[Mag]

Drove taxi for 22 years, in that time I met several Celebrities like Ron MacLean (Hockey Night in Canada), Craig Oliver (CTV News), Roy Romanow (Premier of Sask), Elizabeth May (Green Party Leader) and a few other lesser known journalists. And some musicians, also met James Tanner from Bryston but that was at Audio Dealer.

Picked up Ray Charles & his bodyguard at local hotel. Bodyguard was about 7' tall, wasn't about to F with him. Put his luggage in trunk of my Chevy Bel Air. They got in the car from curbside and I drove them to the airport. I was a nervous having a such a famous person in my taxi and didn't know what to say. Finally I asked Ray Charles "you play Jazz?" He replied " I'ze playz muzic, hopefully good muzic." The remainder of the trip was quiet. I was worried that if Ray Charles exited the vehicle from rear left door. He might rip his pants on a wire that was sticking out of corner of bench seat. Fortunately when I arrived at his private Jet they exited vehicle from the right and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Liona Boyd picked her up at Airport, didn't know it was her (an attractive Lady). She was carrying what looked like a trashy guitar case plastered with Stickers. I took it from her and tossed it in the trunk. She sat in the back seat and introduced herself as Liona Boyd. That's when I realized I should have handled her guitar carefully. We didn't talk much that I recall and I took her to a Hotel in the downtown core.

Picked up the entire Rankin Family at Hotel downtown and drove 'em to the Summer Fair where they were performing. It was a fun trip with the car being overloaded, I think there were 5 of 'em.

This one I can't say for sure, AC/DC was in town and I picked up these 4 Australians in the North End, I can't recall from where, might have been the arena. They were big Mothers and the big guy with bald head said they were with the RCMP ( Royal Canadian Mounted Police). I responded by saying how brave the RCMP were, as it was in the News that 2 Officers had pulled over the Hell's Angel in the middle of nowhere and arrested 'em. That takes guts. Anyway drove 'em to downtown hotel, don't know if it was the band members of perhaps their crew.

Ok so what music Celerities have you met?

[FullRangeMan]

In 1974 I see Sir Rick Wakeman, his wife and two other guys from the Band at 10M near walking in downtown.

[dpatters]

Sandy and I with Carl Palmer November 2019

[Letitroll98]

Kenny Loggins backstage after a concert.  Amy Ray and Emily Saliers from the Indigo Girls at Applewood Festival, their plane was hours late and only about 50 people had hung around for the headlining act, it was like they played to us alone.  My dad got me Ricky Nelson's autograph when I was a boy.  He had one hit song around then and we knew him from the Ossy and Harriet show.

Non musical, Michael Jordan, Paula Poundstone, and I shoke Robert Kennedy's hand at a rally.  I'm sure a few more I can't recall now.

[dB Cooper]

Stevie Wonder

[stlrman]

Me and John Denver , back stage passes, friends father worked for RCA

[WGH]

Partied with Brewer and Shipley in 1970, they were on tour promoting their "Weeds" album. They had a string of hits including "On Toke Over the Line", "Witchi-Tai-To", and "Tarkio Road"
They are good guys.

[michaelweiss]

I was playing with Johnny Griffin at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, maybe 1995. Robert Plant was in the club. In between tunes he called out, "Play In the Still of the Night!" Then he was in a club I was playing trio in NYC in 2005. I said "this is the second time you've come into a club where I was playing. Don't know if you would remember, but you came into the Jazz Showcase in Chicago where I was working with Johnny Griffin..." and before I could say anything more he said, "why didn't you play In the Still of the Night?"

[FullRangeMan]

In 2003 I met Thijs Van Leer and all the Focus guys unfortunately the photos with the band failed.

[rockadanny]

I've spent some time with many performers (celebs and non-celebs) before/after their gigs, but never met anyone just walking about.

Brief interludes with Rory Block, John Hammond, Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius, um ... many others too many beers ago to recall.

Longer conversations with (people IMO who are celebs):
Mark Selby - at a private gathering where he performed with his beautiful and talented wife Tia Sillers.
Lee Rocker - after a show he invited me back stage for a beer and we discussed music and the biz.
Thomas Yearsley - bass player for the Paladins at the bar at the Magic Stick in Detroit. Perhaps not a celeb?
Sam Lay

Lil' Ed (Williams) - of, And The Blues Imperials. At a bar in Cleveland after the show, I hit the bathroom for a moment, and when I returned, sitting in my seat, which was OBVIOUSLY MY SEAT as my half-filled glass and reading glasses were there on the bar, and my jacket on the back of the stool, sat Lil' Ed. I cut him slack for stealing my chair and we ended up having a nice long discussion about music, the blues, and history of the blues. Including stories of his uncle J.B. Hutto teaching him to play guitar.

Bernard Purdie - My wife and I were snowed in at a hotel in Asheville, NC, for a jazz weekend which featured several performers (David Sanborn, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Bernard, Cyrus Chestnut, others?) ... Anyway, while standing in line at the breakfast buffet Bernard started flirting with my wife, who then brought him over to our table. We all had breakfast together and great conversation. 

[fado]

Me with Tito Schipa ~1962 at the home of my uncle, Jean Valentino (Rudolph Valentino's nephew). Tito Schipa (Italian pronunciation: [ˈskipa]; born Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa; 2 January 1889 in Lecce – 16 December 1965) was an Italian tenor, considered the greatest tenore di grazia and one of the most popular tenors of the century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito_Schipa

[CSI]

For many years my friend Alan K. ran the board at the music venue in McCabe's Guitar Shop in LA where he got to meet a lot of musicians. One day he was asked to pick up Arlo Guthrie at the airport. The next day he sent me a picture, not of Arlo, but of the seat of his old Ford LTD where Arlo had been riding. I still have that pic of Alan standing next to his car pointing proudly at the empty seat.

[S Clark]

I spent about 30 minutes talking with this guy at a RMAF several years back, one of the Harlots of 42nd Street. He's kind of a celeb around these parts.

[Scroof Neachy]

My wife met Pete Townsend on a flight between NYC and Toronto years ago. She still has his autograph.

[eichlerera1]

Met Tom Jones at The European Health Spa in Warwick, RI.
People don't realize how short he is. (in height anyway) .

Sat at a booth in a club with Ritchie Blackmore for about a hour.
He had the longest fingers I had ever seen.
He ended up playing between Beaver Brown's set and when he refused to leave the stage started a minor riot. We were all thrown out of the club.
A fun night!

[jtwrace]

Mark Selby - at a private gathering where he performed with his beautiful and talented wife Tia Sillers.

So sad about Mark, this is still one of the best performances I've been to


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGvdlFGoH-M

[Mudslide]

Jim Pons from Mothers of Invention (knew his sister), Rosie from Rosie and the Originals, and Miles Davis.  Oh yeah, not musical, but I just gotta brag...I was flirted with by Brook Shield at an ice cream parlor in La Jolla, and turned down dinner with Farrah Fawcett (worked with her sister) and Ryan O'neal.  (Sadly I was injured, had to have surgery and couldn't make the 125 mile drive.)

[Mike B.]

Talked with several members of the Grateful Dead, all the members of Stevie Ray  Vaughan and Double Trouble and The Fabulous Thunderbirds


 

[rockadanny]

@jtwrace

So sad about Mark

Crap! I was unaware. Very sad about this. 
Thank you for posting that video! 

[TomS]

@jtwrace Crap! I was unaware. Very sad about this. 
Thank you for posting that video! 

That was a great time at David's place. I was also very saddened when I heard Mark was gone.