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Bill and Billie Lowery
We have all met people who are unusually nice and with whom
we develop an immediate friendship. Such was the situation
when we first moved to Atlanta to operate WQXI AM and FM.
Bill and Billie Lowery welcomed us to Atlanta within days
after we moved there. I found out later that this was their
nature and pleasure. They loved Atlanta and wanted to share
it with newcomers.
Bill died a month or so ago. Bill and Billie own a music
publishing company called the Lowery Group in Atlanta.
Francis Preston, the head person at BMI, wrote at the time
of Bill’s death that he was one of the greatest music
publishers ever. She should know. She financed him through
BMI from day one. And Bill did not disappoint her. Bill’s
publishing company and his recording studio produced 45 RPM
hits by Ray Stevens, Tommy Roe, Joe South (Games People Play
won a Grammy for the best song of the year), Billy Joe
Royal, Jerry Reed and others… and in the album era the
Atlanta Rhythm Section. And in the disco era I Love the
Night Life by Alicia Bridges. Hit after hit after hit Bill
knew songs. Bill knew artists. He had the talent of marrying
them.
Bill loved to talk music, and so did I. Bill and Billie and
Pat, my wife, and I spent two evenings a week at the Red
Barn (now Horseradish Grill) at Chastain Park in Atlanta. We
did eat, drink and talk music and song philosophy. Even
though we lived only blocks away I am really happy that
there was no DWI law in those days (its a designated driver
for me THESE days!!).
During our very long friendship the only time Bill and I
disagreed over any song (and in hindsight he was probably
correct and I was a little ahead of the curve) was over a
song he published called Rose Garden recorded by Lynn
Anderson. It went number one in Billboard. He could not
understand why we wouldn’t play it on our Top 40 station,
WQXI. But, Rose Garden had a country feel. I explained to
him more than once that radio was using new research tools
to help us determine if certain music fit a format. Rose
Garden just didn’t fit with the popular Motown sound on WQXI.
It was at that very time that COUNTRY stations got their
format act together and Rose Garden was THEIR number one
hit. Bill got the message on research, but he sure wanted us
to play Rose Garden anyway, but we did not.
The friendship bloomed over the years. The four of us took
many vacations together. One of our trips was to Lake Tahoe.
We stayed at a hotel where Tony Bennett was appearing. We
shook hands with Tony…he was a personable as he is today.
Bill got the idea we should rent a boat and tour Lake Tahoe.
The “boat” turned out to be a VERY SMALL one that we could
barely fit into. Unfortunately, in the middle of the lake
the gasoline fumes overtook us…although the captain didn’t
seem to have symptoms…I guess he was used to it. We were
lucky to get back to shore without throwing up. We asked for
the house doctor who gave us some medicine that cleared our
lungs and brains. So much for Bill’s boating ideas…. or so I
thought!!!!
Another boating incident came shortly. We were vacationing
in San Juan, PR. Bill noticed that there was a real estate
sales promotion that promised “a one hour boat trip in the
harbor, rum and punch drinks, and a few items to eat”. So we
went. The real estate sales people pounced all over us with
a heavy sales pitch as we were on our boat ride…until the
surf/waves became VERY high. There must have been 30 people
on the boat and we were all green with sea sickness, as was
the captain. Somehow, he got the boat docked. The four of us
ran to our rental car as the sales people pursued us!!! That
REALLY did it for us with Bill and his boating ideas!! No
more boats!
So, how about a train instead of a boat to the Kentucky
Derby. Bill suggested that we rent a train car, use it as
our hotel/domicile in Kentucky, invite three other couples
and go to the Derby for a long weekend. I balked and told
him I was not a gambler, and the cost of the train rental
was too much for us. Bill said, “Don’t worry. I will give
you tips on horses. You’ll win enough to cover your
expenses”. We took the trip, and he was correct!! We even
made money after expenses!!! Incidentally, that was the year
that the Derby grandstand caught on fire. Our section was
immediately evacuated by the fire department. The fire was
adjacent to our box. Ray Harris and his wife, Jan, were with
us on the trip. Ray was the co-manager (with Seymor Heller)
of entertainer Liberace. Ray DID NOT vacate our box during
the fire. He just sat there reading the racing form. It is
reported that as the firemen arrived at the burning box they
asked Ray to leave for his safety….he said, “OK, but only if
you tell me who like in the 6th”. (Well, that’s what Ray
told us).
And while in Las Vegas (to see Elvis perform) Colonel Tom
Parker (Elvis only manger) spotted Bill and I at the
roulette table. Tom came over sat down and started playing
roulette with us. Thirty minutes later Tom said to Bill,
“Elvis and I sure do like that new Joe South song Walk A
Mile In My Shoes. If you’ll give us half the publishing
Elvis will make it his next single”. Bill waited about five
seconds, looked at Tom and said “Tom. The Joe South version
is going number one. We don’t need Elvis”. And it did or
close to it.
There are hundreds of other Bill and Billie stories. We are
all so sorry to lose Bill….a real Santa Clause of a guy!!!
Thanks to Bill and Billie for their friendship over the
years!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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