Joe and Trudy Hunter

Joe and Trudy Hunter

Interview transcript

Trudy C. Hunter, 45 interviews Joe Hunter, 47
11/30/07, 10:30, Memphis, TN
TRT: 2:07

Joe Hunter, who was Ray Charles? road manager, and his wife, Trudy, a back-up singer, remember falling in love.

JH: The plan was for me to stay at the office and run the road from the office, so I would train managers and send them out. I would sneak out on the road to see if they were doing their job and I had been trying to hit on you and date you for years, and you wouldn’t give me the time of day.

TH: I didn’t trust management.

JH: Right.

TH: So I didn’t have nothing to do with you all you did for me was give me information.

JH: Give me my check!

TH: Give me my check and that was it bro. I’m sorry.

JH: I know. It’s lonely being a manager.

TH: Right. But our relationship was good as far as being able to hang out.

JH: Well you were my counselor when I had women problems. I’d come talk to you and you’d listen so good and then send me back to my room.

TH: Right.

JH: And I’m like, ‘No, can I stay? You know don’t you want to hug me and hold me.’

TH: No, no, no.

JH: And you’re like, ‘No, let’s pray or read some scripture.’

TH: Right.

JH: And I’m like, ‘Aw no.’ Well, you remember I trained this guy and I heard this guy was not doing his job and he was sitting in the audience while the show was going on and doing different things.

I came out on the road to check up on you guys and as I was going through the venue I came upon the Raelettes dressing room and it was just a law that you don’t go in the Raelettes dressing room, especially without knocking.

TH: Right. Exactly.

JH: But the door was cracked, and I go in, and there you were. Our eyes meet, and I kiss you. And you kiss me back, on the lips.

TH: I remember that. I remember that.

JH: And I’m like, it’s over! That’s it! I got to fire this guy, all right. Even if this guy…

TH: Cause you want to come back out on the road.

JH: Even if this guy was doing a great job he was fired that day, okay. It’s over.

TH: Okay.

JH: I need your job, man case I’m going to get Trudy all right? And the next morning I gave that guy his ticket and I’m standing at the bus waiting for everyone to come and you come to the bus, and I see it on your lips, you’re about to say, ‘That kiss meant nothing.’ And I looked in your eyes and before you could say anything I said, ‘It’s too late.’

TH: Haha.

JH: And after thirteen years of marriage…

TH: Yes, thirteen years of marriage

JH: I just, I just love what we have in each other, I’m thankful to have you in my life I mean when I wake up and see you, you know, there’s not an ugly day, as long as you there.

Memphis, Tennessee, TN, music, touring, Raelettes, musicians, singers, Griot, African-American, African-Americans, Black Americans, Blacks, Southerners, courting, courtship, romance, the chase, husbands, wives, marriage, first meetings