Archive for the ‘Buses and the HoneySuckle Rose’ Category
Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen and Dwight Yoakam on the bus with Willie
Tuesday, April 17th, 2018
Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen and Dwight Yoakam say hello to Willie before the concert in Cape Girardeau.
Willie Nelson’s Bus Drivers open up
Tuesday, August 8th, 2017
www.PopularMechanics.com
By
Even at 84, Willie Nelson still spends about 150 days a year on the road (again). At the helm of the Honeysuckle Rose, his tour bus, are Gates “Gator” Moore and Tony Sizemore, who’ve split Willie’s driving duties for nearly 40 years. Calling from a hamburger joint in Nebraska, they offered their tips on driving without GPS.
Unplug
GATES: Don’t be afraid to override the GPS. We did it last night. We’ll go 30 miles out of the way to bypass a city we suspect will have heavy traffic by the time we get there.
TONY: If you’re coming from Chicago to Nashville, people assume you come down 65 through Indianapolis. But if you take 57 on the Illinois side and hit 24, it’s 20 miles faster with no major cities in between.
Use the Numbers
TONY: For interstates, generally, north–south routes have odd numbers, growing larger from west to east. East–west routes are even, getting bigger from south to north. That’s not the kind of thing you’re gonna learn from GPS.
Prepare to Overshoot
TONY: If I know I have to get off on Omaha Street, I study the map for street names just beyond Omaha. That way, if you see ’em fly by, you say, “Oh, I missed it, I have to go back.”
When all else fails, FAKE IT
GATES: If you’re lost, keep it to yourself. Act confident, even if you’ve got no idea where you are. Make a couple turns, make a few educated guesses, and more often than not you’ll come out all right. If somebody asks why you’re late, say you rerouted to avoid construction. Either way, you’ll come out smelling like a rose.
Ask for Directions
TONY: I’ve never been afraid to call ahead. But asking for instructions is an art.
GATES: People say, “Head out on Main.” Which way is out? Or, “Hit 27.” Hit it how? Insist that they be as specific as possible.
Use Billboards
TONY: Even with GPS, read the signs. It’s always nice to see “Holiday Inn, Exit 81,” when that’s your Holiday Inn. And if billboards are advertising the city you meant to leave behind, you know you might be headed the wrong way.
When I ask for directions, people want to help. No one asks why I don’t just use my phone.
Willie Nelson, “You Don’t Know Me”
Monday, May 22nd, 2017Inside the Honeysuckle Rose
Wednesday, April 26th, 2017
Paul English and his buses
Thursday, April 6th, 2017
Thanks, Budrock.
The Honeysuckle Rose
Friday, January 27th, 2017
Willie Nelson Bus #3
Friday, January 13th, 2017Willie Nelson and his fans
Sunday, October 30th, 2016
Willie Nelson & Family Tour Bus For Sale
Thursday, October 20th, 2016
- photo: Nick Simonite
www.bizjournals.com
by: Will Anderson
One of Willie Nelson’s tour buses is back on the market,according to an online ad.
The Craiglist’s post, first noticed by Reddit, says the “Me and Paul” bus, named after Willie Nelson Family Band drummer Paul English, was used to ferry the Red Headed Stranger and his friends around the country for years on tour.
The auction closes Nov. 7. Go to meandpaulbus.com to bid on the vehicle — as of Wednesday afternoon, the top bid was $75,500.
Austinites Taylor Perkins and Michael Tashnick, backed by a group of investors, bought the 1983 Eagle bus in 2014 for $100,000. They had planned to rent it out through their business, Vintage Innovations. But the Craiglists ad indicates the two “have been too busy with work and family and have decided to get the bus on the road again for its next journey.”
Click on the slideshow attached to this story to take a look inside the bus when an Austin Business Journal photographer climbed aboard in 2014. see more photos here.
1,000,000 miles on the Red Headed Stranger
Wednesday, September 28th, 2016
Jack Calhoun started Florida Coach over 30 years ago. He started building Tour Coaches out of a love of music and the desire to provide touring artists with a level of comfort, style, and reliability that was unavailable at that time.
Florida Coach is still owned solely by Jack and is now headed by his son Caleb Calhoun. Florida Coach continues to set the standard by which others are judged into the new millennium.
With the introduction of a brand new fleet of Prevost H3-45 VIP’s, XLII Entertainer’s and MCI J Models Florida Coach remains a leader and innovator in the Tour Coach industry. Florida Coach has introduced features such as bunk windows and roomier floor plans that other companies are still trying to implement.
Florida Coach is one of the few Tour Coach companies that are Owner Operated. We don’t answer to shareholders or a board of directors. When you call us, you know whom you are dealing with.
As an example of our dedication to keeping our fleet in great condition and our customers happy, you might have seen an episode of VH-1’s “Firsts”. Florida Coach has provided buses for Willie Nelson for 30 Years and recently, one of Willie’s buses passed the Million Mile Mark. It is the first time in the industry that One Bus, on One Tour, with One Driver (Our own Tony Sizemore) has logged over one million miles!
Florida Coach maintains a fleet of over 50 buses, years of experience has taught us that this is the optimum number to maintain a highly reliable fleet and to be able to offer our clients the best drivers available. We firmly believe that you can’t be the largest Tour Coach provider while being the best.
We spare no expense on immediate repairs. Interiors are updated as soon as they are needed, something a lot of our competitors fail to do. We work hard to satisfy our customers so their tours can be as pleasurable as possible.
Budrock sent this addendum:
This Bus was originally the Band Bus, then became the Smoking Bus, which evolved into the Crew Bus.
Tony was the Driver and stopped one early morning just outside of Bakersfield and pulled the speedometer which read 999,999.9. This was just before it would have rolled back to all zeros.
Bee, Budrock, and Jody also occasionally drove this bus as relief drivers on long trips.
I believe we put another 30 thousand miles on it before it was retired.”
— Budrock “The Illuminator” Prewitt, Lighting Director for Willie Nelson & Family
Willie Nelson & Family Tour Bus, “Me and Paul”
Saturday, October 31st, 2015
www.vintageinnovations.net
“ME & PAUL”
One of the original Willie Nelson & The Family Band tour buses is “On The Road Again” and available to rent for your event!
The 1983 Silver Eagle named “Me & Paul” (after Willie’s well-renowned song and album) is an iconic piece of music history. This 40-foot bus was built for the Willie Nelson Family Band, and was owned by his drummer, Paul English. It is the most well-preserved out of the four Florida Coaches designed and built for them in 1982/1983.
The band toured on this bus for 4 years during the ‘80s. Almost entirely original on the interior, “Me & Paul” offers any of its passengers the opportunity to enjoy a moment back in time, and chance to experience what it was like to tour with Willie, Paul, and the band.
SPECS:
- Seats up to 20 people
- Comfortable air-conditioned lounge seating
- Original Americana murals and craftsmanship
- Vintage “Stagecoach” aesthetic throughout entire bus
- Crushed red velvet upholstery and curtains
- Incredible mahogany woodwork
- Surround-sound stereo system
- WiFi on board
- Auxiliary cord for customized playlists
- Phone and computer charging stations
Austin Dining Experience Includes Ride in former Willie Nelson & Family Tour Bus
Wednesday, September 30th, 2015
http://austin.culturemap.com
A new dinner series from Apis Restaurant and Apiary introduces an entirely immersive experience for fans of the Red Headed Stranger.
The restaurant, known for its bee and honey motif, is launching Willie Wednesdays, a Hill Country excursion in the former Willie Nelson’s Family Band tour bus followed by a succulent supper at Apis.
Apis has partnered with vehicle rental company Vintage Innovations, which not only owns and operates the bus but also employs Nelson’s granddaughter, Rebecca Thomas.
“When we heard about Willie’s Family Band bus and what Rebecca, Willie’s granddaughter, was offering through Vintage Innovations, we saw an opportunity to welcome people in Austin to what Spicewood has to offer,” said Apis Co-owner Casie Hall in a statement.
The journey begins at the Willie Nelson statue in front of ACL Live in downtown Austin. Guests are picked up by the tour bus — the same one that madeheadlines when it popped up on Craigslist — and escorted to Spicewood for a guided tour of the Apis property. Once at the restaurant, guests are greeted with a drink and treated to a three-course dinner designed by Chef Taylor Hall.
“Guests are able to experience a little taste of Willie Nelson’s life,” notes a release, by riding on the bus, interacting with his granddaughter, and visiting the city where his ranch is located.
The price per guest for this unique experience is $150, which includes transportation, dinner, one drink, tax, and gratuity. There are only 20 spaces available each week, so reservations are required.
The Willie Wednesdays series begins Wednesday, September 30, and runs through November 18.
“Me and Paul” — rare opportunity to ride in vintage Willie Nelson & Family Tour Bus
Tuesday, March 10th, 2015
www.vintageinnovations.net
“ME & PAUL”
One of the original Willie Nelson & The Family Band tour buses is “On The Road Again!” and available to rent for your event! The 1983 Silver Eagle named “Me & Paul” (after Willie’s well-renowned song and album) is an iconic piece of music history. This 40-foot bus was built for the Willie Nelson Family Band, and was owned by his drummer, Paul English. It is the most well-preserved out of the four Florida Coaches designed and built for them in 1982/1983. The band toured on this bus for 4 years during the ‘80s. Almost entirely original on the interior, “Me & Paul” offers any of its passengers the opportunity to enjoy a moment back in time, and chance to experience what it was like to tour with Willie, Paul, and the band.
SPECS:
Seats up to 20 people
Comfortable air-conditioned lounge seating
Original Americana murals and craftsmanship
Vintage “Stagecoach” aesthetic throughout entire bus
Crushed red velvet upholstery and curtains
Incredible mahogany woodwork
Surround-sound stereo system
WiFi on board
Auxiliary cord for customized playlists
Phone and computer charging stations
PRICING:
Hourly Rate: $250 (4 hour minimum, includes 100 miles)
Daily Rate: $2,500 (12 hour rental, includes 250 miles)
$2.50 per mile over the allotted mileage
$95 cleaning fee
NOTE:
Rates vary for special event weekends, including SXSW, ACL and F1 events. For more info, please call or email us here.
For monthly rental rates, please call or email us here.