week with the channel.
Meanwhile we had more vacationing to do and Chris would be there for two more days to share it with us.