There were several reasons why we were staging the first show in Biloxi. First of all, Chris was a “homeboy,” and together we were a home grown team—we were, after all, the ‘Pied Pipers of Biloxi.’ So, if there were any unforeseen glitches, the crowd might be more forgiving. Secondly, it was a relatively small coliseum. Depending on the configuration, it could hold a maximum of about 12,000 to 18,000 people. We knew from the first time we played there that we could fill at least the lower range of seating. It was unlikely that we would need more because during the tour we would normally be playing convention center-type buildings, auditoriums, arenas, and fairgrounds. It was also relatively cheap because there was nothing scheduled that week. So we needed the coliseum floor space to rehearse the crew and the show itself to work out any kinks in the production at a relatively low price. On the third day of rehearsal, the floor would be converted to seating for our show.

We were also going to Biloxi three days early not to practice musically, but to have full-blown rehearsals in order to coordinate the lights, video, sound, and staging. It was the producer’s time and we were just the talent, simply another part of the staging. The show would be on the 4^th of July and we wanted it to really shine.  

By 5 a.m., Chris and I had loaded overnight bags and acoustic guitars in the SUV and we were on the road headed south.  Daddy and Mamma saw us off and naturally wished us good luck on the trip. The Family would be doing mostly revivals during the summer, but they were booked to make seven appearances with our show in various cities. Chris’s coach with the band, the tour manager’s coach with the technicians and roadies, and the two semi-trucks with the equipment and merchandise were preceding us to Biloxi at a slower pace, but we had promotional stops to make along the way.

By 7:30 a.m., we were on the air during the morning show at a Southern Gospel station in Memphis. We would be appearing in Memphis later in July, so we also recorded some on-air promotions as well as a few spot ads for the station. Then it was on to Jackson and  Hattiesburg where we did even more radio interviews. We then at last headed for the Gulf Coast to rehearse for the tour.

I was thrilled when Chris allowed me to drive his SUV out on the interstate. We switched off driving several times at rest areas, but he did most of the driving when we entered the cities for the interviews. It was strictly business all the way. Chris barely even felt my leg during the trip, so I was beginning to wonder if he had lost interest in me … As we drove along, we discussed the show and the morality clause in our contract with the producer. Chris said, “We really do have to be more discrete with our private stuff—we can’t be as public as we were in California!”

I had told him about the night in the dunes in California. I replied, “I was so horny that I just got carried away … I … I got caught up in the moment and let my cock lead me instead of using my head … I have made myself a promise that it won’t happen again … Maybe it was the atmosphere in California or something …”

“Horny can leave you dead, Billy Ray! It is not just our show or your career, but it is also your life! You can always get another career or you can flip burgers, but you can’t get another life … There is a terrible disease called AIDS around in the gay community out in California that is becoming an epidemic …”

I broke in, “I know … I know … I have heard sermons preached on it for the last year … the preachers call it  the ‘Curse of God on those Godless Homosexuals’ … But I don’t even know if I am gay … so how could I get a gay disease …?”

Chris said, “It is not only a gay disease. They think you can get it from unprotected sex of any kind, or from injecting drugs, and any number of other sources—they just don’t know the full extent of it yet … I have some info about it in my stuff in the coach and you can read up on it …”

I asked, “But what about us? What if we only do it with each other?”

Chris replied, “I know that I am safe. I have my blood tested every few months, and I just had it done last week so I know that I am clean. We can quietly get yours done next week when we play in Atlanta. So then we will know for sure … meanwhile we will try to be safe … and discrete …”

“Does it hurt?” I asked.

“No worse than a shot from a doctor … you’ve had those, haven’t you?”

I said,” I’ve had a few, but mostly when I was little … vaccinations and things like that.”

Chris assured me that getting tested was no worse than those.

As we drove along, we also harmonized through many of our songs just for entertainment. It is quite different singing together for pleasure than it is as a business. You can stretch your voice to heights that you would never attempt during a show. It would have been nice to have recorded those candid tunes so that we could remember how we did them.  

 That evening we rolled into Biloxi about seven and went directly to the beachfront casino hotel’s VIP suite which the producer had arranged for. We would be there all three nights. After getting settled in, we went to a famous seafood restaurant for dinner and then drove up and down the Biloxi strip enjoying the neon casino lights. We stopped in the big Rock ‘n’ Roll casino so that I could look at the famous musical artifacts that they had on display in the halls and lobby.  Because I was too young to go in the casino without permission, Chris talked to the management and they gave me an escorted tour around the casino floor to see all of the exhibits. There were guitars from many of the artists that I had learned to imitate—rock legends and country pickers that got their start in early rock and roll. Then we returned to our hotel for the night.

It was a half billion dollar branch of one of the best Las Vegas hotels and it was plush. We parked in an area that had an elevator with direct access to the VIP floor and we were quickly back in our suite.  

The VIP floor of the hotel was fully equipped with every convenience—there was even a private spa for the suites and there was a butler for that floor who took care of your clothes, prepared gourmet food, etc. After we got settled in our individual rooms, the butler fixed us some snacks and left us for the night. We settled into the living room and tuned the big screen TV to a movie channel for awhile and then I decided to call it a night.

 I showered and got ready for bed. From the time that I closed the bedroom door I knew that Chris would be in to tuck me in … I stripped off and got in the shower. There were at least a dozen different soaps, gels, shampoos and other bath products to choose from, so I tried just about anything that looked like soap.

After my shower, I put on the thick bathrobe that the hotel provided and laid down on the bed. As I reclined and just relaxed there with the lights off, I basked in the glow of the room’s TV and thought I would drop off to sleep … but naturally I was hard as a rock. Sometime later I became drowsily aware of the door to my room opening and I saw a shadowy figure cross the room and turn off the TV. In the pitch dark I could hear a rustling movement and heard a knee creak as the Chris knelt by the bed. The belt on my robe was loosened and soon my entire body was bared as calloused, guitar player fingertips traced my body from my ankles to my lips. I reached out and grasped those hands and pulled him up into bed with me …

Face to face, I found Chris’s lips with mine and greedily probed his mouth with my tongue. He opened his robe and supported himself with his elbows; he forced his leg between mine and rubbed his warm cock on my crotch and hip.  As we kissed he raised himself up and gradually moved his cock up to my chest and teased my right nipple with the head. I grasped his buns and drew him upward until the head of his cock was almost touching my cheek … Although it was inky black, I could tell just by his heat that his cock was just in front of my mouth. Chris rubbed the underside of his dick from one side of my face to the other as he knelt before my lips. He grasped the shaft of his cock and traced my lips with it. As I opened my mouth to him, he pushed it in as far as it would go and fucked it in and out of my lips … he controlled the pace. His taste was a mixture of soap and a slight musky-salty tang … after a few minutes of fucking my lips, Chris slowly withdrew and crouched down as he pivoted around and put his head between my legs and began licking the shaft of my cock … I scooted down the bed so that there was room for his legs and my head was once more level with his cock. He raised one leg up and straddled my face as I guided his cock back between my lips.

As I have said before, neither of us were hung like horses, so I could take almost his entire length into my mouth. Chris likewise could take mine without too many problems … I loved to feel his cock probing my throat as I tried to flutter my tongue along the back of his cock. My head was captive between the mattress and his thrusting cock, and I likewise screwed my cock upward in and out of his mouth. With murmurings and moans of appreciation, I could feel those telltale sensations rapidly building in me. I began trying to withdraw from his mouth, but he increased his grip on my butt and drew me in even farther as my cock began to swell; as the spasms began, Chris started to swallow … in and out of his lips I thrust until the head of my cock became too sensitive to take any more. He likewise had begun to swell and I tried to twist my face to the side to get away from the coming flood … but knowing that I had a kind of phobia about it, Chris raised up and withdrew from my mouth, allowing me to jack him off onto my neck and chest … After a few minutes’ rest to recover my senses, I raised him up and, holding my hands to my cum-covered chest, I hurried into the dark bathroom to clean that stuff off my body. When I came back into the bedroom he had turned on one of the bedside lamps and we got under the sheets together. We held each other and just grooved on the moment … after all, we had almost two months to look forward to … and many more adventures to share—both sexually and professionally.

Next morning, we were both back in our own beds when the butler knocked on the door to wake us. He fixed us breakfast while we got ready for a full work day.

We put on levis and tee shirts and drove to the coliseum—it was indeed a work day. As we entered the coliseum we saw that the equipment semi-trailer was parked in the middle of the floor and that there was equipment everywhere.  There were also rigging cables hanging down from catwalks just below the roof. The tour manager came over and greeted us and made us put on hard hats. Our roadies were in the process of assembling the light bars on the flyers—the grids that supported the stage lights. Our crew could do the assembly on the ground but, even though it was a push button electric pulley arrangement, union riggers had to do the actual hoisting and securing the flyers to the catwalks. Likewise, union electricians had to do all of the electrical connections—even simple things like plugging our amplifiers into wall outlets. The same was true of hanging the main speakers. The unions claimed all work within the building. Although all of our roadies and techs were union members, they didn’t belong to the local. So if they were going to do the work, they needed permission.  As the manager explained, he was used to these regulations, and it was simply one of the costs of putting on a show. As a result, it was nearly noon before the lights were finally hung and “the snake”--the fat cable connecting of all the lights and sound components-- was attached to the light and sound board. Then it was finally time to erect the stage.

The producer was providing a portable, multilevel stage so that everyone on stage could be seen and heard, and there was a runway in front so that we could go out into the audience. According to the tour manager, the stage was being leased from one of the biggest southern rock bands. Their singers and lead guitars—they had dual leads—would prance from one end of the stage to the other. He was also leasing their two large video screens which would be set up at the rear of the stage to project video and pictures as the show progressed—ours wasn’t going to be a southern rock show, but the staging certainly was.

Chris’s band—now “our” band—were all top flight musicians, and the producer intended to show them off as well. The runway was at the lowest stage level. Up one level was the first riser, the front of which we called Center Stage and it was where the Band was located. They were elevated so that they could be seen above the runway. From that riser there were ramps curving around both sides of the stage up to a central riser that curved around behind the band members. In front of the band on center stage there was space for several stools where we would do what dialogue was necessary and to sing the most intimate, close harmony songs. There was also space for instrument stands for the guitars and other instruments that we would play.

While the assembly of the stage was going on and everything was tested, the tour manager handed us each a copy of the show script. The manager said, “The boss has paid big money to have the show all blocked out in this script. He has even paid to have some comic sketches written. Please read these over and let me know what you think. This is not set in stone but this is the general plan for the show. We can change the dialogue to fit your individual personalities. But once it is set, we don’t want any surprises during the show. Chris and the band must know exactly what Billy Ray will say and Billy Ray must always know what Chris or the band members are going to say or do. For example, turn to page 4. There is a gap between the song “Prime Time” and the next one “High and Mighty,” so we need some comic relief.

Excerpt from the script:

Suggested comedy relief:

Billy Ray picks up his banjo and the steel guitar player will play his acoustic guitar. (make sure they are tuned in advance)

They quietly go to the top riser and wait while Chris is making the following announcement: 

Chris announces, “We know you don’t get much bluegrass music here on the coast and Billy Ray was born into a bluegrass family. So we would like to cut him loose on one of the old songs that he grew up playing.”

Chris turns towards the top riser and gestures towards Billy Ray and acoustic player and announces like the Grand Ole Opry emcee … “Let ‘er go, boys …”

Immediately Billy Ray begins playing the theme from the movie Deliverance as the steel player accompanies him on the acoustic guitar … after a verse, Chris stops Billy Ray and shouts, “Hold on!!! Hold on!!! This is supposed to be a gospel song!”

Billy Ray looks confused and replies, “Isn’t the name of this song ‘Deliverance’? That sounds like gospel to me!”

Laughter … Wait a reasonable amount of time until it begins to fade. As the laughter fades, Chris climbs up to the high riser and takes over as the acoustic player. (The steel player returns to his steel and will play during the next song, “Power in the Blood.”)   The entire band kicks off “Power in the Blood.” Play two verses and one chorus … then Billy Ray again begins playing  the theme from Deliverance on the banjo.   

Chris shouts, “Stop! Stop! This is supposed to be ‘Power in the Blood!’”

 … the song gradually fades out as Chris stares at Billy Ray …

Billy Ray looks confused and asks, “Well, didn’t the preacher tell us last Sunday that there is Deliverance in the Power in the Blood?”

… The song will restart and continue through the coda.

Laughter and applause … Billy begins playing fast verses of several bluegrass gospel songs to be selected to the end.

Applause

Band starts to play the intro to “High and Mighty” while Chris and Billy Ray return to center stage

Chris and Billy Ray sing “High and Mighty” starting from the stools at center stage. At the beginning of the second verse, they will use wireless hand mikes and walk out on the runway. Each will stop at different locations along the runway and sing directly to an older lady in the crowd. Lights will be down in the audience and there will be just the spot lights on you. You won’t be able to see beyond the first row but make eye contact with as many of the ladies as possible. Be sure to look toward the balconies whether you can see them clearly or not. Make hand gestures towards the balconies also.

At the end of “High and Mighty” the band will play the intro to “Reaching Him, ReachingYou.”

Chris and Billy Ray will return to Center Stage.

Chris will begin singing the lead on “High and Mighty”

(Stagehand note) 1.Remove the stools

   2. Have Billy Ray’s Stratocaster ready to hand to him as he returns 

Piano will play lead on the first instrumental ride while Billy Ray will play fill. Steel guitar will play lead on the second instrumental ride; Billy Ray will play fill.

Billy Ray will sing harmony on the chorus.  

The script went on for 40 pages leaving nothing to chance—nothing impromptu. It would be different! 

Chris was used to doing a one-man show where he was the featured performer. HE could do what he wanted. My own family and I had our own thing going. Although our program for revivals was different, most of our shows were little more than singing whatever our hits we had at the time and then doing our “oldies.” If there was talking to be done, Daddy usually did it because he was a gifted speaker. When I had some hits, he gave me more to do in the show but basically we just sang. This would give me a chance to personally grow as an entertainer and it required personal discipline because, as I have said before, I loved to be in the spotlight.

Chris and I each got a folding chair and we sat off the side and studied the script while the stage was being assembled. After all, we were paying the producer big money to set this up and we had agreed to do it his way. We had to pick up him and the show’s writer at the airport at five p.m. They would personally direct the entire production during the next two days’ rehearsals and through the first two shows—the one in Biloxi on the 4^th of July and the second in Hattiesburg on the 5th. After that, it would be the just the tour manager and us.

That afternoon, we began preliminary rehearsal by walking each member of the band through the entire show without playing. We would begin the actual practice after dinner that evening. We ran the lines just to see if the dialogue and the comic bits would work as they had been written … everyone had a wait and see attitude. Friday morning would really tell the tale because the promoter had invited a group of local pastors and their wives to attend a preview of the show and a catered luncheon.

To be continued …