Ramona Favorite Singer, Johnny Cash
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wednesday • january • 9 • 2019 page 7 Local woman describes her friendships with country music legends, beginning with JOHNNY CASH pencil or a pen I could use?’ Records days in the ‘50s, I said, ‘Yeah!’ Then, during took a shine to Wondergem’s his shows, he always would younger sister and ended up say, ‘This song is for Wilma overstaying his welcome. and her friends.’ [long sigh] “Luther Perkins liked He always said that. We my sister, so he came to never got tired of seeing him, our house for supper,” we always had a nice time. Wondergem said. “He was Even if the shows were the playing his guitar so long same night after night, we we wished he’d go home! never got tired of it.” He was just sitting there in On one occasion in the our living room playing that ‘60s when Wondergem gave guitar... but it got so late! I Cash and his future wife, remember thinking, ‘I wish June Carter, a ride to their he’d stop!’ Finally we went hotel, she noticed the effects to bed and our mother had to of Cash’s notorious drug use. drive him back to his hotel “This one time we saw downtown.” him, he was really skinny. The last time Wondergem Cash poses with the Wilburn Brothers (Teddy I said something to him went to one of Cash’s and Doyle) backstage in Battle Creek on Jan. 14, about it,” Wondergem said. concerts, he was considered 1958. “That was the time he was a major celebrity and was no at the Civic Auditorium in longer as accessible to the It wasn’t as nice, but it was Wondergem and Cash on Feb. 17, 1966. such as Hank Williams, downtown Grand Rapids. public. still okay.” the Louvin Brothers, Carl by Tim McAllister why I had my picture taken Johnny Cash wasn’t the lead reporter Perkins, Webb Pierce, with him so many times, Wilma Wondergem was only country music star Hawkshaw Hawkins, Carl probably almost every time born, raised and lives in Wondergem became friendly Smith, Conway Twitty, Eddy I saw him. We could get Grand Rapids. Now age 85, with during her youth. In Arnold, Roy Acuff, Slim backstage easily at the Civic she is a retired Michigan upcoming editions of the Whitman and many, many Auditorium. One time we Bell operator. She has lived Ledger, Wondergem will more. went to either Lansing or alone since her mother share stories and more MUCH MORE ON THE Kalamazoo to see Johnny Johanna died in 2001; she unpublished photos of her NEXT TWO PAGES! and some guard said, ‘You never got married and had encounters with legends can’t come back here!’ no children. In the ‘50s Johnny heard and said, and ‘60s, Wondergem was ‘These are friends of mine, an avid country music fan they can come back,’ and who became a friendly we did. The first time that I acquaintance of many of the realized he knew my name big stars who came through was one time when we were town. Sometimes she’d even Cash with his little brother Tommy Cash at Buck backstage after a concert. follow favorite acts from Lake Ranch in Angola, IN, June 1957. People were standing around town to town. getting autographs and he Wondergem and her group said, ‘Wilma, do you have a of friends brought cameras We must’ve went and got our “I went to see him once car or something, then him after I hadn’t seen him for a and June were just coming long time, that was probably out of the auditorium, so in the ‘70s,” Wondergem I said, ‘Would you like a said. “June Carter and the ride?’ He said ‘Yeah!’ so they Carter Family were with got in the car and we gave him, and Jan Howard and them a ride from the Civic everything. Luther Perkins Wilma Wondergem today Auditorium to their hotel. It was dead by then, so the was just a short ways, but show was entirely different. Johnny and June got in the I can’t remember where in back seat and we took them Grand Rapids it was, but we CITY OF LOWELL over there. I think it was the had to sit way up in the back KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN Pantlind Hotel that was right and I never got anywhere by the auditorium. I was near him. When it was just driving. He always gave me Johnny and his band, it was NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO a kiss goodbye, I had to turn better. When June and her CONSIDER PARTICIPATION IN around in the driver’s seat so sisters started touring with THE SMALL URBAN PROGRAM he could give me a kiss.” him, then it was different. I PROVIDING FEDERAL SURFACE Luther Perkins, Cash’s can’t say why. I think maybe Wondergem and Cash at Buck Lake Ranch in TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR guitar player since their Sun his mind was more on them. Angola, IN, June 1957. MONROE ST. BETWEEN FREMONT LowellArts Youth Theater presents ST. AND AVERY ST. to the shows, took snapshots PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City and traded the photos Council of the City of Lowell will hear public among themselves. Today, Wondergem has a nice Henry comment on the participation in the Small collection of autographed AND Urban Program which would provide federal pictures of herself alongside Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding people like Hank Williams, for Monroe St. between Fremont St. and Avery. Carl Perkins and her all-time Ramona favorite singer, Johnny Cash. by Cynthia McGean TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the City She was a fixture at Cash’s based on the books by Beverly Cleary January 17 & 18 early Midwest concerts and Council will meet at the City Hall at 301 E. eventually found herself on at 7:00pm Main Street in the City on Tuesday, January a first-name basis with the January 19 22, 2019, at 7 p.m., local time, for the purpose singer. at 2:00pm & 7:00pm of hearing the public about this transportation “Johnny was nice. He At Lowell Performing project. had kind of a sick smile, Arts Center though,” Wondergem said. Lowell High School, 11700 Vergennes, “I don’t remember long Lowell, MI 49331 Susan Ullery conversations or anything, General admission tickets. City Clerk $7 in advance and at door. but he was always pleasant City of Lowell and friendly. I don’t know lowellartsmi.org.