Back in 1969 I was in my car, on my way to work. I was listening to my favorite rock 'n' roll station and a song came on that I had never heard. After it was done playing the DJ said that it was a country cross over hit called "Stand By Your Man" and was sung by Tammy Wynette. I fell in love with this song and Tammy's voice. After work I went to the music store and bought the album and hurried home to listen to it. At that moment I became a Tammy Wynette Fan.
My husband and I started going to Tammy concerts whenever she would appear in Pennsylvania. While at one of the concerts, I met and became friends with two other ladies that were Tammy Wynette Fans. Ann Marie was from northeastern Pa. and Evelyn was from southeastern Pa. and I am from the central part of Pa. My husband was thrilled that we three woman decided to meet at a central location and travel together to other states and Canada to see Tammy in concert. Although he enjoyed the concerts, he does not enjoy traveling the way I do.
Ann Marie had known Tammy for years before Evelyn and I got the pleasure of meeting her. Our first out of state trip was a three city concert tour to see Tammy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Fort Worth, Texas and Ammarillo, Texas. It was in Tulsa, Oklahoma that I first got to meet Tammy and talk to her. We went on her bus and after meeting her I realized I was a Tammy Fan for life. Tammy was just like one of the girls when we were with her. Tammy had a sense of humor and loved to tell stories about being on the road. Years later when both she and I became grand-mothers, Tammy and I would always have pictures of our grand-kids to show each other. She was always one grand-child ahead of me and we joked about that.
For over twenty years the three of us traveled to forty-six states and Canada to see Tammy in concert and spend time with her either on her bus or in the motel or at her house in Nashville, Tn. In 1992, Ann Marie passed away. She had fought a long hard battle with cancer. Tammy and her wonderful husband, Richey, wrote the eulogy for Ann's funeral.
Now it was just me and Evelyn so I decided that I would bring my son, Rusty, along with us on some of our trips. Rusty loved to fly, and I had brought him along on a few trips back in the late 80's. The first time he met Tammy, she fell in love with him. He was fifteen years old. When Rusty didn't come with us, the first thing Tammy would say to me is," Where is my boy, Rusty?"
Whenever Tammy appeared at Opryland, which was a few minutes from her home, she and Richey always insisted that Evelyn and I stay at their house. One trip we decided not to let them know we were coming and we got a motel. When Tammy was singing on stage, she spotted us in the first row and she pointed to both of us and in front of the entire audience she said,"You and you get out to the house." From that time on we always left her know that we were coming to Nashville. Because of Tammy's health, she and Richey didn't socialize that much. When we stayed with them at their house we had a wonderful time talking, watching TV, and laughing alot. Tammy loved to watch cooking shows and she was a wonderful cook. The first time I ever ate Catfish was at her house. Tammy made the best egg omlet I have ever eaten. Richey was also the best at making biscuits and gravy.
What was to happen in March of 1998 was something Evelyn and I had talked about many times. Evelyn and I flew to Tempe, Arizona to see Tammy in concert. Not knowing this would be the last time we would see Tammy in person. The last words Tammy said to me I will never, never forget. We were with her back stage and it was dark back there. Tammy was to go on stage in a few minutes. As we were approaching the back of the stage curtain, there was a little more light and Tammy looked down at my shoes and said,"Bev, you have gone hip on me." We laughed and then she said,"I love them." I have never worn those shoes again. We didn't see Tammy after the show because they had to leave right after the show was over. We had said our good-byes earlier on her bus and while waiting back stage for her to do her concert we said them again.
Tammy passed away on April 6, 1998. Evelyn and I went to her funeral and said our last good-byes. I know Tammy is with our Lord now and I will always have the wonderful memories and the thousands of pictures of Tammy to look back on for the rest of my life. All the pictures on my website of Tammy, except for the 1991 Living Legend Award picture, were taken by either Evelyn or myself. These are just a few of over five thousand pictures we took of our "First Lady" over the years. I started out a Tammy fan and I am proud to say we became great friends and it was a wonderful friendship that lasted for many, many years. I will always love you Tammy.