Gary Walker(Standup Comedian)
Chapter 6
I met Gary Walker at another nightclub called the Cabin Hill in the mid-1970s when he was fresh out of the Army and I think he was in management, so he said, at that time I met him he was managing a fresh rolled joint, and he had that loyal charm of decency, an heir of generosity about him, and someone you immediately could trust. He made me laugh so hard, his witty remarks were spontaneous and sharp, kind of like Johnny Carson in the sense of retrieving these quips at the modem speed of 1,000 terabytes per second, in other words, a sound intellectual mind.
Gary hung out at Joe’s during the weeknights, as we all did, Gary kept everyone entertained with a fresh joke, usually dirty ones too, Gary often drank beer and sipped his whiskey for an extra kick, and everyone loved Gary, he was our Norm of Cheers, no person could match his quick-draw retorts, and sometimes he could offend with his barbs, and they were always unintentional, though a few drunks seem to be accosted by Gary’s rapier tongue and Joe would have to step in and calm things down but after they got to know Gary a little better it was all love.
Mary Jane Hamilton told Gary to start doing standup comedy, but Gary needed more coaxing, he seem to suffer from low self-esteem when it came to performing on stage, so, Gary on his spare time wrote down his comedy routine, honed and toned his sketches, and entered his name at The Comedy Caravan, on open mike night. The Bluegrass Tavern gang all loaded up and headed to Louisville to watch Gary perform his first and last audition at The Comedy Caravan the crowd went insane, they loved him, and he was the best newcomer that night, management told him to work on more material and offered him a spot on their traveling venue and show across the country. Gary never knew how successful he could've been because he just couldn't abandon his wife and family, so, he conquered his fear but his dream never won that fortune and fame.
Gary Walker seemed to always have some anodyne to help people suffering, a causal joke from him always broke the “suton” of the grief-stricken crisis at hand. His mantra of living was always an irenic place of love and peace. I can say, he’s been more of a friend to me over these years than I deserve, his warmth and wit are always welcome and I can attest and say God loves him too. Gary Walker deserves to be in the Bluegrass Tavern Hall of Fame, I’ll say that under oath and to the highest court. God bless my dearest friend, Gary Walker forever.
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