Meet & Greet’ after their show at the Fraze Pavillion in Dayton, OH, June 2011
As Indianapolis welcomes the BEACH BOYS for a concert at the Marsh Symphony on the Prairie I can’t help but think of how, thanks to Doris Day, I had a chance to meet and get to know Bruce Johnston. Bruce is one of the original Beach Boys, who was a close friend of Terry Melcher, Doris’s son. I look forward to visiting with Bruce once again.
One of my first recollections of spending time with Bruce, Doris and Terry was on Christmas Eve in 1972. I had moved in with Doris for two weeks during the holidays since her Mother, Alma, flew to Texas to spend the holidays with her family. Nada, the new housekeeper, had to make an emergency trip to Yugoslavia to spend time with her Mother who was seriously ill.
Doris wanted to have dinner at home on Christmas eve and invited Terry and Bruce to come for a nice home cooked dinner. Guess who was going to do the cooking? Fortunately, I had one of her Mother’s special recipes which Doris loved—lemon chicken.
Bruce and Terry arrived in the late afternoon. We sat around in the living room, had some drinks and just enjoyed each others’ company. Bruce and Terry took turns at the piano in the living room humming and singing songs. Yes, Doris frequently sang and hummed along also. What a treat to be right there with all of them. I was busy running back and forth, enjoying a drink with them and then dashing back to the kitchen to pull together a special dinner.
Finally everything was ready and we sat by candle light in her lovely dining room enjoying our Christmas eve meal. We were nearly finished and all of a sudden the power went out. No storm, but no power! Bruce and Terry had both parked inside her gated driveway in front of her home. Unfortunately, with no power, those big iron gates were not going to budge. What to do?
We sat in the living room near the fire place, hoping power would come back on, but that was not to be. More singing, but finally near 11pm, Bruce and Terry had to leave. They called a friend to come and pick them up from the back alley exit. Talk about a night to remember! I felt very special to have this time with Doris, Terry and Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, on Christmas Eve.
Early in 1973 I had the privilege of working with Terry and Bruce at their office in the RCA building in Hollywood. I worked with Doris in the morning and after lunch drove to Hollywood to spend time with Bruce and Terry. This lasted a couple months and then Doris decided she wanted me back with her full time. And yes, I am still California Dreaming!
Purchase Mary Anne’s book Day at a Time: An Indiana Girl’s Sentimental Journey to Doris Day’s Hollywood and Beyond.
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Phone orders of Day at a Time will be half price from the website price plus a copy of Doris’s lemon chicken recipe.
Mary Anne Barothy