SAN ANTONIO – As he reflected on his life on the road, Ben Dorcy said, "I love the road ... the road is my life."
Dorcy, who will turn 90 Monday, still travels often with country music legend Willie Nelson. In addition to Nelson, Dorcy has worked for other entertainment legends including the late Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash.
"I've worked with some pretty nice people," Dorcy said.
Nelson considers Dorcy more than just a roadie.
"He's family," Nelson said. "A good, hard-working man."
That's a sentiment shared by Nelson's youngest daughter, Amy Nelson.
"Ben is the oldest of our tribe," she said. "We respect him and want to preserve his legacy."
To that end, Amy Nelson and her cousin, Trevor Nelson, are producing a documentary on Dorcy's life called "King of the Roadies."
"The man is a legend among legends yet most people have no idea who he is," Amy Nelson said.
Dorcy is not totally comfortable with the term "legend."
"I'm simply a roadie .. somebody who takes care of the equipment and makes sure the show goes on," Dorcy said.
He said that he's finally ready to slow down.
"I've had a good life and I love the road," Dorcy said. "I guess it's as they say, the road is my life."