I've interviewed many celebrities in my career, and one of the first was among my most memorable.
I was doing a Saturday afternoon radio show in Chattanooga when my boss said, “Charlie Daniels is in town, and he's going to drop by in about 15 minutes. How 'bout doing a little chat with him?”
Of course I would! Sure enough, the big man soon lumbered into the tiny studio.
He was booked to play a sold-out show at the city's Memorial Auditorium that night, and he was riding high with his hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” He certainly didn't need me to draw a crowd. He just wanted to thank the folks who had bought tickets.
I asked him if he was familiar with Chattanooga. He said he did a show at a local club when he was just starting out, almost twenty years earlier in 1961. He was promoting his first single, a novelty song called “Robot Romp.” He said, “Nobody remembers that one, thank God.” (Watch it on YouTube, and you'll understand what he meant.)
I didn't ask him anything he hadn't answered a thousand times before. But one exchange stood out, and I still think of it often. I said, “Your records sell millions, and you could retire right now and never have to work again. What makes you keep going?”
It's been a few decades, so I will paraphrase. Basically, he replied, “For me, it's a win-win situation. Everybody needs a win sometime. Those people in that audience, I don't know what's happening in their lives. Maybe they just lost their job, or got divorced, or they just buried their grandpa. I have no idea. But I know some of them are having a bad day. I can't fix their problems, but I'll guarantee you they'll be whoopin' and hollerin' for three hours tonight.”
“And see, I have bad days too," he said. "I get down just like everybody else. But when I go on that stage, and I see the audience stand up and cheer, all the bad stuff goes away. That's a win for me.”
It sounds simple, doesn't it? We could all use a win sometime. Any win, no matter how small, can change the course of someone's day, or even their life. Even a small gesture means so much.
I am fortunate because my work in the public eye can bring about verbal bouquets from people I don't even know. Many a day I have slumped around with a frown, stemming from the daily grind. Seemingly out of nowhere, a smiling face will emerge. “Thank you for what you do for our community.” “I never miss your newspaper column.” “You have been a part of our lives for years.” I don't always feel that I am deserving of praise, but it certainly brightens my day.
With age has come the ability to appreciate compliments that might have offended a younger me. Like, “We watch you every day. Thanks to you, Channel 9 is our favorite station!” That's a lovely sentiment, and I accept it gracefully, even though I've never worked for Channel 9. It's the thought that counts.
One of my earliest “wins” was in 8th grade. I had enrolled at a new school, and I missed my friends. One of my teachers was an elderly fellow named T.W. Bouldin, who clearly preferred female students. He (rightfully) believed they were smarter, and nicer. Even though I considered myself a decent student, I felt like a second-class citizen in his classroom.
Mr. Bouldin's test assignments were written essays, which he graded with a critical eye. He never gave anyone a 100. He handed out the results individually, commenting to each student. Most of the girls got a score in the 90s, and most of the boys were lucky to get a 70. As he handed me my paper with a “91,” he said, “Son, I'm right proud of you.” I beamed with pride. The fact I still remember that moment should tell you how much his words meant to me.
Does someone in your life need a win? Today would be a good day to make that happen.
David Carroll is a Chattanooga news anchor, and his latest book is "I Won't Be Your Escape Goat," available from his website, ChattanoogaRadioTV.com. You may contact him at 900 Whitehall Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405, or at RadioTV2020@yahoo.com.
