I hope you’ve been enjoying the posts celebrating the 10th birthday of Flowers and Stone. There are so many aspects to the book, including Darlina’s background and growth. When she first met Luke, she was go-go dancing at a club that had live music but that she could legally get into because she was underage. I said in a previous post the club had lost its liquor license for serving minors. But part of her experience working there was learning to dance. The club owner had been a professional dancer in Czechoslovakia, and she taught all the girls who worked there to dance.
As her relationship with Luke deepened, and she became more acclimated to the lifestyle of a road musician, she finally felt accepted. But she was ecstatic when Luke proposed an off-the-wall idea to include her in the shows.
EXCERPT – Chapter 9:
Luke excitedly woke Darlina up at ten o’clock in the morning, a few days after the Lakewood Club incident. “I just had the most brilliant idea! I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it.”
She rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Okay, baby. What is it?”
“I wanna start having go-go dancers as a part of the Rebel Rouser’s shows, and honey, you’re gonna be my star dancer.”
“That’s a great idea. I don’t know of any other band that has dancers, especially not country bands. I’d love to do it, but you’re gonna need more than me.”
“I know, and I’ve already thought of that. I’ll get Louise, Sherry, or Dee Dee, depending on who’s free on the nights we need ‘em.”
“I love it, Luke. I think it’ll make your band even more popular than you are now, if that’s possible.”
“We’re playin’ the Westwood Club in Abilene this comin’ Saturday night, and that’d be the perfect place to try it out. A bunch of snooty rich doctors and lawyers are always at that club. I’d be willin’ to bet some go-go girls would liven the place up.”
Darlina pushed her away from her face and sat up. “I’ll get all my costumes out today and see if I can spruce them up with sequins or beads.”
True story. Rick Sikes was the first country band to bring in go-go dancers as part of the show, and it went over exceptionally well.
I wish I had some photos, but consider the times. No one had phones with cameras like today, and I don’t have a single picture of me in any of my costumes.
While Rick’s band was basically country, they also played songs like Steppewolf’s The Pusher, Poke Salad Annie, Susie Q, and other rock tunes of the time. They were versatile and talented. And I was proud to be some small part of it all.
Here’s one more short excerpt that shows how Darlina felt.
EXCERPT:
As they traveled down the highway, Darlina reflected on how good it felt to belong. Ever since she could remember, fitting in and belonging were always in her daydreams. Now, she loved being some small part of the music. She knew she could never tell Luke how she’d always fantasized about being a singer, or he’d find a way to get her up on the stage to sing. So, she contentedly rode at his side and vowed to keep that secret to herself.
She had beamed with pride when Rita told her how happy they all were that she and Luke were together and how she could tell Luke was happy. Darlina was good for him. The encouragement was nice because it validated what she felt as well.
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