I think I was sixteen or seventeen years old when I began playing with a band based out of Seneca, SC. We had a gig at a small venue in the mountains near Wallhalla, SC. It was a return engagement. I can't recall what the place was named but everyone knew of its seedy reputation and propensity for violence. While it's true that there were "Professional Ladies" that "worked" at this bar, they were all quite pleasant to converse with and were known to give the band members what they called, "A Free One" when asked. Having gigged at this hole-in-the-wall before I knew there'd be at least one fight which the band would be required to play through.
When I finally rolled up to the venue our lead vocalist met me in the parking lot with some really bad news. Our bass player had been arrested! I hadn't picked up a bass yet and the other guys didn't want to try to tackle the low-voiced beast at the last minute. I was asked if I knew of any bass player I could get to fill in for the night. It took me but a fraction of a second to answer in the affirmative. "Eddie", I said. "Eddie Hipps! He's the only one I know of that can step in and play tonight cold!" The band leader told me to call him.
I don't remember where I was when I placed the call to Eddie but he agreed to play if I picked him up and took him back home. This was around two hours before we were to take the stage and Eddie lived an hour-and-a-half away. Off I raced to Greenville to pick Eddie up. We arrived back at the mountain venue just fifteen minutes late for the start of the show. The venue owner was livid but understanding all the same. Eddie and I both ran in and plugged in our respective instruments and the music began. The band was a hit that night and Eddie was the unintended star!
I had known Eddie since Middle School but never had the opportunity to play with him before. When the night was over I found myself hoping I'd have such an opportunity once more. Eddie's music career and my own would take such drastically different paths it seemed that such a chance would never come again.
Eddie and I lost touch over the years and I wound up in Wyoming. I eventually moved back home to South Carolina and Eddie and I somehow wound up getting in touch again. Over the following few years Eddie and I grew close. So close that I consider him my Brother. Still, our music jobs were traveling different paths. I longed for the chance to play on stage with Eddie. I respect him and his talent. After all. It was Eddie's bass playing that eventually got me to pick up the bass. I told him too many times that I wanted to be in a group with him. I know he had to have gotten tired of hearing me moan about it. Then something happened.
See Alice was born of several like-thinking minds. John Langley, Eddie Hipps and Marty Parker had formed See Alice with some of the original members of The Fabulous Shades when talk started about adding me and eventually Eric Berthold into the group. My break to join the group came after a difference of opinion regarding how often the group should play and how far they should travel for gigs. The guys from The Fabulous Shades all pulled out leaving John, Eddie and Marty. Eric and I were asked to join the fold and we both agreed. Each of us bring something unique to the group and the music is great! But there is a problem.
Eddie had Colon Cancer several years ago and beat it. Next came his back troubles requiring surgery to fix. The back surgery made matters worse and Eddie has been in constant pain and his left leg is all but useless now since that surgery. If that weren't enough, he had a heart attack and was found to need triple coronary by-pass surgery which he underwent about a year ago. He started having one kidney infection after another following his heart surgery and had some surgeries to attempt to correct that as well. He still got no better. His Doctors found that his cancer had returned during his last hospital stay. Eddie and his family were told his cancer had returned with a vengeance and had spread through much of his torso. His prognosis? Terminal! The Doctors are treating him solely in an attempt to keep Eddie comfortable now because nothing else can be done. My friend is dying in front of my eyes and I can't do a damned thing about it!
It has been agreed and Eddie has told me that I'll be playing bass instead of guitar when Eddie can no longer play. What an honor for him to ask me to play in his stead! No one could ever fill Eddie's shoes on bass and I'd certainly never try! Moreover. What an honor it has been to share the stage with him these last couple of months and to watch him effortlessly pluck those stings!
See Alice is playing a benefit this week end for Eddie. Eddie says he hopes to feel well enough to take the stage with both High Tide and See Alice. Eddie has also played bass for High Tide for years and still does when he's able. I'm not what you might call a religious man but I believe that prayers work. Eddie needs lots of them now. Send some up for him!
