1967, Redcar North Yorkshire.
On a Friday night we attended a wonderful concert at the Redcar Jazz Club. Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men plus Rod Stewart for the first time.
It was sensational and Rod fitted in very well.
It was my job on the Saturday to meet Long John and Rod at the hotel where they were staying. It was owned by Mrs Forrest the mother of a great friend Duncan. She was very strict and ran a "nice clean decent hotel" . We were quite scared of her!
I met everyone in the lounge at 10:00 and only Rod was missing.
Long John was 6ft 7" tall- I had to stand well back to talk to him.
He told me he wanted to visit a shoe shop to buy some cowboy boots. Size 14--light hand-tooled leather with laces and clip closures.
The chance of finding these in Redcar was zero but a pal owned a good shoe shop and said to bring him along.
They were due to check out but there was no sign of Rod.
A chambermaid came up behind Duncan and tried to tell him something quietly. Sensing trouble we eased her away from Mrs Forrest.
We asked what was the problem and she exlained she could not make up Rod's room because "There is a lady on the bed".
"Well ask her to get up and get out"
" I cant because she is tied down on it. Her arms at the top and feet at the bottom"
Duncan asked which way she was lying and was told on her back
He said he would nip up and cut her loose.
"I dont think you should Duncan as she has not got her nightie on!"
Just as he prepared to rescue her Rod wandered in. He had been playing football in the car park.
When Duncan suggested he gets his guest released , dressed and packed his face dropped. "Aye! I had forgotten about that! Nay Bother Lads , give us 10 minutes"
Having averted disaster I took Long John to my Beetle [it took a lot of bending and squeezing to fold him in] and we went to the shoe shop.
The owner gave him a big welcome and got him to sign some programmes and his latest LP.
He said he was sold out of size 14 cowboy boots but knew a top Shoe Maker who made football boots and stuff for the circus. But it could be a few weeks before they were ready.
We agreed to get them made. He measured Long John carefully and I thought that would be the end of the story.
Our final task was to get Long John and Rod up to Newcastle. The owner of the shop took them in his Jag.
That could have been the end of the story. But in 1979 I was in Seattle and ended up in Vancouver. I noticed that Long John was playing in a club so was delighted and went along to see him with a lady I really fancied.
We were told that the show was sold out.
I asked for the manager and he came out.
I said I needed to get a message to Long John about some cowboy boots he had ordered.
So he let me write a note which said.
" Hello Mr Baldry, I have just flown in from Redcar in the UK to check that the boots you ordered in 1967 are wearing well. Sorry we cannot come in to see you but please give the manager an answer for me."
After 10 minutes my credibility was wearing thin and the young lady suggested we go somewhere else and get a meal and some drinks.
I was just about to quit when the door opened and out came Long John!
He made a fuss of us, grabbed the manager and we were shown to the best seats in the house. The boots had been a great success except for the raised heels which made him about 6 ft 9" tall.
We had a terrific evening. We were even given a free bottle of wine.
It was a pity Rod had left him to become a big star.
At the end of the show he came to say farewell and looked the lady I was with in the eyes and said. "Take my advice young lady. Dont let him tie you down!"
Bless him!
