Daryl Huffman

How long have you been playing the guitar?: "I’ve been playing about 36 years. Since I was about 14. I might have started younger than that. Probably when I was 12."

First gig with B.J.: April 26, 1982: "My first gig was somewhere in Kentucky, outdoors. I remember because they had that broccoli casserole that Susan used to make. My friend had to talk me into taking this gig. He said, ‘They’re going to get another guitar player. Do you want to do that?’ I said, "Well, I’m kind of happy with this band I’m in. I’m happy doing this.’ Susan was living in Oklahoma City, no she was in Omaha. Bobby says, ‘Well, the first three gigs we do. We do one in Kentucky. Then we do one somewhere else. Then we do one in Omaha.’ And he knew that Susan lived in Omaha. And he said, ‘Then we’re off for a week, so you can stay in Omaha for a week and they’ll fly you out after a week.’ And I went, ‘Oh, wait a minute. Let me think about that then.’ So then I decided to do it. But the first gig was somewhere in Kentucky, outdoors. They had all this food laid out on these tables. They had that broccoli casserole. I met B.J. right before we went out on stage. We practiced the harmony for "Rock and Roll Lullaby".

When you’re not on the road, what do you like to do?: "I work on my tunes in this little studio I have in a bedroom. I play in this blues band. And then I record with some friends of mine, and work on some demos."

Memorable Moment During a Show: "Mine wasn’t during a show. I have one at a show. I went up there and stood behind Ringo. It wasn’t during our show. It was before our show started. Other than playing with B.J., that’s got to be the highlight. Ringo was playing with the Beach Boys. And I went up and went through this curtain on this big, huge stage in D.C. on the Fourth of July on the Mall. In front of 750,000 people. We just got there. We had been listening to it on the radio in this limo. The radio announcer mentioned that Ringo was up there with the Beach Boys. And we’re going, ’Oh, golly.’ And as soon as the car parked, it parked right at the bottom of these steps that went up like that. I just got out and went zoom. And Larry and John, they stopped them. Anyway, I go up there and there’s a big, huge curtain. You can’t even see out front. You can see the people on the side, but you can’t see on the other side of the stage. I can hear it all going on. Somebody kind of went through the middle of the curtain. So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll do that.’ So I go there and I went right through the curtain. And right there, Betty, was a drum riser and right there was Ringo! Other than playing with B.J., that has to be my little highlight."

Editor’s note: It turns out that in the A&E channel’s clips of upcoming programming, there is a film clip of Ringo playing with the Beach Boys. In this film clip, you can see Daryl’s face. Daryl has never seen it, but some of his friends have. And John and especially Larry, being the drummer, have never gotten over not being able to share that moment with Ringo.

What do you like best about touring with B.J.: "For me, the main thing is I like playing in this band. I like getting to back up B.J. To have somebody that can sing like that in the band, in front of you, cause all these years that we’ve all been in bands, I mean we’ve all sang and had other people sing and played with a million other people. You know not many people ever played in a band with B.J. Thomas singing. That’s pretty cool there." Something about you that the fans would be interested to know: "I’m really 6’5"." Favorite Sport and/or Team: "Alabama" Editor’s note: It is a well know fact, that Daryl also loves the Atlanta Braves.