hilltop87
Wholenote
My Strat is my friend
Posts: 885
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Post by hilltop87 on Feb 6, 2020 12:35:28 GMT -5
The Paul McCartney love child thread got me to thinking. Who here has ever met a famous musician?
I met Pete Townshend about 15 years ago. It was at Logan Airport in Boston. I was standing next to my bags while the Mrs. got the rental car.
I glanced to my left and standing 5 feet from me was Pete Townshend. I said "how are you doing?" he replied "well thank you". I left it at that as my
wife came back (she had no clue who he was) and we headed towards the rental lot.
Looking back on it I am glad it happened the way it did. Just a basic, everyday human interaction.
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Post by gato on Feb 6, 2020 12:39:57 GMT -5
I've posted here before about being assisted by the actual Elvis on a call when I worked West Hollywood patrol.
Does making a traffic stop on Dennis Wilson from the Beach Boys count?
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Feb 6, 2020 12:41:27 GMT -5
Not massively famous, but played a gig with Huey Lewis on the Detroit River, spent some casual time chatting before and between shows. Also spent some quality time with Mick Ronson in and out of the studio late 80's. Both pleasant experiences. Huey and his gang cracked us up during soundcheck. They came piling into the back of the room, lined up, put on sunglasses and folded their arms in a faux judgemental manner.
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Buster
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Posts: 213
Formerly Known As: Buster Strings
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Post by Buster on Feb 6, 2020 12:58:08 GMT -5
I've met several in passing, but back in the 90s I had about a 30-minute chat with Phil Everly when he was in Muhlenberg County, Ky. He and Don, along with John Prine and others, did an annual homecoming concert there on Labor day weekends.
The community was rededicating a monument to Muhlenberg County native Merle Travis at a small cemetery in Ebenezer. The crowd has gathered around the monument and I noticed Phil wandering alone around the rear of the cemetery looking at grave markers. I casually walked back to where he was and introduced myself. We talked music and Albert Lee, who had recently toured with them, for about 30 minutes before others recognized him and flooded the area. He seemed like a real down to earth guy. I also spent a couple of hours on different occasions with Tom T. Hall when I worked in Nashville. Super guy.
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Post by archiestone on Feb 6, 2020 13:05:03 GMT -5
I was at one of those multi-act radio station concerts watching Tom Jones sign autographs. There was a cute little guy standing next to me with a 60s Beatles haircut dressed like a mod also watching. I didn't know who he was... until a little later when Oasis took the stage. It was Noel Gallagher.
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argo
Wholenote
Posts: 398
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Post by argo on Feb 6, 2020 13:51:42 GMT -5
Back stage at an Auto show I was playing at in the 70s, I met Ricky Nelson and gave him a guitar pick. He was about to go on stage and didn't have a pick. BTW He didn't like thin picks.
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Post by rickyguitar on Feb 6, 2020 14:02:30 GMT -5
Rode freight elevator with banjo player from dirt band, dont recall his name. Nice enough guy. Met the producer of Buckingham Nick's, dont recall his name. Total jerk, I mean TOTAL JERK. I know Jeff Clayton of Antiseen notoriety, nice enough guy. Session drummer Michael Baird and some session bass player from LA, Buckingam Nick's and a bunch if other big deals. Both nice guys. Baird played a Gretch maple set and was way loud all by himself. Wow loud.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Feb 6, 2020 14:17:12 GMT -5
Another blues cult figure I've met on a number of occasions was Lazy Lester. He used to pop in to a brew pub in Pontiac Michigan with a beat up old station wagon and use empty milk cartons as growlers for the tap offerings. He'd occasionally play there as well with pick up bands.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Feb 6, 2020 14:17:54 GMT -5
I had some time to kill between flight early one morning at St. Louis airport. There was this guy in a suit with a guitar case having a coffee at the bar. It was Chuck Berry. We had a nice chat; total gentleman. He was on his way to CA to play a few shows.
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Post by Pinetree on Feb 6, 2020 14:25:50 GMT -5
I once bitched out Pat Travers.
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Post by Mfitz804 on Feb 6, 2020 14:31:48 GMT -5
I once let Ace Frehley try my ‘78 Strat when my band opened for his pre-reunion solo show at a local club. He said it was nice but he’s sticking to Les Pauls.
Years later, ran into Ace again at a broadway show. He sat next to my wife and I made her change seats at intermission. Ace was the reason I started playing guitar. But I spared him that drivel and instead discussed the show with him.
Same band once had our rehearsal space invaded by Staten Island’s own Wu Tang Clan. They rented the space next to ours for a video shoot and just walked into our room while we were rehearsing, and took the mic and started rapping over our music. There was some film shot and we asked for a copy, but of course never got it.
I would later wait on various Wu Tang members while working in the local Foot Locker, including one time where Method Man came in and bought a hat and sneakers that he wore that night on the MTV Awards.
A lot of you guys probably don’t consider rappers musicians, or have never heard of Wu Tang, but they’re big here.
I never realized that of very few famous musician encounters, both of them involved randomly meeting a second time.
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Post by digiboy on Feb 6, 2020 14:32:07 GMT -5
Late in his career, I went to see Paul Butterfield play at a small club in Woodstock, NY. I got there early so while waiting for the band to start, I sat at the bar. The guy sitting next to me starts the normal chit-chat about the weather, growing older, etc., etc., Probably about 5-10 minutes into the small talk, I suddenly realize I'm talking to Paul Butterfield! I was pretty much tongue tied after that point. (Sadly, his band was not very good. It was not a good time for him.)
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Post by RufusTeleStrat on Feb 6, 2020 14:46:33 GMT -5
Back in the late 70s and early 80s I had a friend who had connections to the local promoters and I became her go to escort to the shows. Single girls with backstage passes seemed at the time to be considered a gift for the band. So if you were a big name act most likely I was there including the Born to Run tour (Clarence was as nice as the day is long) and Huey Lewis and the News. At the time he was as cool as Springsteen. Saw some great acts, and realized two important things: Fame does not change you, other than to amplify any imperfections, and that some are really nice and gracious and some are total dirtbags. Just like real life.
R
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Post by Ragtop on Feb 6, 2020 14:54:43 GMT -5
I'm a long-time fan of Jackson Browne, and once got to chat with him backstage for about 15 minutes before his show in Omaha. Couldn't have been nicer. This was in 2000, and he was interested to learn that I had seen him in the same place back in '71 (my first concert). He didn't remember playing there. And I mentioned that I saw him in the big arena next door a few years later during his big "Road & the Sky" tour. To that he said he didn't remember, but hinted that he didn't remember much of that tour due to substance abuse, which he now regrets. I looked at my watch and said, "Hey, you're on in 3 minutes!" So he had to take off, but he told me to stop back after the show because he would have something for me. That turned out to be a 8x10" tour photograph autographed to my wife and me. Very nice, it hangs on my office wall now. It's cool when people you admire turn out to be decent human beings.
I also spent a couple of hours providing security for Davy Jones of the Monkees and his family. Little tiny dude, very nice man, and his wife was very pleasant. She had the biggest diamond I've ever seen outside of the Crown Jewels on her finger. He gave me an autographed copy of his biography, which is a good read.
Spent some time talking to Garth Brooks just before he became a superstar. Great guy, likes cops. I didn't get to talk to his opening act, but she gave me a big smile. Some girl named Faith Hill, just before she went supernova. Gorgeous.
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Post by bluzcat on Feb 6, 2020 14:57:48 GMT -5
About two weeks ago had the chance to meet Jake Shimabukuro (uke player) after a show. He came out front immediately afterwards and met with whomever lined up and signed whatever you had with you, photos etc. Very gracious guy, and almost above and beyond what most would do.
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Post by rickyguitar on Feb 6, 2020 14:59:45 GMT -5
Oh, and Sarah Watkins, Nickel Creek. She was very nice, very gracious.
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Davywhizz
Wholenote
"Still Alive and Well"
Posts: 443
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Post by Davywhizz on Feb 6, 2020 15:00:02 GMT -5
Two stories, both complete flukes. I was once involved in setting up a new drugs charity and Pete Townshend donated the money for the legal fees to form the charity and associated company. I answered the phone to him once. Also, after a Weather Report gig in 1976, I walked round the corner of the hall after leaving, with two friends, and met Jaco Pastorius, who was standing by the tour bus. It was usually quiet at that side of the building and WR weren't huge at the time, so we had quite a chat for a few minutes and all shook his hand. He was very quiet and unassuming.
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swampyankee
Wholenote
Fakin' it 'til I'm makin' it since 1956
Posts: 713
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Post by swampyankee on Feb 6, 2020 15:29:00 GMT -5
Nobody very interesting for me, but my friend (probably delivering drugs to someone) once met Johnny Rotten in an elevator in Boston. He didn't know who he was and the guy asked if he liked the Sex Pistols, and my friend said something like that music is trash! The guy pulled out two tickets and said "Why don't you come to our show and see for yourself" He still didn't recognize him until he told the story to his friend and they told him it was JR himself.
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Post by jazzguy on Feb 6, 2020 15:45:03 GMT -5
many jazz musicians through the years [these are legends but you can actually talk to them on breaks, unlike rock stars] but I guess Linda Ronstadt which I posted in another thread, [she was touring w/Emmylou Harris who I wanted to meet] Emmy's guitar tech was buying an old guitar from me and invited me to the theater before the show I feel sorry for her condition but back then shall we say was Miss Ronstadt was a diva, to say the least...
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argo
Wholenote
Posts: 398
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Post by argo on Feb 6, 2020 15:45:25 GMT -5
I almost Forgot, Freddy Boom Boom Cannon. Also back in the 70s auto show hey day. All he traveled with was a garment bag, and show up to the show, we backed him up several times in various states. I have some pix somewhere.
Adding: He probably doesn't count because all He did was sing (sorta)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2020 15:47:07 GMT -5
I met Johnny Marr one day walking down the street. I was headed for coffee at lunch time near a hotel used by a lot of touring acts and he was here on tour for the Playland album.
I noticed him and said, "Hey! You're Johnny Marr!"
He replied, "I am, yeah."
I told him I was going to see him that night. We spoke for a few minutes and I was able to thank him for being such a great influence. Total gentleman, really great to talk with, and a really nice guy. I never dreamed I'd actually get to meet him.
The crazy thing is being in the right place and right time was a sequence of visiting my daughter at lunch, not running for a train back to work and missing it, waiting for the next one instead of walking in the bad weather, and stopping to chat with a panhandler for a minute a block from the coffee shop - all of that led me to be in that spot during his brief walk from the hotel to the tour bus. Luck or fate - either way it was amazing. And I never run for trains anymore.
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Post by NoSoapRadio on Feb 6, 2020 15:53:15 GMT -5
Depends on what you mean by "met" and "famous".
There's a popular local venue where Buddy Guy plays regularly. He's pretty accessible so we've been able to shake hands and say Hi a couple times. We've met Jimmie Vaughan and Johnny Lang the same way.
We had first row orchestra seats to see Keef and the X-pensive winos -- the two seats next to us were empty. Just after the show started, Kevin Martin from Candlebox came by and asked if the seats were taken. He introduced himself and watched the show with us.
We saw Ronnie Earl in a small room in a hotel in Harvard Square. There was a bachelorette party going on at the same and it was a disaster. Ronnie was standing against a wall near us taking a break. I asked our waitress to bring him a bottle of water and he came over to say thanks.
We saw Joe Bonamassa in the Doubletree hotel before he got famous. He was playing two shows and we had tickets for the first show. After the show he was selling merch in the lobby. I bought a DVD and he signed it for me. There was a snowstorm that night so we decided to go to the bar and wait it out. Nobody was showing up of the second show so went went back in and sat down. Joe recognized us and came over to say hi.
Susan Tedeschi grew up in the town next to ours and she was playing a local restaurant every Wednesday before she made it big. We started to go every week and then followed her to all the local spots she played. We got to become friends and she invited us to watch one of her shows from the Green Room in the old House of Blues in Cambridge. There we met Tony Lynn Washington and became friendly with her. We've lost touch with Susan but we're still friends with Tony.
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Post by Pinetree on Feb 6, 2020 16:02:07 GMT -5
There was this 13-year old kid who used to play at the local biker bar.
He couldn't play "lead guitar", didn't play a whole lot of chords, and didn't sing...
But he could play slide guitar like Duane Allman reincarnated.
I used to talk to him on his breaks, because he had to be outside the bar when he wasn't working.
Never thought he'd amount to much, but little Derek Trucks turned out to be a pretty good guitarist.
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Post by jefe46 on Feb 6, 2020 16:13:19 GMT -5
I met, and sat with, BB King for 1/2 hour at the Las Vegas airport.. off to Germany. Got his autograph. Nice guy. A real gentleman. Met George Gobel.. jerk Met Dylan the plagiarist if that qualifies. Met Joan and Mimi Baez several times used to work on their catrs. Richard Farina Ramblin' Jack Elliot is a friend of the family. David Grisman a few times. Chris Parkinson (Parky) Mark Savoy Ray Reussner Classical Guitarist long time friend and student of Segovia and my neighbor. Suze Spencer Marshal.. Western Swing guitarist/author and friend of Ranger Doug. Anthony Wilson.. composer, guitarist for Diana Krall
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Post by garyweimer on Feb 6, 2020 16:23:31 GMT -5
I used to write for The Illinois Entertainer, so I have met a lot of celebrities.
My personal story is that Ted Nugent taught me how to play my first blues progression in my home when I was 16. He had come over to see our little high school band, and brought one of the Byrds with him, so he offered to jam with us on a blues.
My other story is shooting the breeze over a beer with Bon Scott along the banks of the Mississippi, backstage at an outdoor show in Davenport, IA.
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blindfingers
Quarternote
Posts: 49
Formerly Known As: Jake from PA
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Post by blindfingers on Feb 6, 2020 16:32:58 GMT -5
Met the Ventures at a small venue in Pittsburgh. They put on a great show, went backstage, dried off and came back out to talk to the crowd. Pretty neat and all great guys. One other time, LAX about '93, Weird Al Yankovic in the gate area. Funny guy but the girls were flocking around him.
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RogerD
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Fraternity, Dedication, & Passion
Posts: 183
Formerly Known As: Roger D
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Post by RogerD on Feb 6, 2020 16:36:35 GMT -5
Way back in 1997, while visiting my in-laws in Austin around Christmas, I stopped in at Ray Hennigs Heart Of Texas Music for a guitar strap, yeah you know the one black with the white notes, and some t-shirts.
In front of me was a gentleman talking with the clerk while he was checking out. The voice sounded vaguely familiar. As he was ready to leave I got his attention and asked him if he was Tommy Shannon. As it turns out he was. He was very gracious and patient and was kind enough to autograph one of my t-shirts. The clerk also had a copy of the then current Fender Frontline magazine, which some of you might remember, with Mr. Shannon on the back cover posing with a Fender Jazz Bass Deluxe. I asked if I could have the copy and asked Mr. Shannon to autograph it which he also did. I had it framed and it is still hanging on the wall.
A very cool dude.
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Post by HenryJ on Feb 6, 2020 17:23:34 GMT -5
Met Count Basie when our college professional music fraternity was initiating him into our chapter. It involved my playing the piano, right there in front of Count Basie. The next day, it occurred to me how I could have played the last measure of our fraternity song with a Basie lick.
Ellis Marsalis once came into a store I was working in.
In another store, I sold something to Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. Nice guy.
Keith Getty, when our church choir was backing up him and Kristyn.
I spent a few minutes talking to the lead guitarist of the Uniques at a dance, a few months after they hit nationally with "All These Things."
There are probably others I can't remember.
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Post by hushnel on Feb 6, 2020 17:26:12 GMT -5
My dad took me to see Stan Kenton when he played at a small venue in Monroeville PA. During a break Dad introduced me to Mr. Kenton, he was actually interested in me, I told him I was a bass player, he told me it was a great instrument and gave me an album then signed it, I was the only long haired kid in the place.
When I was at the University of Pittsburgh Bradford PA, I helped the band Cactus unload their equipment and was invited to the after gig party. I was more familiar with their music as Vanilla Fudge. Tim Bogart was kind of cool, we talked a bit about the instrument.
Dad introduced me to Alice Cooper, dad was the district director for Wackenhut and landed the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Alice Cooper was doing a concert that evening. He was cool, he asked me what kind of music I listened to. He told me he listened to the blues too.
When I lived in Gainesville back in the early mid 70s I’d run into Tom Petty at gigs, we spoke a few times, he was the competition. He was dedicated to his music and wanted it bad. I’m glade he got what he wanted, don’t know anyone who tried and worked at it as hard as he did. Sad he left us too soon. I can’t be sure about this, but these guys used to come down from GA and play in Gainesville, I remember one keyboard player particularly, I believe it was Gregg Allman.
My neighbor who lives about a mile down the road is Pete Carnes, he’s in the Blues Hall of Fame, played with John Lee Hooker for years.
Meet a guy in Miami in the 80s, we spent the evening hopping bars and hanging out, he needed a place to crash so I offered my couch. While hanging out in the trailer he told me he was the Allman Brothers Band manager, he asked me if I wanted to play Duane’s guitar. Well I figured it was BS but the SG was a nice guitar and I played it while we BS’ed. He had a Polaroid snapshot of Gregg in the case, he gave it to me, my wife still has it on her refrigerator. Found out a couple of years ago that he was the guy. The guitar is now in the Allman Brother Band Museum. The guy who runs the Museum told me, that he donated it a few years back.
Spent 7 days with Victor, Reggie and Roy Wooten, Chuck Rainey, Steve Bailey at Victor and Holly’s Wootenwoods.
I don’t like bothering these people, I’ve seen others but would never impose myself. I recognized Martin Mull having a meal at the Taurus Steak House in Coconut Grove. We were playing that night, I caught his eyes and just gave a slight nod to him. Never drew attention to him, he hung out for the set then took off. The bar tender told us this guy bought us all a round of drinks.
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Post by Pinetree on Feb 6, 2020 17:29:02 GMT -5
I've met Greg Koch a few times.
Had the chance to talk to Paul Gilbert.
Hung out with Phil Keaggy at a local show.
All have been super nice and generous with their time.
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