CHAPTER ONE - HALFWAY HOME

 On January 17, 1987, Democrat Ned McWherter was sworn in as governor of Tennessee. MP units were deployed from all over the state to help provide security for the inauguration and ball later that night at the Opryland hotel. Our unit, the 118th Tactical Airlift Wing was tasked with providing security for the entertainers at Opryland and the governor while he was there. My first post that night was in the rear of the hotel along with another security policeman named John Myers. Our job was to keep a spot open for the governor's car. We were told that the governors driver was supposed to drop Ned off at the front door of the hotel and from there he would bring the car around to our location and park the vehicle. Nearby was a line of celebrity buses with such names as Hank William's Jr., Waylon Jenning's, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Krystal Gayle, and many others painted on their sides.

 While standing post Ralph Emery walked past us with an entourage. This was the third time that I had come in contact with this man and he has yet to speak to me. Someone told me that he is hard of hearing and that he might not have heard my greeting. Maybe so but it just strikes me as rude because I can't hear that good either but I think if I met someone three different times I would have said hello at some point. While I was at Hickam AFB in Hawaii I was standing near the Security Police headquarters one day and struck up a conversation with a friendly young Airman who was stationed there. I immediately noticed the name Emory on his name tag. Curious, I asked if he was related to Ralph Emory and he said "yes, he's my dad". The guy was so nice and friendly I was tempted to tell him that he was nothing like his dad. After getting out of the Air Force he joined our Guard unit.

 Meanwhile, the governor's car drove up and backed into the space we were reserving for him. I was expecting a big black limo or something more luxurious but I was struck by the fact that the governor's car was pretty modest. It was something like a Buick or a car that any average American might be driving. McWherter was the last of a dying breed of Democrats. For that time he could be classified as a moderate to conservative Democrat. A Democrat that virtually doesn't exist today. McWherter was more like a Zell Miller of Georgia. After the driver parked the car a man ran toward us from the direction of Hank William's Jr.'s bus. I am assuming that he was Hank's road manager or something. He was waving his hands excitedly as he approached our post and the man was shouting, "Hey, he can't park there. Mr.. William's will be arriving any minute. That spot is reserved for him." Nonchalantly I replied, "Sir, if you want to ask the governor to move his car, be my guest." His demeanor quickly changed as he meekly said , "Oh!!" and walked away.

 Soon after I was moved inside to a post right in front of the stage, next to huge speakers that were much taller than I was and I am 6' 3". I had a two way radio but it was nearly useless because it was impossible to hear radio transmissions. We were tasked to keep the crowd away from the stage which was very difficult because of the size of the crowd and the many people that were already drunk. I was in my dress blues and there was a multitude of beautiful but drunk women flirting with me in their colorful low cut evening gowns. Since I am much taller than most women I couldn't help but notice the cleavage in abundance that night. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the noise level of the speakers which seemed to vibrate every bone in my body. What I would have given for a pair of earplugs just then. I held my radio next to my ear in a vain attempt to keep up with radio traffic while trying to plug my other ear with my finger all the while some women standing next to me were playing with my hair and my ears.

 Hank Williams Jr. and Waylon Jennings put on a heck of a show. Krystal Gales hair seemed to be no more than an inch above the floor and when Jerry Lee Lewis came on stage he stole the show. He was playing the piano with his shoes, butt, head, or any object that he could get his hands on. Lewis was playing a beautiful baby grand piano and the stage manager didn't appreciate the fact that he was abusing his piano. I recently read that early in his career Lewis set a piano on fire while he played Great Balls Of Fire. The last straw for the stage manager came when Lewis picked up a metal mike stand and started beating the piano keys with it. The stage manager ran out and began unplugging speakers and everything electrical. Lewis began cursing and stormed off the stage.

 After his performance I was told to take a break backstage. While walking through the stars I overheard many of their conversations. I eavesdropped on Jerry Lee Lewis's conversation with a woman. Lewis was spewing forth a solid stream of profanity. I had been a big follower of Jimmy Swaggart during the 1980's because he could move me like no other preacher at that time. Lewis and Swaggart are cousins and have a similar way of playing the piano as does their other cousin Mickey Gilley. He was talking to the woman about what a hypocrite that Jimmy Swaggart was because he was a womanizer. This was the first inkling that I had of any scandal in Swaggarts life. A huge scandal would erupt the following year in 1988 when Swaggart was caught soliciting prostitutes and I immediately recalled the words of Jerry Lee Lewis.