Wasn't in Detroit '68, but in Austin at UT a couple of Springs ago. It had been close to 3 years since I had done any work for the show, when I got a call to bring the piano for the UT 40 Acres event (an outdoor festival on campus). It was a nice reunion with the band, they are all nice cats. Leader Wayne and I operated with the understanding we were both there to do and be the best for the show. Lucky for us both, Wayne's well-known temper had never been directed towards me.
The hours-long sound check was over, everything proved to be ready, and it was Showtime!
The days of L.R. standing on pianos were over, he appeared on crutches. Crippled, but still looking and sounding good. Then the horror started.
After the long vamp, he started testing the piano, and something was not right!
The notes were all sustaining like the pedal was stuck. Oh no! I checked everything I could check, but it was in the electronics and I could not figure out the source of the problem. Wayne said "grab the keyboard and put it on top of the grand".
That was done but now L.R. could not reach it. He also could not stand for even one song.
Now somebody said "get a trunk, he'll have to sit on it". I grabbed an amp case and put it on it's side. Now we had Little Richard propped high on a trunk with his feet dangling down. I quickly wondered which hip he would break when he toppled over, when suddenly, one of UT's finest (by this I mean students) showed up with a bonified stool. We pulled L.R. off the makeshift trunk-seat and plopped him on the stool. and the show rocked on...
Well, afterwards I knew I was in for it. I didn't hide or avoid, I went to Wayne and apologized. To my utter amazement, he said "hey don't worry about it, these things happen", gave me a hug and said "take care, we'll look for you next time".
I'd like to thank the gods (or whom it may concern) for a classy ending to a long rock and roll road trip. Below is a video of that same show, right before the excrement hit the wind tunnel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=493bewScSs0
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