Bruce and his button-up black shirt…ever notice

After a meet-up with Victor in Boone, NC, at Appalachian State, for a solo show……I went back to my car to get my tic. I just happened to park behind the Venue and was walking to the front to go in. I just happened to hear a car door slam beside me and…..There was Bruce! He had come out before the show to go to his car and get his “infamous” black shirt! We waved at each other….Some small talk…..And had the opportunity to ask him about his black shirt he was holding in his hand on a hanger. Seems he has several of those……So he says……

Anyway…..Before his second encore……He looked at me and said, “You’ve been quiet tonight.” “What do you want to hear?” I immediately yelled out King of the Hill. He said, “I can do that.” So he did…..

Still havin’ a ball!

David Day
Lake Lanier, GA

How do you know that I didn’t? 😆 There is more to that story!

On the other hand…..There is another “black shirt” story I can tell, but…..It is probably the most embarrishing moment of my life! Have to save that for another time! I just can’t seem to drink that one off my mind! 😆

But…..Still havin’ a ball!

David Day
Lake Lanier, GA

Yeah, I’m sure BH would just love to do that…go shopping, I mean. 😆

Maybe you two could present him with a love offering of B.C.’s finest rocking casual menswear at your next get-together?

Shall we discuss JV’s tees, or Sonny’s do-rags, or JT’s Birks? Why does Derryberry wear that Stax shirt a lot? And what about Bobby R. — ballcap or no; discuss! 🙄

T, XOXO

Between the shimmery shirt and the rattail a decade earlier, not to mention, what was he wearing in the “Sugar Walls” vid, a muscle shirt and some RayBans? A Members Only jacket, a PCH buttondown shirt with the sleeves rolled up?

We’ve all got fashion faux pas in our closets…we ain’t laughin’ atcha Bruce, we’s laughin’ witcha! 😆

T, rocking the mullet with Vans and parachute pants circa ’83 – ’85

I don’t know David, we tend to make friends with EVERYONE around us at those events…so much fun! Just for clarification, this friend of mine is very style conscious, which is great, since I’m terrible for that stuff myself.She’s always correcting my outfit too, so that made her comment even funnier. As for WHY Bruce dresses the way he does, well…let’s just say he’s very pragmatic. Black clothes and jeans are practical, don’t show dirt so much, wash easily, etc. Black shirts and jeans are what ALL my musician friends wear when touring, it’s just that that uniform is usually reserved for “side” men, not “front” men. What’s endearing about all of that is it’s indicative of Bruce’s “less glamour-more quality content” approach to everything he does.

he has always been known for being frugal.

I still smile when I think of the houndstooth slacks he wore at the previous (first?) Potowatomi Casino show – should be required for all such venues.

I’ve been giving this some thought and would like to suggest that the tailors/seamstresses/designers among you fashion some shirts for Bruce. (I have zero fabric arts skills, or I would try my hand at this.)

I think Bruce wore the black shirt for the longest time because he is not a guy to stand in front of the mirror and preen; nor is he one to want to invest time in considering what outfit he should wear on a particular night. He wants to have something that he know–no matter how he is feeling about himself that day–is going to look a certain level of good, and on many days, excellent. The black shirt filled that bill.

In addition, Bruce doesn’t want to be constrained/constricted by clothing. Because of that he wants something that hangs loose, that won’t cling, even under the siege of hot stage lights.

I would guess that the black silk (?) cotton shirt was becoming too “clingy,” and that is why he has migrated toward wearing a loose fitting sweatshirt.

Also, Bruce doesn’t want a collar to get in his way when he bends down toward the keys as he merges with the piano. (It’s possible that the collar of the black shirt had stays that made the collar stand upright, obstructing movement. A banded collared shirt in a flexible, comfortable fabric (a fabric other than that which is used in most banded collar i.e. tuxedo-style shirts would work. Or, perhaps, a half collar (something slightly taller than a banded collar).

So, this is what I’ve got:

Banded or half collar shirt
Soft, wicking fabric that won’t cling, even when “confronted” by “stage light perspiration”
loose fitting
no front pockets
solid color (probably black)
long cut
straight tail
something that will look “dressed up,” but will still coordinate with and/or contrast nicely with his preferred loose-fitting jeans
perhaps, a bit of texture: buttons for front pockets, even though no front pockets exist
one variation of the above with some kind of “texture” (perhaps, epaulets–which could have the added benefit of getting more performances of “Take Out the Trash”)

Please don’t let any perceived glibness of the “TOTT comment” allow you to think that I’m being facetious. Truly, the fashion designers-at-heart among you really should design something with Bruce’s stage performance needs in mind.

Yes, it might be a cry for help , but his music has created for me a debt I will never be able to repay

I think it would be absolutely wonderful if you could do this. In regard to exhibiting the final product, I bet Si would help you out with that; and in regard to his size, I wonder if you might contact his wife via Facebook.

Thank you, though, very much, for considering this. It will be a great thrill for all of us to see Bruce in his MVF Designs shirt.

I really hope (I would be very happy, and much more importantly (!)–I think Bruce would be even happier) if you could make the shirt happen (with or w/o epaulets, though I can see Bruce enjoying the epaulets).
Re: the sweatshop, I know, of course, that you are kidding, but I know that making several shirts would entail a great deal of work for you, so I was thinking that maybe (and here’s my sewing ignorance reappearing, perhaps) you could make a few shirts for you, Bruce, and your loved ones and, then, could make the pattern available to others who wanted to make shirts for themselves/their loved ones, as well.

MVF wrote:

But you guys ARE my loved ones!

BTW, let’s take a poll…….
How many people would like a pattern so they could sew their own shirts? How many people would rather pay for a completed shirt? 😆

I agree with highway_61… I really hope this little venture can work. I mean, how many other artists have fans that are so dedicated that they want to design clothing for them? Face it, there is a fine line between fanaticism and obsession…. and I’m not sure which side of the line this falls. 🙄

Miss Virginia Former

***seven more and counting***

In regard to the line between fanaticism and obsession, I really do think it’s really just gratitude: We are thankful there is music that defies genre, that moves us (often simultaneously) emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

I’ve PM’d Si to see if he can help us find out neck size and sleeve length (I suppose anyone of us could Facebook Kathy, but I believe a query from Si would seem the least intrusive)

In the meantime, thank you for not allowing my post about designing a shirt to just fall by the wayside. If you need some cash for materials if you continue working toward a prototype, please let me know.