BoomerGirl Diary

In Kansas City, in the late ‘70s, after going to concerts since I was a little kid, I began a career in the rock & roll music industry feeding musicians and their touring entourages. In those early days, a request for food requirements was pretty simple, sodas, juices, beers, deli and vegetable trays, maybe a home-cooked meal for twenty or so.

As the years rolled by, those simple requirements turned into pages and pages of some of the most extensive meals imaginable, elaborate dressing room set-ups, endless cases of liquor and drinks, meals for up to 200 or more at a time, take-out food for the crew buses after the show, 50 to 100 towels for the crews to shower with, and a continuous array of other requests that are too numerous to mention.

All of this had to be done on a very tight schedule throughout the day and into the wee hours of the morning. A typical timetable for doing one night’s concert took my five-person crew and me approximately 2-3 full days of preparation and breakdown. In the summers, I sometimes had up to 3-4 shows a week, sometimes at huge stadiums with 5-6 bands at once, sometimes in two venues at once, sometimes in different cities at once; but I knew I had to do it because it would all slow down after Christmas.

It was extremely hard work and the pay wasn’t the greatest, but I loved the music and being around the people who make it, so I ran this business of mine with an enthusiastic and loving nature for about 11-12 years and then could not take the stress and abuse any longer. I retired in the early ‘90s, turned over my truck, equipment and connections to a close friend, and with my husband and two kids, moved to Eureka Springs, Ark., to recuperate and document my experiences.

After four years of living in the Ozarks, we returned to Kansas City. I reattached myself to the music scene here and sometimes worked at shows as a runner or production or dressing room assistant.

My children are grown and I now have a granddaughter who will be 8 in a few months. I am still connected to the music scene, and my granddaughter has become my constant sidekick. She has accompanied my husband and me on several excursions to the busy world backstage at concerts. She loves it and feels right at home. A new generation of music lover in the family.

Rock and roll music has remained central in my life as a woman of the boomer generation. I subscribe to several email newsletters from the music industry and have been observing the enormous changes taking place there. My intensions with this blog is to bring fun and entertaining information and stories to all those interested. I welcome any questions, comments, or corrections.

Until next time, rock on and be excellent to each other.… Penny

http//:www.rockandrollstories.info/