Friday - June 03, 2011

me and barbie and a pleasant memory of a better time.

First of all ... it isn’t 81 degrees here. WOW ... hope it doesn’t get to that. No air conditioning. Which has nothing whatever to do with this post.

My post at the moment, is about kissing. Or more specifically, being kissed. But not just by anyone.  Someone special. Beside your wife or mother.
And so it happened with me many years ago, and only something I caught on line at The Daily Mail today prompted me to do this post.
In fact, I was planning some eye candy which I’ll now hold for another time.

This was the banner that greeted me when I refreshed the Mail on line page

Does Britain really need a new Playboy club? Hugh Hefner touches down with his bunny girls

Then under the headline was this photo.

Between you and I .... the only one I find attractive is the redhead. Not cos of her hair alone. The other just don’t do it for me. But then, I don’t count and I’m not paying his bill. So ok.

Scrolling further down the page were some old photos and I swear the girls looked far better in another time. For me especially, was the one Asian girl shown.
Which again is neither here nor there.

This is the photo that grabbed me and memories came flooding back. of my days as a DJ.

See the short girl tucked up against Hefner?  That doll is Barbie Benton.

Now that name may not mean anything to any of you, but it sure means a lot to me and my past.  And what a very dear and very nice person she turned out to be.

Being Hugh Hefner’s main squeeze in those days, wasn’t a guarantee of success. Opposite in fact in the music world back then. For all his fame and all his money.  See .... she was a singer, and a pretty damn good one too I want all to know.  So he decided he’d help her career along and many say that’s how Playboy Records really got going. Because Barbie needed a label. So he gave her one.  Except, there was some resistance for awhile. Many stations didn’t even want to get her a chance at being aired, because they felt Playboy was being pushy, who’d ever heard of her before him, and out of spite they refused to play her records.  But she was really good. 

When our station first got the promotional copy all stations receive, I had doubts too.  I thought oh sure. Hefner’s girl friend. BUT ... I was curious and auditioned the record and put it into my rotation.  The lady did have talent.  Later as well, some very good acts were signed to Playboy and some of the best producers Nashville had to offer.  For awhile, Playboy did very well. I can’t remember the roster now after all this time.  Benton of course. And Mickey Gilley, who had a number of hits on that label.  Those were some awesome years.  I didn’t appreciate how good I had it. 

Well, every October, during the week of the CMA Country Music Awards in Nashville, there was also the Country DJ Convention.  I can’t even remember if that’s what it was called.  But it was fun.  Guys from all over the country blew into town and attended seminars and shows and of course, parties. No, not a drunken bacchanal. Not even close.  Hey, I got to dance once with Tanya Tucker at a birthday party.  It could have been hers. Sweet!
So anyway, I got to meet Barbie Benton.

Hey, I met a lot of nice people during my time in the business. Was in love with Loretta Lynn in fact.  There’s simply no way to not like that woman after only five minutes in her company.  She is genuine.
So I met Barbie Benton and found to my surprise she was a lovely person.  I don’t know if I expected her not to be.  Wish I had brought a camera with me on that trip.  Well I told her how nice it was meeting her and of course it was, and I remember telling her that I couldn’t wait to get back to my station so I could tell the guys I had met Barbie Benton.  To which she replied .....

“Well, here.  Go back and tell them you’ve been kissed by her.” Where upon she put her lovely arms around my neck and planted one on me that I never forgot.

Trust me .... you have NEVER really been kissed until you’ve been kissed by Barbie Benton.

She’s lots older but she’s still pretty and I’d love to meet her again.  Even if she weren’t pretty.

Posted by peiper     on 06/03/2011 at 07:59 AM   
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