Audio from the Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett gala tribute at Frontiers of Flight Museum

"The people of Southwest Airlines have always done well for themselves by doing well for others."

by John P. Meyer

Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett were feted in grand style Friday night (May 30), and over the course of the evening several notable personages took the podium to say a few words. (Often more than a few, actually.)

These audio clips are admittedly rough, but I'm posting them anyway because as far as I know no other media outlet recorded the talks. Plus, these folks had some pretty interesting and amusing things to say.

By way of explanation, I approached the evening's proceedings (see original story, here) thinking I'd be sitting across the table from Herb and Colleen to do an interview, but - best-laid plans - that opportunity didn't pan out. So I recorded this guerrilla audio as an accompaniment to my photo shoot during the tribute presentations, most if it while standing (or squatting) in close proximity to the stage, cradling a digital voice recorder under the camera with which I was snapping pictures.

There's considerable ambient noise (shutter clicks, airplanes going over); plus, it's boomy. If it sounds like this is taking place inside an airplane hangar, that's because it actually is.

Here are notes regarding the content of the clips:

1. Mayor Leppert tells the infamous arm wrestling story.

2. Jan Collmer says: "We ... thank Herb for supporting the aviation industry, the tobacco industry and the alcohol industry," then goes on to introduce Kay Bailey Hutchison as "the most famous female in Texas." This segment contains Senator Hutchison's remarks.

3. Governor Perry waxes poetic in regard to a T-38 jet on display just offstage: "that is the reason I got her" - referring his wife. He goes on to reveal that he might have gone to work for Southwest back in the 70's as opposed to going into politics, but an epic rainfall back on the farm changed his mind (and the course of his career). Perry says of Herb: "We know you're not from Texas, but you got a Texas girl. And that was your best day's work, son." He comments, sotto voce, to his wife: "We just missed the last Southwest flight back to Austin." He ends by going into full-on evangelist mode, talking about the good works of the museum and Herb and Colleen's marvelously successful business leadership: "God bless Southwest Airlines."

4. Southwest CEO and soon-to-be president Gary Kelly gives us his top ten reasons why Herb will never be forgotten.

5. Herb takes the mic and tells the band: "You don't know how lucky you guys are" (that Gary didn't choose to play his guitar that evening). He remembers asking Gary: "What are the emoluments of being an 'emeritus?'" He says: "Governor Perry, I think you did make a big mistake by going into politics." He explains why he never went back to the Cooper Clinic after his visit there in 1982. He tells us how the people of Southwest Airlines are like his favorite photo, which shows his four kids splashing around in the bathtub. He talks about the joys of job security in a job-insecure industry, and finishes by saying: "The only continent that doesn't have a Southwest imitator is Antarctica."

Sadly, my recorder ran out of battery power before Herb said: "The people of Southwest Airlines have always done well for themselves by doing well for others." Furthermore, I was unable to record Colleen's words to the assembly, which were every bit as moving and amusing as those of the other participants.

It should be noted that this fundraising event - between paid attendance and supplemental donations and sponsorships - netted the Frontiers of Flight Museum upwards of $800,000. And that's a lot of love, folks.