MANILA, Philippines - If I was to push through with my planned coffee-table book about my concert memoirs, John Ford Coley stories will definitely fill up at least two to three chapters. I’m filthy rich with stories and anecdotes about John Ford whom I’ve toured with since 2005.
All those times we have shared wonderful experiences about concerts, music, food, travel around Asia, most especially the Philippines, shopping, standing ovations, disappointments and even life-threatening situations like the 2005 Valentine’s Day bombing in Makati where we were having dinner just a few meters away from the blast and a pineapple choking episode at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. We have actually grown so close. He is practically family. Four years ago, I even made him godfather to my daughter Russel.
2007 was the year that John Ford started selling out his concerts in Davao, Cebu, Tacloban, Manila and other key Philippine cities. In 2008 when his Timeless CD got released, the concert sell-out trend extended beyond the Philippines to Hong Kong, Singapore and various cities in Malaysia including Kuala Lumpur. Valentine season 2013 was no different. His concerts were sold out way ahead of time. The 2013 Valentine tour took him to several cities in Mindanao, plus one in Manila and was riddled with rich experiences, fun and discovery. It was a very hectic Mindanao schedule that involved flying on one or two flights daily, long road trips and endless rehearsals bereft of much-needed sleep. In Cagayan de Oro, he shared the stage with David Pomeranz to the utter delight of the audience. In Davao, people braved the floods and downpour to watch him perform.
In Butuan, he locked his turon saging in his guitar case for fear that it would disappear backstage while he performed. Also in Butuan, a bachelor proposed marriage to his girlfriend while John Ford sang Longer. Everyone in the audience was quite eagerly watching the proposal with tears in their eyes. Roaring laughter broke the silence when the audience shouted “Kiss, kiss†which was meant for the bachelor to kiss his girlfriend after slipping the engagement ring but it was John Ford who kissed the girl, thinking the crowd was coaxing him to do so.
While in Manila, John Ford was interviewed by Boy Abunda in Bandila and was delighted to sing excerpts from most of his hits in the news program. TV host Karen Davila loves his hit Love Is The Answer and did a one-on-one interview in Karen’s show on ANC. John Ford also visited the wake of TV personality Mommy Elvie (mother of Ariel of Ariel & Maverick) and met for the first time Sen. Tito Sotto. He toured and recorded with Sen. Tito’s youngest Ciara a few years back. He knows Joey de Leon since they’re both godfathers to my daughter. While in Manila, John Ford stayed at the world-renowned Edsa Shangri-La Hotel where he feasted daily on lugaw for breakfast and fresh mangoes for dessert. It was also at Edsa Shangri-La that he saw and met Paramore, Psy and Jessica Sanchez, all brought by another good friend Renen de Guia of Ovation. I met John Ford through veteran promoter Renen in 2005. On the weekend prior to his return to Nashville, John Ford visited the “filled-to-the-brim†Bistro RJ and jammed with Ramon RJ Jacinto. He recorded two songs on RJ’s Duets album which is currently selling well. He had lunch next day with Per Sorensen a.k.a. Fra Lippo Lippi and reminisced about the Baguio concert where they shared the stage in 2011. Per is on vacation in the Philippines with brother Jan and plans to do a concert tour of the Philippines next year.
After lunch, John Ford proceeded to his favorite city Tagaytay where he ate lots of buko pie, took lots of pictures of Taal Volcano and visited his friends at the Casino Filipino Tagaytay where he has performed in the past. On his last night in Manila, he was given a despedida party by good friend Lenny de Jesus (a.k.a. Dragon Lady) and Russell Sobrepeña where the main course was turon saging as usual. Before taking him to the airport the next day, I bought three dozens of turon saging for John Ford to nibble on his long flight back to Nashville. He will be back soon. He actually dreams of performing in Boracay. Hopefully, we’ll find a venue or hotel owner who will make his Boracay dreams come true.