Shotgun Bang. What`s up with that thang?

I've been a DJ for a long time. First song I ever spun in public was the original vinyl of Kenny Rogers' , 'The Gambler'..the week it was released .

Since then I've had a mike at my lips and music at my fingertips every week, I've MC'd just about every kind of event and venue you can think of and have run across many interesting characters along the way.

In this series of posts I'm going to share some stories of things I've seen over the years. Not so much for you to read but more for me to record.

Names have been changed...the details have not. Some of these stories will probably not be suitable for children.

That said..on with the show.

As the guests began to arrive at the hall it became apparent quite quickly that this reception had the look of a pretty conventional country wedding dance. Lots of WASPs wearing cowboy hats. There wasn't much penetration of any other ethnic groups into the prairies yet.

As I settled in I checked the gig sheet once more just to be sure of the details, this was a standby gig for me, I had been called in to fill in for a sick colleague and hadn't met any of the principal players and wouldn't have the chance before the first dance. My first cold start.

Kravchuk/Selome wedding. 9PM -1AM.

First dance selection: `Islands in the Stream`, a good country tune at the top of the charts.

Limos arrive and I can see the bridal party through the window...just a bit through the trees. More cowboy hats. Wranglers. Looking like a rancher`s party to be sure.

A man wearing a cowboy hat approaches and he does not look happy. Envelope in hand, he introduces himself as the father of the bride and explains that he`ll be paying the balance right away. Probably why he looks grumpy, an expensive day for him. He also tells me that the groom`s parents will not be attending but offers up no explanation as to why and leaves abruptly, still looking unhappy...maybe even angry. This bothers me because I don`t know why and think to myself that it could be the last minute substitution of the DJ...not a good way to begin a party.

As the bridal party turned the corner, I realized it was not me that was the cause of dad`s discontent. One skinny Ethiopian man in a sea of rednecks standing next to a very pregnant bride.

I don`t think there was actually a shotgun on the premises, but there were rifle racks in a lot of those pickup trucks in the parking lot.