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Booneytunes Revue

By Jim Wachtendonk

As I unpacked luggage in Washington DC, memories of Dewey Canyon II and Dewey Canyon IV came to mind. Now, on July 4, 1987, I was about to participate in my biggest gig yet. It was to be a tribute to Vietnam veterans and their families. The event was set up by HBO and would feature Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Lynda Ronstadt, Richie Havens, the Four Tops—the list went on to include many stars of the stage and screen.

We had come a long ways since these early demonstrations. I became active around the Agent Orange issue. Now I would sing my story of how it changed my life to millions watching the concert on this 4th of July. The song "Hurting More" would be my only song to sing. One shot. So I had to make it count. My thoughts prior to going on were on you, the men and women who've encourage me.

I'm happy to say the feelings that went into the song were felt by many listeners. Our struggle was experienced; the pain and loss we all carry was understood and acted on. Several million dollars was raised throughout that evening, and the enthusiastic response by the 21,000 in the audience made my heart pound with delight. Special thanks to John Ritter. He's a gentle soul who thinks the world of us and our struggle. I met two buddies in DC the day of the show; Rick and Chip DuVall. They warmed up the audience prior to taping. What trip we had, one that will never be forgotten by any of those who helped to make it happen.

"Boonie Toons" has received mail. Among the letters was a '45 record from "Alias Austin Adams." He served with the 26th Marines in Vietnam from 1968-70 as a forward air controller. He started a VVAW chapter at the University of New Mexico in the early '70's. " I retired like so many others to a typical yuppie life in hopes that my vote would do more than sore feet... Time has proven that assumption wrong," says Adams. After a short trip to Nicaragua and other Central American countries, he made a decision to become actively involved again, "lest we someday find ourselves reliving our own individual nightmares."

Both sides of Austin's 45 have powerful messages. The lyrics speak for themselves. Says Adams: "I suppose that in a way 'Freedom's Bullet' and 'Southern Liberty' were simply my way of making my feelings known about what I had seen in Nicaragua and other Central American countries."

The record with "Southern Liberty" and "Freedom's Bullet" sells for $5.00. Proceeds from the record go to help Casa Marinelli, which aids and shelters Central American refugees. Austin dedicates his record " To the wonderful people I have worked with in the past and continue this day to extend that hand of liberty to all who continue to flee political persecution and death in Central America."

Austin Adams is a good listen. If you enjoy great lyrics wound around a polished country band, you'll like this record. To order, write:

Cen-Tex Publishing Inc
705 Theresa Ave
Austin, TX 78703

I sang at Kokomo's 5th annual Indiana Vietnam Veterans reunion on Sept 18-20. They flew Rick Duvall in from the West Coast, and Britt small and Festival did a concert on Saturday night. In the vender's tent I met Bill McKenna, a Vietnam vet from New Smyrna Beach, Fl. He is a singer/song-writer whose cassette "Vietnam Still a Part of Who I Am" I enjoyed listening to. Bill was with the 7th Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division in I corps in '68-69, and the 3rd Amtrac Battalion, 3rd Marines in Corps in 1969. Twenty-two months in country "changed forever the person I was," says Billy. "Like many veterans, I tried at first to block out the entire experience. However, the memory of those times holds more than just war and hardship-they had thoughts of good friends who were at their best when times were worst."

Bill offerse some of those memories on his cassette. You'll hear "Billy's Friend," "Kentucky Boy," "the Veteran," R & R Woman," "Vietnam Memories," "Flashback," "Jakes' Song," and "Khong biet America." Bill says it best: "If Vietnam touched your life, the album will touch your heart." It's available on album or cassette at $9.95 and %$1.50 for handling. Send to:

FPO San Francisco
Box 1288
New Smyrna Beach, Fl
32070-9990