A Toast To “Bubba Wayne” McManners
• We’ve lost another legend — longtime Texas-born promotion icon “Bubba Wayne” McManners sadly passed away on Monday, March 9 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. It was just last month when we published the GoFundMe link that successfully allowed Bubba Wayne to move from a rehab facility back into the comfort of his home.
Bubba Wayne (center, bookended by his two best friends, Ronnie Raphael, left, and Bob “Bubba Oz” Osborn, right) enjoyed a colorful 40+ year music career, the majority of which was spent with MCA Records in Houston, Los Angeles, and Dallas, along with stints with Infinity Records, Island/Def Jam, and CO5.
“Bubba Wayne was the funniest guy and best storyteller I have ever known,” Raphael tells RAMP. “We were both working for Infinity Records when Rupert Holmes had a No. 1 hit with ‘Escape (the Pina Colada Song).’ Rupert had a headline show in Houston that we both attended. Unfortunately, the support act, a comedian, was a no-show. It was too early for Rupert to go on, so Bubba Wayne hit the stage, unknown and unprepared. He proceeded to perform 20 minutes of comedy, schtick, and magic tricks. He killed it, and I was there to see it all happen!”
OK, just one more classic Bubba Wayne story…. The year was 1976. As the Texas promotion man for MCA Records, it was his responsibility to help promote The Who’s new album, The Who By Numbers, and the single, “Squeeze Box.” Bubba Wayne went all out, setting up a huge party for the band in Houston, invited radio programmers from across the country and flew in writers from Rolling Stone, Billboard and Record World to cover the event. Key words here: “Open bar.”
Cut to: a seriously drunken Keith Moon, an ensuing melee with Houston police, and McManners having to bail Moon and bassist John Entwistle out of jail in time for that evening’s concert. “I was certain I was going to get fired,” McManners said, “but instead the company promoted me to West Coast promotions manager.” Read the full story HERE.
Wayne McManners is survived by his wife, Joanne, and their daughter, Bonnie. Condolences are rapidly filling up Bubba Wayne’s Facebook page. [Special thanks to Ronnie Raphael and all those who helped make Bubba Wayne’s last days brighter & happier]
