On Monday 23 June 2025, Gene Watson reminisced about his many touring days on the road.
Sunset Park in Pennsylvania
on Sunday 26 July 1981
‘Traveling, as we do for our job, many things can happen along the road to a show.
We had the bus turn over in Sandstone, MN, we’ve had the bus catch on fire on the way to the Opry and, this weekend, Mother Nature caused such heavy winds that our outdoor show in Gail, TX had to be postponed until Saturday 30 August 2025.
Sunset Park in Pennsylvania
on Sunday 26 July 1981
But it reminded me of the time on Sunday 26 July 1981 when I literally had to hire a helicopter to drop me into Sunset Park, Pennsylvania to do my show.
It all started because I had my dates mixed up, so I had to charter a plane to take me from Paris, Texas to Sunset Park, Pennsylvania.
The plane landed in Westgrove, Pennsylvania on the smallest landing strip you can imagine. It was barely paved. I thought I could grab a taxi or rent a car there. Wrong!
Nothing like that was available, but just when I thought I would miss the show, a lady helicopter pilot was fueling up to give a student a lesson.
I asked if she could take me to the park and she left her student standing there, promising to be right back. She was so kind, she wouldn’t even let me pay her.
She landed in a pasture near the stage and I could hear my band with Larry Booth on vocals, already performing.
As you see from the photos (above), I didn’t even have time to change clothes.
I just took off and ran to the stage in shorts and a tee-shirt.
I’m one of those people who think if you’re thirty minutes early, you’re late – so arriving by the skin of my teeth didn’t help my nerves, but we still put on a great show.
I took a few liberties with this quote below, but it just about fits that moment in Pennsylvania.
‘Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, microphone in one hand, sunglasses in the other, body thoroughly worn out and screaming ‘Woo-hoo, what a ride!’ ‘
Source
Gene Watson on Facebook
