Dave,

I am amazed with your collection and the people that you have met.

As far as the 2-wheel guys, even before I moved out West to Bell, I was partying with the likes of Gary Nixon #9, Davey Seal and the Palmgren Brothers to name a few.

I have long thought that motorsports people especially back in then were way underpaid for the risk that they took.

If one can find it to rent the Bruce Brown documentary about the world of motorcycle racing racing is a very entertaining introduction into the world of motorcycling. Even though the technology has changed, the forms of racing has not.

If one rents it and is not entertained by "On Any Sunday" PM me about me sending you a refund of your rental fee. (I am not stating that I will guarantee your enjoyment, or that I will send you the any money to cover your rental fee)

 

Morris wrote: "I was on a tour in France with the old guy that played a law professor on Paper Chase, can't remember his name. Never spoke. (name, anybody?)"

John Houseman. I spent an afternoon with him when he came up to our school in the early 1970s to talk about his work with Orson Welles, Fritz Lang, etc. in the 40s and 50s. Houseman had been a producer before becoming an actor in his old age. He told the most incredible stories, and was an amazing raconteur, so I'm sorry that he didn't speak when you met him.

 

I was at Chicago O'hare and was reading a Tom Clancy book while waiting for my plane to Syracuse. This very good looking guy with sunglasses sat down in a row of seats at 90 degrees to the row I am sitting in. It sure looked like Alec Baldwin, but it was probably because I was reading a Tom Clancy book (he was the first Jack Ryan in the movies ("The Hunt for Red October")).

Anyway, a relative good looking young woman sat down a few chairs away from him. He leaned over to ask her to watch his stuff while he went to get something. When he leaned over to talk to her, he lowered his sunglasses. She was doing something in her purse, so by the time she turned to him, his face was only about two feet from her face. By the way, when he lowered his sunglasses, he had the brightest blue eyes.

When she turned to respond to his question, she almost fainted. It was indeed Alec Baldwin.

 

From my years hanging out in clubs when I was in college, I have met a number of musicians - mostly blues, or country. I have met some old black delta blues players - many of whom are dead now - and some who are still alive and define the blues musician.

Lightnin Hopkins
Bukka Whilte
Mance Lipscomb
Muddy Waters
Freddy King
BB King
T-Bone Walker
Johnny Winter and his brother Edgar
Clifton Chenier
Bonnie Raitt
Willie Nelson
Jerry Jeff Walker
Kinky Friedman
Jimmy Vaughan (brother of Stevie Ray)

Probably only one or two of these people would be considered to be a celebrity (BB King, Willie Nelson) but at this time of my life, I thought they were all amazing musicians and had every right to be considered celebrities.

 

Silvershadow, I am blown away by your list. Would have loved to have met T-Bone Walker, Clifton Chenier or Lightnin' Hopkins. Wow! Any anecdotes about meeting any of those on your list that you could share with us?

Zeiss

 

We had good time last night. Went to a Rock & Roll show last night where Lou Christie (The Gypsy Cried, Two Faces Have I, Lightning Strikes, Rhapsody in the Rain) was the headliner. I knew Lou when we were in High School but I had not seen him since the late 1950s before he became famous; his name was Sacco then. I had never seen him perform. My memories were of traveling with him and his sister singing in a VW bus going to Lake Erie, a couple hours away, to go swimming.

I sent him an email that I was looking forward to seeing his show. I doubted he would remember me. Too our surprise and delight he acknowledged on the Dearborn MI stage that he had a friend in the audience from my hometown in PA. Later we got admitted backstage to meet with him after the show. Neat.

Footnote. Others included in the show were Little Peggy Marsh (I Will Follow Him), The Marcels (Blue Moon), and Bill Haley's Comets (Rock Around the Clock). Although Bill died in 1981, the Comets still perform. They have honor of being the longest performing R&R band in history! The oldest is now 84 years young. They were the first R&R band I ever saw live. I am not sure of the year but it was about 41 years ago!!

 

 

Neat story, Dave....glad that it worked out for you. I don't think there were any celebrities from my era at high school in suburban Harrisburg Peeay. OTOH, I recently saw notes that a guy a couple years younger than me is now an internationally known BASS opera performer. His name is Richard Crist....need to Google him and see if there's more info.