Honkytonk Man Page #7

they'd break my fingers

and I'd never play the guitar again.

So I left town.

And did she have the baby?

Yeah, I heard she did.

A little girl.

You never tried to see

her? The little girl?

No, she's better off

not knowing about me.

Mary was right to go back to her husband.

What the hell did I have to offer a kid?

Just honkytonks and flophouses.

That's the life of a country singer.

Hoss, does it sound good to you?

Don't sound too hot

when you put it like that.

But it sure beats picking cotton

and living in a sharecropper's shack.

Maybe you're right, boy.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe if I get this break on the Opry...

we won't have to stay in any flophouses

or sharecropper's shacks ever again.

Thank you, Dusty.

We'll be in touch.

Well, Mr. Stovall...

Red, anytime you're ready.

Red, what've you got?

I've written about 25 songs.

I've got this one called...

Papa and the Three Beers.

No, Red, that song can't be done

on the Opry.

We don't allow the mention of any

alcoholic beverage on the program.

Beer?

Ours is a clean, wholesome,

family show, Red. What else have you got?

If I can play your piano, I can sing

a thing called, Flossie's Boogie.

No, Red. No boogie-woogie.

That don't fit in at the Opry.

What else?

Well, I got one about lost love

in waltz time.

That's good. Now that is always

a good subject for a song.

The only thing better

is about someone dying.

Let's hear it.

Nobody dies in this one.

A lunger.

The poor man. That's a damn shame.

Well, it's in God's hands.

Call in the next couple.

I'd better go tell him.

It's all over.

All this way for nothing, Hoss.

They're not gonna let you sing

on the Opry?

Not unless a doctor says it's all right.

They're sending one out to see us

at the boarding house this afternoon.

All this way for nothing.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll figure

a way to get you out to California.

Doctor, will he be able

to sing at the Opry?

- Who are you?

- I'm his nephew.

- I'm taking care of him.

- If you are...

you'd better get him into a sanitarium

where he belongs.

He's badly in need of medical attention.

Now, here's my card.

If you can talk him into going into

a tubercular sanitarium...

and if he gets the money to pay for it,

you give me a call.

- And the Opry? Will he be able to sing?

- Good Lord, boy. The Opry?

You think they'll risk him coughing

his lungs out on a national radio hookup?

That man shouldn't even

be singing in a shower.

Hi. I'm looking for

Red Stovall. Is he here?

He isn't feeling too good.

Sorry to hear that.

You think he'd be up to talking to me

for a minute?

Uncle Red, there's a man here to see...

Henry Axle from Burnside Records.

I saw you today at the Opry. I'd like

to talk to you for a minute if I can.

What do you want?

First, I'd like to tell you

how much I enjoyed hearing you sing.

Coughing, don't you mean?

Sorry to hear about your illness, Red.

You don't mind if I call you Red, do you?

That won't stand in the way

of a deal I have to offer you.

Do you think we can sit down

and talk about it for a minute?

My partner, Charlie Jones...

he was at the Opry today, too.

He and I are down here from New York

looking for new talent.

You interest us.

After I heard you today,

I got on the phone to the company...

and the upshot was I've been

authorized to offer you a deal...

to record for Burnside.

We'll pay you $20

for each song you record.

For ones we like, that is.

A flat fee? No royalties?

I'm afraid not. The people

in the front office insist on that.

This'll be a chance for you

to find a mass audience...

and that's what you want, isn't it?

You get one hit record out of this,

you'll be able to write your own ticket.

When do you want to do all this?

Tomorrow...

if you feel up to it.

I want $100 in advance.

I think we can manage that.

A drummer, steel guitar,

and a decent piano man.

You'll have them.

Here's where you can find us.

10:
00, okay?

See you then.

But, Uncle Red, the doctor said...

He said you shouldn't sing at all.

Hell, they've been saying that for years.

Maybe they've been right for years, too.

Don't worry about it, Hoss.

It's a pretty good deal. $20 a record.

In a couple of days,

we'll have enough to...

get the car fixed

and get on back to California.

Here, I bought this for you.

It's probably cold by now,

but you should try and eat it.

Another hamburger?

Is that all you eat, hamburgers?

You're gonna turn into one.

One take from here.

It'll keep you away from the steel.

You boys about ready?

We might need a barrel of ice

to keep those masters in...

to protect them from this heat.

Good idea. All right, Red.

We're gonna go for a rehearsal.

Why don't you take it from the bridge?

Red, why don't we take a break,

give your voice a little rest?

A doctor. I'll go get the doctor.

No, I'm all right.

Run to the liquor store downstairs

and get me a bottle.

Tell the guy it's for me.

But it's getting worse, Uncle Red.

Maybe a sanitarium,

just for a little while?

I've been in the sanatorium once, Hoss.

I ain't never going back again.

- Well, it's your life.

- That's right, it is.

I intend to live it out on my own terms

or I ain't gonna live at all.

That don't include...

having an oxygen tube

stuffed in your nose...

and feeding tubes in your arm.

Is that the way

you wanna see me go out, Hoss?

All I want to see you do is get well.

That's three in a row, Red.

Why don't we take a break

and give your voice a little rest?

He's a lot worse today, isn't he?

Did he have a bad night?

He had a hemorrhage.

- He is seeing a doctor, isn't he?

- Just the Opry doctor.

He said Uncle Red might die if he don't

stop singing and go to a sanitarium.

You don't think

he should be doing this, do you?

Do you? Knowing it might kill him?

Want me to level with you, pal?

He's going to die anyway, and he knows it.

And he knows that this is his last chance.

Last chance? For what?

To be somebody.

Did you ever feel

like you wanted to be somebody?

If he makes these recordings...

who knows?

Okay, that's great.

Thanks for helping out, Smoky.

I'm really sorry, Red.

You gonna be all right?

Let's go for one more.

Let him go.

Can't you see he's had enough?

All right. Let's listen to the playback

of this one and call it a day.

You go home

and get a good night's rest, Red.

We'll do a few more tomorrow.

You're doing great, pal.

Hoss!

Hoss, it's me!

Marlene! What're you...

Lord, I've been looking all over for you.

I've finally found a friend in Nashville!

Hoss, this city is something.

All these dirty old men...

How'd you find us?

Asked the people at the Opry.

Told them Red was my uncle

and I had to find him.

What's the matter? You look green

around the gills. You sick?

It's Uncle Red. TB.

TB?

Is it bad?

I don't know. I think he's dying.

Hoss, I got to see him and tell him

I'm sorry about all that back there.

I'm not in the family way after all.

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