Rick Minerd - Life Is A Jukebox

Ohio Country Music legend,  Johnny Paycheck provided one of my more memorable moments as a country music DJ back in 1978.  I was working for WMNI and was given the assignment of emceeing Paycheck's concert at the Ohio State Fair.

At the time,  the big shows were held at the race track on the fairgrounds and this one drew what became the largest crowd for a concert in state fair history. More than 80,000.  It broke a record previously held by Bob Hope.

Emceeing a concert isn't that big of deal, walk out on stage for a previously agreed amount of time,  welcome the crowd,  introduce yourself and spend a few minutes  doing what you hope will be an entertaining monologue.

Then introduce the act and walk off to thunderous applause.

 Easy work for fifty bucks a pop.

So there I was on perhaps the hottest afternoon of the summer wearing my best Waylon Jennings leather cowboy hat, a white long sleeved shirt and a leather vest, sweating bullets.

I did what I was supposed to do out there when I noticed a stage hand off to the side holding a blackboard telling me to stretch, Paycheck was going to be late.

I was done with my prepared material and all I could see was the 80 grand stomping their feet all pumped for some country twangin'.  I really don't remember much of what I said after telling them there was a slight delay, but whatever I continued to babble about made the foot stomping more intense.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternityI could tell  by the crowds reaction  that the star had made his way onto the stage behind me. And as I turned around to welcome him again he tripped over a guitar chord or something else on the stage and stumbled  right into me. Regurgitating.

This pleased the record crowd even more. I had a little puke on the front of my white shirt and try as I might,  I couldn't find the crack in the stage to fall into.

It was very humbling. As I left the stage I could hear the first shout of  his signature song, "Take this job and shove it!"  I thought,  "Amen brother."        Rick

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