Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins

[20] The Marty Robbins Band on Tour

[20] The Marty Robbins Band on Tour In late 1977, Marty took his band to Australia, playing Sydney’s Opera House and shows in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, and Hobart, Tasmania. Del Delamontremembers“lotsoffamousvenues.WeplayedthePalladiuminLondon , we played the famous old theater in Edinburgh, Scotland, we played the Coliseum in Guttenberg, Sweden. Those were landmark years for me. I was so honored to be a part of this great show.”1 Marty made his third Wembley appearance in March 1978, where he introduced his forty-minute segment by joking, “Next time we come here, it’s going to be probably in December, because I heard Mervyn Conn tell some of the people awhile ago it will be a cold day when I work for him again. So I figure it will be December.” 178 His introduction of the band illustrated how he typically used ethnic jabs and poor jokes to entertain his audience: It’s the same bunch, with the exception of one, that I had two years ago. Y’see, we get along real good so we stay together. As far as I’m concerned, they’re the best group in the business. On the piano is the Canadian. Which doesn’t make him bad—he’s one of the colonies. He’s not from Quebec, no. Because we don’t want any problems, with anybody throwing things at him. No, he is a Canadian, and he’s been with us for a couple of years now. A nice hand for him please, Del Delamont. And then Old Gray, here. Now, his wife, I’m sure you’re familiar with, Jeanne Pruett. She got a nice hand and she’s not even here. A nice hand for her husband, Mr. Jeanne Pruett. Jack Pruett. And the newest member is back on the drums. He’s been with us only since the first of the year, and he is an American, but he speaks very little English. He’s a Mexican-American. Well, he’s—have you ever heard of a wetback? You haven’t. No, that’s the ones that, y’know, they come across the border at night, over the Rio Grande. No, he’s not one. He’s from the state of California, and I think he’s a fine drummer. A nice hand for Bill Martinez. And on the bass, a nice hand for Larry Hunt. And the one on the steel guitar, he’sfrom Tokyo, Japan. HespeaksenoughEnglishtogetby. A nicehandforKatz Kobayashi.Andtheonesthathelpmeonthecowboysongs,y’know,they’vebeen with me a long time. When you do trio work, y’know, you need three. So that’s why I bring them, cuz them and I make three. I hate to say it this way but the shorter of the two, a nice hand please for Don Winters. I hate to say it this way, the heavier of the two, is a very fine singer and a nice guy. A nice hand, please, for Bob Sykes. Before the introduction, he called attention to the band’s tuxedos. “I hope you won’t hold that against them,” he said, “for not being dressed like regular country acts, that just wear jeans, and sometimes they’re dirty. In fact, most of the time they’re dirty.”2 Although said as a joke, he was serious about proper dress. His band’s tuxedos were custom made by California designer Nudie, who also designed Marty’s costumes. Martyonce commentedon the industry’s desire to upgrade country music’s image. “How can you put it on a higher level,” he asked, “if you getashotatnationaltelevision,andyoucomedownthereinapairofjeans?”He said,“Idon’tparticularlycareaboutdressingup,butIbelievethereisatimefor it, and I believe the awards show is a time when everyone should be dressed.” 179 [ CH 20 ] The Marty Robbins Band on Tour After watching one awards show, he complained, “I was so disappointed in seeing some of them in jeans, because I don’t think it’s the right place for it.”3 At Wembley, he continued with the jokes: “I have a bad cough. Awhile ago I took something to stop my coughing; I took a laxative. Oh, yes, I want to cough. I really want to, but I’m not going to. I’m afraid to. All I can do is go rrr, rrr, and I’m taking a chance then.” He then said he’d have to leave immediately after the show for another performance, and he asked his...