Discovered this afternoon that the late Felix "Flaco" Falcon has a Facebook page. The following is an email I sent Felix's brother, Jorge, in 2009.
Jorge~
I have vivid memories of your brother because I met him the first time I ever met a rock star. For many years I remembered his name as being Felix Flaco. Only with the advent of the Internet did I discover that his name was Felix "Flaco" Falcon.
In the spring of '72, I had a work-study job at the Student Union Building at the University of Alabama. I was 22 years old and was about to graduate with my B.S. degree. I was the maintenance man for the Union so,in my opinion, I had the best job on campus(plus every master key). All the student organizations were located in the Union so I got to know just about everybody. I got to know all the cats in the University Program Council,the organization that promoted concerts,so I got to work security at all the concerts which meant I got in free and was given a free T-shirt. The night before I met your brother, I had worked security for the Joe Cocker concert & had witnessed the whole show from the side of the stage.
Cocker wasn't as animated as he usually was because he had fallen off stage the night before in Jacksonville,Florida. He'd cracked a rib and was wrapped in this huge Ace bandage.
The next day at work somebody in UPC told me to drive my '62 Chevy Impala over to the Stafford Hotel to help shuttle Cocker's band out to the airport which is located across the river from Tuscaloosa in Northport. Right when I got there I saw evidence of the "Rock and Roll Lifestyle". While standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel I witnessed Chris Stainton walk full speed right into a plate glass window. It almost knocked him down. He wasn't paying attention because he was reading a copy of Winnie the Pooh as he walked.
There was a huge entourage but everybody got rides until finally everyone had left for the airport except for Joe and your brother. By the time they got downstairs,I was the only car left so they piled Joe's crutches and your brother's conga drum into the trunk of my car and off we went.
Your brother and Joe sat in the back seat and Joe did most of the talking. The only time Joe had been to Alabama before was to record in Muscle Shoals. He was really curious about Alabama liquor laws so that's all we talked about. Stuff like dry counties, no dancing laws, not being able to walk around with a beverage in your hand laws, no open windows in bars laws,no draft beer laws,no Sunday sales laws,no words on your sign like "beer,wine,liquor"laws,etc. Felix was very quiet.I remember he looked exotic with his bell bottom pants and billowing black silk shirt.Seems like I remember him having a little facial hair. Seems like a moustache or a goatee. Cocker had his hair plaited in corn rows. I'd never seen that before.
After we crossed the river, I asked Joe and Felix if they wanted a beer. They were ready so I stopped in a little store and bought a six pack. We all popped a beer and rode around the airport grounds until each of us finished our two beers. When we got to the plane which was parked at Dixie Air, everyone was already on board the plane and they were waiting on us. I'll never forget this gorgeous dark skinned girl with long black hair running off the plane to hug Joe's neck as we got Joe's crutches and your brother's drum out of my trunk.
I've always felt that Joe and your brother had their stash inside Felix's conga drum.
The next time I heard about your brother was in October of the same year when he got busted with Joe in Australia for weed.
The cat you need to talk to is Joe Cocker. Joe & your brother appeared to be best friends and they were working in about the biggest rock & roll show to ever tour the world up to that time.
best,
rr
Jorge
https://www.facebook.com/FelixFlacoFalcon/
Jorge~
I have vivid memories of your brother because I met him the first time I ever met a rock star. For many years I remembered his name as being Felix Flaco. Only with the advent of the Internet did I discover that his name was Felix "Flaco" Falcon.
In the spring of '72, I had a work-study job at the Student Union Building at the University of Alabama. I was 22 years old and was about to graduate with my B.S. degree. I was the maintenance man for the Union so,in my opinion, I had the best job on campus(plus every master key). All the student organizations were located in the Union so I got to know just about everybody. I got to know all the cats in the University Program Council,the organization that promoted concerts,so I got to work security at all the concerts which meant I got in free and was given a free T-shirt. The night before I met your brother, I had worked security for the Joe Cocker concert & had witnessed the whole show from the side of the stage.
Cocker wasn't as animated as he usually was because he had fallen off stage the night before in Jacksonville,Florida. He'd cracked a rib and was wrapped in this huge Ace bandage.
The next day at work somebody in UPC told me to drive my '62 Chevy Impala over to the Stafford Hotel to help shuttle Cocker's band out to the airport which is located across the river from Tuscaloosa in Northport. Right when I got there I saw evidence of the "Rock and Roll Lifestyle". While standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel I witnessed Chris Stainton walk full speed right into a plate glass window. It almost knocked him down. He wasn't paying attention because he was reading a copy of Winnie the Pooh as he walked.
There was a huge entourage but everybody got rides until finally everyone had left for the airport except for Joe and your brother. By the time they got downstairs,I was the only car left so they piled Joe's crutches and your brother's conga drum into the trunk of my car and off we went.
Your brother and Joe sat in the back seat and Joe did most of the talking. The only time Joe had been to Alabama before was to record in Muscle Shoals. He was really curious about Alabama liquor laws so that's all we talked about. Stuff like dry counties, no dancing laws, not being able to walk around with a beverage in your hand laws, no open windows in bars laws,no draft beer laws,no Sunday sales laws,no words on your sign like "beer,wine,liquor"laws,etc. Felix was very quiet.I remember he looked exotic with his bell bottom pants and billowing black silk shirt.Seems like I remember him having a little facial hair. Seems like a moustache or a goatee. Cocker had his hair plaited in corn rows. I'd never seen that before.
After we crossed the river, I asked Joe and Felix if they wanted a beer. They were ready so I stopped in a little store and bought a six pack. We all popped a beer and rode around the airport grounds until each of us finished our two beers. When we got to the plane which was parked at Dixie Air, everyone was already on board the plane and they were waiting on us. I'll never forget this gorgeous dark skinned girl with long black hair running off the plane to hug Joe's neck as we got Joe's crutches and your brother's drum out of my trunk.
I've always felt that Joe and your brother had their stash inside Felix's conga drum.
The next time I heard about your brother was in October of the same year when he got busted with Joe in Australia for weed.
The cat you need to talk to is Joe Cocker. Joe & your brother appeared to be best friends and they were working in about the biggest rock & roll show to ever tour the world up to that time.
best,
rr
Thanks for the info.
Your guess on the stash was probably right.
Your guess on the stash was probably right.
Thanks again. I'll try to reach out to Joe.
https://www.facebook.com/FelixFlacoFalcon/
posted by robertoreg at 3:14 PM
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