23. Table of Contents Previous Next
9/9/2026
“A Day with the Kennedys”
A few days ago, I told you about making music with Joe Carta, how he was represented by multiple booking agents, and how he worked music jobs several times a week. This one is about a crazy day I experienced while working with Joe. I implore you not to comment disparagingly about the celebrities in my story or their politics. I hope this telling makes you smile.
Joe Carta was booked by one of his agencies to play country & western music at a private party. He was told the address, the number of guests expected, and that there would be a portable stage with electrical outlets in-place when we arrived. That was really all he needed to know.
As usual, the rest of the band arrived before Joe. When I started unloading my car, I noticed a familiar face among the hosts of the party. It was Senator Edward Kennedy. I had seen Kennedy in the press, of course, but I had also encountered him a couple of times in person, as we both saw the same endocrinologist and had chatted a little in the waiting room. He recognized my face, as I suppose all successful politicians learn to do, greeted me and let me know that we were at the home of his sister-in-law, Ethel Kennedy. After we shook hands, I went about the business of unloading my gear and the Senator went about his.
The first set went fine. The guests seemed to be enjoying the music and conversing, which let us know that we weren’t too loud. When we started our intermission, the Senator asked if he could use our microphone to make an announcement. Well, of course he could; he was paying for it. Once he had the mic, he spoke a few words of welcome to the guests and informed all present that President Clinton had been invited to the party and had just called to indicate that he would attend. And that when the Secret Service arrived, everyone was to stand by their cars so the agents could “have a look.” I just about had a heart attack when I heard that! I’ll tell you why in a minute or two.
But now, I have to digress a little. Several years before that gig, I was mugged in New Orleans. The thug got the money in my wallet but missed a couple of hundred bucks I had in my shoe, so it didn’t hurt me too badly. When I got home from that trip, I purchased an item that I hesitate to name on social media, but I’ll say it’s the thing you see quite a lot of in western movies and it makes a loud noise.
Meanwhile, back at the gig... The item I purchased after my trouble in New Orleans was in the center console of my car. Uh Oh!
The next set started. As we were playing, I kept looking toward the driveway, awaiting my fate. Joe asked, “Are you expecting someone?” So, I tried not to look again but couldn’t help glancing that way a couple more times. There were metal supports holding up the stage roof that began looking like prison bars. I was wondering if they would let me have an instrument in jail – maybe so, because Andy Griffith had a guitar in his cell in the movie, “A Face in the Crowd.” And what about Lead Belly? Didn’t he... I snapped out of my reverie when the Senator approached Joe and said that he hated to interrupt, but needed to make another announcement. I thought, What Now?! Kennedy said he was very sorry to report that the President had called back. Something urgent had come up and he would not be able to attend the party after all. Woo Hoo! I was the only person at that party who wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I was noticeably happy, so much so that Joe asked me, “What? Are you a Republican or something?” As we continued our second set, my playing actually became better, as the burden had been lifted from my soul and I wasn’t musing about dire consequences while trying to pick. Joe noticed the improvement and told me so after the gig. I never told him about the you-know-what in my car.
Another short aside... I’m sure most of you have seen the film “Cool Hand Luke.” If not, I recommend it. In the movie, Paul Newman sang a song with the lyrics: “I don’t care if it rains or freezes, ‘long as I got my plastic Jesus sittin’ on the dashboard on my car.” You need to know that to make sense of the next bit.
We were still playing the second set when Mrs. Kennedy, the hostess, got a notion that she wanted to hear that ‘Plastic Jesus’ song. In fact, she insisted that we perform it. We hoped she would give up asking when it was obvious that we didn’t want to play it, but no, she wasn’t giving up, nor going away, nor backing down, nor anything of the kind. We were going to have to play ‘Plastic Jesus.’ And most unfortunately, I was the only band member who remembered some of the lyrics because I had seen the film several times. At least, I was the only one who would admit it. So, we played ‘Plastic Jesus’ featuring me on vocal, for Ethel Kennedy. How many of you can say you’ve done that? When it was done, Mrs. Kennedy lead the applause and commanded all the guests to rise and give us a standing ovation. The rest of the show was uneventful, thank goodness. I’ll never forget my day with the Kennedys.
Photos:
1. Joe Carta and some of his band members at his retirement party in 2021.
2. Senator Edward Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy.
Tom Mindte
September, 2026
Joe Carta and some of his band members at his retirement party in 2021
Senator Edward Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy