My cousin came to my rescue in 1995

Alan Clark and Tommy 1993

My cousin was in a group called "riskey buisness" a small group that wasn't so bad.

We talked about old music and doowop ,he'd get a chuckle out of me, someone my age in my 20's who was a walking index when it came to hearing a song and knowing the words.

His group played on weekends in Port Jeff and now and then I'd stump the guys and sometimes they'd get it and sometimes not get it.My cousin had a whining girlfriend who was the most annoying person I had ever met.She would talk with me and because I'm a nice person I'd listen and then later have a headach.

My cousin later joined Cathy Jean and the Roommates, I knew Cathy from the local radio station she dj'ed at,I'd call and request a song and she'd put me on hold and we'd chit chat, she became friends with me.Once it was my mothers birthday and one of her favorite songs was"please love me forever"Cathy was so sweet,I called and explained about my mother and could she pop over for tea and meet her, she'd be surprised.Cathy came by, picture for my mother and when she came in i gave her a hug,my mother had been cleaning,she looked and I said"mom this is cathy"she almost fell to the floor.Cathy sat and had tea, my father was being cute,cathy laught and had a good time she told my mother"joanne calls me ever weekend and requests songs,I see her favorite is always Tommy Sands"my mother told her"she had a friendship and bond with him,he's very special to her".Cathy was impressed,I should of shown her my room and my wall of fame.

Anyway,My cousin ray was in the group and they were going to do the show in uniondale at the coliseum.Ray knew about my bond with Tommy Sands, he knew more then most.I sat one night and told him"Ray ,I miss Tommy,it's hard on me I have no idea where he is,is he alright,nobody knows where he is".Ray said"you sure must love him jo or you wouldn't go the lengths you have to try and find him,He's very lucky to have someone like you in his life because you are so very special".

Well,when the show imformation came out,I read Tommy was going to be on the show,Ray got a call"I need tickets,there sold out,what do i do,Tommy's on the show,I gotta go see him,what can i do"I was frantic.Ray said"jo, calm down before you pass out,maybe the radio stations have some, try and win one"I said"I have tried and can't get through"He just didn't know what to do.

A couple of weeks before the show, my father came home and saw I was crying, he said"what is the matter"?I said"dad Tommy's going to be here soon and I can't get a Ticket,I want to go see for myself he's alright".My father knew some people like tom swift of the valentinos but he didn't know everyone,he felt really bad.That night I cried myself to sleep,My mother asked him"joe whats the matter"? He said"marg I have never stopped joanne from writting Tommy Sands have I"she said "no".My father actual had a tear in his eye,he said"marg ,this is her first love,he will be here soon and Joanne wants so badly to see him, I don't know how to help her".My mother said"ask around the airport or your connections and see what we can do".

My father asked some of his friends and explained the situation, now everyone knew I loved Tommy,My father blabbed,he spoke to Tom swift and told him"hey tom,do you know anyone with tickets to the oldies show that's coming up"?Tom who knew me,said"i bet this is for jo,I saw Tommy Sands was going to be there".My father said"yes and shes so upset,I promised her I'd do what I could".Tom suggested to call CBS Fm and ask Don K Reed,my father didn't know him.then Tom said"why not the contests, jo's good at them"my father said"shes been doing that and can't get through".Tom swift was beside himself to,he said"joey I wish I could help her, I know shes been friends along time with Tommy and has always loved him in a special way,heck I kidded her and asked her out on a date, she told me no"my father laught,tom said"she said no,i am saving that for Tommy",my father laught.

Then my father thought of cathy jean but instead somehow my cousin was talked to and ray said"let me see what i can do joe" my father said"ray shes a mess,she'd probley go without a ticket just to see Tommy and probley get caught"Ray laught and said"yup,she'd crash the show",so my father left it to Ray.

Ray sat with a friend who was also the producer of the show one night and they talked.Ray said"have you ever been in love with someone for many years,you could never tell them,you have a special spot in your heart for them since you were a kid ,you have a bond nobody can break"?His friend said"no,i can't say I have".Well my cousin Ray said"my cousin joanne dose"the guy said"oh, who is it"? ray said"she may hurt me but it's Tommy Sands" the guy looked at him with a weird look and said"your kidding me right, shes gotta be what in her 20's".My cousin said"every since she was a small child Tommy filled a void in her heart, jo's adopted and dosen't know family or siblings,Tommy's music had always been an outlet for her and then through people like joey dee and arlene she formed a bond with him and a freidnship"The guy was impressed.Ray went on to say"joanne dosen't like him because he's a singer or actor, she has always connected with him because he is a human beinging,has a kind heart"the guy said"thats nice",this guy still wasn't getting the hint.

My cousin said"listen steve,joanne lost contact with him a few years ago, he had went to Ca and arlene told her she couldn't write him no more and she dosen't know where he is or if he's alright".The guy said"write him, you mean joanne use to write him"?My cousin said"yeah, every week without fail when he lived in Ny for awhile, joanne would sit and write him a letter,send a picture now and then,her letters made him smile and as long as they made him smile, she wrote".The guy said "ok what do you want"? My cousin with his grin said"steve,I need a comp ticket for joanne, so she can come to the show and see Tommy's alright,it will put her mind and heart at ease"?The man looked at my cousin and said afterwards"she must love him an awful lot to want to sit through a 6 hour show just to see Tommy",my cousin ray said"she knows half the people on the show,so she dosen't mind but yes she would sit there till Tommy comes out and probley not go to the ladies room until after the show"they both laught.My cousin said"steve,joanne's been crying,she has tried every avenue she can think of to get a ticket,knowing her she'd probley sneak into the show just to see Tommy,please can we do something"?The man said"ok, let me send her the ticket,i'm so touched,I can't believe joanne's been friends with Tommy Sands this long".My cousin said"one other thing, we need to get her backstage to see him"?The man said"Ray,I can try,I can't promise because the place will be packed,but i will try".

Ray told my father who was in his glory and a few days later the ticket came in the mail ,I had know idea till later how it all happened,I was just so happy.Ray called and said"hey hows your day going"?I said"ray someone sent me a ticket for the show, now I can see Tommy".I was just to happy,I mowed the lawn for my father and went out to buy a new outfit.

The night before the show,I took my new outfit out, black slacks, a white top and my shoes,I laid everything out neatly and was so nervous I couldn't sleep.My mother came up and said'joanne, what are you doing"?I said"oh, just getting ready for tomarrow,I'm so nervous,what if I get to see Tommy and I don't open my mouth"?My mother laught and said"you'll be fine, listen to what nana always told you, one day when you see him tell him whats in your heart,you'll be fine,Tommy will be impressed you went to this great length to see him,I personally would give you a hug and big kiss if I was him".I laught.

my sister and cousin Lorriane were going out,they wanted me to come,I said"I can't I got my nails to do,i gotta get up early to be at the place by 10am so i won't miss Tommy when he walks in,the just in case stuff".My cousin was at her old tricks again,she said"joanne,you'll never see him face to face, you'll never be able to even talk to him so get over it"I said"well thats pretty funny for someone who thought she saw Elvis in the mall the other day and when she got close it was some guy dressed up and she made a fool of herself no less",that ended her remarks.

That night,I went to bed and had a nice dream,I was aksing myself"will he sing my song Teenage crush,will he be ok on stage since I knew he got nervous on stage at times, what would he be wearing"?All those questions ,so little time for answears{hehehe}.I got up at 5am{tommy dosen't know this},had my coffee,listened to my albums which i collected,from stores,yard sales and flea markets,they were great for the old stuff since my aunt and my friends father would fork over there albums to me.I got into the shower and did my hair,which was longer then,my father woke up"oh today's the day"I said "yes and I'm nervous" My father said"joanne,just be yourself, caring, loving and funny and Tommy will enjoy seeing you,to bad nana's not here to see this, it's like watching you get ready for your first date"I said"i feel like that to dad"My father laught"nana,she'd say now you tell your boyfriend to come for dinner"I cried alittle and said"yes she would".

by 7am,I had my hair done, my make up on, running around in a bathrobe.My aunt called and said"jojo,your going to finally see Tommy,remember what nana said tell him whats in your heart,I wish i could be there to see the reaction on your face"I said"aunt alice, this time my reaction will probley be tears".My mother spoke to her and I was to busy getting dressed, put on my new outfit,my favorite perfume imari and was out the door by 8;45am. A friend dropped me off,by 10am,The gates were open because of the tail gate party before the show,I saw the Encounters and a few people I knew, I saw cousin bruicie and Don K Reed,I saw my old friend Max Kinkle whom i met and talk to late at night on the radio,My cousin popped up a few hours later, the doors didn't open till alomost 3pm, I was all dressed up,he said"joanne, you look beautiful"I smiled and said"thanks,I feel nervous though"he said"ahhh don't worry it'll be ok",I asked him to get amessage I wrote for Tommy to him if he could and he said"he'd try".

Then upstairs,the daily news put a special edition paper out,the producer who knew my cousin came over and saw me,seems my cousin described me to him,he said"you must be joanne"I said"yes I am and you are" he said"i'm steve,Your cousin ray told me all about you"I said"did you send me the ticket"?He smiled and said"yes, after hearing his story and your special bond with Tommy and your love for him,I couldn't resist".I started to tear up and he said"oh, don't cry again,i don't have a mop and you'll ruine your make up",I asked"can I get back to see him after the show"?he said"sweetie I'll see what i can do, we'll be packed back there but i will try".

I sat through four hours of the show, having to wait for Tommy, there were people beside me and we'd doowop with the greats, Dave somermville came on and sang"Little darlin" and made some jokes, the lady said" who is your favorite so far"?I said"I'm here to see one person",she said "who"I said "you'll see".Well Tommy came on, black slacks, white shirt,black short jacket{we must of been thinking the same thing}.short black hair and his guitar, he sang"teenage Crush and The Beat Goes on"I stood up out of a million people and gave him a standing ovation when he came to the stage,He sounded great and looked well,that was my main concern.After he finished,I stood up again and clapped loud,I also cried.The lady next to me offered me a tissue and asked if I was ok,I said"i am now".

I went down stairs to first use the ladies room,then ran into my cousin, he said"you can't get back, there crowded in there and I think tommy may of left already but i will try and get the message to him but at least you saw he was alright".I hugged my cousin and thanked him for giving me the best blessing there was that night, to see Tommy was alright.

Till this day my cousin will kid me and say"i owe him" and I'll say"i owe ya nothing",we laugh,he reminds me of how I dressed and Tommy dressed and asks did we have a conversation to get the clothing right so we'd match.I could never thank my cousin enough for giving me that night,as long as I knew Tommy was ok ,I was ok.I still missed him though and I still loved him,he was my first love,what can i say,"I got good taste".