[simoon]

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

BajaProg?

I met them too, in 2003.

[simoon]

I've met quite few.

I'll start with an older era.

My uncle (died at the age of 92 a few years ago) used to the pianist for Harry James big band. His house in the Studio City hills, was a mecca for top musicians when they were in LA. Some of the younger people on this forum may not know all these names, but anyone with any passing knowledge of music should know some of them.

Louie Belson, Buddy Rich, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Cloony, Steve Allen, and others were regular visitors. I didn't just meet these people, but hung out with them, and listened to their stories.

This would have been in the late 60's when I wasn't  even in my teens yet. But I knew enough to understand the talent of these people, even though they might have not been my style at the time.

But all through the rest of my life, I met and hung out with even more.

I went to Keith Emerson's last birthday party, the year before he killed himself, but met him on numerous occasions before.

I hung out with Allan Holdsworth many times. Not exactly someone that could be considered a 'celebrity' for the average person, but ask any living guitarist on the planet who he was...

Met and talked to Peter Gabriel on 3 occasions. 

Met and gave car ride to a drunk (before he got clean), John Wetton (King Crimson vocalist, bass player) in 2000.

I've met quite a few more, world class (jazz, prog and classical) musicians, but because the world does not seem to reward actual musical skill with celebrity, and uses other (crappy) metrics instead, I will not list them.

[vinyl_guy]

Just four and two are in the Rock n Roll HOF. Neil Young backstage after a solo concert in Spokane WA. Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Souther Hillman Furay band) in a meet and greet along with Paul Cotton of Poco. Jakob Dylan and all the members of Wallflowers backstage after a concert.

[Russell Dawkins]

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.

Yep, Chris Becker—lonewolfny42. what a generous guy. I hope he's doing OK.
He told me of one night when John Lennon and Harry Nilsson came to hear the Harlots and after the gig they sat and drank anf talked until the wee hours.

[glynnw]

Mel Torme, Angel Romero, Kool (w/out the Gang), Waylon Jennings, Ricky Skaggs, Erich Kunzel, John O'Conor, Sam Pilafian, Steve Wilson, Keith Lockhart - all briefly at various record co meetings when I worked as salesman in the record biz.  But most important to me is audio luminary Harold Beveridge.

[GeneS]

I’ve been pretty lucky being able to meet people that I actually wanted to. Geddy Lee, Tim Lefevbre (Tedeschi Trucks, David Bowie, Who’s Hat is This), members of Lake Street Dive, Pete Best, Mark Rivers x2, Kofi Burbridge, Joey “Belladonna”, and one of the Blue Man Group but I don’t know which one because they all look the same 

[FullRangeMan]

I knew a guy that served soup to David Byrne when he câme two times tô my City, Dave left the hotel alone and walking 5 blocks tô take soup in a small grocery.
Dave is a great humble person.

[Strangeband]

Jim Peterik after an Ides of March show at King's Inn in Roanoke, VA, in 1971.

Talked with Randall Bramblett several times.

[Jumpin]

Bruce Springsteen and Phil Lesh among others.

[FullRangeMan]

Would be Interesting inform us how ?

[MikeInAustin]

My Wife's employer was a Guy Clark fan.  From 1989-1993, he paid to have Guy perform a private Christmas party for the employees in Little Rock.  It was a treat to listen to him and Verlon Thompson.  The bonus was going out after the performance with him and listening to local bands.  Hearing him make comments about the music and the songs.  He always hit on my wife but neither of us took offense.  He was charming.

[lowtech]

Ron Townson (The 5th Dimension), Colleen Fitzpatrick (Games), Patrick O'Hearn (Missing Persons), Laurie Anderson.

[Digi-G]

In the 1990s I was one of 4 business partners for an engineering firm.  One of the partners also ran an archery range and ended up befriending Ted Nugent, who visited the range on several occasions.  On one of those visits, they both came to check out my business partners other, engineering, business.  It was funny, T.N. seemed a little nervous, I assume he felt out of his element.  He was very quiet and laid back and came across as a nice guy.

On a nearly unrelated story, when I was in high school I had to ride the bus.  One day after school, while sitting on the bus waiting to leave school, another student comes on and asks loudly if anyone wants a "Ted Nugget" poster.  He had drawn a poster of him in art class and labeled it Ted Nuget, forgetting the second 'N' in his name.  It still makes me laugh.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Back in 1983 I met Stephen Pearcy the lead singer of RAT along with the whole band in a hotel room that was filled with smoke from Marijuana.  I was a 3rd year medical student and made a house call with a family doctor I was training with.

[marc513]

Oh lots I worked for a airline so I flew with the Grateful Dead many times , I carried out Jonny Cash’s guitar he tipped me 5 silver dollars. I also carried out Emmylou Harris’s guitar and talked a bit real sweetheart. Mohamed Ali many times at the airport. Roger McGuinn at a club in Atlanta , David Bromberg at a show in Chicago , Rick Danko , Levon Helm at small outdoor concert outside Chicago. Bob Gibson and Hamilton Camp at a anniversary concert sat a the bar after show and drank way to much great fun. Hilary Hahn after a Chicago symphony show . Arlo Guthrie At a club in Chicago , Mick Jagger at the checkerboard club in Chicago great fun that night. Gallagher the comedian smoked a bit with him after show still covered with the watermelon that he smashed that was fun. Jerry Douglas and Kenny Rogers at a private party with some local bluegrass bands in Wisconsin. I know I am forgetting many from my foggy youth as I remember more I will post more . Thanks for this post it’s fun to remember all the people I have met tipped a drink with , smoked with its been a good life . Now at 67 I don’t see a lot of shows anymore I have COPD so now I enjoy my stereo much more.

[rollo]

  Frank Sinatra Dionne Warwick, Steve Lawrence and Dianne Carol. Met at an after hours club in Vegas many years ago.


charles

[matthewpartrick]

CSN.  Graham Nash is about the most gracious celebrity I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

[marc513]

Oh not music related but president Nixon at a water treatment plant in streamwood Illinois. President Bush at a airport and Vice President Mike Pence at a rally. Also not related to music but saw and talked to several porn stars at the airport and many more in Vegas . I was there for a CES show and the adult film awards show was going on at the same time .i also sat at a black jack table for a bit with Jonny Carson game was to rich for me but we talked a bit nice guy. Such fun to to dig in to my memory and remember celebrities and musicians I have been lucky to meet .
Marc

[twitch54]

Harry and Tom Chapin after a concert at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester back in '77

[CSI]

Terry Gibbs, master vibraphonist. He was a former bandmate of a friend of mine who was a music educator at a Junior College near my home. We went to see him perform with the Steve Allen Show band (later the Tonight Show band) then got to chat with him on the street outside after the gig. Super nice, high energy dude who was happy to meet up with an old band buddy. I got the impression he would stand and chat forever but he glanced at his watch and said he had to run. "Mrs. Gubenko is baking Knishes and I gotta run" (his real name is Julius Gubenko).  This was a long time ago and I'm glad to see he is still alive and performing at age 95. He'll be 96 very soon - we have the same birthday, Oct. 13th. Happy birthday Mr. Gubenko.