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“The discipline of it. And the uniforms maybe.” I smiled as if it were funny when it was absolutely not.
“And the ultimate act of rebellion? Going to Nashville at eighteen years old.”
“That’s right. The day I left—” I stopped myself. Sharing about how my father refused to say goodbye to me was too personal for the camera. “Yeah, my parents weren’t thrilled, but off I went. I found work right away. Drumming for cover bands. Some studio work. I was playing with some guys I knew at a bar pretty regularly. That’s where Rhett found me. Comes up to me and says, ‘You’re way too good for these guys. There’s someone I want to introduce you to. I think you’d be a great fit.’”
“And that was it?”
“Pretty much. I auditioned. Jack loved what I did. We just started jamming like we’d known each other forever. I loved him almost immediately. He’s everything people say about him, you know. Wickedly talented. Supremely kind. Overly generous. Treats us all like family. The way he and Rhett structured the finances tells you everything you need to know about both of them. Rhett put contracts together that made us an actual band partnership, which means we make money from touring and recording. Plus huge bonuses after tours are over. We’re Jack Wilder and the Strays, not just the boys in the band. He’s always giving one of us the spotlight, not just on stage but in the press too. His generosity has given us all the chance for endorsements of our own, which has made us all richer than we could have ever imagined.”
“Generosity seems to be an underlining theme about Jack Wilder,” Blake said.
“That’s right. Almost no one in our industry has the kind of deal the boys and I have. But Jack and Rhett decided early on that giving people a piece of the pie evokes loyalty and teamwork. I thank God every day for Jack and the others. We’re a family by now, you know? Ten years we’ve been together and no fighting or jealousy. We’re just some good ol’ boys hanging out making music.”
“The others have also echoed the feeling of family,” Blake said. “The more I talk with you all, the more I understand how unusual this situation is. You’ve all touched my heart and given me hope for humanity.”
I chuckled. “Shoot. I don’t know if we deserve that high of praise, but thank you.”
“What about your real family? Did they ever come around about your choice to follow music?” Blake asked.
A lump formed in the back of my throat. “I don’t really talk about that. I’ve probably said too much already.”
“Fair enough.” She paused, looking down at her notes again. “One last question and I’ll let you go for now. What scares you?”
“What scares me?”
Getting kicked out. Abandoned. Doing something wrong that Jack can’t forgive me for. Like falling in love with his sister.
“That’s right. Professionally or personally,” Blake said.
I wasn’t about to answer this honestly. “I guess the idea that someday it’ll all fade. We’ll fall out of style or musical tastes will change and it’ll all be over and I’ll just be Grant Walker again.”
“What do you mean by just Grant Walker again?”
I’d said too much. This is why it was better to listen more and talk less. “I guess I mean without my brothers, my family. Alone.”
“Thank you for sharing all of this with me.” Blake turned off the video camera. “I thought you’d be my toughest interview.”
“Because I’m quiet?”
“That’s right. You and Beck are the quiet ones. But in different ways.”
“How so?” I asked, curious.
“I haven’t known either of you long, obviously,” Blake said. “Beck’s quietness seems to stem from a need to help others. He observes everyone around him closely, anticipating what they need and then giving it to them. His self-worth seems contingent on providing help to others. So much so that I think he’s often overlooked for his contributions, most of all by himself. You, on the other hand, seem to be careful about what you say or don’t say. I have a feeling there’s a lot you don’t say in sacrifice to the greater good. Being part of the team—loyal always—appears to drive your reticence.”
“I was raised to do as I was told,” I said. “Opinions are for others to give.”
“Perhaps. But the world might be better with a few of yours.”
“I don’t want to be left,” I blurted out. “Or kicked out.”
“Right. So it’s best to keep a lot inside. I understand.”
“For example, I’ve said too much in this conversation.” I smiled to take the edge out of it. Honestly, though, she’d nailed me. I kept my mouth shut and did my work. Keep the beat so everyone else could shine.
“Can I ask you something, off the record, about Beck?” Blake asked.
“Shoot,” I said.
