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Marc Wetherington
I recorded the song above as a tribute to the passing of my friend, Marc Wetherington. The song, “Will I Live On”, is an instrumental cover of one of the lesser known songs by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Marc and I became friends when we met each other in what is known as The Last Waltz in the South. The Last Waltz was the retirement concert for Ronnie Hammond, the lead singer of ARS, who was going to give his last concert. Several of the more hardcore fans known as the “Champagne Jammers” flew in from all parts of the country down to Georgia to see Ronnie’s last show. Heck, we even had people fly in from Austria! (Of course, that would be Southern George.)
Marc was the first person I saw as soon as I stepped off the plane. We got along instantly from that point on. His luggage didn’t make it over on the flight, but apparently that was not unusual for him (it had happened five times before!). Later on, we stopped by Walmart where he picked up some replacement supplies and I helped myself to some long underwear. We also met Patti and Kellen at the airport for the first time. Patti is just about the nicest person in the world. She is a lifelong friend. She really made that whole weekend a special experience with her enthusiasm and stories. Patti grew up around all of our favorite music from that area, and being around her was a real treat. Even a couple of years later, Marc and Patti came to a restaurant in San Diego to watch me play some jazz with my band.
I wish nothing but the best for Marc’s family and friends. He was truly a good guy. Just ask anyone from the Last Waltz.
The Last Waltz in the South
The Last Waltz was one of those rare times in life where you instantly make a group of new friends from all over the world because you all share a common, in this case the music of ARS. I’m pretty sure everyone had a great time. We had plenty of drama, plenty of excitement, plenty of good music, and we got to spend quality time with the band members and their families. Marc diligently carried a notebook with him throughout the trip and recorded what happened. He eventually made a special website for the Last Waltz after returning home, and I was surprised to find that it was still up. This was in 2002, before it was so easy to make websites, so I give him major props for putting in all that time and effort. At the website, you can find his much more eloquent and unabridged account of what happened during our special weekend. Just in case the website ever goes down, I’ve saved the contents in a PDF file, which you can find below:
Farshad (aka Q-Ball)
Before I finish, I feel compelled to just point out some of the more, shall I say, “interesting” events that happened that weekend. I am ashamed (or proud?) that much of the drama was provided by my college friend, Farshad. Of course, to the Jammers he is known as “Q-Ball”. Farshad did not have the slightest interest in ARS music, but when he found out I was going, he wanted in. He brought a bunch of newly purchased equipment with him to document the whole thing. The works. He maxed out his credit cards and ATM cards. Seriously. He didn’t even have money to pay the cab driver who dropped him off in front of the hotel. One of the CJ’ers had to pay, but I forgot who. So there he is with his new laptop, professional audio recording equipment, portable digital recorder, video camera, and no money or common sense. One of things I was very grateful for was that Farshad was going to record everything that was going on and preserve the history of it all. The crazy bastard was enthusiastic, I have to hand it to him for that.
So, things are going pretty smoothly, everyone is having a good time with each other. Everyone was so friendly. Farshad was behaving for the most part. He was recording everything. He recorded on his audio device an interview with Kevin Dockrell. He videotaped most of the pre-party. I specifically remember a segment devoted to all of Southern George’s tattoos. Most importantly, he recorded the concert. Now, keep in mind that the concert was being professionally recorded by Bill Wendt also. However, I’ve only seen a couple of songs from that video on the DVD that everyone probably has now. What happened to the rest of that?
Anyway, towards the end of the concert, Farshad’s crazy side started coming out. He had this intense desire to get really unique and strange angles on his video. He would give the camera to strangers in the audience and have them record. They would pass it along like a beach ball at a baseball game. Well, at the end of the concert, Ronnie comes out and performs “My Song” as his final number. It was beautiful and touching, and special because he hadn’t performed it for decades. After Ronnie finishes and leaves the stage, the audience is applauding and buzzing. Farshad decides that this is the perfect moment to get on the stage and capture the audience from the stage’s perspective on his camera. So he runs top speed across the stage with his one eye in the viewfinder. He can’t see where he’s running. He crashes into Ronnie’s chair and guitar (left on the stage) and almost breaks his neck as he crashes to the ground. His camera goes flying out, and his audio recorder hits the ground and splits into pieces. There goes that interview with Kevin.
Unfortunately, that video was never found. Why? When Farshad returned home, he gave it to someone to transfer to the computer. After years of searching, I found out his name was Jeremy Cash. After hounding Jeremy for a while in 2005, he told me he didn’t know where the video was. So that video is probably lost forever. It’s unfortunate. There was a lot of good stuff on there. All that behind the scenes action.
A lot of us, myself included, are very frustrated that Farshad’s video has never been found. There are a couple of things we can try, but it will take some effort. I can follow up with Jeremy Cash and see if he has come across the video in the last 4 years. I doubt it very much. Bill Wendt also took professional video of the entire concert. He only released a song or two of the video. If we can somehow convince him to release the rest of it, that would be a great thing. I have no idea why he never released the rest of the concert, but maybe some of you that know him can get in touch. Secondly, our friend from the Last Waltz, Craig Missildine, also took handheld video of the concert from right in front of the stage. I’m willing to bet that he still has his tape. So we should contact him and see if he would give it to us. I would even be willing to pay for a service to transfer it to digital format and then it can be distributed over the internet. In fact, if you give me the tape, I have a friend who can do it. The point is that we need to go after these guys (in a good way) and it will take some effort. Let’s not lose these memories!
Some other memorable moments
The Proposal
Farshad proposed to Patti at the gas station using lipstick instead of a ring (since he had no money). I don’t remember why, but it was weird.
The Bloody Tub
Farshad said, “Steal my stuff and beat me up. Put me in the bath tub with fake blood and video it.”
Farshad begged Marc, Patti, Sheri, Jim, George (I don’t know if I’m getting all the people right) to beat him unconscious, steal his valuables, and leave him in the tub. Why? I don’t remember exactly, but to prove some strange point about something. I don’t even ask anymore. But the point is, Farshad said, “Steal my stuff and beat me up. Put me in the bath tub with fake blood and video it.”
Farshad disappears…for months
Farshad ran off in the middle of the night in a taxi, the night before we were to fly back home. With no money, not even plastic. He missed his flight the next day. In fact, he didn’t make it back home for a few weeks. That was the beginning of a crazy year for him. To get money for his trip back, he had to sell all his new equipment, including his $2000 laptop which someone bought for $200. When he came back home, his apartment utilities had been shut off. When I went to see him for the first time since Georgia (months later), his apartment door was wide open with no light or running water. He came back later that night, and we sat in the dark eating crackers and peanuts while I caught up with his story. He explained how he made it back to Calilfornia. More interestingly, he had recently been arrested for causing a bomb threat at his local DMV. Why? You see, while walking to the DMV to get a truck driver’s license (he wanted to drive across the country and gain experiences) he came across one of thos buttons that pedestrians press to cross the crosswalk. It was on the ground or in the trash or something. He thought it would be an interesting to study or analyze. So he carried it with him into the DMV. When his turn came up in the line, he asked the lady next to him to watch his stuff. The lady sees these wires sticking out of this metal thing, and she flips out (it’s fresh after 9/11, mind you). Everyone evacuates the DMV. Farshad is arrested by the police. Later on, he is interrogated by an FBI agent. They search his house and confiscate his phone, which is why I couldn’t get in touch with him for a long time. You can read about it in the article that appeared in the Orange County Register newspaper (below):
Click button to download article (15 KB, pdf)
For those interested, you can also hear the entire account in Farshad’s own words in the recording below. Click to play, or download from the link below:
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Farshad’s current status
Farshad has recently moved to an ashram (spelling?) in a remote area of India. He will be there indefinitely. There is no electricity and no communication there. So I don’t what the hell that crazy bastard is up to. Poor Indians. How can we warn them?
The Rose Hill Gang
“Well, any friend of Skynyrd is a friend of ours.”
This is not Farshad related, but I also remember the visit to the cemetery where Duane Allman was buried. When Patti stepped over the chains around the Allman grave, we heard a whistle blow from up top on the hill. Because of recent vandalism problems, there was a guard watching the Allman grave. His name was Buford. He came down to talk to us. After Patti mentioned that she was once married to Ed King and knew all those guys, Buford was very pleased and I distinctly remember him saying (in a thick southern accent), “Well, any friend of Skynyrd is a friend of ours.” He then proceeded to give us a private tour of the cemetery. We saw the gravestone for Little Martha, and we saw a few places where the Allman Brothers took pictures for their album art. It was special. The group of us that took that tour eventually were called the “Rose Hill Gang”. I love that name.
Lois…will show you a time
Anyone else remember the hooker that was knocking on our hotel doors in the middle of the night? It was like 20 degrees outside and she was wearing practically nothing! What was the name we gave her again? Lois? Evileen? I forgot…
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
One of the highlights for all of us was when Ronnie took us all to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. We first had a soul food lunch with him at H&H, which was great. I also saw a display for one of my favorite blues artists, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, at the Hall. Incidentally, I also remember walking out of there and picking up a newspaper, where I learned that the Lakers defeated Dallas in the biggest comeback in NBA history.
| Bob B | Patti | Jeptha | Wild Bill | Kellen | Jim |
| Eddie | George | Sherri | Renee | Gavin | Dee |
| Tim | Maeve | John | Jane | Tony | Craig |
Aram,
I was so happy to see your post on the Jam and the fact that you have saved Marc’s site. Thank you for all of those memories that you shared. I too saw Marc several years ago in CA. Spoke to Ronnie and Tracy the day I heard about Marc and they were sad about the news. Like I told Patti, no one will ever be able to replace the great time and friendship we all shared during the Last Waltz. Take care and keep in touch.
Love to you always,
Kellen
Kellen! So nice to hear from you. I hope all is well with you. Say Hi to Ronnie and Tracy for me.
Hi Aram,
Very good job!! That week end was indeed very special and I think about all the wonderful people who came together to celebrate Ronnie’s career. My son Josh and I enjoyed every minute of it and the people we met. It’s hard to think that Marc is gone. He was so full of energy and joy. I, too, found his website right after his death and reread everything he wrote. It brought it all back.
Take care of yourself and stay in touch.
Gail
nice website dude