Billy was not a talented musician, nor had he played guitar his entire life. Billy had a vision...a driving inner voice. He didn't follow his career or who he wanted to be...he saw it and became it. Billy knew what he had to do.
The only thing that sets any of us apart from him, is that he not only listened to what the voice was saying, but he acted on what his inner voice told him to do.
The things that Billy was, were the primary components that make an exemplary human being. The cherry on top of this legendary man, was that he emanated light. Light came out of his eyes and out of his fingertips. Mostly, his light beamed from his smile. Yeah, he was handsome, but that wasn't what you were struck with...it was this light that gave you the amazing and contagious impact when interacting with him.
He could be stubborn and angry like all of us, but that's not typically what you would ever observe meeting him or knowing him. He was utterly, and sincerely, interested in all people. Everyone was beautiful to Billy except those who would stand in his way or turn fowl in his presence with their own ego trips...he had no time to waste.
Billy was well traveled. In fact, he actually lived in the same areas of the world my husband did at the same times. Just like my Randy and all others who have traveled to 3'rd world countries, this gave Billy an appreciation of other people and cultures. Billy felt the pain people endured, suffering under political regimes, poverty and human rights.
Billy's music was simple...nothing prophetic or deep. Songs flowed out his fingertips onto paper; good, bad, awful, great...all there. He carefully arranged each of those songs for the shows, always building differently, and always driven. There was never ONE Rancher show. Each of Billy's shows was new and better than the last.
He was not a perfect man. He had his demons and his shortcomings just like all of us. He would party too hard, lose his patience with his brother, stumble in his relationship with his beloved Karen and make bad decisions sometimes...you know, typical mistakes that everyone could at one-time-or-another, claim as their own.
Billy was 23-years old when he gathered all of us together. He directed his vision with a sole purpose...some decades older than himself...definitely some more talented than himself. He graciously shared the spotlight, knowing all the while that no matter how much limelight he gave away that he was the star of the show.
It was Billy's show, Billy knew it and he also knew that he had no time to waste.
No comments:
Post a Comment