by Dan Roark

A friend and fellow songwriter, Allen Larson (on the far left in the picture), posted about a band he was in in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Nightchase. I recognized the guy on the far right that Allen identified as a short term member whose name escaped him. That is Joel Nichols. Elton Goodner is the one in the middle who resembles Jerry Garcia.

Let me give you some background first. Allen and I have been friends and members of the Dallas Songwriter Association since around 2013. We’ve supported each other at shows. When he had the Allen Larson’s Project, I knew a few of them had played together for years. But not once did I think anything in Allen’s history would intersect with mine.

Now for me. In 1976, Cyndy (married now, dating then) introduced me to Joel Nichols

Joel Nichols, Dan Roark, Bruce Gibson

and Bruce Gibson on Super Bowl Sunday. We became Southern Plains. Sometimes it was the three of us. Most times over the years, it was Joel and I. In either case, if the gig paid enough, we had a bass player and drummer. George “Allen” Turner was our friend, and drummer on occasion. I opened for, and played with, Allen’s bands over the years. He even played when we couldn’t afford to pay him.

Southern Plains – Nashville Edition Joel Nichols, Cat Waldeman, Dan Roark

But I digress. Joel had one year left at college in Nashville. I moved out there with him. For one reason, to help him finish school. For another, to see what we could do in Nashville music-wise. Which is an entirely different post. Cyndy and I lost touch after I moved to Nashville (still another post).

By ’79, I was living in Ft. Worth, managing Famous Ramos in Ridgmar Mall. In ’80, I married my first wife, Janice, and we moved at one point to help Joel open up his sandwich shop in Commerce in East Texas. Janice and I lived in Greenville. I drove back and forth. At the sandwich shop, I did the advertising and any other thing that needed doing turning the space into Lindy’s. As it turned out, when the college was out during the summer, the shop was unsustainable.

Janice and I moved to Denton, where we lived when Jennifer was born. We moved to Dallas when I became assistant manager at Pizza Inn. Which would have been sometime in ’81. That would have been when I met Elton, but I’m still not sure how. Joel was still in Commerce at the time.

Elton and I talked about being a duo, “Ruf ‘n’ Redy.” We co-wrote a theme song, which was the only song we wrote. It was called, oddly enough, The Ballad of Ruf and Redy. I have the lyrics in my hand written songbook. I don’t remember if we had any shows.

That winter we were at a party – either Christmas or New Years – at an apartment. Joel and I played. I don’t remember if Elton and I played. But I do remember Elton asking me if it was okay if he asked Joel to be in his band. Between jealousy (both about Elton not picking me and him wanting to ask Joel), alcohol and other things, I didn’t take it very well.

It wasn’t too long before Joel and I were playing shows again. I never knew what happened with Elton and the band and I never asked. Until Allen posted a couple of weeks ago about his band back then and I recognized Joel in the pictures.

I wonder how close Allen and I came to meeting back then. It may remain a mystery. Joel and I continued to play together until his death in 1999. Bruce and I played at his funeral.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.