MUSIC
We asked visitors to the Facebook site “I Remember
20
Fort Pierce When’’ to share some of their memories of
Gary Stewart. Here are some of them:
I grew up in Fort Pierce (my parents owned the South Dixie
Restaurant) and was living in Ohio when my wife an I were
vacationing in San Antonio back in 1998. As we were checking
into our hotel, outside of San Antonio, we happened to see a
flyer posted at the doorway of Gary, whom I had known since
the late 1960s. We were surprised to learn we were quite close
to where he was to be performing, so we attended his show.
At the show I got to speak with him during his break. We had
not seen each other in a number of years. We talked about our
working days at Grumman and car-pooling from the South Dixie
Restaurant to Stuart. At the end of the show we got together
again and he and his band members signed the poster you see
at right. He said here’s to you Jerry and the South Dixie, signed
it and we said our goodbyes after talking for a while in his van
after the show. When we returned to our hotel, we realized he
was also staying there.”
— Jerry Owens
Wow. Where to begin? What a great talent! Remember when
he played at the “New” Fort Pierce Hotel?”
— Susan Grimes
My Dad is Billy Eldridge. My parents moved to Nashville
in 1968-1971 from Fort Pierce with Gary to pursue a music
career. I was born in Nashville while they were there. Things
didn’t work out fast enough so they all moved back home. But
they did have a few records to bring back with them. My Dad
and Gary were great friends.... When I moved back to Tennessee
33 years later I visited their old little apartment. They really
tried to get a career jump started but everyone got home sick
for Florida. And Nashville life was crazy and they were small
fish in a BIG pond.”
— Jennifer Lee Elridge Carter
Saw him in concert at the Civic Center twice and he shopped
all the time at my store for beer. He and my dad were close
friends as kids and went to school together.”
— Bev Messer-Martin
I remember working with him at Carnaby Street. His brother
Grandel was the manager. He used to read all the music magazines
and tell stories about the people in the industry he knew.
Most of them were pretty funny.”
— Tricia Sines Walker
I suppose it was around 1995 or so. My wife and I had a
friend who was a close friend of Gary’s. She invited us to see
Gary play at an unscheduled show at whatever that bar was out
in front of Kmart on U.S. 1. We arrived, got a table and soon after
Gary was onstage playing An Empty Glass. I’m not a country
music fan but that song knocked my socks off. It was beautiful.
We were called over to sit at Gary’s table and when he came
off stage and sat down I was totally taken by what a quiet, kind
and shy man he was. I listen to Gary Stewart now. I continue to
be in awe of the person I met that night.”
— Stephen Collins
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What they are saying on Facebook
This was a poster that Stewart signed for Jerry Owens when the two old
friends reunited by happenstance in San Antonio.
>> Bill Eldridge was one of Stewart’s songwriting partners.