Drank some Jack Daniels with Tommy Lee backstage. Ended up with a cymbal from his kit signed by all three bands (Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Crue) before I left.
Back in the late '80s they filmed a movie here in town called "Chattahoochee". Some people from the movie's production crew came into the first gun shop I worked at. They had a M1 Garand that they needed to have altered to cycle blanks and a model 10 Smith that they needed to have refinished to look brand new. They asked if they could bring in their "star" and have us walk him through how the Garand functioned. Their star turned out to be Gary Oldman, who none us had heard of at the time, as this was early in his career. I took him on the range and showed him how to load and shoulder the rifle. Being a Brit, I doubt he'd ever fired a gun. As he started firing off the blanks, a couple of the empties bounced off the wall and harmlessly hit him on the arms. He said "The bullets are hitting me! The bullets are hitting me!" I thought to myself, "This goober will never amount to anything." Of course a couple years later he was "Dracula" and became a household name... "Chattahoochee" didn't do much at the box office but it was cool to see the guns we worked on in the film and my handwriting on the price tag they requested for the S&W.
I've also met several rock stars that probably nobody here would know and some NFL players that have come into the gun shops I've worked in.
Tanya Tucker when she was a teenager singing at the Fort Worth Texas fat stock show! We got to hang out with her for a while. But she was just a kid and so were we. Todd Helton, Dave Veres, Vinnie Costilla and a bunch of the Colorado Rocky players. I hunted with Tim Grounds who is a 5 time World Champion Goose caller. I had lunch with Buck Gardner who is as famous as a duck hunter can get! He even gave me goose call that was one of ten proto-type. The other 9 were destroyed. They engraved Colorado Luckydog on it for me! And last but not least, W.E Red Dawg Phillips! I've been lucky enough to take him goose hunting a few times and hopefully will be hunting with him in the future. He is one of the best story tellers I have ever had the pleasure of listening to! And all of that means absolutely nothing! LOL!
A 380 in my pocket is better than a 45 in my truck!
Violence may not be the best option... but it's still an option.
"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." General James Mad Dog Mattis
In June of 1975 my Dad, Mom and I were out for a ride to get ice cream. We pulled up to a red light on Nolensville Rd in Nashville and next to us pulls up a brand new Caddy, driven, by none other than Dolly Parton! She gave us a huge smile and wished us a great night. We all said thank you and she drove out of sight. We were kinda “star struck” if you will. Can still remember it like yesterday as does my Dad. Ahhh the good ole days
I saw Yul Brynner, his wife, and their two adopted Vietnamese children, at the Hibachi table next to the one where I was seated having dinner. This was the early 1980s.
I met Ernest Borgnine when I was working on a fuel dispenser at a Flying J truck stop while his bus was being filled. Talked to him for almost a half hour. He was a really nice man. Not a huge deal, but I shook hands with the 38th President of our United States (Gearld Ford) while he was in office. I've met several NASCAR drivers, NHL players and the man you don't talk to....you just listen Ted Nugent.
Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.
I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
Um... Not really, but I guess I could break this down into categories:
Daytime TV, Soap Opera I met with, shook hands, chatted with, the 80's & 90's Soap Opera star of "All My Children" -- Michael E. Knight (aka -- the TV character "Tad Martin"). In truth, my wife was hooked on "All My Children" ever since the mid 70's. When word got around that various characters of "All My Children" were going out in public to book signings, my wife found out that Tad Martin/Michael E. Knight was coming to our town, while Susan Lucci/Erica Kane, etc... were all out in California, others were down in Miami FL, Texas, etc... Anyway, my wife totally wigged out, and DEMANDED that we go to the Barnes & Noble and get her All My Children book autographed. But when we entered the place, my wife got all freaked out, nervous, and couldn't go see him. "Seriously? Come on, baby... He's just a dude on TV! WTF is the matter?" So.... I had to go up in line and stand in her place. In summary: He was a cool guy, and chuckled over the fact that (I told him) my wife was too afraid to meet him, so she sent me!
Rock music/Electric guitars I bumped into Elliott Easton (lead guitar - The Cars) back when I was stationed in Boston, MA, back in my USCG days in the 90's. We were both in the same music store. I casually approached him, and knew better than to go right out and bombard a rock guitarist for an autograph, questions, etc... So, I just politely asked him if he was who I think he was. He turned, laughed, and said, "Who else am I supposed to be?". And he was really a nice guy, but a touch confusing (guitar playing experience), as he was lefthanded, and I played righthanded. I watched him rip away on a Gibson SG that he was interested in, and my mind was blown! It was all upside down and backwards, if you know what I mean!
Politics Save the most incredible story for last... Yes, I have personally met, shook hands with, and am actually friends with (as fellow Freemasons) the former Governor of Virginia, and proposed candidate for POTUS back around early 2008.... Virginia's own former Governor Jim Gilmore! I can tell you, seriously... He is one of the last of a dying breed of politicians. Jim Gilmore is a "regular dude" if you know what I mean. Ain't nothing fancy, puts his pants on, one leg at a time, etc... He (sadly) just didn't have that "name" going for him back then, during the POTUS elections, and got stomped on, and had no choice but to bail out.
In the early 80's flew on the same plane with Conway Twitty from Baton Rouge to Memphis also talked to Liza Minnelli in Center City Mn. In 2008 talked to Mel & Pam Tillis after a show in Branson.
Sat at a bar in Boca Raton and had a couple drinks next to Robert Fuller. Met Davy Jones in a bar in west palm beach. Met Suzy Bogguss in a bar in Raleigh. Franco Harris friend of the family. Joe Louis, Clyde Barrow and Stonewall Jackson related to by marriage. I also met Mike Schmidt, Willie Mays, Don Money, Cookie Rojas, Richie Allen, Larry Bowa and Frank Robinson. Anyone remember them?
Yes - remember - some were Phillies, Giant, Oriole, etc.
Met Jerry Springer at a rodeo in 2002, got a picture. He wanted one with me because I was a contestant. I thought it was cool having a celebrity ask for a pic with me.
Saw kid rock in ft Lauderdale at the hard rock cafe in 2006 ish when we made a port call.
Beware of any old man in a profession where one usually dies young.
Chris LeDoux and his entire band. They played at a tiny BYOB country place I bounced at. We all hung out BS'ing and having a few beers after.
Brett Michaels many times. I'm good friends with his cousin.
Jim Kelly twice. Once when I was 12 and he talked at my older brothers football banquet, second time filming a commercial on the helipad of ECMC in Buffalo.
Meet up with Rocky Bleier every year when he donates some Autographed item for a non profit I'm on the board for. Have his cell number to call, but never use it otherwise.
Got checked by Jack Lambert when he was a volunteer Pa Deputy Game Warden
Lots of big time rodeo and PBR folks, but they are kind of limited audience celebrities.
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, used up, worn out, bottle of Jim Beam in one hand and a .45 in the other, loudly proclaiming WOW-- What a Ride!"
“My horn is full and my pouch is stocked with ball and patch. There is a new, sharp flint in my lock and my rifle and I are ready. It is sighted true and my eyes can still aim.” Kaywoodie
My brother in law music artist Lincoln Brewster. He played lead guitarist for Steve Perry on Steves last album co wrote a bunch of songs with Perry. My great uncle is car customizer Gene Windfield. Made many movie cars including Blade Runner. Met Minnie Pearl at a church when I was a kid. Met John Eric Hexum as a kid just before he played Russian Roulette with a prop gun. He dead Met Carrol Channing we made her last wedding ring. Hung out during my freshman year with Ray langford during gym class he was a senior went on to play pro baseball No real A list celebrities
Used to work on Cowboy chaps Chris LeDoux would bring into my Saddle shop. Took Richard Childress hunting when Dale Earnhardt was winning NASCAR. Had ny photo taken with Loren Green and Dan Blocker ,when I was a kid.
My wife and I met Matt Hughs the MMA fighter once. He was my wife’s favorite fighter. I took a picture of them together but deleted it because of the way he acted when she asked him to take a picture with her. He wasn’t very friendly.
Met George HW Bush while running the Houston Marathon. We were at about mile 21 running through an affluent area of Houston when the guy I was running with makes a hard right in front of me and says something to the effect of “come on”. He jogs over to the curb and shakes the former President’s hand as he stands between two secret service guys. I step in after Lyle, shake his hand and blurt out “thanks for the support George”! Yep - I straight up called him George. He smile and said something in return but all I could hear was my brain asking myself “did you just call him George”! In my defense I was friggin tired and panting like a dog. I don’t recommend running marathons when you’re toting around 250+ lbs.
Met Suzy Bogguss after a concert in a roping barn in NE Montana. She had opened for the Bellamy Brothers and was as friendly as could be. She’d had her big hit by this time and was totally cool playing a dirt floor arena with maybe 1000 people in attendance.
Met Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top in a Houston bar that was open way past closing time. They’d played the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo that week and was super cool to talk to.
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/DfgtxrhF/IMG-20210629-130949291-HDR.jpg)
