There’s a story behind the first time I met Willie.
I had just started with CBS and we went to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry to get some interviews. The Country Music Awards were broadcast on our network and this was for a set up piece.
I’m up in the seats watching Kris Kristofferson onstage and my producer says, “Go down there and get Willie for an interview.” I said okay and proceeded to head down to talk to his tour manager.
When Willie came off the bus I said, “My name is Mark McEwen, I’m from CBS. Two of your songs, Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain and Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground are two of my favorite songs. Can I talk to you?”
He stopped, smiled, and said, “My time is your time.”
And that’s how I met Willie Nelson.
In my younger days I knew who was but had never met him. Over the years I had heard stories about him though.
Like this one.
Willie was one of the founders of Farm Aid, a concert event that gave all the monies raised to charities that helped farmers. It attracted all kinds of big name people and was broadcast on cable, so we're talking big dough. Over the years he owed a bunch of money to the IRS, due to bad tax advice, and they seized his properties. When they had an auction for his stuff farmers bid for his houses and things, bought them, and gave them back to Willie.
They thought that much of him.
Hearing stories like that will make you cry.
I’m up in the seats watching Kris Kristofferson onstage and my producer says, “Go down there and get Willie for an interview.” I said okay and proceeded to head down to talk to his tour manager.
Willie was back on the tour bus.
When I got down to the stage I politely asked his tour manager if I could talk to Willie.
“No,” she said, “N-O,” she spelled just in case I didn’t hear her the first time. I turned tail and went back to my producer and told him what had just happened.
“What!” he said, “You’re from CBS. Get your ass down there and get that interview!” "Goll-ee," I thought, "This guy is kinda mean," but back down I went. Here was one of the first times that knowing music as opposed to being a news guy helped me.
When I got down to the stage I politely asked his tour manager if I could talk to Willie.
“No,” she said, “N-O,” she spelled just in case I didn’t hear her the first time. I turned tail and went back to my producer and told him what had just happened.
“What!” he said, “You’re from CBS. Get your ass down there and get that interview!” "Goll-ee," I thought, "This guy is kinda mean," but back down I went. Here was one of the first times that knowing music as opposed to being a news guy helped me.
When Willie came off the bus I said, “My name is Mark McEwen, I’m from CBS. Two of your songs, Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain and Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground are two of my favorite songs. Can I talk to you?”
He stopped, smiled, and said, “My time is your time.”
And that’s how I met Willie Nelson.
In my younger days I knew who was but had never met him. Over the years I had heard stories about him though.
Like this one.
Willie was one of the founders of Farm Aid, a concert event that gave all the monies raised to charities that helped farmers. It attracted all kinds of big name people and was broadcast on cable, so we're talking big dough. Over the years he owed a bunch of money to the IRS, due to bad tax advice, and they seized his properties. When they had an auction for his stuff farmers bid for his houses and things, bought them, and gave them back to Willie.
They thought that much of him.
Hearing stories like that will make you cry.
Okay one more.
I did a Live By Request on A&E with him. He couldn't have been nicer and by now we were old friends. The show went well, his performance was great, and the audience loved him. After the show I went back to his bus to thank him for everything. On that bus he had a joint as long as my arm (doesn't make you a bad person) and he cupped it behind his back. I used to do that with my ciggys back in the day. The bus reeked of you know what.
Willie shook my hand, we hugged, and off I went.
Willie Nelson. A great, great, man. And I've told everyone.
#MarkMcEwen
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#MarkMcEwen
Subscribe to my blog: Mark McEwen's World
Follow me on twitter: @mcewenmark
Like my page on facebook: www.facebook.com/markmcewensworld
And also visit my website: www.markmcewen.com
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