Dressing Rooms

[Graham Bunn]

Thanks Gerald for all your hard work with the Song List.

I have been thinking about what to start the New year with and after seeing Bernies comments (held in Rubys Portrait) about being suprised to hear that Ruby was smoking reminded me of a story told by Ronnie Hilton on the radio.

Ronnie had a radio show every Saturday morning relating to the fifties(oh how I miss it)and he would play many of Rubys recordings and if she was not well would always wish his "Spud" a speedy recovery.

He told of a time when he and Ruby were touring together and when they got to the venue found that there was no dressing room so they were offered the local church in which to change.

Once in the church Ruby and Ronnie both started to smoke but Ruby suddenly realised that there would be no ash trays so she looked around for something to use.

She came upon the church charity box and started to flick her ash through the donation slot,then she and Ronnie put all their cigarette ends into it.
Ronnie said that they were both creased up with laughter.

I remember visiting Ruby in several Working Mens clubs and the dressing rooms were sometimes very basic.

Bernie if you can remember what was the worst or strangest dressing room you ever had to use.

Best Wishes

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Graham,

Despite the difficult conditions in this Internet Cafe, I will attempt one story which incidentally is in my book.

Somewhere in the late 50s or early 60s Ruby was booked for a few engagements in Ireland, one of which was an old cinema in a small town called Carlow. Strangely it only had one entrance, a double door at pavement level. Just what they would have done if there had been a fire heaven only knows.

We were met by the manager inside and I asked him where Ruby's dressing room was. He informed me that there were no dressing room of any kind. I then asked where Ruby could change into her stage dress? He promptly pointed to the ticket kiosk in the middle of the foyer. Just like all ticket kiosks at that time, from waist level upward it was all glass. I declined the offer of the kiosk and asked for an alternative. Eventually the manager made arrangements with a neighbouring house along the road from the cinema for Ruby to use their front room.

When it was time for Ruby to change, to our great surprise the neighbour had opened the front room window and placed a microphone right in the middle of the window. We were bewildered but thought that perhaps this was part of the deal that the manager had arrange with the obliging neighbour.

As was Ruby's nature, she was not about to disappoint the neighbour and the gathering crowd outside on the pavement and gave an impromptu, unaccompanied one song performance, through the front window to the pavement audience.

I don't think any artiste could top that story and it is perfectly true.

Regards to everyone. Adios Amigos. Bernie.

[Gerald Lawrence]

I had a telephone call from Bernie yesterday - he wanted some facts about Ruby's famous five hits and as he is still in Tenerife (lucky fellow!) he didn't have access to his own paperwork.

He is having a good time, and sends everybody his best wishes. He will be back home in Spain in about another 10 days.