Uncle Animal in the Flesh

As we were driving down to Murfreesboro, TN for meetings last week, it dawned on me my Uncle Kevin lives down here! This might seem silly because I should obviously know where my uncle lives, right? Well this is a little different, I haven't seen, or talked, to Uncle Kev since my Grandma's funeral 10 years ago. Kev was the bass guitarist in a band called Live n' Kickin', a country band that toured everywhere, their theme song could have been "I've been everywhere man". Unfortunately this lifestyle was not conducive to family holidays or nieces birthday parties.

I think the life my uncle had growing up must have been different from his three older siblings, his dad, my grandpa Swede, died at age 51 when Kev was 7. He was 17 years younger than my dad and 10 years younger than his closest sibling so he was essentially raised a single child by a single mom.

It was alway such a treat to receive news Uncle Kev was coming home. In my young eyes, he was a world traveler and a celebrity. Little did I know his world travels and celebrity brought him to state fairs and VFW's throughout the country. To me it may as well have been Times Square. Visits brought stories of his gigs and more barbies than Erin or I could find the time to play with. Unfortunately, he usually left town as quickly as he came and was lost again to late nights bandshells, and booze from Iowa to New Mexico.

Kev lived a hard life of partying and touring I think it took a toll on him. Just as the band was signed with Warner Brothers out of Nashville, things started to fall apart. Tempers flared and the same music that had given them a life, was taking it away.

Never really having a passion for Country music, Uncle Kevin threw in the towel. He stayed down in the Nashville area where he bounced around from job to job and is currently working on the billion dollar Nashy Convention Center.

We met at the IHOP off 24 and Bell Rd, there was a ferris wheel in the parking lot. Not knowing what to expect, I was nervous. It was like a blind date but more intense. Matt and I pulled in at 10:02 and as we walked in, I saw him. He was slightly worse for the wear but it was Uncle Kev in the flesh. I don't think there was anything he could have done to disappoint me, he was my childhood hero. We sat at that IHOP for two hours with our spouses and just talked, reminiscing about days gone by.

He's tired now, an old 47 he wants nothing more than to sit at home with friends and his TN family. He hasn't picked up a guitar in 10 years and doesn't feel the need.

We hugged goodbye and I cried. Not because I was happy or sad but because of the unknown. Will I see him again? It's a weird thing to be an adult and see life through different eyes. Love you Uncle Kevin

http://new.music.yahoo.com/live-n-kickin/albums/you-dont-need-to-knock--114372