GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Mention the Midnight Cowboy and you immediately get the attention of most Gridleyans. A local legend, many remember the Midnight Cowboy for his impromptu harmonica concerts. Midnight didn’t have to look far for an audience for his music, people were drawn to him. A big man and even bigger personality, the Midnight Cowboy always dressed the part, clad in chaps and cowboy hat, complete with harmonica holsters and hay-hooks. He was a music man and a one-of-a-kind entertainer.

A self-taught musician, Andy Rodger, known best as the Midnight Cowboy, played the harmonica, or “harps” as he called them, the guitar and sang. His passion was performing. Unbeknownst to many in this area, the Midnight Cowboy's music was known on an international level. He performed alongside famous musicians such as Box Car Willy and appeared on the Gong Show. Despite his popularity in blues circles and harmonica-centric music, it is extremely difficult to find authentic tracks that have not been manipulated.

Unfortunately, the world lost the Midnight Cowboy in 2004.

In an effort to preserve his legacy and to educate both Gridley and the world on who the man behind the harmonica really was, Georgie Waddell, or “Snowflake” as Midnight affectionately called her, is compiling his non-linear biography. In fact, she has made it her mission in life.

Their meeting in 1989 sparked a lifelong romance and Georgie, aka “Snowflake” took on multiple roles in the Midnight Cowboy’s life. Midnight may be gone from this world now, but it is clear from speaking to Snowflake that her intense love and appreciation for Midnight will never die. She states that “Although I was in a relationship with him, when it came to public appearances he’d introduce me as his manager.” The duo toured the United States together; the Midnight Cowboy entertaining for profit and sometimes performing without pay. “He did it for the love of music,” Snowflake says. Ultimately, Snowflake became his producer, record company and publisher, putting him in the studio twice to preserve his music and recording his many stories.

Snowflake recounts that shortly after they met, Midnight told her, “You’s gonna tell my story," and foresaw her writing a book about his life. Early on she began documenting their shared experiences, moments from his childhood, hardships he endured, shenanigans he got into with other performers and more. “Midnight gave me his life stories so I would write his, so others would know who he really was – a hard-working man throughout his life, bridged with music.” She intends to honor his wishes and publish his life story, as unfiltered and authentic as the man himself.

Compiling the Midnight Cowboy’s biography has presented many challenges for Snowflake. She currently has over twenty-two hours of audio taped interviews, journals, stacks of photo albums and fifteen years’ worth of videotapes documenting their travels, stages Midnight performed on and the people he performed with. Deciding which of the hundreds of stories to share, formatting the books and images but most of all, reliving cherished memories of her lost love have made it a 15 year process.

She has encountered many who have tried to steal her work, claim false relationship to Midnight and pirate the few tracks of his songs in circulation, adding them to their music and claiming ownership. It has made her fiercely protective of his documents. She feels in doing so that she is guarding his legacy and making sure that he gets the credit for his art. “It has to be done in the right way....” she says.

Nevertheless, she plans to release the biography entitled “Hats Off to Midnight” in late 2020. She also intends to release CDs of his studio recordings so that new generations can experience the true essence of his music. “I love him so much that I have to share him with the world,” says Snowflake. It’s clear she wants the world to know what she knew–that he was an absolute treasure.