“My Walk Among the Stars”
by Dick Flood
One of the most exciting and unforgettable moments during my nineteen year career as a professional country music entertainer is best told in great detail in this excerpt from Chapter 10 on pages 66 and 67 of my autobiography “My Walk Among the Stars”;
“The Friday Night Frolics was like a prelude to the Saturday night Grand Ole’ Opry. It was broadcast over WSM Nashville. Many of the country music stars that were in town and scheduled to perform at the Opry the next night would appear on the Friday Night Frolics. And I would be hanging around trying to catch one or two of them and pitch them a song. And several times I was invited to perform on stage.
Because most of the Grand Ole’ Opry stars had been a guest on the Jimmy Dean Morning show out of Washington DC I already knew many of them and they of course remembered me. That was so important. Had they not known me in most cases I would have been fluffed off without a chance to show my songs. As it was I was often able to slip a tape of one of my songs to people like Mr. Porter Wagoner,
Mr. Johnny Cash, Mr. George Jones, Mr. Ferlin Husky, Mr. Jim Reeves, Miss Kitty Wells, Lonzo and Oscar, and just about everybody who was somebody. And then one Friday night I received one of the most important and welcome invitations of my entire life. I was standing in the audience waiting for Mr. Ferlin Husky to come down off stage so I could talk to him when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and lo and behold I found myself face to face with Mr. Ott Devine The manager of the Grand Ole’ Opry!
Mr. Ott politely asked me if he could speak to me. I told him of course I’d be all ears. He laughed and then he said something that just blew me away. He said, “Dick Flood I have been watching you. I like your singing and I like the way you present yourself. How would you like to do a guest spot on the Opry tomorrow night Dick?”
I wasn’t quite speechless but darn near. The Opry? Wow! What an opportunity! Only big stars with big hit records get to do that! I quickly answered, “Yes sir I sure would. What time?” He said that a man named Vito Pellettieri his assistant and stage manager would call me and give me all the details. Which Mr. Vito did the next morning. And I was all set.”
Of course there is a whole lot more to that story and it is told in my book.