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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 57 Pat Walsh Enjoy's Breakfast and Conversation with Victoria Yeager: Chuck Yeager's Widow Discusses Legacy Tales and Sky-High Adventures – From Chuck Yeager Breaking the Sound Barrier to Humble Pies. All that and a trip to the Left Banke.
Sitting across from Victoria Yeager at Wings restaurant, we're swept into the heart of aviation history, where anecdotes and wisdom from the late, great Chuck Yeager soar above us. Victoria, with her infectious laugh and treasure trove of "Yeagerisms," takes us beyond the famed sound barrier into the personal skies of a man whose life was a tapestry of heroism, humor, and humble pie—literally. As she peels back the layers of Chuck's life, from his cool-headed war stories to his unexpected victory in a pie-baking contest, we are reminded of the humanity that grounds even the most legendary of figures.
This episode is as much about the untold stories of flying legends as it is about the bonds formed in the cockpit and beyond. While Chuck's legacy dances through the clouds of past and present aviation feats, Victoria shares her own journey from the silver screen to the golden years with her partner in life's adventures. The episode weaves through the couple's travels, Chuck's sage advice on aircraft and safety, and the spontaneous moments with airplane maintenance maestro Richard that keep Victoria's anecdotes grounded in warmth and authenticity.
We wrap our wings around the remarkable women in aviation history, tipping our hats to the likes of Jackie Cochran and reflecting on the courage it takes to chase the sky without chasing fame. Victoria's insights remind us that true heroism is often found in the silent glide of passion over accolades. Join us for an episode that's a heartfelt nod to the Yeager legacy, a celebration of the quiet pioneers of the skies, and an invitation to rediscover the wild blue yonder through the stories of those who dared to tame it.
It's Patrick and I am really excited here, as we do Pat's Peeps podcast number 57. I can't even believe it's number 57 already, but I am truly honored here on Pat's Peeps 57. This is the first day of March, by the way, and it is cloudy and overcast and we are expecting a ton of snow up in the foothills. I don't know if I will be snowed in or not, so I don't know if I will make it to my show this evening, but I will tell you this either way, I will be on my show. Even if Bruce is hosting tonight, I will still be on the show for a little bit on the Pat Wall Show on KFVK Radio, heard everywhere on your iHeart Radio app. So yeah, that's what's happening today. So we'll see if we get buried in snow or not, but I'll tell you what it's a Friday morning. It's very gray.
Speaker 1:I'm sitting at this restaurant, as you can hear in the background. It's Wings restaurant. It's at the Auburn Airport and let me tell you I'm sitting here with a special person who I'm just getting to know. She's a complete sweetheart and her name is Victoria Yeager. She is the widow of Chuck Yeager, who is obviously many people in this country and in the world. Look at as this guy was a hero. This guy is a man who broke boundaries that many of us couldn't even imagine the speed of sound, setting the precedent for I mean astronauts and the space race and so many other things. He was a fighter pilot, chuck Yeager, but you know there's a lot more to that story, and so I am so delighted to get to know Victoria Yeager, chuck's widow, and Victoria, I really appreciate you. We're sitting here having breakfast how nice. Thank you for joining me today thank you for having me, pat.
Speaker 2:It's really great to get to know you.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much, really enjoying it, thank you, and you know we we've spoken before, we've done an interview before I call it a conversation more than interview and she writes books and I'm sitting here looking at it and you should. You should really check these out for yourself. We talked before about one of the books that you wrote, victoria, which is 101 Yeager isms, which I just love, and I just I flipped the page just randomly, okay, so what is a Yeagerism? First, tell us what is a Yeagerism. This? I would imagine that this is almost like. I mean, this would just be things like Yogi Berra would say Yogi Berraisms, yogi Berraisms, you know. So these would be things that that Chuck might say yeah, chuck Yeagerisms.
Speaker 2:He had so many that were just either falling down laughing or they were so poignant and so right on and great advice. And it's a lie. There's actually 131 and there's a few I didn't put in there a little risque, so when you oh, is that right.
Speaker 1:You didn't put the risque, so when you, so, when you had this idea. So you, obviously, when you say you have 131 Yeagerisms, that tells me that at some point you start to keep in track of the Yeagerisms, because you, it's. It's hard for a person to just, you know, sit and just remember 131 things that a person says in a very unique way. So how did you start keeping track of these?
Speaker 2:well, I kind of did along the way. I was with him almost 21 years, but after he died, about 11 months later, I was actually quite sick on Christmas and so I stayed in bed and I started just throwing them out there and thinking about him and thinking about situations, and so I just, and then I'd start playing pickle ball. I was playing pickle ball and I'd have to stop and say wait a minute, just a minute. I'd have to write it down, because if I tried to remember it, there's no way and they're like what we're in the middle of a point here. I don't care, you can have the point, I gotta write this down hey see, that is so important that you make a good point.
Speaker 1:I tell people all the time if they're interested in, let's say, talk radio. I train people and talk radio. So you have to. When you get that idea in your head, you have to text it to yourself or you have to somehow write it down. Generally I will take, because two minutes later this idea is like it's gone already and you're going what the heck was that idea I just had.
Speaker 2:So that's a great way to do it. I mean, I'm still the person that has to go back to where I was to remember why I went into a room so right, right, right.
Speaker 1:We all do that. You know. I love when people say, well, you're getting of a certain age. I said, man, I did that in my teens. Are you kidding me? I couldn't remember why I walked in the room, don't you know? Not everything is about age, you know. Besides, we're not that old, so stop it already. So we're at this, this restaurant Wings, which is at the Auburn airport. How long has the message been here?
Speaker 2:about 10 years actually, general Yeager and I used to fly down here all the time and then he'd give me the the controls to go back. And one time he gave me the controls when we get back to grass valley. He had said put me on final at grass valley. So I did, but we were below the airport. He's like, oh my god, he copped it, got up above the airport, oh and you were flying. I was flying up to the airport, I didn't have a license shadow and so I well.
Speaker 1:And so she asked me and this is no slam on Victoria, because you're a sweet person and I completely trust her she said so. I said I told her. I says you know, look, you're married to a man, chuck Yeager. People look at this guy, this is a man's man. This person did things. He was really where eagles dare. This man did things like oh my god, how can you be the first person to break his feet and sound? I said now you're sitting here talking to a guy me who I'm afraid to even get in an airplane.
Speaker 2:I feel so emasculated, victoria well, I have to say that every small plane I would get sick, until I flew with Chuck Yeager. And even after I flew with Chuck Yeager actually his buddy, but Anderson was flying and I got sick and Chuck started laughing at me. I thought how rude, how rude. But I thought that's the perfect response because I was embarrassed. But if you're laughing you start laughing with him, in between getting rid of your food. But it was, it was great.
Speaker 1:It was nothing like a couple of Chuck was in between, heaving into a bag. You know what I mean. It's part of the reason I don't really want to go to these small planes. So, chuck, so let's start right there. So Chuck taught you how to fly an airplane he did.
Speaker 2:I had to go to a licensed civilian instructor just to get the proper hours, but he taught me how. In fact he nixed about the first four or five CFI certified plate instructors and then he was right, they were terrible and the last one we thought we could work with. So every time, after he came out to every lesson, after every lesson, we would drive home and he would correct them and I'd have questions. I don't understand that. Why would I do that? And you'd say, yeah, don't do that. Oh my god, it's all about safety.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's pretty cool when you can tell people not only that you're a pilot, but who taught you? And they said, well, how'd you learn how to do it? Oh, I don't know, chuck Yeager taught me. Chuck Yeager, well, there was a Chuck Yeager that broke the speed. I know that's my husband now. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:So, chuck Yeager, well, I'll tell you something else, though, because when I did learn when I was 21, a little bit, and I soloed when I was 21, but I asked the instructor how do you get into a spin, how do you get out of it? She said you get into a spin, you die. And I said, okay, how do you get into it so I can prevent it? She wouldn't tell me, so I walked away from flying. Then, 20 years later, I meet the man. That's his job getting in and out of spin. So it was.
Speaker 2:It was great, and the other thing that happened you're about to say, and the other thing that happened is that we got into a lot of situations that he got us out in a nanosecond. Where I would have, we might have, I would not have survived. Maybe because there's one time where the wind picked us up at grass valley, was heading us straight towards the, the, the trees, and he cobs it, which means puts full power on, and I'm like, oh good, this is gonna hurt even more, we're gonna hit the trees faster. No, he, he was getting air flow over the wings and more control, and he brought it back and landed it beautifully.
Speaker 2:Another time we were flying over the sierras coming from um baron hilton's ranch and he was at the controls, thank goodness, because we dropped a lot and he didn't say anything in about five minutes. So he said, well, that was quite a drop. And I said, okay, how much of a quite a drop was that? He said, oh, 10, 15 feet as a okay, 10 or 15 feet, yes, in this little tiny airplane, and it was no big deal to him. I mean, you know he, he got his attention but he just kept flying us thinking thank god it wasn't me at the control what's that like for a guy who's like me, victoria?
Speaker 1:we're talking about victoria yager, widow of chuck yager, the great american pilot. Um, what's that like when you have experienced that sudden drop like that?
Speaker 2:well, I'm with chuck yager. I'm the great with the greatest pilot in the world, so that's why I never got sick in the airplane with him, even with situations like that. There was another time where we had tailwheel failure, right brake, right rudder failure and we went down a cliff 20 feet and he kept it on as best he could. He kept it so we didn't flip. It was amazing, and so afterwards I thought am I gonna want to fly after?
Speaker 2:this, this was it and the third highest scoring german ace, said to me that was a bit too exciting, wasn't it? And I said, yeah, yeah, I think it was, and so but afterwards, when it was my turn to fly, when he asked me to fly with him again in the same kind of aircraft, which was a warbird, I said yeah, I can't believe you can live through that, I'm good well, I mean, I know what you're saying.
Speaker 1:When you're going, okay, I'm with Chuck yager. I guess, if you're gonna pick out a person that you want to be with in that situation, if you have to be with someone and be in that situation, chuck yager is probably the guy that you want there piloting that, that plane. I mean, I can recall going to Sonoma Raceway where they had these, these two seated indy cars, and they said to me they. So they invited me to go ride when they stand, these two did these indy cars around the track. And they asked me they said who would you like to ride with? And I just was being facetious, I just blurted out well, I'm gonna go with mario and ready. I don't know, but I figured these were just test drivers out on this track. I said I want to go with mario and ready. And they go okay, stand right here. And I went, what I go? What are you talking about? And it was mario and ready.
Speaker 1:I mean, this is the Chuck yager. I don't want to compare the two with apples and oranges, but like, this is the guy when it comes to racing, the legend. And I remember, just like what you just said, look, if I'm gonna be, because I'm terrified, I'm scared, I mean I'm gonna get sick in this thing. It's a street course. I get motion sickness easily as I'm going around this track, scared to death. That's what I was thinking. It's mario and ready, I'm a. It's a 73 year old mario and ready.
Speaker 1:But it doesn't matter, it's mario and ready, so I, I get that. But then you. You went ahead and said, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and do this. So how did you decide? Okay, even after these experiences, I'm still going to go ahead and get my, my pilot's license and I'm going to pursue this.
Speaker 2:I thought I got my pilot's license in case Chuck got older and really couldn't fly. That wasn't the case. Chuck, even at the very end of his life, I would give him the controls. If there was a problem, you take over, because in a semi-conscious state he could get us safely somewhere if anybody could. And so I was just lucky. I was just so darn lucky. I mean, robin Old said to me what did you do when we were harrowingly going down the cliff? I said I stayed the heck out of the way. I'm with the greatest pilot in the world and the best thing I can do is not do anything. I just make sure I'm out of the way of the controls. I was just great. I'm just so grateful. I'm grateful now when I fly, he's in the plane with me, he's in my head.
Speaker 1:Oh well, victoria told me that she has I think it was four rules when you're flying. Because she said so, does that mean you're never going to fly with me because you're afraid? I said probably not. It would take a lot for me to convince me to do that. I'm just being honest. And then she tells me you're four rules and I would like you to tell us your four rules if we're riding with you in a plane. And I want to know, when you were with Chalk and in these situations, I don't know, going over a cliff or about to hit trees, apparently whether you initially broke any of the rules that you have now set.
Speaker 2:I get very, very quiet when there's a danger ahead, because that's the best thing you can do is stay calm and try to figure out what's afterwards. I go bonkers, but while it's happening I'm good. But the rules are the first one is no screaming. The second one is if you're going to barf, make sure you make it all in the barf bag, not on my plane. I don't want to clean it up, you want to clean the? No, of course. And the third I think you can hear a chuck in there Don't touch nothing unless I tell you. And the fourth one is after we land and we stop the plane we get out, do not kiss the ground where I can see you doing it. Thank you very much. There have been a couple of people that have flown in the back with me and after we land you can just hear this big sigh. It's so funny. He's like, oh God, we're down, nothing to do with me, it's them, and flying is what that means.
Speaker 1:So even when you're looking at trees, even if you're like oh God, oh God, and you're going over the cliff, as you say, there's no panic, there's no screaming.
Speaker 2:You held true to that. I held true to that. I mean, in my head I might have a few four-leafs going on. Sure, I have a few right now and I'm not even in that plane.
Speaker 1:It was a long time ago, but, oh my God, the terrifying thing I'm looking at. I just turned to a page of the book here, of your book, the 101 Chuck Yagerisms. I just randomly turned to. Let's see what page I had page 82, on page 82 and 83. So let's go to the Yagerism on page 82. Quote anytime a pilot doesn't have to bleed, it's a good thing.
Speaker 2:That came from. We were at the Air Force Academy and all these kids want to be fighter pilots, like World War II. But there's not going to be any more dogfights. If you're in a dogfight, chuck said, somebody's going to blow you out of the water from the periphery. But anyway, they said what do you think about these unmanned vehicles and these drones? And what do you think about not having a pilot in there? And they were expecting him to go rah-rah fighter pilot. He said oh no, no, anytime a pilot doesn't have to bleed, it's a good thing If he's not in that and he's back there. As Chuck said, they get combat pain. They're sitting there drinking coffee at their console. That was a little silly, but yeah, he was right.
Speaker 1:And then going back to what we were just talking about, about the, if you're going to get sick, make sure it's all in the bag and not in my plane. On page 83, chuck Yagerism quote a fighter pilot's breakfast, a coffee, a puke, and take off. Tell me about that.
Speaker 2:Well, actually what was funny is that he was, that's what he did, and he was, he was puking and his commanding officer came back and said does this happen often? Or I think it was his dad or his commanding officer. He said no, no, no. And he said but I don't recommend it.
Speaker 1:This is all in her book, by the way, which I highly recommend. I mean this is obviously an American hero. I mean I would even go beyond that. I would say he is a world hero, because many of the things that we see these days were a tree. You can attribute to the the brave actions of Chuck Yager. How long have you guys married?
Speaker 2:We were married. We were together almost 21 years. But also when you talk about breaking the sandbar, he also, after he was shot down during World War II, he carried a wounded airman over the Pyrenees for about anywhere from like 15 to 20 miles and there was three foot of snow. It was March. It was the coldest in the beginning of April, coldest winter in history at that time, 1944. So and most people would have just left him because but and shot him because you can't let him be captured by the Germans and give away everything. And so he carried him and and over and saved his life. So there's a lot more to. He was a hero long before he broke the sound barrier, and I'm actually going to try to get this documentary done on that part of his life. And the other thing too I wanted to mention that I'm coming out with a new book just uploading it to Amazon today, hopefully and it's called Chuck Yager. What A Ride, my Amazing Life With the Original Right Stuff Chuck Yager.
Speaker 1:I love it. Congratulations on your first book and then on your second book. Wendell, you'll be. You said you're going to be releasing it. You're going to be doing releasing it today, or what?
Speaker 2:Well, you upload it to Amazon. I think it takes seven days, but I'll be announcing it on our Twitter feed, jen Chuck Yager, and on the Facebook page and announcing it all over the place. But it's this one's about my life with Chuck Yager. And people said in all your pictures you're smiling. I said, yeah, we were happy.
Speaker 1:Well, perhaps we can at a future date, when the book comes out, maybe we'll have you on my radio show as well, the Pat Walsh Show on my heart medium. Maybe we can have you there to talk about that as well. So how, let me ask you, how did you so? Let's so, this book that you're writing now where's? The first one is Yagerisms, and really the world knows, I think, about the accomplishments of Chuck Yager. That's been talked about many, many times. But what I do love in your new book what A Ride. Is that you talk about more of your private life with Chuck, and I have not had the opportunity, obviously, to read it. You haven't released it yet. I will be getting a preview copy today and I can't wait to read it, but I'd like to know how you met Chuck. We'll start there. How did you guys?
Speaker 2:meet. So I had a deal from CBS and they were in another group and they were really not living up to what they said they would do and they would get. It was a spiritual Raiders of the Lost Ark for television, and so I and they were trying to get rid of the spirituality. So I went to hike and the place I'd hiked for a couple of years, where there were beautiful March spring flowers and a beautiful sunny day, and I just wanted to be by myself to try to sort out what I was going to do. Was I going to walk away from a big chunk of money because it was all wrong and they were trying to cheat, or should I do it? And anyway?
Speaker 2:So I'm thinking all these things and this handsome, gorgeous guy's coming down the hill and the sun I think he had a halo, I mean the sun was behind him and I said hey, great day. And he said I just got back from Australia. And I said well, I just got back from Africa. What were you doing in Australia? And he said I was teaching software guys. I said I was doing volunteer work. I need to refill the coffers. Can you get me a job? And he said no, no, I'm not a software guy, I'm Chuck Yeager. I'm Chuck Yeager. And I said, oh wait, is that a common name in the military? Is he the each who was Chuck Yeager I'm trying to think of? I mean, I've just been with tribes in Africa, so I'm not really back in the modern world. And he said, and I said, okay, well, will you take me up in a fighter jet? And he said, no, no, that costs tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars. I said, well, I pay taxes.
Speaker 1:A man worried about taxpayers dollars. God bless him.
Speaker 2:So I pay taxes. So then he said I got to go. And he starts down the trail. And I sort of started and I turn and I said well, wait a minute, you won't get me a job, won't take me in a fighter jet, you want to go hiking tomorrow. And he said he looks at his watch and he said it's three o'clock, that's my truck down there. It's got an X1 on it. Do you know what that is?
Speaker 2:I said you know, I used to be so good in school, I don't know. And he said broke the December. I said oh, that's right, that's you. I saw the movie. He said what movie? He still wasn't sure about me. And I said the right stuff. But you look much better than Sam Shepard. And he said oh my God. So he said all righty. Then he kept going and then he stops. I'm not going up the hill. He said wait a minute. So I turn around. And he said I'm much older than you are, you can't go too fast. I said we're only 50 feet from the start of the trail. You think I stopped to talk to you. I'm tired.
Speaker 2:So then we met the next day and hiked, and hiked. And how was the hike? Well, it was great. It was actually four minutes late and I was 20 minutes early, so that seems like hours. I'm thinking there's no way he can call me. He doesn't have my number and if I call his office I'll say sure, sure. So I'm thinking all these things. I'm thinking, well, if I hiked this way, he was going the other way, maybe we'll meet again. So he shows up and I run across the little tiny road and he gathers me up in this great big bear hug and he's got an aftershave on and I said that's so sweet. He never let go for almost 21 years.
Speaker 1:Were you thinking like geez, wait a minute, now I want to hike. I just came back from Africa, I want to hike and randomly I just met Chuck Yeager, like wait a second, and now tomorrow I'm hiking. Did that kind of go through your mind? Like I can't even, or did you? What did you do?
Speaker 2:Well, if you look at my entire life, even before I met Chuck, I had a long life. A lot of random things happened, and so they just were part of life, so it wasn't particularly surprising. I'm just, especially now, looking back, thinking oh, thank God, because it was what I was looking for in a relationship. Didn't think it existed, and as soon as we met, we had a connection, not a love at first sight thing, but a connection. It's just comfortable, that was it, and I just and there's 36 years difference, yeah, 35 years, 35 years and four months.
Speaker 1:Ok, I just wanted to be OK, but I was just so precise about that and that made, and that was. That was not even an issue whatsoever.
Speaker 2:I've always. I'm the youngest in my family, youngest of the cousins. I've always been with older people and they're much more interesting. And his generation is a lot more interesting than anything afterwards really.
Speaker 1:I think I may have to agree with that. How did the height go?
Speaker 2:It was great. The first thing he said to me was I'm never getting married again. I said, works for me. I'm never getting married. Oh wow. And then we continued on and it was all fine.
Speaker 1:So they're never getting married again. Now, if you, when you read her new book and I encourage you to do so what a ride, right? Ok, one of the things, I think, one of the first things that you mentioned in the book, and I'm paraphrasing you can correct me here because I know I'll be wrong, but it was something to the effect Victoria Yeager. We're having breakfast at Wings at the Auburn Airport with Victoria Yeager, the widow of Chuck Yeager. She's a really sweet, kind person, by the way. I just wanted to say that One of the things that you in your new book that you start off by saying is look, I think you show a picture, or maybe you show that privately. You're in an Oak Ridge Boys concert, the Oak Ridge Boys, and it was something about geez, you were just too busy having fun. Explain what I'm missing in that whole equation and that quote.
Speaker 2:Well, a lot of people. Schuck always wanted to write a book about us at a certain point, but we were too busy, we were just enjoying life. I mean, we did a lot of things. As I reread that book, I'm thinking, wow, wow, that was us. We were in Pakistan, we were in Afghanistan, we were in France a few times where he was shot down and met the Mackie that had helped him. We did a lot. It was really great. So you don't have time to sit and reflect on what you're doing. You just do it, just enjoy it.
Speaker 1:What would be? What would some of us maybe be surprised about? Schuck, you and Schuck Like it was Schuck in the Led Zeppelin, like what was, like something that you know that maybe we don't know about Schuck. That might surprise us.
Speaker 2:He won the Nevada County Fair Men's Bake Goods contest. Really, what did he really? The Nevada County Fair Men's Bake Goods contest? Really? What did he really? The Nevada County Fair Men's Bake Goods contest he made? It was Schuck Yeager's award-winning version now of Grandma Yeager's Butterscotch Pie, p-a-h for pie right.
Speaker 2:So, and here's the funny story, you being a radio man, he so the guy who did the radio up in Nevada City, he won it for 15 years straight on Apple Pie. And suddenly Schuck Yeager comes in and he said on the radio I said well, I guess you have. If you have to lose to somebody. Schuck Yeager's not a bad person to lose to, but maybe he won because his name's Schuck Yeager. Blah, blah, blah. Well then was fighting words for me. So we sent him a piece of the Butterscotch Pie. We also gave the intermediary a piece and then he sent us back a piece of his Dutch pie, but he didn't send two. So the intermediary ate his Dutch Apple Pie. So he never got to taste it. But he took it and on air he said I'm gonna taste this on air. So you have my immediate reaction. So he takes a bite and there's maybe 20 seconds of silence, which you know is days on radio right.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, oh yes.
Speaker 2:And he said well, I guess that is pretty good. I guess I should have won. Oh, wow, that is, that's pretty good. And when we went to the fair, there was only a little tiny piece left where the judges were only supposed to take a couple bites each. But we couldn't find it because there was only a little tiny piece left. It's good, it's very good.
Speaker 1:What was it like being Chuck's wife? I mean, obviously this is a guy who you know. People really looked up to Chuck. You know God rest his soul, by the way. You know People looked up to this man and I can imagine you were. You met a lot of people, you were in a lot of circles. You you know what was it like being with Chuck Yang.
Speaker 2:Well, it's interesting because a lot of people were terrific. They always were surprised that we were just regular folks. I mean, chuck, that's the other thing about Chuck. He was pretty gruff, but that was to keep the rude people away from him. When you say gruff, well he would, he would. Some people would come up and try to be different and they, instead of being polite, they say something silly and he'd sell them to get away from it. But if you, if you, were polite and pleasant, he would, he would chat with you and he was just a regular guy and and I mean a regular guy that broke the sound barrier and we had a great sense of humor. How are you, sir?
Speaker 1:We have a visitor right now. Hey, Richard.
Speaker 2:Richard helps me with my airplanes because he knows about maintenance really big time and my maintenance guy, as you know, chuck, is no longer with me, so Richard is so kind and always helps me when I need help and advice.
Speaker 1:Well, it's nice to meet you, richard. We're sitting here doing a podcast, so cool, hi, how's everybody doing? So you? So you're her mechanic? What is it? No, I just I'm. I'm based at the same airport as she is and I just give her a hand when she needs one. Okay, she's a nice gal, isn't she? Yeah, most time most times.
Speaker 1:Careful, you definitely look like a flyer. That is one cool jacket you have right there, man. I love the Daffy duck. Is that Daffy? I guess it is Daffy, right? Well, it's sort of a sort of a kind of like a almost like a Daffy, but it's got the ammo and the big gun. That's an awesome jacket, yeah.
Speaker 2:Thanks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you guys, thank you. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 1:We had it, we had it, yeah, we had breakfast Enjoy your podcast.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:She's just nice to meet people like that. Yeah, so this is Victoria Yeager. She's got a new book coming out and I would recommend really checking out the 101 Yeagerisms. I think you'll enjoy that. And what a ride the new one that's coming out from Victoria.
Speaker 2:You asked me about what it was like being his wife. I was incredibly honored. It was really amazing to be part of that part of his world and family. A couple of people went to the cliche oh, I married him for his money or fame or all that. But the head of the CEO of ConocoPhillips said to me what money? I said, thank you, I have an MBA finance from Columbia. If money were my game, I'd be on Wall Street. And then I also said to him I used to be cute, so there were billionaires that wanted to marry me, but I wanted to be in love with them.
Speaker 1:And then I said look, and she still is cute. Don't let her pretend like she's not.
Speaker 2:That's cute. But I also said, look, you're not insulting me. You're not insulting me by trying to better my life. You're insulting him, saying it has nothing else to offer but fame and money. But I tell you what. That guy, privately, is the greatest person I've ever met, and I've met a lot of people. I've traveled around the world.
Speaker 1:So what made him the greatest person?
Speaker 2:Integrity, honesty, loyalty to the nth degree, affectionate. He wouldn't be affectionate with everybody, necessarily, but he started hugging people a little bit more when I came along and he just kind and incredibly generous, incredibly generous, and generous with his time and with his advice, and our disagreements lasted maybe five minutes and then he'd have me rolling on the floor laughing, or I'd have him rolling on the floor laughing. I mean, it's just because everything's a small stuff After you've fought a war. Everything's a small stuff.
Speaker 1:That's a very good point. Wow, that's a very good point. How did he feel about I mean, I don't want this to sound weird or anything, but how did he feel about being the celebrity Chuck Yeager?
Speaker 2:OK, so I'll tell you a quick story. It's also in the new book. So he fired everybody because they're all taking advantage of all the financial, the secretary, everybody so and he gave me all like five jobs to do gasp, and so I would have a meltdown. About once a month I was having a meltdown and I said I am so sick and tired of this Chuck Yeager business. And he said you, I'm always Chuck Yeager. Oh, you got a point there, bud.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to remember he was in television commercials, I don't know if it was. I was like honest to God. Honest to God, I was going to say AC Delco, I swear to God. I was going to say in my mind it was like something like hi, chuck Yeager, ac Delco was sport blogs or something right?
Speaker 2:Is that that right? Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, he enjoyed that because he loved tinkering with motors and engines and things like that. In fact, when he was 12, he took apart an engine and his father came along with this engine all taken apart and he said, son, you're going to be able to put that back together. I took it apart, Didn't I? And he did. He put it all back together without any extra pieces.
Speaker 1:Boy, are we the opposite person? Myself, I came and worked on a vehicle. This guy's taking it apart, putting it together, he's flying, he's doing all the stuff that I could never. I just could never do any of this.
Speaker 2:It helped him after he was shot down, though, because when he was being hidden by the head of the Mackey, he had sat outside under the tree in a large group I don't know if you call it battalion, but a group of German soldiers marched by, and so Gabriel's sitting in his house going oh my goodness, and Chuck was sitting under the tree just nonchalantly watching them, and so, after they passed by, Gabriel called him in and said you do that again, and you and me. And he pulled a finger across his throat saying yeah, you're dead. And so Chuck then was hidden in this little shed which is seriously boring for a guy like Chuck and there was an engine or a motor that didn't work and he fixed it. So he got back, and Gabriel's good graces, it's a good thing he knew how to fix an engine.
Speaker 1:He just binds his vehicle and fixes the engine on it like MacGyver.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he just fixes it.
Speaker 1:Incredible. And the story of carrying the man through the snow three miles, also an incredible 30 miles 15 to 30. 15 to 30 miles. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Nothing down if you can see the Pyrenees. I was looking at that this summer, took a picture and thought I think I'd rather have a horse. Oh my god, walking all that way, wow.
Speaker 1:Absolutely incredible story. Let's talk about you for a second here, victoria. I know that you were. Did you have an aspirations to be an actress or did you do some acting?
Speaker 2:I actually started out as a little kid on Peter Boyle's father's show in Philadelphia. He had a kiddie show and he would tape it Friday night and then it would air Saturday and he showed the little rascals on his show. So I thought I was one of the little rascals.
Speaker 1:I mean I started it too.
Speaker 2:As soon as I could walk we went under this trapdoor. And then when I was about four or five and I was too big, I thought, yes, I'm too big for the trapdoor, kids like to be older and all that. So I kind of started then and then I was always pretty good. But once I got to Hollywood not really my kind of people and I didn't quite figure that out. But I got a little bit into producing. I had a few projects optioned and it was fascinating. But during that time I still went around the world volunteering. I still did some financial consulting and I would have loved to have done some roles, but I actually once I started doing emceeing for Chuck and doing the Q&A. I really enjoyed that and that's where I should have gone.
Speaker 1:It seems like Chuck would have been the opposite of the Hollywood attitude, the absolute opposite.
Speaker 2:Absolute opposite. But what was great about Chuck is he could handle almost anybody. So, on the right stuff, set the movie where he was a consultant, did all the flying in it. He was like the grandfather for everybody and he took each of them flying. Barbara Hershey said Sam Shepard, who didn't fly but did fly with Chuck. They thought, well, you know, if we go down, we're going down with the greatest aviator ever.
Speaker 1:So OK, Were you with him on that set.
Speaker 2:No, that was 82.
Speaker 1:So it was before you guys met right.
Speaker 2:We met in 2000.
Speaker 1:Did he talk about those things Like, did he give you stories about? Oh, I was on the movie set? I mean it had to be kind of interesting just sitting there getting like the personal stuff from Chuck. I mean I didn't mean to just sort of drift back into the Chuck because we're talking about you, but certainly that'd be pretty interesting just to hear some of the insights. No one ever heard.
Speaker 2:Well, here's what's really cool when I first met him, he gave me his book to read, so he has two. He gave me press on first and he'd say where are you in that? And I'd tell him, and then he'd tell me the whole story about what was going on and that whole thing. Same thing with the Eager. So I wish I'd recorded all that for posterity, but it was just so great to have all those stories from him. As to movie sets, not so much unless we went to the 20th anniversary of the Right Stuff. They had a premiere, and so Barbara Hershey looked just like his wife. So Barbara Hershey told more stories than Chuck did about those days, and so did Dennis Quaid and all those guys. And I have to tell you, phil Kaufman it's been so kind to me since Chuck died and helped with the memorial, helped with the books, and so did Caleb Dachanow told the best story for the memorial about Chuck. So I just really appreciate those guys.
Speaker 1:Talking to Victoria Yeager. It's an interesting story, something that I read about. I guess it's your mother, apparently. Your mother had something to do influential with Betty Ford. We all know about the Betty Ford Clinic, we know about her addictions at one point and I think that probably the Betty Ford Clinic has become perhaps the most popular and most recognizable clinic for its type, maybe even in the world, certainly one of the most recognizable. Your mother had something to do with that.
Speaker 2:So my mother graduated from high school at age 15 and graduated with a master's at about age 20, 21. I thought I was 19, but I think he was a little bit older. In psychiatric social work she wanted to go into family planning. But this guy called her up and said I want you to start an alcoholism ward at the Haverford State Mental Hospital outside Philadelphia. And she said what's that? And I said well, you're smart, you can figure it out. And she was brilliant. So she did.
Speaker 2:She started the first dedicated alcoholism ward in the world and she went on from there because after a while just doing therapy got a little old for her and so she got into administration and she got into setting up programs around the world. And when she had an opportunity with Betty Ford, in fact a big producer in Hollywood wanted to do a TV movie about her, because when she had 15 minutes with Betty Ford she didn't use it for herself, she used it for society and she got Betty Ford to go public with her alcoholism and drug abuse. And that's when the door was open and it came out of the closet and there started to be more treatment and people had a lot more help. But now it's spoken about without shame. I mean there might be some with some people, but shame was what kept it in the closet and brought it right out in the 70s.
Speaker 1:That must be something you're very proud of.
Speaker 2:I'm extremely proud of it. But what she did was when she went around the world volunteering, she took me with her or she took another kid there's four of us, but mostly me and so I got to go to see tribes in Africa and help with with the alcoholism and drug abuse there's a lot over there, and so it's fascinating, a big education. Once you get out of this country and around the world and you see how other people live, you seriously appreciate America and grateful that I was born.
Speaker 1:What is it that you saw over there that made you just really appreciate this country even more?
Speaker 2:Poverty abuse. I mean real poverty. In fact, when the Western world went in to try to stop female circumcision, the women there said you're not helping because Americans would go over there, the West would go over there and they'd try to fix it Instead of talking to the locals. How do we fix it within the context of your world, of how you live and look at the world? And so I learned so much. And talk about random. I would run into people just randomly, like when they were really anti-apartheid and they were calling Israel Zionists and likening it to apartheid. I met a woman who was in the opposition in Israel and she said well, we don't agree, but we've been here for thousands of years. We'll be here for thousands more, no matter what the others do. So it's an interesting view on history.
Speaker 1:I just really recommend that you read Victoria's books. I mean, there's just so many interesting things. You know, one of the interesting things that I learned sitting here this morning having brunch with Victoria something I didn't know. A lot of times there's stories that you really don't hear, like you don't necessarily hear these or kind of talk away or what have you. But it's really interesting to me because it's obviously well known and well documented, victoria, that Chuck broke the speed of sound. People will say, well, he's the first person to break the speed of sound. He was, and I don't know that we break it down like this usually, because I've never heard anyone say he's the first man to break the speed of sound, but he is credited with that because obviously credit where credit is due. But what's interesting to me is another story the first woman to break the speed of sound and the person that trained this woman. I would hope I'm going to ask you if you could tell us about her and Chuck trained her.
Speaker 2:So Chuck broke the sound barrier in 1947 and then, of course, went around and did talks for different congressmen in the Air Force, which he really didn't like to do because his job was flying, but he did it and he was in the secretaries of the Air Force office and in walk Jackie Cochran. Jackie Cochran was married to the richest man in the world at the time and she was an aviatrix and she had started the WASPs, which were the women's auxiliary service pilots in World War II, which were very useful, very helpful, fairing planes around, and so she asked him to help her break the sound barrier. So in 1953 he started training her. Now she was used to having her way or the highway because of her wealth, and Chuck would take. No, he would not allow that. He said you are here on time, you're not going to waste anybody's time or I'm not going to help you, which is unheard of.
Speaker 2:She could have had him maybe kicked out of the Air Force, but anyway she listened to him, she respected him, he had a lot of poise and so he trained her to break the sound barrier and the same way he did, he inched up to it. In nine powered flights he inched up to the sound barrier and then he flew chase, which is the plane that's following, the one that has the mission to let her know if there's any smoke spewing out or if there's any problems that she can't see in the airplane. So she did break the sound barrier and they were fast friends forever until she passed away in 79 or 80.
Speaker 1:That's an incredible story. I mean, I think of the bravery that it takes, the adventurous spirit just being brave to do what Chuck did, to do what this lady did, to try to, okay, I'm going to go try this and I'm going to be the first woman. I don't even know if she thought about that and she may not have even thought that. She may have just thought listen, I just want to go do what. There's two, and some people do things without actually breaking it down. You know, oh, I'm the first black, or I'm the first Hispanic, or I'm the first woman, or I'm the. They're just out to do what they love to do and they're leaving it at that, and then we all make a big deal about that. I don't know how much you want to get into this next thing, victoria, but I'm just going to ask. And if you don't, that's fine.
Speaker 1:But another thing I learned sitting here having brunch with Victoria this morning is I mentioned Amelia Earhart.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you want to mention this or not, but you know, in my mind and for most of us who don't perhaps know the story within the story, you know, there was a report recently where some guy thinks that he's spotted this plane on the bottom of the ocean floor, or everyone always attributes it to oh, it's got to be Amelia Earhart's lost plane and isn't that.
Speaker 1:But you know, there's a story behind that. I was thinking, and I mentioned on my show, it really takes someone with who is extremely brave it's to the extreme, in my opinion, extremely brave and adventurous to say I'm going to be the first one to get in this airplane, the second one, really, but first, woman, get in this airplane and I'm going to go across the ocean, in this case the Atlantic Ocean. The thought of that in an airplane and what they were back then compared to now you're flying over this ocean, which I'm going to be, I'm just a chicken s to get on that plane. Even in the next month I go to Italy. I'm so. I'm just so the opposite of this. So I find it fascinating that this woman did this.
Speaker 2:But again, there's a little story that we don't know perhaps, about this so she's credited with being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, but she actually was the passenger, somebody else flying, and it wasn't a woman. So somebody did some great marketing on Amelia Earhart and Chuck never didn't care for that because she wasn't that great a pilot. And Jackie Cochran should have been getting all these kudos for all the things she was doing. And Jackie was doing it to advance women in aviation, not only for herself, but she was advancing women, whereas Amelia Earhart not so much. And Amelia Earhart there's a story too that she actually didn't get lost, she just wanted to. She wanted to get out of the limelight. Really, yeah.
Speaker 1:So what would that, what would that lead to if she didn't get lost? What does that mean? Like the plane, they don't. There's like, there's a story. Maybe the plane didn't get lost and go down, she just went and hid out. I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:Well, some guy at some event, a costed Chuck, was telling him that and said you know all about it because she hid out at Jackie Cochran. She had a baby out of wedlock and was raising her daughter and she wanted to raise her daughter out of out of the limelight. What's your? Chuck knows all about that. Oh, sure, and Chuck said you can imagine what Chuck said. It's seven letter word, two syllables, begins with B, and he walked off and I just stayed and said okay, tell me, tell me more about this. And I don't know if it's true or not, but I thought you know she. It's amazing, this mythic thing that Amelia Earhart has and it really should be Jackie Cochran that should get the kudos and not to take a hundred percent away from Amelia Earhart. But she's not as accomplished as Jackie Cochran or even as Poncho Barnes.
Speaker 1:Tell us about Poncho.
Speaker 2:So Poncho was the first. She's organized the stunt association in Hollywood and she was a daredevil female pilot when at first, if not the first, she also did some gun running in Mexico. So she was a color for person. But she also had the happy bottom riding club at Edwards Air Force Base at the time is Murak Air Force Base and she was the one that offered a free steak to the first person who broke the sound barrier. She adored Chuck because he was not a braggart. A free steak In those days that was something. But Chuck, somebody said to me when they heard a speech that he gave at the National Air and Space Museum is that he's so matter of fact about what he did and the rest of us are going, oh my gosh and so. But he was, and so he wasn't a braggart, he just did what he did and there were, as you know, a lot of braggarts.
Speaker 2:But so she really admired. Poncho, admired him and so did Jack, and they'd be sitting on the other side of him at a dinner event. And they, how can you stand that wish? How can you stand that wish? Because they were opposite.
Speaker 2:One had come from nothing, jackie Cochran, and risen to marry to the richest guy in the world, as I said, and the other one had come from society, actually out of Philadelphia, where I'm from, and she sort of went and did her own thing and those days that was a big deal to go and be on your own. She got married and divorced him and big deal. But her grandfather was the first balloonist that used it in the Civil War, and so they were doing recces from this and saying the positions of where the enemy was. Now I don't know why they didn't put some guns in there and shoot. It would have been over in days, right, but her father was Thaddeus Low. And then they also in the Barclay, which used to be a hotel and was the place to go for dinner when you were, you know, doing a five star Shishi society dinner. I'd go there for my birthday every year. So oh my god.
Speaker 1:Well, I I'm just fascinated by your stories. I really am learning. I love learning about all of these little facts I never knew, I don't know why, the craziest thoughts going through my mind. It's so absurd. But that's just my mind, victoria.
Speaker 2:It just is that's what we like about you.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Can you say that again? That's what we like about you, pat. Thank you.
Speaker 1:I'm just getting my conversation with Victoria Yeager and you were telling us about watching the right stuff with Chuck.
Speaker 2:So the only time we did was at the 20th anniversary premiere in Hollywood, where Barbara Hershey was there and Gordo Coopett the real Gordon Cooper was there. He was sort of towards the end of his life, getting dementia, but anyway, I was sitting there with Chuck and every now and again he'd say, oh BS.
Speaker 1:Oh my god, I love that so much. Wow, that's funny.
Speaker 2:And it was right after we invaded and supposedly won the war in 23 days in Afghanistan, and sitting next to me was the commander at Edwards Air Force Base, and he said we couldn't have won a war in 23 days without Chuck Yeager. And so, oh gosh, connect those dots. After the movie, though, oh wow, well, it was because of breaking the somber and all the testing that he did really put us way ahead of the enemy.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:I mean, they didn't know about the flying tail for the X-1. Until in 1953 they didn't have flying tails.
Speaker 1:So six years later, you know, when you hear Victoria say that, you think about that. Now. That's a piece of history that we need to know, because think about what she's saying without that technology, without that edge, this world may be a very, very different place that we're living in. We needed that advantage over the enemy and when you bring this up, not only the break, everything that he accomplished, I don't believe that it is overstating things to say. He really was a key person in changing the future of the world and where we are presently.
Speaker 2:That's true, and the last job he had, too, was director of safety in the Air Force and one of the. I just want to tell you quickly a story. So there was this one airplane that everybody is crashing in and he went up to altitude and he figured out what was wrong. The maintenance guy was putting the bolt in upside down, and so people, he said, I figured it out and came and landed. Easy to handle, was it?
Speaker 1:I can't remember what it was, so they were putting the bolt upside down and he figured that. How did he? How do you figure that?
Speaker 2:The flaps or whatever it was were going the wrong way and so he figured that out at altitude. But he was the director of safety and he saved millions, tens of millions of lives because the civilian world took on. What he suggested when he came in as director of safety was primary cause and secondary cause. So they'd fixed the primary cause and then they wouldn't fix the secondary cause until they became a primary cause. So he made it an all cause accident and NASA I'm kind of fudging the numbers just a little, but not much, it's just for illustrated purposes. So they found 36 things wrong with the shuttle. They fixed 34, 35 and 36 were the tiles. So NASA kind of poo, pooed the Air Force too much and got into trouble because of it. He was amazing. There's so many different facets of him. You and I could go on for days right.
Speaker 1:But I think you've got to go. I have so many more questions, but, yeah, we'll wrap it up there. So here's what I would. I want to finish things off by thanking you, victoria. It's really a pleasure to get to meet you. I really appreciate you taking your time to sit and have brunch with me this morning. It's been absolutely delightful.
Speaker 1:I feel like we could have done this with or without any kind of a conversation. You're just a good person. I really enjoy your company. I appreciate all the insight and I would encourage people and I would let you I'm going to let you tell everyone how they can find your books. But I really would encourage if you think about this man and think about Victoria and how much that means that this man was in love with her and she loved him, and we hear now what a compassionate and nice man. A little rough at times, but I would be too. If sometimes people approach you and things you're kind of oh jeez, you know, but I, so I get all of that. I could be that way myself a little bit. Maybe we all can, I don't know. But I would encourage you to read her books 101 Yeagerisms, and then I'm going to let you promote your new book again and tell everyone where you can, where they can get your books.
Speaker 2:So you can get the books at rightstuffstorecom. And the second book is what a ride, chuck Yeager, what a ride. My amazing life with the original right stuff. Chuck Yeager, it's really fun, it's really. And you know what I liked his gruffness I if, chuck, you knew that if you were there, chuck wanted you to be there. He was very clear, so I was just grateful. I just very, very, very blessed and we'll end it on this.
Speaker 1:God bless Chuck. God bless you. Thank you, pat's Peeps is not only about bringing you a podcast and bringing you interesting stories and interesting people such as Victoria, but it's also about supporting local business, mom and pop businesses. We just met the owner of this fine restaurant. She is back there working very hard, working and cooking. She's a hard worker. Her kids came through this restaurant and worked here as well. Maybe you could tell us her name and we'll give a little plug to Wings here. Give it a shot. Look, I'm not flying a plane. I'm not getting any of these airplanes. No offense to anyone, but I'm here to have a great breakfast. So please support local businesses. I enjoyed. I had a chicken fried steak this morning with biscuits and gravy. I enjoyed it. What did you think of your food?
Speaker 2:And don't forget, it's fish Fridays. They always have fish and chips on Fridays. That's why I wanted to come here on Friday. Chuck and I used to come here a lot. I haven't been here in probably five or eight years, maybe ten but we used to come here. We'd fly down here and then he'd give me the controls to fly back. It was great fun and, Pat, I'm enjoying very much hanging out with you. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:Thank you, and what's the owner's name?
Speaker 2:Connie Connie. We've known her for years, for years.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you, connie, and I've enjoyed hanging out with you too. Victoria, thank you very much for being my guest on Pat's Peeps number 57. Really working hard on this. Thank you, victoria.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Wow, hey, it's Pat. So good evening, that was my morning. I just want to say hi. I know we're at almost what an hour here. I just wanted to say hello. It was really nice meeting you. As you heard, what a great person, and I hope you'll check out her books and as we continue to remember the legacy of Chuck Yeager and get to know Victoria as well. So, and thank you. I just wanted to pop in here and say thank you for listening tonight.
Speaker 1:Now we are expecting any moment here on the first day of March of 2024, to receive a bunch of snow. I just got a call, darlene, with a Y up in, who is about I don't know, six miles above me in the foothills. She said it's getting a lot of hail, but we're expecting a lot of snow and wind and rain. And I do see a lot of rain coming down right now and it's cold. So here I sit by the fire and you know what? The thing? The interesting thing is, they gave me the night off from work, which I don't like, taking the night off from my show, my radio show, the Pat Walsh show, heard nationally, internationally, on the I Heart Radio. But I work at KFBK in Sacramento with Tom Sullivan and Rush Limbaugh. All those guys got their start there, as I always like to point out, kitty O'Neill, my longtime colleague, but I don't like to miss my show. But they thought, and it could happen, I don't know, I could be snowed in within a matter of hours and I know I've mentioned that before. So we'll wait and see and let you know. I'll let you know what happens. But what I am going to do is I'm going to pop on the air. Bc is going to be filling in for me, bruce Campbell. He does a wonderful job, just a good friend of mine for years, so give him a listen. But I'm going to be calling in on the show tonight. So I'll be calling in on my own radio show tonight to talk to Bruce. So if you listen to my Pat's Peeps podcast, if you listen to my show, just know how grateful I am and I do feel like hearing some music tonight. So why not?
Speaker 1:So I reached into my, as I always tell you, into my Rare 45 collection. I came out with this song and I always loved this one. I I got excited when I picked this one out. I went, oh wow, okay, I'll play this one. It's on smash records. It's a white label and, as I always tell you on the label, not for sale. This is a let's see what is this one say, for broadcast only, not for sale white smash records label and it does have a different song on both sides. It looks like it's in decent condition, certainly has some use to it. But, like I say, I always loved this song.
Speaker 1:It's a song written by Steven Stullo, michael Brown, bob Khalili Howie and Tony Sasone For the band, or Sasone for the band. The artist that's performing this, released as a single in July of 1966. Steve Martin Carrow featured on the lead vocals, spent 13 weeks on the US charts with a top spot at number five. The song's been widely considered the quintessential Baroque pop genre. If you've ever heard of that, the Baroque pop genre Even I don't think I can describe that, and I'm a music lover and I know music, but I don't even know if I can describe the Baroque pop genre. But, as Marshall Crenshaw once explained, there's quote something about this song that's one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard, just in terms of provoking an emotional reaction, and I get that with this song, for whatever reason. You know what the one. I get that one with all the time when I hear it is Prochol Herum's Whiter Shade of Pale. It's the keyboard. There's something about that song. So this particular song did very well. As I said, I always hate quoting Rolling Stone, but I guess in this context, when it used to be good, whatever, but it's you know, it just tells you where they rated it, but not that it matters. And now they rated it at number 220 and the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Speaker 1:Some cover versions, four tops Southside, johnny Asbury, jukes and some others did some covers of this song Al Rogers Drums, john Abbott on the bass, george Fletcher Hirsch on the guitar, mike Brown on the harpsichord that's the instrument I was trying to think of the other day. That's what it is about this song. There's a harpsichord in it, that's it. Jackie Kelso, who gets no credit on the record flute Friends on strings, john Abbott, a ranger, steve Martin-Carrill, as I mentioned, lead vocal, george Cameron and Tom Finn on the backing vocals went to number three in Canada, number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Number two on the Cashbox Top 100 in New Zealand. They liked it so much it went to number five.
Speaker 1:On the left bank it is a song called Walk Away Renee. I love the harpsichord in there. It's perfect. Michael Brown has stated that the song is one of a number that he wrote about Renee Flayden Flayden, the then girlfriend of the left bank's bassist Tom Finn, but the object of Brown's affection. She was associated with the band for a few weeks and was described as a free-spirited and tall blonde. Brown wrote it a month after he met her Walk Away Renee, one of a series of love songs. As he was infatuated with her, he wrote it for his own muse. So let's flip it over and see what's on the other side, because I being honest with you, I don't know a lot of other songs by the left bank. So we're going to hear this one together. I've never played this.
Speaker 1:This is a song called I Haven't Got the Nerve. I Haven't Got the Nerve, and this is about like here. So on the one side you have a guy who's infatuated with the guy's girlfriend in the band, so he writes about that. And on this particular song they write about look man, I don't have the nerve to tell you just leave me alone, please leave me alone, forget about it, please go away. So let's listen to it together. I haven't got the nerve. Left bank, I haven't got the nerve. I always love ending it on a skip. It tells you the record is real. It's that harpsichord. That's pretty cool. You incorporate that harpsichord. A lot of 60s stuff did that? You know, I haven't got the nerve. Well, I don't have the nerve to go on any longer. I'm already one hour two minutes 40 seconds. I'm going to wrap it up there. Thank you, my friends. Thank you so much for listening. Patspeebs 57 will let you know if I got snowed in. I got to go on a radio with Bruce. Thank you, patspeebs 58.
