Orlando, Florida and More Fun!!!!

6/10

Load it up and move it out...to Orlando. Rosie and I were fairly well exhausted from the Atlanta experience....so much preparation, socializing and of course a rock show....and the “after party” at the Ritz. We left at the usual time...wheels up at 4pm and arrived Orlando around 6. We checked in to the Four Seasons at Golden Oaks, not far from Disney World. Sort of in-between Epcot Center and Disney World. A fairly new property, about a year old. We had just enough energy to get down to one of the restaurants for a couple of pizzas and get back to our room to sip on some wine and crash out.

ORLANDO AND FUN WITH AMY AND FAMILY

6/11

A couple of days prior, our daughter, Amy, had called us. She, Steve and our grandsons, Miles and Rocco were in our house in Savannah where the boys were in camp. Amy and Steve stay pretty busy with their work, and they had been pondering how they might all come to see one of the shows. They had just about settled to come to Raleigh on July 1. But as they were thinking about it, they called and said “We just realized that Orlando is pretty close...what if we come down there?”. It couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. It would be Amy’s 40th birthday on the 13th, and the boys would love the kid-friendly things that the Four Seasons has to offer...several water park like options...great pools.

The Four Seasons Orlando, Fla.

We arranged for a suite for them that all four of them could stay in comfortably and told them to come on down! They would arrive that night, around 8pm. It also was perfect as we had two days off before the show and two days off after. They could all be at the show...not the first time the boys have seen the Stones play, but now that they are a bit older (Miles 9 and Rocco 6), they likely would remember it better...a great opportunity.

So for the first part of the day, Rosie and I just relaxed. I had a great workout in the gym...one of the best fitness facilities of the tour...and then we went to the adult pool where I soaked up some rays. Rose Lane doesn’t do sun anymore as she’s had a few brushes with skin problems and the sun...so she stayed underneath the big umbrella while I worked on a tan.

The weather was quite good...occasional clouds kept it from being too unbearably hot, and the sun would poke through here and there. We needed the “recovery time” and it suited us well.Since the unfortunate incident with Robert Bull and his heart attack, Dr. Brad Connor had arranged a CPR class for any of us that wanted to engage at 3pm today. I signed up and went to the class. I was quite surprised at how many of our team went to it...even Ronnie and Sally Wood took it.

Ronnie Wood and his babies

Many of our staff members and security personnel came as well. It was well presented, with excellent instructors. They had dummies for us to experiment on. We all paired up...my partner was Jesse Keys. The class was about 4 hours long and I’m really glad I took it. It might be something that I should do again in a couple of years, just to freshen up on the particulars, but I left feeling confident that should someone need assistance in a situation like Bull’s, I wouldn’t feel useless and would be able to take charge and help.

Caroline Clementw

We were really excited about seeing Amy and the boys.

They arrived just at 8 as they thought...and we got them checked in and settled. Then we all went to the restaurant in the hotel bar on the lobby level, called Ravella’s. They had an outdoor section past the bar that was perfect for us...the boys could roam a bit and not disturb anyone and we could all be together in a casual atmosphere. We ordered several dishes to share and some cocktails...and some wine with the meal. The boys had a hamburger and hot dog. It was so great to be together and fun for all of us.

Rocco takes the Cake!

Afterward we went up to our room to hang for a while...the boys watched tv in our bedroom and the adults stayed in the sitting room with another glass of wine and conversation. They were a bit worn out from the drive, so it wasn’t long before we said goodnight and looked forward to the coming days.

6/12

While this was a work day, we would have some time with the family before we had to start our duties. The Bransfords were up before we were and went down to the pool, securing one of the Cabanas that the band had reserved. A nice little tent with a couple of sofas, fridge, counter, table and lounge chairs. The boys were drawn to the water immediately...we were right by the big family pool...and not far away was the “Lazy River”, a long winding flow of water with tubes randomly floating around that one could hook on to if desired. Not far from that were two long water slides...a yellow one that was open, and an enclosed one that was blue. Also in the compound was a game room with all kinds of video and other type games. They boys were in heaven, as we all were.

The Lazy River at

Water World!

We watched the boys try one thing and then another, enjoying seeing them having so much fun. Rose Lane and I left for the gig around 2:30, leaving the Bransfords to enjoy some time together before the guest bus would bring them to the show, leaving at 6:30 that evening. Amy told us that the boys wore themselves out enough to take naps before the guest bus left, which was a good thing.

At the Citrus Bowl, we did the sound check and Mick and I finalized the set list...I went to VIP at about 6:45 and it was about as crazy as Atlanta had been...I had probably  30 or so guests...not as many as Atlanta, but still more than an hand full. First I saw my old friend Charlie Lytle. Charlie worked for the KORG company when I was a clinician for them. He helped me through some tough times by selling a lot of data cassette tapes that I had done for a couple of their synthesizers. The tapes had data of sounds that I had personally tweaked or had come up with. This would have been back in the early and mid 80s. We became close friends. A few years later, Charlie worked for Kurzweil....who owned the Young Chang piano company...or perhaps it was vice versa....in any case, he called me up one day to say “I have a piano coming to you”....huh? But it was true. He had a beautiful YC grand....about a 6 foot model made out of Bubinga wood sent to me. Free of charge...amazing. He is such a sweet guy, and while we don’t get to see each other very much, we stay in touch. He was there with his wife, Brenda...wonderful woman...their son, Chaz...fine young man that almost went into pro baseball...

So I enjoyed catching up with them and taking some pictures. Other friends started spotting me...Don Whyte; Mike Franklin and his wife, Nana; and Mike’s brother Tim, whom I hadn’t seen in years. Mike and Nana had hosted us on our trip with the band to China...in Shanghai. Mike used to also be a clinician with KORG, but has long gone into other things in China...and still has a home and a studio in the Orlando area. Bill Bozeman, an old friend of my brother, Billy; Mark Ballew and all his family; there were others there that I had arranged passes for that I didn’t even get to see...plus there was a big constituency of fans from South America there...most all of whom recognized me and wanted a photo with me...so I was pulled in a lot of directions, but did my best to accommodate as many folks as I could.

Charlie Watts and Bransfords

Ronnie Wood and the Crew

Hamming it up with Keith Richards

Finally I dragged myself out of the scene and made my way back to the backstage area. On the way, I ran into Amy and the guys...they had been a little delayed in getting there, and had just arrived. We walked together to backstage and right into the catering area as they hadn’t eaten. Catering was really good in Orlando...a sushi bar, pasta bar, great dishes of various fare on the buffet and a generous desert offering. I had  already eaten before going to VIP, so I just hung out with them until they finished up. Then we went back to the dressing rooms....I wanted to “show off” Amy and Co.

Big hugs with Lisa Fischer

to all the guys...we went to Lisa Fischer’s room; Ronnie and Sally’s; Keith and Patti’s; Charlie’s...had pictures with all of them. Wish we could have had a photo with Mick, but he has so much to do before a show and I figured it would be difficult. All those that did get to see them were kind and gracious and seemed quite amazed at how the boys have grown. Miles and Rocco were on good behavior, but of course boys will be boys, and they enjoyed “cutting up” some for the pictures.

Finally it was time for me to get ready...I did get them up to the stage for a short look  around before they had to go to their seats in the audience. That also hopefully provided them with a good memory.

The Citrus Bowl Orlando

Soon the show began...I never did spot them in the audience, but Rose Lane did. They were about 15 rows back from the stage in front of me. But due to the rowdy crowd, some beer spilling on the poor boys and the intense heat of the Citrus Bowl, after about 5 songs they walked around to the back of the stadium to get some space and to also look at the merchandise stand. Eventually they went back to my dressing room where the boys crashed out for a while before they had to load back up on the guest bus to go back to the hotel.

After we got back, we all gathered again in our room for a little while...then off to bed.

6/13

BIRTHDAY GIRL!

AMY’S BIRTHDAY! A great reason to celebrate, and the day could not have gone better. We got the Cabana again...and just hung out all day going in and out of it...checking out the “Lazy River”, the boys doing the water slides and playing in the pool...ordering some food   for all of us, just relaxing and enjoying the day. Amy loved it...they really haven’t had something like that in a while...a sort of “pool vacation”. That evening we went back to the patio spot behind the bar for dinner...again, the perfect spot to be for us. Both Epcot Center and Disney World have fireworks every night...and you could see them well from the veranda of our suite...so we all went up there to view them....that topped off an amazing day. So great that it all came together as it did. A real blessing.

6/14

Amy and Co had to leave to get back to their home in Decatur...Steve and Amy both had work starting the next day, and the boys had some camp arrangements. Sad to see them go, but they had such a great stay and we were all grateful for the experience. They came to our room around 10:00 to say goodbye and were off soon after. That gave Rose Lane and me the rest of the day to...well...to do nothing, really! I did my gym thing and then we just hung out at the adult pool for a while...nice and quiet. Rose Lane had bought a book to read: The Goodbye Girl. She read while I sunned. I took a walk for a bit, and in the evening we dined with just the two of us upstairs at the restaurant Capos. Food was really good and it allowed us some nice quiet time together.