2022 INDUCTED DRIVERS

Louis James “Jim” Boatman

1934 – Present

Driver, 1960 – 2008, millions of miles

Louis James “Jim” Boatman was born in 1934 and raised in Coweta, OK. After high school Jim served in the US Marine Corps Band from 1953 – 1957.  From 1958 to 1966, Jim sang with gospel groups Melody Boys Quartet of Little Rock, AR, The Prophets Quartet of Knoxville, TN, and the Sunshine Boys Quartet of Nevada. Jim was then a gospel music program host at television station WCYB in Bristol, VA.  In 1970 Jim rejoined The Prophets Quartet before moving to Nashville.  Jim is unable to estimate the number of miles he drove over the years, but believes he drove over a million miles alone while he drove for The Prophets Quartet.  During that time, they had a 1948 or 49 Aerocoach bus that they took the seats out of and welded Army cots to the floor.  In those years there wasn’t a designated bus driver, Jim and one other group member would take turns driving.  Eventually the Aerocoach bus was sold to the Goss Brothers gospel group of Cartersville, GA and The Prophets bought a used Trailways 4271 bus.  When Jim moved to Nashville he drove for Executive Coach before opening the bus leasing business Show Bus, and later Music City Coach.  Show Bus operated from 1978-1982.  The first bus was a Silver Eagle brought from New Jersey.  In addition to leasing buses, Jim built buses for Larry Gatlin, Dottie West, Billy “Crash” Craddock, and many others.  While Jim’s buses were leased to Willie Nelson, buses owned by Waylon and others would be parked and maintained at Show Bus.  Eventually larger modern businesses cause Show Bus to fail so Jim sold his business for one dollar to his bookkeeper.  Jim began driving for Nitetrain Coach in 1990 and remained there until he retired in 2008.  Jim has driven for Dottie West, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wet Willie, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, Marie Osmond, Waylon Jennings, James Taylor, Blues Traveler, Weezer, and far too many others to remember.  As of this writing, Jim is alive and well and residing in Lebanon, TN

James G. “Hoot” Borden

July 27, 1936 – May 2, 2010, age 73

Driver, 1969 – 2010, 52 years, over 5 million miles

James G. “Hoot” Borden was born July 27, 1936 and raised in the Altus, OK area.  His father was a fan of cowboy actor “Hoot” Gibson (1892-1962), started calling him that at a young age and it caught on.  By the age of 15 Hoot was a professional musician, playing drums and steel guitar.  He served in the US Army during the Korean War.  

In his early years, Hoot was playing music and touring with Gary Van & the Western Caravan, an opening act for Ernest Tubb.  When Tubb’s driver, James Price had to leave the group, he recommended Hoot for the job.  Hoot therefore became a member of Ernest Tubb & the Texas Troubadours and remained there for 25 or 30 years doing every job from musician to driver to tour manager.  Also during this time, Hoot became a Sumner County, TN Sheriff’s Deputy.

When Ernest Tubb passed away in 1984, Hoot worked with entertainer bus companies Stagecoach VIP, Music City Coach, Florida Custom Coach, Senators Coach, and Nitetrain Coach.  Hoot has worked with hundreds if not thousands of artists, some of which were Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Christina Aguilera, Patty Labelle, Firehouse, Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, Bobby Brown, New Edition, and Anne Murray.  Hoot was in Nashville washing his bus, getting ready to depart on tour when he unexpectedly passed away on May 2, 2010.

Jerry B. Fitzpatrick

1957 – Present

Driver, 1984 – Present

Jerry B. Fitzpatrick was born in 1957 and raised in Benton, AR.  After high school he served in the US Marines.  In 1983, Jerry purchased a Kenworth truck and toured with country artist Barbara Mandrell until a 1984 automobile crash paused her career.  Jerry was offered driving job with Gristmill Coach in 1984, and since then has driven for Florida Coach, Florida Custom Coach, Four Seasons Coach, Senators Coach, and is currently in his 19th year with the Dave Matthews Band.  Jerry has driven for Milli Vanilli, Grateful Dead, Eddie Murphy, Queensryche, R.E.M, Van Halen, and many others.  As of this writing Jerry is alive and well and residing in Benton, AR. 

Russell M. Fleming

Apr 3, 1943 – Sep 3, 2011, age 68

Driver, 1983 – xxx, unknown miles

Russell M. Fleming was born on Apr 3, 1943 and raised in Lindale, TX.  After high school he drove for many trucking companies, and in 1983 Russell started driving for Roadhouse Coach.  During his career he drove for Reba McEntire, Chris LeDoux, Pat Green, and many others.  Russell was residing in Fort Worth, TX and an active driver when he passed away on Sep 3, 2011.

Charlie George Franklin

Aug 25, 1930 – Jun 11, 2010, age 79

Driver, 1978 – 2000’s, unknown miles

Charlie George Franklin was born Aug 25, 1930 and was raised in Tallahassee, FL.  After high school he became a pastor and started multiple churches throughout his life.  In the 1950’s Charlie began driving semi trucks for the Oral Roberts Crusades and would set up the tent revivals.  In the 1978 Charlie was hired to be the first full-time Senators Coaches driver, where he remained until he purchased a bus and became an independent driver.  Charlie drove for the Rolling Stones, Bryan Adams, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Loverboy, KISS, Judas Priest, Jimmy Buffett, the Outlaws, Crystal Gale, Sister Sledge, Janet Jackson, Yanni, and many others.  He was on the first Journey tour and drove every tour with them through the 1980’s and 1990’s.  Charlie became Steve Perry’s personal driver for the last year Steve left the band, and with only 2 of them on the bus they would go to campgrounds every night instead of hotels.  Charlie retired in the early 2000’s in Collierville, TN and passed away on Jun 11, 2010.

Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia

Oct 18, 1951 – Oct 1, 2023 (age 71)

Driver, 1975 – 2023, unknown miles

Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia was born on October 18, 1951 and raised in San Marcos, TX. From 1968 to 1973, Lupe would spend his summers working at a 10,000-acre ranch in Colorado. He became proficient as a ranch hand, riding horses and showing Charolais bulls. From 1973 to

1975, Lupe drove a truck for a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Texas. In 1975 when he was 24 years old, Lupe and his friends were hanging out at a gas station in San Marcos when a tour bus arrived with mechanical issues. The following day when the bus was repaired, the driver was nowhere to be found and believed to have quit. The tour manager wanted to urgently get to El Paso, so Lupe and his friends were asked if they knew anyone that could drive the bus. Lupe’s father had an old dump truck that he had learned to double-clutch, so he offered to drive the tour bus. Lupe drove them for 2 or 3 weeks before he finally found out that he was driving for the band Steppenwolf. Afterwards he drove for Asleep at the Wheel, Patty Loveless, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, James Taylor, Diana Ross, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Van Shelton, and many others. For the last 30 years of his career, Lupe was the

lead driver for the Dave Matthews Band. Lupe passed away in Lebanon, TN on Oct 1, 2023.

James Ledford Herron

Apr 4, 1942 – Dec 6, 2009, age 67

Driver, 1975 – 2008, over 2 million miles

James “Ledford” Herron was born April 4th , 1942 and raised in Jasper, Alabama.

He was a dairy farmer and HVAC installer before becoming a tour bus driver in 1975. At a

Hemphill Family concert in Alabama, Joel Hemphill hired Ledford to drive the family gospel

group. This was the first professional driving job that Ledford had.

He later drove for Ernest Tubb, Larry Gatlin, Dolly Parton, Eddie Rabbit, The Commodores,

Duran Duran, Porter Wagoner, and spent the last 23 years of his career driving for Kenny

Rogers. Leasing companies that he drove for included Hemphill Brothers Coach Company and

Nitetrain.

It is commonly believed that country music singer, Eddie Rabbit was sitting in the jump seat of a

tour bus watching Ledford drive when he got the inspiration for the #1 hit song, “Drivin’ My

Life Away” in 1980.

Ledford’s family said, “He had a special talent for being able to walk into a casino and pick

which machine was going to “hit” next.”

Ledford retired in 2008 in Blue Water, Alabama and passed away on December 6, 2009.

Doyle F. Hendricks

“Doyle Holly”

Jun 30, 1936 – Jan 13, 2007, age 70

Driver, 1988 – 2004, unknown miles

Doyle F. Hendricks (stage name “Doyle Holly”) was born on Jun 30, 1936 and raised in Perkins, OK.  His brothers taught him to play guitar and they would perform at rodeos and other regional events.  Doyle was 13 years old at his first public appearance.  He served in the US Army from 1954 – 1957, including a tour in Korea.  In his early years he worked with his father and brothers as an oilfield worker in OK, KS and then CA.  

Doyle also played music, working for Jack Lord, Jimmy Wakely, Joe & Rose Maphis, and Johnny Burnette.  In 1963 Merle Haggard departed as bass player for Buck Owens, and Doyle instantly became a Buckaroo.  Being quite talented, he was often the opening act for Buck Owens.  Doyle received several nominations and won Bass Player of the Year in 1970 from the Academy of Country Music.  He worked for Buck until 1971, then ventured out on his own.  He formed the band Vanishing Breed, and later The Doyle Holly Show which continued until 1988.  During this time he signed to Barnaby Records and charted 7 singles and received one ASCAP award.  In 1982 Doyle also opened a musical instrument shop in Hendersonville, TN called Doyle Holly Music.

In 1988 Doyle began driving entertainer buses, working for Nitetrain Coach and Roadhouse Coach.  He drove for many artists that were close friends, as well as Ringo Star, Shania Twain, Waylon Jennings, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nine Inch Nails, Elton John, Billy Joel, and many others.  Doyle was a chess master; during his travels he would often be challenged but never beaten.  He retired from driving in 2004 in Hendersonville, TN and passed away on Jan 13, 2007.

Kenneth Gerald “Bassman” Howell

Jan 17, 1931 – Dec 3, 2014, age 83

Builder, 1950’s – 1970’s, over 30 buses

Driver, 1978 – 2002, over 3 million miles

Kenneth Gerald “Bassman” Howell was born Jan 17, 1931 and raised in Mize, MS.  In the 1950’s, Bassman formed gospel group, the Tall Men Quartet and was the bass singer, which is how he obtained his nickname.

In 1954, two members of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet were killed in a plane crash, which led to J.D. Sumner being hired as bass singer.  As told by Bassman’s brother, Jack Howell, J.D Sumner had seen a black basketball team traveling by bus with seats in it and brought the idea of traveling by bus to James Blackwood.  Around 1956, J.D. built the first customized tour bus for the Blackwood Brothers.  When a replica of this bus was to be obtained for the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame located at Dollywood, Jack Howell helped find it “in the weeds.”  The replica bus was originally owned by a group called The Millionaires.

Only one year later, around 1957 Bassman built a bus for the Tall Men Quartet.  It was possibly a late 1930’s Fleetwood model 3751.  This bus was purchased from a chicken farmer, it had racks built inside for delivering eggs.  Bassman began working with J.D. Sumner and James Blackwood to build buses for other groups, to include the Happy Goodmans.  In all, it is believed Bassman built over 30 buses in the 1960’s and 1970’s in Mississippi and Nashville.  

Around 1978, Bassman began employment for Roadhouse Coach.  He drove many years for the band Styx, they financed a bus for him which he named Paradise.  The band also made sure he never missed his wedding anniversary; they would fly his wife Tommie Jean to wherever he was and send them on a date.  Bassman also drove for Don Williams, Lionel Richie, The Police, Juice Newton, Robin Trower, Survivor, The Commodores, ZZ Top, The Judds, Bryan Adams, Melissa Manchester, Pure Prairie League, Diamond Rio, REO Speedwagon, and many others.  Bassman retired in 2002 in Nashville, TN and passed away on Dec 3, 2014.