the gorge — ralla's space

Steve & I worked together at the Gorge starting the summer of 1990. I was the dressing room trailers' maid & Steve helped with stage set up. I hung out backstage trying to be invisible while taking as many photos of the performers as I could get away with. Some were friendly, others not so much, and most just ignored me.

Fleetwood Mac was the first band I saw, and it was thrilling. Stevie Nicks claimed to be sporting a hellacious hangover after her birthday celebration the night before. When I took her picture on the deck she commented "I look like hell." Mick Fleetwood was incredibly tall. And as I stood on the deck before the show, they got together in the trailer and sang a few songs. I felt like I'd landed on a very special planet.

Joe Cocker and Stevie Ray Vaughan--the Brits & the Texans. We were told that there should be no alcohol in the SRV dressing room (many were fresh out of rehab), but it was no holds barred in the JC trailer. When they were told about the danger of rattlesnakes in the area, the Texans were down the slope en masse to catch a few. The Brits high tailed it back into the trailer. The churlish cook for the gorge insisted that SRV give her a ticket for lunch & his pleas that he was Stevie Ray Vaughan fell on deaf ears. He walked over to the ticket master & then brought it back to present to her. She said, "Now see, was that so hard?" When he asked for a 2nd serving of bar-b-q chicken, she responded "Only one piece for everybody." Again he tried identifying himself to no avail. Not long after the concert, SRV was killed in a helicopter accident on August 24, 1990. We asked her if she regretted taking a hard line with him, and she said "He was no more important than anyone else."

Christine McVie on the right with rollers in her hair

Christine McVie on the right with rollers in her hair

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Christine McVie on the right with rollers in her hair

Christine McVie on the right with rollers in her hair

Scan 1.jpeg

Scan 1.jpeg

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter accident.

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