Video Brings Back Memories of the Day Tanya Tucker Hitched a Ride to Maine [VIDEO]

Former Q-106.5 News Director Craig Colson (now WVII's News Director) emailed me this week to tell me he'd just watched a video from 2000 that started with me introducing Maine recording artist Jenny Paquette. Watching it first made me cringe at the sight of myself thirteen years ago. (Yikes!) And then reminded me what an interesting day that was in Farmington when Tanya Tucker had to hitch a ride, after her bus broke down in Massachusetts. What are the odds that a gas station owner would have his own plane? Pretty good, as it turns out!

I can't remember all the details of that day, but I do remember that it was an all-day outdoor show in Farmington, Maine. I remember that it was about 90 degrees that day! And we had several performers, including Maine's own Jenny Paquette. What a talented woman she is, as you can see by this video of her! And if you've ever seen me in humidity, you can tell by my hair that it was a very hot and humid day!

We got word partway through the show that Tanya Tucker's bus had broken down in Massachusetts. She was our headline act. She and her band walked to a nearby gas station to try and figure out how to get to Farmington. Meanwhile, we're all trying to figure out how to deal with it if she doesn't make it!

Strangely enough, the gas station owner has his own plane and flew the band into Maine. I can't remember which airport, but I do remember that the promoter called her husband, who was just over the border in New Hampshire, and asked him to drive to Maine, pick up Tanya and the band, and drive them to Farmington. And he did!

The show started an hour and a half late, but the other groups lengthened their sets, so the audience was none the wiser. (until Tanya explained it from the stage!) And I have to say, despite the fact that she curled her hair and did her makeup in the car on the way to Farmington, she looked fabulous! Certainly better than I did in my over-sized t-shirt and frizzy hair!

This was one of two adventures in my career that involved Tanya Tucker. In the other, she lifted her shirt and flashed TV news hunk Stone Phillips during a concert in Nashville. But that's a story for another day!