LAS VEGAS – Since our 20th annual Parnelli Awards gala has been postponed to January 2022, FRONT of HOUSE and PLSN magazines will be presenting a 20-year Parnelli retrospective with our printed issues next month. This month, we’ve been sharing a few glimpses of what’s made this unique awards program so special. We started with the very first Parnelli honoree Brian Croft. Now we’re jumping forward to 2010, when Brooks & Dunn came to town to honor Randy “Baja” Fletcher.
Parnelli Awards 20: When Kix and Ronnie Came to Town
By Kevin M. Mitchell
“God bless each and every one of you for everything you do. Don’t think it goes unappreciated.” —Kix Brooks
Starting with Alice Cooper in 2008, the Parnelli Awards increasingly drew the big stars to the show. Many came to surprise the Parnelli Award honoree like Kenny Chesney for Ed Wannebo or, most recently, Garth Brooks for Michael Strickland. When we get news of such a visit, “our people” start working with “their people” and make sure they are as rock-star comfortable as we can make them. This usually involves special green room requests (Paul Anka needed a very specific type of flavored water — which he ended up not drinking) or, in the case of Tom Petty, a three-story suite to hang out in for five hours.
In 2010, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn’s “people” reached out and let us know they wanted to be here for their longtime production manager Randy “Baja” Fletcher, who was to receive the most prestigious award in live event production. Baja was a legend, having worked with ZZ Top and Randy Travis before working with Brooks & Dunn pretty much from the very beginning. We went through the usual list of ways we can make the stars most comfortable — room? No. Greenroom? Hotel security detail? Special requests? Hide backstage? Limo?
No, no, no, no, no. “Thank you, but they will take care of everything,” we were told. “They just want to be there for Baja. They want to come to the dinner and sit at his table.” They showed up on time with their wives, sat at the table, and wouldn’t even let us buy them a drink.
They were the only musical artists that sat in the audience for the entire show — and alas, it was one of the longer ones. But they were gracious through it all. Finally, it was time for them to take the stage for Baja. But first, Brooks wanted to speak to the larger audience.
“Every aspect of what you do is fascinating to me,” he said, addressing the hundreds of live event professionals in the room. “I want to think Ronnie and I both know what good sound sounds like and what good lights look like, but we don’t have a clue how it happens…it’s like looking in the back of a television set.” The audience laughed appreciatively. “From how it all gets plugged in in the morning to how the hell it’s going to work [for the show] — it is amazing. God bless each and every one of you for everything you do. Don’t think it goes unappreciated.” Then he and Dunn applauded the audience.
“So now by God I’m going to talk about my best buddy Baja Fletcher for just a second. When he started with us, he was doing our sound, he was running our lights — he could do it all.” Dunn then stepped up and interrupted him, taking over the mic.
“[Baja] is a pathological liar,” he began, getting a big laugh. “I remember hiring him as a lighting guy. That’s where I first heard the word ‘magenta.’” [audience roars with laughter]. Dunn then said a while later he was wondering why the lighting guy was suddenly the sound guy, and then he was told, “Don’t piss the sound guy off.” Fletcher would then also suddenly be their production manager. “Well now there’s a whole village you can’t piss off. We love you Baja!”
“Of all the things he does, what he does best is connect all the dots,” Brooks added. “He is the ultimate people person, and one of the greatest people I have ever known.”
Baja was emotional when he came up on stage for the award and hugs from the two. In his speech, he noted that while he was the 10th person to receive this award, he was the first country production manager to receive it. It was well-deserved.
