Famous Musicians You’ve Met?

[Ron_R]

I've met Vai, Robben Ford, Pete Thorn and Oz Noy. Amazing, humble people. Really down to Earth.

One person I know personally, and although he is really famous, he isn't well known, is Serban Ghenea. He's a true innovator. He basically was the one responsible for moving the mixing profession in music into the digital realm. Amazingly talented, and such a nice guy. You'd never know how brilliant he was, or how much money he makes, just by knowing him. He can shred on guitar, too. He actually sold me my first electric guitar, when we both still lived in Montreal, when I was a teenager. He's now a multi Grammy award winner. Incredible dude.

 

[Dave Merrill]

I've met Vai, Robben Ford, Pete Thorn and Oz Noy. Amazing, humble people. Really down to Earth.

One person I know personally, and although he is really famous, he isn't well known, is Serban Ghenea. He's a true innovator. He basically was the one responsible for moving the mixing profession in music into the digital realm. Amazingly talented, and such a nice guy. You'd never know how brilliant he was, or how much money he makes, just by knowing him. He can shred on guitar, too. He actually sold me my first electric guitar, when we both still lived in Montreal, when I was a teenager. He's now a multi Grammy award winner. Incredible dude.

Agree, he's a guy with a simply astounding list of credits, many of them multi-platinum hits.
4,223 listed on allmusic!

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/serban-ghenea-mn0000001497/credits?1640877378852

 

[Ron_R]

Agree, he's a guy with a simply astounding list of credits, many of them multi-platinum hits.
4,223 listed on allmusic!

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/serban-ghenea-mn0000001497/credits?1640877378852

Funny story. My oldest daughter met him when she was really young. Serban was on stage with Taylor Swift when she won one of her Grammy's and my daughter went NUTS. First, she loved Swift at the time, but she couldn't believe this dude she met knew and worked with Swift. And was on stage with her! It was super cute and hilarious at the same time.

Glad there are others that know him. He's such a fantastic soul. Deserves his success.

 

[TD77]

I've met Vai, Robben Ford, Pete Thorn and Oz Noy. Amazing, humble people. Really down to Earth.

One person I know personally, and although he is really famous, he isn't well known, is Serban Ghenea. He's a true innovator. He basically was the one responsible for moving the mixing profession in music into the digital realm. Amazingly talented, and such a nice guy. You'd never know how brilliant he was, or how much money he makes, just by knowing him. He can shred on guitar, too. He actually sold me my first electric guitar, when we both still lived in Montreal, when I was a teenager. He's now a multi Grammy award winner. Incredible dude.

I’ll have to look into him! Thanks for sharing!

 

[jimbop]

Me and my mate met Gerry Garcia and his pal in a pub in south London in 71-72'.
His pal said 'You know who this is?..it's Gerry Garcia'....Gerry sat there smirking....
I said 'Who the fucks he? never heard of him' lol
I was 18 and into the stones.....Alice and purple.

 

[TD77]

Me and my mate met Gerry Garcia and his pal in a pub in south London in 71-72'.
His pal said 'You know who this is?..it's Gerry Garcia'....Gerry sat there smirking....
I said 'Who the fucks he? never heard of him' lol
I was 18 and into the stones.....Alice and purple.

Lol. Everyone needs to be grounded. Even Jerry Garcia. There’s a short clip floating around online of Jennifer Lopez visiting her childhood apartment in the Bronx. An older gentleman is on the porch when she pulls up and she proceeds to tell him she used to live there. He says “and who is you?” She says Jennifer. He says Jennifer who? She says Jennifer Lopez. He says who’s that? Lol. You can always count on older people and young kids to not give a F and say what they want.

 

[jimbop]

Lol. Everyone needs to be grounded. Even Jerry Garcia. There’s a short clip floating around online of Jennifer Lopez visiting her childhood apartment in the Bronx. An older gentleman is on the porch when she pulls up and she proceeds to tell him she used to live there. He says “and who is you?” She says Jennifer. He says Jennifer who? She says Jennifer Lopez. He says who’s that? Lol. You can always count on older people and young kids to not give a F and say what they want.

lol, yep i was very blinkered in my youth, i really regret not giving Gary Moore a closer look. I was mesmerised by Blackmore....and Wishbone ash.
Never was interested in USA bands apart from ALICE!! Who was my absolute hero!
Saw him at Wembley 'welcome to my nightmare' a stunning show.
Then along came Eddie..............

 

[Ron_R]

Crap! How could I forget I got to meet and hang out with Greg Koch?! What an awesome person and immense talent.

 

[Stratoblaster]

Winner!!

That must have hit hard, especially after meeting him.

I don't think there is a rock star death or passing (maybe Chris Cornell) that hit me
harder than when Randy passed.

Just my conjecture, but I think he was too authentic and nice of an human being to endure
the rock star show for long. Wasn't there word of him quitting Ozzy and going back to school
to get a degree in Classical Guitar??

Thanks for sharing such a great story.

Ahhhh my pleasure, and thanks!

Yea, it was indeed a very sad day when I heard of his passing; aside from being my absolute favorite, and influential, guitarist at that time, that I had met and spent time with him made his passing cut even deeper. Coupled with the fact that he was such an immense talent made it even harder to take. Again, a huge tragedy, especially when you read of the circumstances surrounding his death.

It was also pretty certain that he'd not have been with Ozzy for too much longer; Tommy Aldridge said in an interview that Randy was asking him about how to get out of contracts, etc. and, from other things I've read, Randy was definitely plotting an exit strategy and wanted to fully embrace a classical course of study and get away from 'the circus'.

He was clearly a bit uncomfortable with our 'hero worship', but we kept it pretty cool and calm which caused him to relax and chill out with my friends and I for a while. He really was a genuine, humble guy.

I'll never forget shaking his hand and thinking "ohhhhh, that hand that picks Over The Mountain..."!!! Awesome...

I can't believe it's been 40 years now....seeing him in concert, and meeting him, was such a pivotal event in my young guitar playing journey. It almost seems like an entire lifetime ago now...

 

[Stratoblaster]

WOW! That is amazing. Agree with you on his mark on the guitar. Guy was ridiculous. I may have said this here in another thread or maybe it was somewhere else but…..has anyone else noticed that some of the most ferocious and devastating guitarists are also the most quiet, unassuming and shy people? It’s a strange thing and doesn’t add up in a way. lol.

Yes, a ridiculous talent for sure...! It's interesting to note that a lot of truly monstrous, extremely fiery and talented guitar players are so different when not on the stage. Jeff Beck is like that; when he played here my friends were in the local tech crew and said he was 'just a guy' who had time for everybody and super cool....while they were all losing their minds in his presence (but not showing it lol).

 

[YetAnotherOne]

By far the best brush with fame story in the family belonged to my mom.

About 20 years ago I received a call from mom just after she'd flown home from NYC. She described being seated next to a gentleman whom she was certain must be famous but who she could not identify at all. Throughout the entire flight she estimated that most of the passengers and nearly the entire flight crew stopped to speak with him, ask for autographs & take photos. She found it frustrating that no matter how many conversations she listened to no one dropped any clues that identified the reason for the man's fame. Worse she thought she probably spoke with him herself for at least an hour and he also dropped clues at all.

When the flight landed mom waited for her fellow passengers to exit then stopped to speak with the flight attendant manning the spot at the front. The young lady was very surprised that mom had no idea as to the identity or profession of the man seated next to her. She did tell mom his name, which meant nothing to mom, but declined to tell her why he was famous. "It was the strangest thing. Instead of telling me she asked if I had a son and if he was older than 15 or so. I don't understand why she would think my son would know who that was if I don't. So what, precisely, is it that Ron Jeremy does?" I told mom what, precisely, it was that Ron Jeremy did. Silence. Long drawn-out silence. Mom may not have been exactly the life of the party but she was a very quick wit and never at a loss for words but I swear it took an eternity for her to say anything. Finally, totally deadpan and very serious, she said, "That's a shame. He's very personable and seemed like an intelligent man. I really think if he hadn't wasted his life doing that he might have had a real chance to make something of himself. To be successful." Um, mom, he is quite successful ..., ,"And another thing. He's just not handsome at all. Why in the world would all of those women want to sleep with him?" Ah mom you've hit on perhaps one of the most profound philisophical questions in modern Western Civilization; one I've debated with friends over cocktails on multiple occasions; we decided they did it because they were paid to do it. And with that mom's one and only brush with that industry was never spoken of again.

Now lest you think I'm far off-topic, Mr. Jeremy, clearly a polymath, does have a music video. Warning: totally SFW YouTube link but if you click it you'll never be able to unsee what's at the other end.

 

[TD77]

By far the best brush with fame story in the family belonged to my mom.

About 20 years ago I received a call from mom just after she'd flown home from NYC. She described being seated next to a gentleman whom she was certain must be famous but who she could not identify at all. Throughout the entire flight she estimated that most of the passengers and nearly the entire flight crew stopped to speak with him, ask for autographs & take photos. She found it frustrating that no matter how many conversations she listened to no one dropped any clues that identified the reason for the man's fame. Worse she thought she probably spoke with him herself for at least an hour and he also dropped clues at all.

When the flight landed mom waited for her fellow passengers to exit then stopped to speak with the flight attendant manning the spot at the front. The young lady was very surprised that mom had no idea as to the identity or profession of the man seated next to her. She did tell mom his name, which meant nothing to mom, but declined to tell her why he was famous. "It was the strangest thing. Instead of telling me she asked if I had a son and if he was older than 15 or so. I don't understand why she would think my son would know who that was if I don't. So what, precisely, is it that Ron Jeremy does?" I told mom what, precisely, it was that Ron Jeremy did. Silence. Long drawn-out silence. Mom may not have been exactly the life of the party but she was a very quick wit and never at a loss for words but I swear it took an eternity for her to say anything. Finally, totally deadpan and very serious, she said, "That's a shame. He's very personable and seemed like an intelligent man. I really think if he hadn't wasted his life doing that he might have had a real chance to make something of himself. To be successful." Um, mom, he is quite successful ..., ,"And another thing. He's just not handsome at all. Why in the world would all of those women want to sleep with him?" Ah mom you've hit on perhaps one of the most profound philisophical questions in modern Western Civilization; one I've debated with friends over cocktails on multiple occasions; we decided they did it because they were paid to do it. And with that mom's one and only brush with that industry was never spoken of again.

Now lest you think I'm far off-topic, Mr. Jeremy, clearly a polymath, does have a music video. Warning: totally SFW YouTube link but if you click it you'll never be able to unsee what's at the other

Who’s Ron Jeremy?

 

[TSJMajesty]

Met Steve Morse back in the 90’s. The SM Band played a small club in Baltimore MD. After the show he came out to hang and signed autographs and talk. He was totally cool and was joking and probably decompressing a bit. I was so stoked and as a gear geek thought it would be cool to ask him about his rig. All I got was “oh it’s all on the website”. However when he looked up he saw my older brother who is physically the opposite of me. I’m twice his size and he’s a little dude. Anyway, Steve says about my brother ”hey this guy looks like Pete Townshend”! He continued to be very amused about how my brother looked like Pete. So my brother who doesn’t play guitar got a bunch attention from SM.

It was all good, but as some have mentioned that meeting our heroes can be and probably often is a bit deflating. Expectations are a funny thing. Just to reiterate Steve was a totally cool, laid back, friendly and humorous guy.

I have met the guys from old school Kansas. Steve Walsh seemed very anxious to get in the bus. Rich Williams and Robbie Steinhardt (RIP) talked a long time. Attended many PRS Experience Open House’s. Got to meet a good many well known and lesser known, but great players there.

You sound like you're somewhat near me. I'm about 25 minutes from PRS, towards OC. Only been to one of their open houses though.

 

[YetAnotherOne]

Who’s Ron Jeremy?

Judging by that link I posted he's pretty clearly a famous singer.

 

[TD77]

Judging by that link I posted he's pretty clearly a famous singer.

He’s that Pearl Jam dude! Lmao

 

[la szum]

By far the best brush with fame story in the family belonged to my mom.

About 20 years ago I received a call from mom just after she'd flown home from NYC. She described being seated next to a gentleman whom she was certain must be famous but who she could not identify at all. Throughout the entire flight she estimated that most of the passengers and nearly the entire flight crew stopped to speak with him, ask for autographs & take photos. She found it frustrating that no matter how many conversations she listened to no one dropped any clues that identified the reason for the man's fame. Worse she thought she probably spoke with him herself for at least an hour and he also dropped clues at all.

When the flight landed mom waited for her fellow passengers to exit then stopped to speak with the flight attendant manning the spot at the front. The young lady was very surprised that mom had no idea as to the identity or profession of the man seated next to her. She did tell mom his name, which meant nothing to mom, but declined to tell her why he was famous. "It was the strangest thing. Instead of telling me she asked if I had a son and if he was older than 15 or so. I don't understand why she would think my son would know who that was if I don't. So what, precisely, is it that Ron Jeremy does?" I told mom what, precisely, it was that Ron Jeremy did. Silence. Long drawn-out silence. Mom may not have been exactly the life of the party but she was a very quick wit and never at a loss for words but I swear it took an eternity for her to say anything. Finally, totally deadpan and very serious, she said, "That's a shame. He's very personable and seemed like an intelligent man. I really think if he hadn't wasted his life doing that he might have had a real chance to make something of himself. To be successful." Um, mom, he is quite successful ..., ,"And another thing. He's just not handsome at all. Why in the world would all of those women want to sleep with him?" Ah mom you've hit on perhaps one of the most profound philisophical questions in modern Western Civilization; one I've debated with friends over cocktails on multiple occasions; we decided they did it because they were paid to do it. And with that mom's one and only brush with that industry was never spoken of again.

Now lest you think I'm far off-topic, Mr. Jeremy, clearly a polymath, does have a music video. Warning: totally SFW YouTube link but if you click it you'll never be able to unsee what's at the other end.

Wow! One of the most famous mustaches in the world next to Burt Reynolds, Billy Dee Williams, and Hitler.

Apparently, the key to Mr. Jeremy's success in the industry was a world-class capacity to recover from you know what.

 

[TG3K]

By far the best brush with fame story in the family belonged to my mom.

...Ron Jeremy...

OK, that beats my "My mom sat next to Patti LaBelle on an airline flight" story hands down, lol!

 

[DaveO]

Norton Buffalo! Nicest Famous person on earth IMO!

 

[GitGuy513]

You sound like you're somewhat near me. I'm about 25 minutes from PRS, towards OC. Only been to one of their open houses though.

I’m a bit further north in York, PA. But it’s a straight shot south and east to all the places near the ocean. My sister owned some property on Chincoteague Island. I use to hang there and OC a good bit. I can actually make it to Stevensville pretty quick.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I have been lucky enough to meet some actual legends, including but not limited to Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, Ian Hunter, Spencer Davis, Meatloaf, Jerry Harrison, Greg Koch, Brian Ritchie, Sammy BoDean, Carlos Santana, Ahmet Zappa (does he count?), Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy, Merl Saunders, maybe more, done trying to think about it. Every single one of those encounters has a fun story (some more than one) to go along with it. The one that stands out was the second of four (depends on how we define "met") times I "met" Prince. Every year he held an event called "The Celebration" (technically his birthday party every year, but I believe all proceeds went to charity, including the children's hospital that ended up getting built a block away from Paisley based on what I know) at Paisley Park near Minneapolis. It was often a week long event, and there were tours, concerts, games even classes all 7 days all day and night. The stage would sometimes not shut down until 5 am, even later! In addition, he would usually do a couple of shows at the Target Center or another large venue during that week. In 2001, I was able to attend "The Celebration" and I met him and some other incredible people. During that week, the first time I met him was in the main stage area (picture 50 foot ceiling with enough room for 10 basketball courts). He was standing on the back wall talking to some folks. I walked up and stopped about 10 feet shy of him to patiently wait for an audience with his majesty. One of his security guards rushed up on me and said "Don't you see he is talking to somebody?". I said "Yes, I do, that is why I paused where I did.". Prince I think heard the whole thing, boldly stepped towards me, put his hand out for a shake and I obliged. I thanked him for sharing his space with his admirers (some say fans, I hate that word as much as he did). I then bowed and while bowed, took a few steps back then turned and walked away. So that was number one "meet".

The second one was the most special for me though. This was at the same event ("The Celebration" in 2001) and I do not know if this qualifies as a "met", but it is worth more to me than any meet, autograph or photo op (although I wish I had video)!!! So Maceo Parker and his band were on stage (during this event he would have dozens of bands playing day and night and Maceo did NOT disappoint). This venue was the size of a couple of football fields in total square footage (from my estimation) and there was only maybe 200 people in that room (could have held 5,000 easy). There was about 40 people dancing right in front of the stage, then 50 feet on either side of those folks were the L/R PA systems. Now I LOVE to dance, and I LOVE to feel the pushed airwaves from huge sets of speakers (just ask my ears), so I was way on the side of the stage dancing in front of the PA system with nobody within 50 ft of me. Just doin' my thing (I need my space to do my magic on the floor)! After about 15 minutes, I start noticing this HOT chick behind the soundboard just staring at me! It was me or the PA system she was staring at! Did not know who she was, and did not really care to be honest as I was certain she was out of my league, and still is ;~)) So she is watching me dance for a good 10 minutes and then out of nowhere, she and Prince are walking diretly towards me attached at the hip! They get to within about 15 feet of me, and they take a sharp right turn. Walk about 20 feet and lean up against a wall, with both of them staring at me while I dance. Once again, it was me or the PA they were staring at. I "believe" it was about 5 minutes that they watched me dance. It was probably more like 3 or something, but it felt like an eternity. My mind is racing to think about moves I have not done yet, "do I try something new?" and other thoughts racing through my head. I really got to a point that I wished they would stop looking at me, but I just carried on with the best I had! Eventually, they got their back up off the wall (that is a line from a Prince song) and walked right towards me again, as they got about 4 feet away from me, Prince made a gun hand gesture toward me and winked. I obliged with a drop to the floor as I spun 360 and came back up at him with two gun hand gestures and a wink and that was the end of it! They continued walking back stage and it was "until we meet again"! So this was definitely my fav!

Fast forward about 5.5 years, he does the same thing (hand gesture and wink) to me again at his residency in LV (once again while I was dancing like a fool, all by myself)! He only watched me for 10 seconds this time but I think he remembered me based on some of my "unique" moves ;~))

Anyway, like an old girlfriend of mine always said "my stories got stories"! It's been great reading others!! Thanks to all for sharing!!!