Celebrity encounter - Terri Gibbs

[jawjahboy]

Between 6th and 7th grade my family moved across the county line - I attended Evans School in Evans, Ga. One of my class mates lived 3 doors away from the 7th grade building. He and I had taken piano lessons from the same teacher and I had given up lessons a couple of years before. His grandmother was the organist at Marvin Methodist Church in Martinez, Ga.
One day he told me his Uncle Donald and his cousin were coming to visit the next afternoon. He told me his 4 yr old cousin was blind, but could play piano and sing. With my mother's permission I went home with Ronnie Gibbs and met his cousin Terri Gibbs. That was quite a visit. Ronnie and I played Sr Little League baseball together and stayed in touch through high school; even though I attended Augusta schools after 7th grade.
Fast forward to 1982 (17 yrs after high school): sitting with my boss and a couple of co-workers at a dinner theater in Greenville, SC. On stage an Elvis imitator does a fantastic Elvis song and then introduces his troop of musical impressionists during the teaser for the show to follow. When he broke into his normal voice, I said "Hey! that's Ronnie Gibbs. I went to school with him in 7th grade."
My buddies said, " Gee, Tom, is there anybody you don't know."

I approached the stage and waited for the intros to be completed; then called Ronnie by name as he exited stage left. My buddies were surprised when he turned and immediately called me by name and acknowledged me to the room as a former school mate.

Last contact with Ronnie was about 2008 by phone. He was living in Lexington SC. He told me he was leading the Gospel quartet, Gabriel's Call. He said he and Teri were both out of professional entertainment and just witnessing through Gospel music.

[tonebytone]

I'm also wondering if there's anyone you don't know, LOL. Fantastic stories. Thanks for sharing them, Tom