Respected roadie Ben Dorcy III died on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. He was 92.
Referred to many as “Lovey,” Dorcy was dubbed the “world’s oldest roadie” and is remembered for his more than six decades of work experience with musicians. The beloved roadie got his start working for country singer Hank Thompson in 1950 and went on to become John Wayne’s valet and personal assistant. He also toured with legends like Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash, among others.
But Dorcy spent many years — including his final years — serving as a roadie for Willie Nelson, who coined the term “world’s first roadie” to refer to his longtime friend and colleague. Nelson’s family was so enthralled by Dorcy’s life on the road that a documentary, King of the Roadies, is being made in his honor. Even Waylon Jennings wrote a song about Dorcy called “Ode to Ben.
Source: Tasteofcountry.com
