Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 18:19:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: David Divers <daviddivers@ymail.com>
Subject: Singer's Story 6 - 7

Chapter 6 -- Every Good Boy Does Fine

The next morning the community and religion reporter for the local
newspaper arrived and asked to interview us.  She had attended the show the
night before, but had been unable to get through the crowd to talk to us
afterwards.  We still had a few hours available before my family left for a
revival in Mobile, and Chris and his band would be going on to Texas later
that day.  So we agreed to sit for the interview.

Her first question was, "Do you make a practice of calling the young people
up to the front when you play".

I told her, "It was a spontaneous thing.  I am not an evangelist--my Daddy
is.  I had never done it before in my life.  It seemed to me that some of
those kids were kind of idolizing me and Chris.  I am not the Idol.  If
anyone is, it should be Jesus.  So I just tried to redirect their attention
where it belongs--to him.  It was not our aim to steal attention away from
the one we all came to praise.  If they need an idol beyond that, it should
be their Daddy or their Pastor, not some singer who comes and goes."

She asked, "How long have you two been singing together" .

I said, "We began singing together at about nine AM yesterday morning, but
I personally have been singing harmony since I was a kid and Chris came out
of a Gospel group before he went solo.  There is a big difference between
two people who can get up and sing in unison--two individual voices.  But
real harmony takes a connection of spirits and I think we had that
yesterday and last night.  I can't speak for Chris but I would like to
continue singing with him in the future if we can work things out in our
schedules".

 She said, "Usually harmony that close comes from a lifetime of family
singing.  It was really something special.  And the connection you made to
these young people was unique.  You guys are sort of like the Pied Pipers
of the Gulf Coast.  That would be a good name if you ever decided to get
together and record".

She said, "I was also impressed about the fact that when I entered the bus
security compound this morning, there was a crowd of young people gathered
out there.

She added, "When the security guard let me in the gate, the kids pleaded
with me to get you guys to come to the gate and talk".

She continued on and we answered some of the usual questions with our
standard answers.  Then she asked, "Do you intend to record together"?

 Both of us agreed, "We would love to, if and when our Label and the
management company approve.  They are the ones who do all the scheduling
for my family anyway, and it might prove difficult".

She then said, "You could be like Waylon and Willy, two separate careers,
but when they get together, they are the most popular duos in the history
of country music.

Chris observed, "Yes but we are sober and drug free!  We would love to have
some songs to share with those who love our kind of music whether they are
Country or Gospel music fans.  But speaking for myself, if I had to become
an outlaw to do it, I for one would have to pass".

"Me too" I added.

He continued, "I'm not here to judge anybody.  They have their individual
styles and are fine singers and musicians.  And I am sure that as people
they are great guys to know, but there is a line that I personally won't
cross in order to be successful.  But if I had use them as role models, I
would rather flip burgers the rest of my life".

After a few more questions and more pictures, the interview ended.  We
escorted her to the gate and the screams and cheering started as soon as
they caught sight of us.

I had learned a lesson the night before when we were overwhelmed by the
crowd.  We looked at each other and decided that we would let them into the
compound one by one to have their pictures taken with us and sign
autographs.  We also chatted with them through the chain-link fence.  There
was no way that I wanted to get mobbed in the crowd again.  Many wanted
pictures of Chris and I together.  But, up to that point, we had none.
Despite having a top ten song, I had no individual publicity pictures of me
at all.  There were Stone Family pictures, but I had none.  Chris gave out
what he had with him and then it was time to go.  We quietly made plans to
get together again as soon as our schedules permitted for more than
singing.

Within a short week, the CD of our radio interview and the newspaper
article entitled, "The Pied Pipers of Biloxi" reached our Label and the
management company.  It was circulated to all of the Gospel music trade
publications and soon my song "Ripples" hit #1 on the Gospel charts.

The family was on tour at the time, but the management company decided to
curtail some of our schedules in order to bring Chris and I into the
studio.  About the time we arrived back at the hollow, it was announced
that I had been nominated by the Gospel music fans for Best New Male Artist
of the year award.

While there are other awards that are given out by different organizations
and publications, there is only one in Gospel where the nominating is done
by the fans themselves.  It was an honor just to be nominated for one, let
alone to actually receive it.  I hadn't actually won it yet, but five years
previously Chris had won for best new male artist.  He had received many
other awards every year since then.  Those included Gospel entertainer of
the year, recording of the year, and many others.  I was surprised and
thrilled to even be nominated.

The irony of the matter was that I had a #1 record and had been nominated
for this prestigious award, but Billy Ray Stone didn't even have a contract
with the Label or a management deal.  Basically I was penniless teenager
except for my allowance from my Daddy.  While there was money in the bank
for the Stone Family as a group, I personally had nothing--and up to that
point I didn't really need any.

The contract Daddy had originally signed was a development deal and
basically we were working for wages.  They had six of us family members
under contract as a group, but they paid a lump sum for our services.  They
provided the means and the management.  We provided the talent.  The bus,
the sound system and even our stage clothes were their property.  We had
been on the road almost continuously for two years and we had little to
show for it except the good will and friendships we had formed with the
congregations and fans.  Although the family made more money than the
average person on the street does, money was not the problem, bondage was.

When Daddy went to discuss our future with the Label, their attorneys said
they would maintain the contract as it was.  I was still a minor and
therefore had no individual rights.  If I was going to record, I was bound
by the original contract.  Daddy hired a prominent Nashville entertainment
attorney to look into the matter.

The Attorney could not find much in the old contract which would offer a
solution.  However he said, "the family contract was not binding for me if
I were of legal age.  Once I reached 18, the contract didn't apply to me".

Therefore he recommended that we go to court and have the judge declare me
emancipated by judicial declaration.  The emancipation decree would state
that I had the legal rights of an adult.  That is what we did.  For the sum
of $250.00, I was now legally a free "man" in the eyes of the law even if
my calendar age was only fifteen.  If it went to court, the ruling would
have to declare that I was no longer bound by that old contract.

As an individual, I was now free to enter into a contract with any Label or
management company I chose.  On the advice of Chris who I was in contact
with throughout this process, I hired the same attorney to enter into
negotiations on my behalf for a contract with whatever Label made the best
offer.  The Attorney would also negotiate with other management companies
to guide my personal career as well as my participation in the Stone Family
as a group.  He also formed a type "S" corporation for myself and a second
one for the Stone Family.  Although he explained all of the advantages, all
I wanted to do was continue to make music.

My new contract was eventually signed with the same Label and management as
before, but with very different arrangements.  The attorney was also able
to renegotiate the Stone Family's contract.  I was a part of that new
contract as well with a full and equal partnership along with my parents
and my two brothers and sister.  It was a true contract where we would all
legally be equal partners.

The financial details are unimportant, but we now had the right to purchase
or lease our own busses, equipment and other necessities and offset their
cost in taxes.  We could also hire and fire any employee we needed in order
to make life easier on the road.  The first employee we hired was a
full-time bus driver so that Daddy could relax and focus on music and
writing songs.

We were also able to hire studio time in any studio we chose to use and to
produce our own recordings if we chose to do so.  The Label would
manufacture and distribute our original recordings for a set share of the
profits.  We would also have our own legal and accounting team to keep
track of all the expenses, and ensure that we get all that we were entitled
to under the terms of the contracts.



Chapter 7- Another Step, Free at last...

I was now an (almost) sixteen year old emancipated adult with a hit record
and his own corporation.  I even had a complete set of corporate credit
cards and the identification to go with them.

When Chris was ready to begin actively searching for songs for our joint
album, he contacted my Daddy and when, our schedules permitted he came pick
me up at the hollow and take me to Nashville.  Daddy had promised that he
would have some duet-type songs ready when we got back, but we needed to
see what other songs were available.  I took clothes enough for a full week
stay.  Chris had reserved rooms at a local downtown hotel and we checked in
separately.

I was quite proud of my new platinum credit card and when I laid it on the
hotel desk the clerk acted like he thought I might have got it out of a
pack of bubble gum.  I whipped out my cell phone and hit speed-dial and
handed the clerk the phone.  When my Attorney's secretary answered she
informed him who I was and that my credit cards truly were platinum.  My
bags were quickly taken to my room and the alcohol in the mini-bar was
replaced with soft drinks.  The clerk apologized profusely and said he had
some songs he would like me to listen to.  I told him that he had to submit
them to my Attorney`s office and the Attorney would have someone on the
staff review them.  (it seems everyone in Nashville is a song writer).

(A singer/aspiring songwriter cannot afford to listen directly to
unpublished songs that strangers try to give them.  Whether the material is
any good or not, they can later claim plagiarism--that you copied the tune
or lyrics or idea from their song and used it in your own later on).

Before our new arrangement, the Label's A&R department and the producer
could dictate what songs the Stone Family could record.  My Daddy's songs
were great but there was no guarantee that they would be on a CD if the
Label said no.  Chris had managed to get artistic control of his own
production several years before and he had quite a bit of experience in
doing it.  Now Billy Ray and the Stone Family were also able to select and
produce their own music.

Because Chris was an established star, he could have first pick of anything
that was written by most music publishers.  It was a privilege to have a
song on his CDs because even a marginal song received royalties if it was
on the same CD with a hit--and he had lots of hits.  Now that I also had a
hit, I would have the same privileges.

After I got settled in, Chris called and asked if I was ready for lunch.  I
told him I had just showered and would throw on some clothes real fast.  He
said don't bother because, "You know what I want for the first course".

When I answered the door he waited until I closed it and he grabbed me and
our lips met for the first time in months.  I was wrapped in a damp towel
and he grabbed the knot and ripped it off.  He knelt before me and rubbed
his cheek all over my hard cock.  He stuck out his tongue and licked it
from my balls to the tip and back, over and over.  After a few minutes he
backed off and just stared and nuzzled it for a few seconds and then
returned to licking it.  He opened his lips and allowed it to enter.  He
lightly grasped it with his lips and laved the underside of the head with
his tongue.  The only sound in the room was his fevered breathing and my
murmurs of pleasure.  I eased back towards the bed and he followed on his
knees.  As I sat, I tried to pull him up on the bed with me but he
resisted.  I wanted my turn...but I was quite beyond control--I was only a
man by the laws decree but was still a greedy boy mentally.  I got my feet
up on the bed and spread my legs as far as possible to surrender as much of
my most secret parts to his lips--and he took control.  My only interest
was my writhing butt and moans of pleasure.  As I approached the point of
no return, he only sucked faster and deeper.  "More, more", I said as I got
to those proverbial "short rows".  Finally those illusive spasms of
pleasure arrived and my whole body jerked and spewed forth...I was racked
in a warm liquid aura.

(For you city boys... When you work in the fields all day you try to save
the short rows of whatever you are growing for last.  Near quitting time
those short rows mean you are almost done for the day and work goes much
faster when the end is in sight.  It is the same for sex...you pump much
faster when that elusive feeling is imminent).

After a few minutes rest, I said "its my turn".

 ...Chris languidly said, "No.  We really should get going and get
something solid to eat because we have appointments this afternoon.  We
have all week to find each other again".

So I got dressed and we went to one of Nashville's best restaurants of
lunch.  At lunch, I asked, "What time our appointment was for".

He said, "2 PM but the time really didn't matter--we are stars.  They would
stay until midnight waiting for us if necessary to try to get us to listen
to their catalogue of music".

That first afternoon we listened to dozens of songs and made notes on the
ones we might want to try to record.  They also called in session musicians
the play background so we could focus on the harmony allowed us to use a
practice booth to see what harmony arrangements would be suitable.