Looking Back to See: A Country Music Memoir

19. Just a Matter of Time

Just a Matter of Time You hear a song you like so much it seems to become a part of your life and soul, you worship the ones singing it, and you buy all their records and go to all their concerts.When they break up,a little piece of you dies with them.That’s why you see people driving along and listening to the radio with tears in their eyes.A golden oldie experience ,they call it.We knew it was only a matter of time now until the Browns were going to have to call it quits as a trio.Still,we had a few more hits to make before we were through—and some more bad luck, just to keep things on an even keel. We had always been popular in England, and after our latest run of hits we were voted the number one group in the United Kingdom. Our manager booked us for another tour abroad.This time we were going back for a series of concert dates with all our musical arrangements in tow.We were the only act on the show besides the London Symphony Orchestra. But we drew huge crowds. Generally, we performed our choreographed routine and then did another fifteen minutes raw—just the three of us and a guitar.The fans seemed to love it. RCA in London treated us like royalty the entire time we were there. They made sure we had everything we wanted or needed,and I’m sure they went out of their way to keep us entertained. I remember them taking us to see our first soccer game.We had never heard of soccer, but it was the top sport in England. I think J. E. and Bonnie enjoyed watching those guys playing kick football,but,for myself,I much preferred indoor sports. Since RCA went to so much trouble getting us special seating for the game, I managed to sit there and pretend I was having the time of my life. After our final engagement in Liverpool, we found a park bench adjoining the depot where we waited for the train to take us back to 197 19 London where we could catch our flight to the good old U.S.A.It was late at night, and we were dog-tired. My mind must have been five thousand miles away,because after we got on the train,I realized I had left all our expensive arrangements on that park bench. I went into hysterics.Thank goodness, J. E. kept a cool head. He had the conductor radio back to the Liverpool station to have someone pick them up and put them on the next train to London.We waited at the London station the rest of the night and damn near missed our plane.But there was no way we’d leave England without our arrangements.Finally,they came, and we were off. (After this experience, we made copies just in case something like this should ever happen again.) Flying back to the States, we had one of the most horrifying experiences of our lives.Way out over the ocean,the plane started acting up. We began bumping up and down like we were riding a mechanical bull.Things didn’t get any better,and pretty soon the stewardess was saying,“Ladies and gentlemen,there’s no cause for real alarm. But at this time,we would like to ask you to put on your life jackets.” Life jackets? Lord, we were going to crash into the damn ocean! I looked out my window and saw lights from boats right down there below us.Then an eerie silence set in.All the plane’s engines had quit. Everybody was yelling and screaming and trying to get those stupid life jackets on. I looked around and couldn’t see Bonnie anywhere .We started hollering for her as loud as we could.Then I heard her voice somewhere below me. She was down under the seat— praying.The captain’s voice came over the speaker, telling us all to remain calm. Sure, Jack. I screamed to the high heavens.The captain assured us that if we did have to ditch in the ocean, there were ships close by to pick us up. Somehow, I didn’t feel very reassured. I started praying and confessing all my sins. I asked God to forgive me for sneaking out in my old car back when I was...