So, for the sake of MTABob, who apparently visits this site without coming out of the woodwork, here's the response I was trying to post tonight over at the Crossroads site:
I'm writing a book about my life as a professional entertainer, and I haven't yet resolved whether to address this topic (i.e. use of marijuana) in the book or not. Without having been part of the group and the culture at that time it may be hard to comprehend the concept that life on the road with the KT was pretty much a constant party. Bob Shane brags about the night he out-partied the Ramones, a group well-known for debauchery. There's a lot I'm just reluctant to discuss about that aspect of the "behind the scenes" life on the road, simply because I don't want to intrude on the privacy of anyone still living and breathing. I will say that those days are part of our past, as we've grown a little more health-conscious in our golden years. But to deny that we did it would be a lie, and I'm sure Bob Shane would be more forthcoming than I about this if he were asked. Sadly, the party caught up with Roger. His premature departure from the planet was the direct result of his overindulgence and maybe we all should have learned a lesson from that. (I'm not referring to "pan" either. Cocaine led to Roger's demise.)
As for being "required" to be high, I again defer to the context of the lifestyle at that time. Think locker room - it was a joke - guys snapping towels at each other. The point was, Bob wanted the group to be on the same page when we hit the stage. As you can imagine, performing basically the same show night after night would be somewhat tedious without the injection of spontaneity. Being slightly elevated freed us of some inhibitions and added to the relaxed and jovial demeanor that we presented as group. And I'm pretty sure that we always had at least as much fun as the audience, if not more. I don't think there was any harm in that - we always put on a good show.
On a final note - I'm fascinated that I have "lurkers" on my website. MTABob - come out of the closet and post something on my message board. I welcome discussions like this there too!