From Directly Current.
Follow the whole trip: https://www.evsforallamerica.org/great-ev-journey/
Leaving the Ozarks headed into Oklahoma, and I was tempted to detour to Branson. Looked it up instead, and the era of the marquee names looks to be winding down — no Yakov Smirnoff and the Russian reversal joke, and Ray Stevens is 87, recovering from a bad fall, and selling the CabaRay showroom he built in Nashville. Feel better, Ray.
Which brings up a story from 1995. Lamar Alexander was running a long-shot presidential campaign — my favorite kind — and we’re kicking it off with a million-dollar dinner in Nashville. Lamar is a genuinely good piano player, and he decides the entertainment will be a dueling piano act with Ray Stevens.
I go to the rehearsal at Ray’s own studio and start getting an education. The novelty hits were one lane; the man was also a serious arranger and producer, and a shrewd real estate investor besides. Lamar sits down and plays a Chopin piece. Ray plays the same piece, faster. Lamar shifts into another gear. Then Ray shifts into another gear.
Ray wins. Not close.
The lesson stuck with me through a Hollywood writing career: never judge somebody in show business by the part of the act you happen to know. Okay — on to Oklahoma.
Full series playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGM_8XgZhbhs
#roadtrip #politics #countrymusic #nashville #ev