Free Art Friday 27/04/12 - a song for my friend Billy

I started a song a few months back and I thought I would share the lyrics today.
I have a friend named Billy Weir who once played drums for a young up and coming rock n' roll singer named Harold Jenkins who would go on to use the name that you might be more familiar with - Conway Twitty.  Billy played with him up until the point that Harold and the band, the Rockhousers, were developing quite a name and reputation.  With the growing reputation came more travel, and Harold was about to head to - of all places - Hamilton, Ontario Canada.  Harold would actually live at 111 Herkimer St. which is literally just down the street from where I live today.  Billy, however, was still in high school at the time and dropping out of high school was a non negotiable with his parents.  That, unfortunately, brought Billy's time in the Rockhousers to an end.   Billy did, however, have one more chance to play with Harold, who by that time was now Conway and a star.  Billy had by then switched to bass and had the opportunity to fill in as Conway played in Memphis.
It is always hard to capture a whole life and story in a song.  These lyrics don't try.  They do focus on the part about playing with Harold, and finally having one chance to play with Conway.  If some of the details are wrong I am sure Billy can correct me (although I used his book as a reference) but being a songwriter himself I am sure he will give me the grace of artistic licence!

I used to whip the skins in a rock-a-billy band

Cruising in a Mercury across the land

Drove fast and started late

Meeting girls right across the state

Flying back to Hume's for Monday morn.

The postmark it read 111 Herkimer St.

Much to far for a boy of seventeen

Before the Hawk had taken flight

Harold headed for the Northern Lights

A Hammer forging out the star he'd be

Then I played bass

In Conway's band

Pork Chop bass drum, Big Joe's bass in hand

Memphis Tennessee

On November 3

1968 and living out a dream

Coliseum with new boots on my feet

I still live in Memphis, Tennessee

Bide my time 'neath the limbs of a Gumball tree

Waitin' on a Judgement Day

Me and Luke we like to sit and play

Penning tunes of playing in a by gone day

When I played bass

In Conway's band

Pork Chop bass drum, Big Joe's bass in hand

Memphis Tennessee

On November 3

1968 and living out a dream

Coliseum with new boots on my feet

I hope to get a demo of this one recorded at some point in the near future...we will see how that goes.