After spending the better part of 40 hours planning “just the security” for the backstage during Jimmy’s visit the concert was finally happening. Hell it looked like the president was on the grounds…I even had the Key West Police in a boat on the water…the stairwells were full of police! I always say do it right or don’t do it at all. This was the first photo I have ever had with Jimmy. I have stood beside him many times and totally not bothered for a photo.
This one was in my hotel room at the Casa Marina resort right behind the full size concert stage on the beach. It was a carefully planned “meet and greet” for our entire PHiP, Inc. board. Jimmy was in a great mood all evening. I had a very brief conversation on my patio with him where he told me a story I had heard from some of his close friends about the old days in Key West. You could see he was thinking back to that moment in his eyes as he told me that. As I went out to introduce him on the stage with a thunderous introduction that boomed across the crowd I ran back to meet him as he approached the stage and shook his hand. He looked eye to eye with me and said “Wow…that was some introduction.” I smiled and kept going to take my place on the side stage with JL Jamison. I thought…Jimmy…I spent three years working on radio shows for you and I have been doing this announcing thing since I was in the first grade, not to mention I have been with you on most of this journey in one way or another. I will be until the end. “Nuff said.