Dale Watson is the reason Billy Dee is here in Austin. He met the bassist back in the early Eighties, during Billy Dee’s tenure at Gilley’s. At the time, Watson was playing clubs in Pasadena, Texas, and would sit in with Billy Dee whenever he got the chance.
Years later, Billy Dee was doing a sit-down gig in Printer’s Alley, Nashville. As Watson puts it, “He was miserable. ” Whenever the bass player spot opened up in Watson’s band, he’d call his pal and try to get him to come down to Austin. Not wanting to pull up roots yet again, Billy Dee repeatedly turned him down until 1998, when he finally took the plunge. For the next five years, the two played in Austin and around the world.
Touring has its ups and downs. One of Billy Dee’s shining moments was playing with Watson at the Grand Ole Opry. There were also plenty of rough times.
“Billy would know when it was laying heavy on me after a bad gig,” explains Watson. “But he always held up and pulled his weight.”
Now the road gets a little repetitive at times, and as Watson puts it, “You gotta get some creative outlets.”
So the band bought a doll.
“No, it was a stuffed troll,” corrects Watson. “No, don’t say ‘troll.’ … It was a stuffed gnome.”
Whatever it was, the band made it up to look like Billy Dee, so it became the Mini-Dee Doll. The doll became Billy Dee’s spokesperson of sorts, and he’d entertain the rest of the guys with it. Add comic to the list of Billy Dee’s talents.
This article appears in October 10 • 2003.