My friend Larrie London introduced me to Chet
during the Marlboro Music Festival's GUITAR
MASTERS tours in 1991, when Larrie was Chet's
drummer. I attended several shows and became
friends with Chet's road manager George Lunn.
It was George who called to tell me the day
Larrie died.
The first time I traveled to a GUITAR MASTERS
show with the band (which included Grammy
winner Randy Goodrum on Keyboards and Toto's
David Hungate on bass) I had no idea what to
expect. George told us to meet in the hotel
lobby an hour before show time, and I guess I
expected that Chet would have his own limo.
Instead, we all crammed into a large van,
George driving and Chet riding shotgun,
cradling his Gibson between his legs. I sat
in the second row, sandwiched between Larrie
and Leo Kottke. In the back seat were Randy,
David and Steve Wariner. When I mentioned the
mode of travel I had envisioned, Chet joked
that he spent his money on his swimming pool
which was in the shape of a guitar . . .
amplifier!
I hope that Steve Wariner's song, "Holes In
The Floor of Heaven" is true, because I
didn't get to say goodbye. I miss you Chet.
Godspeed and Happy Trails.
