ALWAYS THERE, Eddie Roundtree (Eddie Loving)

01| BROTHERS IN ARMS

TAKING HER BASEBALL CAPP OFF, she sat down on the chair on her rustic porch. She tested the microphone looking for any feedback. Taking a sip from her glass, she wipes her nervous palms on her trousers.

TATUM ACKERLUND (roadie & guitarist of Daisy Jones and The Six) : Did you manage to interview the others?

INTERVIEWER: Yeah. You two are the only ones left.

TATUM: Oh. So, how would you like me to start?

INTERVIEWER: Start at the beginning.

Thinking back to her teenage years, she knew exactly where to begin.

TATUM: Oh, you know... The Roaring Sixties, as they would like to call it. Hippies, no bras, Jimmi and Janis, and the beach... Well, for me at the time it was more like the river, Johnny Cash and June Carter, cowboy boots, and "Don't pick up hitchhikers!".

Channeling her father's persona transported Tatum back years, to a life on a cattle ranch with her parents and younger brother. Living on the brink of financial strain, every winter became a precarious battle to retain the ranch. Yet, each year, with what her mother fondly referred to as love and hope, they somehow persevered.

The ranch held cherished memories of numerous festive occasions—memorable Christmases and Thanksgivings that had spanned generations. The family tradition of declaring a hunt for hidden Easter eggs on the ranch, only for Tatum and her brother Beau to discover there were none, added a whimsical touch to their rural adventure.

The daily routine demanded resilience. The hour-long drive to school commenced at an early hour, with Tatum rising at four to tend to the cattle alongside her father and their two horses. By 5:30, she prepared for school, and by six, they were on the road.

Despite her deep affection for ranch life, Tatum's constant companion was music. Listening to it throughout the day fueled her daydreams about what could lie beyond the ranch. Yet, she grappled with the reality that leaving the ranch would necessitate her father hiring another ranch hand—an unaffordable luxury.

Her mother's thoughtful gift of an old acoustic guitar marked a turning point in her relationship with her father. As Tatum mastered the instrument, Mr. Ackerlund sensed the inevitable shift. Once her hands found solace in the strings, there was no prying the guitar away from her.

The journey into the realm of music led her to consider taking guitar lessons after school. Graham Dunne, who played the guitar, caught her attention, unaware that he had secretly admired her for quite some time.

Warren entered Tatum's life through an unconventional friendship forged in detention, where Tatum had been placed. In a mix-up, Warren unintentionally entered the ladies' room, met Tatum's wide-eyed gaze, and seized an opportunity. The two escaped outside to join Pete, Billy, and the blushing Graham in a waiting car, setting in motion a chain of events fueled by friendship, music, and unspoken affections.

TATUM: You know what Warren said to me in the bathroom that day?
"Wanna skip and get high?" ( imitating Warren ). We helped everyone through the windows and made a run for it. I didn't know why I said yes. I had never smoked before! I didn't even know the guy that well. Here I was with some dude in my class climbing through the window with my schoolbag in hand.

So we get to the car... The car is full. They had clearly been waiting for him. There's Graham whom I knew from class, and his older brother Billy... I didn't know what to make of him at the time. Pete, of course... And so I turn to Warren and I say...