by JohnH » Tue May 21, 2013 1:57 pm
Awful day. Only through sheer luck, ( I played in a band with Robby's crew) I got to work for him when the Ray Robby band started in 2002. Always a gentleman and great guy. I recently caught what was maybe their last 2 California shows in 2011 Costa Mesa and Sf, and they were among the best the reunion has done. That was the last time I talked to Ray. Backstage , i told him I have a Gibson organ and i do the pedal pitch bends, on Not to Touch the Earth. He patted me on the shoulder and said " Good job, i could never do it, always had to get somebody to do it.!" I'm grateful for these personal memories. Calling him on the phone, that voice on my voicemail, ( which i still have) going to his house, watching him play up close , fantastic. I first started out as a 14 year old fan during the Doors hype that was around 1981, which hit at perfect timing as that was when I decided to become a rock keyboard player. I've been in a Doors tribute for 8 years, just lost my dad in Feb, so this hits home hard. Our show this Sunday will be tough to get through, I already sometimes get emotional during our shows. I'll need to bring paper towels. Nobody is perfect , and Ray had his qwerks and bad nights, and bad days, like announcing every song as ' written by Robby Krieger at that last show , finally saying " some kind of ego maniac wrote this next one! " I laugh as I write that, we are all human and do silly things