I and Red Robinson (Canada's Dick Clark) were partners in promoting "teen" shows in the Vancouver (B.C.) area during the 1960's. Roy Orbison and his band was one of those shows and Roy left a lasting impression on me. He was pacing nervously backstage just prior to being introduced at his very first show in Vancouver. I asked him if he was nervous... and he said "Yes, sometimes they laugh at me when I first come on stage." I was shocked to hear this. Roy noticed my reaction, grabbed my hand and said "But don't worry... after the first song, I'll have them in the palm of my hand."

After presenting Roy in the Vancouver area several times between 1961 and 1966 or so, there was the interlude of depression, etc. that took Roy out of the mainstream for a while. In 1975 I noticed in a trade magazine that Roy was playing a club in Eastern Canada. I thought Roy could still draw in the theatres and chased him down.

He was being represented by an English musician by the name of Terry Widlake at the time. Terry flew to Vancouver (at Roy's request) and we began a relationship that would last five years. One of the interesting things about this is the fact that Terry told me Roy had commented that "they (Red and I) were the only promoters who had ever given him more money than the contract had called for." I had forgotten about it... but, we had paid him $1,000.00 more than the $2,400.00 agreed contract price.

Can you believe it, we paid only $800.00 per show for Roy and his band. However, to be fair, Ike & Tina Turner, Jerry Lee lewis, The Ventures and other headliners were only $500.00 per show. Anyway... it was the right thing to do at the time. Both Red and I made enough to put down payments on our first homes. We both still remember Roy as the man who bought our houses for us.

    In 1976, Red had moved into advertising and I (Jaguar Entertainment) began touring Roy across Canada billing him as "The Legendary Roy Orbison" and we were very successful. Most of the concerts were sold out. I also put together a souvenir book, T-shirt and carried his Greatest Hits album to sell on the road.

    Roy and I split the concert revenues 80/20 after expenses and the souvenir sales 50/50. I remember Roy being amazed at the souvenir profits... he seemed more excited out this than the concert grosses which were significant.

    Roy had never sold anything at his shows previously. Of course, this is before the industry had discovered merchandising. The big bonus for me was the fact that Roy really appreciated what I was doing for him. This is interesting because I had been managing new acts which was taking up 80% of my time and I was receiving 20% of nothing... and being blamed for any lack of success as well. What a concept working for Roy... I was paid very well and he thanked me profusely for doing it as well.

    Roy had always told me that the music mogals in New York and Los Angeles were plastic people and that's why he lived in Nashville. He asked me never to book him in New York or L.A. So, one time when Roy was in Australia, I had received word that CKLA (I believe it was), the big R&R station in LA, was interested in sponsoring Roy's show at the Santa Monica Civic Centre.

    Understanding the significance of this, I booked it... knowing Roy would be concerned. However, the routing made sense as we were doing a western Canadian tour following dates in Santa Monica, San Diego and San Francisco.

    Many of them asked Roy where he had been all these years and offered to help him get back into the mainstream again. I know it was this event that turned Roy's life around. And, I am proud to say that I was the one who, against Roy's wishes, booked that fateful show at the Santa Monica Civic Centre.

    Roy began collaborating with these musicians and eventually moved there and formed the Travelling Willbury's as a result. I know in my heart that I helped to bring Roy's resurgence to be.

There is one more thing I want to be sure is covered in anything you may publish... and that is that Roy personally requested that I produce a tribute show for him should he die before me. This happened at a gathering at my home in Vancouver.

The first shows after Roy's heart surgery required that he work but take it easy... so, I booked a 10 day run (no travelling) at the Cave in Vancouver. During that time there was a Sunday football game Roy wanted to watch, so I set up a barbeque at my house and gave Roy the big chair in front of the big screen TV.

After the game, he wanted to see a video of an impersonation show "Elvis,Elvis,Elvis" that I had produced and was doing very well with. After viewing it, he mentioned in front of everyone. "I hope somebody does something like that for me after I'm gone." And he looked directly at me and said "If you're still alive when I'm gone you have to promise you'll do a show about me."

And I did... In fact, Larry Branson, who I believe is the best Roy Orbison tribute performer alive,
would likely not have done the show if I hadn't related this story to him. He thought it might be tacky to do such a thing when we discussed it following Roy's passing.
 

                                                                                                  
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