High Point Moments in My Music Career (?) Share yours!

[bayoubengal1954]

Sorry if this just comes off as self-indulgent, but I had to post two photos that are symbolic of my exalted status in Show Biz.

The first one from the past Spring  shows how I have shared the stage with many iconic entertainers:

The second one from about five years ago is my #spinaltapmoment (I'm sure most of you will get it 🙂:

Feel free to share yours! Photos and/or stories?

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by bayoubengal1954

[62burst]

4 hours ago, bayoubengal1954 said:

The second one from about five years ago is my #spinaltapmoment (I'm sure most of you will get it 🙂:

 

Weren't you supposed to be billed on the marquee above Puppet Show?

[bayoubengal1954]

1 hour ago, 62burst said:

Weren't you supposed to be billed on the marquee above Puppet Show?

“I distinctly told them Patrick Cooper first THEN Puppet Show!”

[BluesKing777]

 

In the same frame as the above billing problem......

I as lead guitarist in a band and the singer rang me to say we could do a ‘fill in job’ for a fairly well known band who couldn’t make it, but we had to leave ‘now’ to start on time. I grabbed my stuff, loaded the car and headed off to......the wrong address! The singer gave us all the wrong address! All the others were there! No gig there! Before anyone had phones, so we drove around the main type streets of the area look for a gigworthy establishment. Drove everywhere and FOUND it! Ha haha ...mad laughs...and the sign that the singer had chalked on a board was spelled wrong! What was supposed to be Rhythm and blues band was Rythim or something similarly awful...and of course we were not loved for being so late!

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

[Holiday Hoser]

I don't like the look on that rabbits face. petophile?

 

I played a Hell's Angel bash once and got knocked in the head by thrown beer bottle. Who knew they didn't like Joni Mitchell songs!

[bayoubengal1954]

13 minutes ago, Holiday Hoser said:

I don't like the look on that rabbits face. petophile?

 

I played a Hell's Angel bash once and got knocked in the head by thrown beer bottle. Who knew they didn't like Joni Mitchell songs!

Yeah, the older girl on his lap doesn’t look very comfortable. As for the Hell’s Angels gig, you were just trying broaden their horizons a little with the JM songs. How ungrateful of them. 😉

[uncle fester]

No gig stories from me, bu kudos to you - EB is no slouch among the holiday icons and said to be very particular about who he'll share a stage with.  

[Murph]

Around 1977 I had a 3 piece band playing in a very old club in Apache Jct. Az. ( East Mesa/Phoenix) I had played that same very popular club for a year or so with a very hot and popular Country band, but this was a Rock act. The place was packed, big established place and we were well received. I got a note on a napkin saying we were sounding good, but we were playing too many songs in the same key. It was signed Jerry Garcia.

I had never heard the name Jerry Garcia, didn't know who he was. I mean, I had HEARD of the Grateful Dead, but at 19 I was into Skynyrd, Eagles, ZZ Topp, Foghat, Joe Walsh, you know. Didn't know the name, and didn't recognize him either. I took offense and announced to the crowd that Jerry Garcia was going to sit in and play a song, took off my guitar and waved him up. Nobody in the crowd knew who he was either, he got up and played something with my bass player and drummer. Whatever it was didn't work very well and when he was done he left.

It was well over another year before I realized who it was, and decades before I realized the genius and passion for acoustic music of Jerry Garcia. However, I never forgot the advice and to this day will rarely play 2 songs back to back in the same key, and took great care on projects to avoid it as well.

No.

I didn't have enough sense to save the napkin. ( however, I own a 1962 Double Cut Twin Pickup Gibson Melody Maker that was once played by Jerry Garcia )

[bayoubengal1954]

11 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

In the same frame as the above billing problem......

I as lead guitarist in a band and the singer rang me to say we could do a ‘fill in job’ for a fairly well known band who couldn’t make it, but we had to leave ‘now’ to start on time. I grabbed my stuff, loaded the car and headed off to......the wrong address! The singer gave us all the wrong address! All the others were there! No gig there! Before anyone had phones, so we drove around the main type streets of the area look for a gigworthy establishment. Drove everywhere and FOUND it! Ha haha ...mad laughs...and the sign that the singer had chalked on a board was spelled wrong! What was supposed to be Rhythm and blues band was Rythim or something similarly awful...and of course we were not loved for being so late!

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

Your singer was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. 😂

[bayoubengal1954]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

Around 1977 I had a 3 piece band playing in a very old club in Apache Jct. Az. ( East Mesa/Phoenix) I had played that same very popular club for a year or so with a very hot and popular Country band, but this was a Rock act. The place was packed, big established place and we were well received. I got a note on a napkin saying we were sounding good, but we were playing too many songs in the same key. It was signed Jerry Garcia.

I had never heard the name Jerry Garcia, didn't know who he was. I mean, I had HEARD of the Grateful Dead, but at 19 I was into Skynyrd, Eagles, ZZ Topp, Foghat, Joe Walsh, you know. Didn't know the name, and didn't recognize him either. I took offense and announced to the crowd that Jerry Garcia was going to sit in and play a song, took off my guitar and waved him up. Nobody in the crowd knew who he was either, he got up and played something with my bass player and drummer. Whatever it was didn't work very well and when he was done he left.

It was well over another year before I realized who it was, and decades before I realized the genius and passion for acoustic music of Jerry Garcia. However, I never forgot the advice and to this day will rarely play 2 songs back to back in the same key, and took great care on projects to avoid it as well.

No.

I didn't have enough sense to save the napkin. ( however, I own a 1962 Double Cut Twin Pickup Gibson Melody Maker that was once played by Jerry Garcia )

Great story, Murph! I also try to follow the not playing two songs in a row in the same key, although it’s not easy during a four hour gig.

At least that no name JG left you with some useful advice! 

[drathbun]

Just a couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were fortunate to obtain tickets for a very intimate performance by the great flamenco guitarist Oscar Lopez in a very small venue south of Calgary. There were only 42 tickets sold and we were basically in a living room with this great artist. Oscar played and chatted and joked with the small gathering and was truly a virtuoso. Later in the second set, he started playing tunes to get the audience singing along like "Hotel California" (in a very flamenco and awesome style). Everyone was clapping and singing when they knew the words (usually in the choruses). He started playing "Don't Let Me Down" by the Beatles and everyone was singing loud DON"T LET ME DOWN!!! DON"T LET ME DOWN!!! But when it got to the verses, everyone dropped out but me and I kept singing full voice "I'm in love for the first time... do do do do... don't ya know its gonna last!!!" Then I realize that no one else is singing and Oscar even stopped singing and nodded to me to continue. So I did.. full voice, with Oscar Lopez accompanying me! OMG. My heart was beating out of my chest. When the song was done, I got a huge (42 person) round of applause and Oscar pointed at me and said "YOU! You should be up here!" and pointed to the microphone. That was awesome and amazing. Even though my voice cracked in the high notes, I sang out with full throated abandon even though I was terrified.

After the show we chatted and he posed with us for photos. I asked him about his guitar and it was just a workhorse Almansa classical that he bought in the store where I used to work in Calgary. A magical night seeing a legendary artist and singing with him. 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by drathbun

[uncle fester]

2 hours ago, drathbun said:

Just a couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were fortunate to obtain tickets for a very intimate performance by the great flamenco guitarist Oscar Lopez in a very small venue south of Calgary. There were only 42 tickets sold and we were basically in a living room with this great artist. Oscar played and chatted and joked with the small gathering and was truly a virtuoso. Later in the second set, he started playing tunes to get the audience singing along like "Hotel California" (in a very flamenco and awesome style). Everyone was clapping and singing when they knew the words (usually in the choruses). He started playing "Don't Let Me Down" by the Beatles and everyone was singing loud DON"T LET ME DOWN!!! DON"T LET ME DOWN!!! But when it got to the verses, everyone dropped out but me and I kept singing full voice "I'm in love for the first time... do do do do... don't ya know its gonna last!!!" Then I realize that no one else is singing and Oscar even stopped singing and nodded to me to continue. So I did.. full voice, with Oscar Lopez accompanying me! OMG. My heart was beating out of my chest. When the song was done, I got a huge (42 person) round of applause and Oscar pointed at me and said "YOU! You should be up here!" and pointed to the microphone. That was awesome and amazing. Even though my voice cracked in the high notes, I sang out with full throated abandon even though I was terrified.

After the show we chatted and he posed with us for photos. I asked him about his guitar and it was just a workhorse Almansa classical that he bought in the store where I used to work in Calgary. A magical night seeing a legendary artist and singing with him. 

 

Awesome story - kudos Doug and thanks for sharing!

[PrairieSchooner]

High points: opening for Ramblin' Jack Elliot at Anderson Fair in Houston (and getting to hang with him back stage),  and for Brian Bowers at Wichita State University, where I learned a valuable lesson.  The crowd received me well but they were there to hear Brian obviously.  By the time I finished my set they were getting pretty rowdy.  When Brian walked out they didn't quiet down much, so he walked up to the mic, said a couple things about his autoharp, and then told the crowd he was gonna show them how it really sounds without any amplification.  He walked away from the mic and started playing and the crowd went dead quite, and he had them in the palm of his hand from then on.  

[Jim Wilson]

I have opened for Ramblin' Jack Elliott on three different occasions.  On one, I had to give him a guitar pick....he didn't have one.  On another, I had to loan him my guitar.  And on the third, I had to loan him my capo.  What an absolute character!!!

[PrairieSchooner]

7 hours ago, Jim Wilson said:

I have opened for Ramblin' Jack Elliott on three different occasions.  On one, I had to give him a guitar pick....he didn't have one.  On another, I had to loan him my guitar.  And on the third, I had to loan him my capo.  What an absolute character!!!

Yep!

[G Mac]

I was in a band that hosted a local blues jam and when the Blues festival arrived in August, we would host a jam with people who were playing in the festival. Well, one year, Gatemouth Brown was in the show and he came down to the jam! Needless to say, we were all very excited! When Gatemouth was up, he played a couple of tunes with Deborah Coleman (a semi-famous blues artist) and after her, I got a chance to play. Deborah handed me her guitar and off we went on Stormy Monday. I guess I got a bit excited when it was my time to play a solo and I played some things that were a bit fast. When I finished my chorus, I looked over at Gatemouth and he was looking at me like he wanted to kill me...It scared me to death! If looks could kill, I'd have been dead three or four times! I guess he really hated my playing! I learned in that moment to take my time and try not to overplay even if it's what you want to do! As I relate this story to you, I can still feel the shame that I felt then and my arm hairs are standing on end! I don't think I ever felt worse when I was playing! That was about twenty or more years ago and it still stings! Whew! I've played a lot of blues since then with a lot of folks but, I never got a look like that (and I hope I never do!).

P.S.    I just this minute looked up Deborah on You Tube and found out that she passed in April of 2018. Rest in Peace and thanks for letting me use your guitar!

Edited August 13, 2019 by G Mac

[jt]

A few years back, I got a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the great jazz club in London. One of my all-time favorite guitar performances occurred on that stage: Jeff beck's "Performing this week ... Live at Ronnie Scott's."

When I walked into the club, the manager said, "Jeff's coming to see you tonight." "Jeff who?" Jeff Beck." Gulp! He sat in the front row. I played OK and afterwards Jeff complimented me. Maybe just being nice, but I have witnesses! We also hung out and jammed.

 

 

[uncle fester]

17 minutes ago, jt said:

A few years back, I got a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the great jazz club in London. One of my all-time favorite guitar performances occurred on that stage: Jeff beck's "Performing this week ... Live at Ronnie Scott's."

When I walked into the club, the manager said, "Jeff's coming to see you tonight." "Jeff who?" Jeff Beck." Gulp! He sat in the front row. I played OK and afterwards Jeff complimented me. Maybe just being nice, but I have witnesses! We also hung out and jammed.

Pretty darn cool, that's all you can say about that.

[jt]

5 hours ago, billroy said:

Pretty darn cool, that's all you can say about that.

Thanks!

[drathbun]

6 hours ago, jt said:

A few years back, I got a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the great jazz club in London. One of my all-time favorite guitar performances occurred on that stage: Jeff beck's "Performing this week ... Live at Ronnie Scott's."

When I walked into the club, the manager said, "Jeff's coming to see you tonight." "Jeff who?" Jeff Beck." Gulp! He sat in the front row. I played OK and afterwards Jeff complimented me. Maybe just being nice, but I have witnesses! We also hung out and jammed.

 

That's totally freaking awesome JT!

[QuestionMark]

7 hours ago, jt said:

A few years back, I got a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the great jazz club in London. One of my all-time favorite guitar performances occurred on that stage: Jeff beck's "Performing this week ... Live at Ronnie Scott's."

When I walked into the club, the manager said, "Jeff's coming to see you tonight." "Jeff who?" Jeff Beck." Gulp! He sat in the front row. I played OK and afterwards Jeff complimented me. Maybe just being nice, but I have witnesses! We also hung out and jammed.

 

 

JT, I can understand Jeff Beck liking your guitar playing.  I liked your guitar playing, too!  Good stuff!

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

[jt]

23 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

JT, I can understand Jeff Beck liking your guitar playing.  I liked your guitar playing, too!  Good stuff!

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

Thank you, kind sir.

[dhanners623]

The highs have included opening for Tom Paxton, Bill Staines, Garnet Rogers and Ellis Paul, and once being on the same bill with Ralph Stanley.

The lows.... Back in the '80s in Dallas, a promoter named Joe Christ (he previously went under the name "Joe Danger") hired the acoustic trio I was in to play a great old supper club in Deep Ellum. What he didn't tell us was that we were opening for three thrash bands. We were the oldest people in the green room, and we weren't that old. After the show, we literally had to chase the promoter down the street to get our money.

It was shortly after that that I gave up the profit motive in music.

Last fall in Kuwait, I got booked to play a music festival at the country's ritziest mall. It was a two-hour set and paid great. The guys who booked me had booked me before, so they knew me and knew my stuff. I finished my first song and one of the guys is at the side of the stage and is frantically waving me over. I go over and he says, "We've had complaints from the mall about the noise."

"You're running the sound. Turn it down," I said.

"No. You can't sing."

"Well, that's a subjective view, but...."

"No, no vocals are allowed. The mall management isn't sure it has the correct permit from the government. So they just want instrumental music. Can you just strum your guitar?"

"You want me to strum my guitar for two hours? That'll get boring fast. Plus, you guys knew I'm a songwriter when you booked me. My songs are about, you know, words. Stories."

"Yeah, we know. Just strum."

I thought a moment and said, "I'll do it for 20 minutes and then I'm out of here. And you're paying me for the full set."

Figuring 20 minutes was better than two hours of silence, he agreed. So I strummed my guitar for 20 minutes. And I was right. It was boring. They paid me for the full set.

Edited August 15, 2019 by dhanners623

[MorrisrownSal]

Doug and Ben... great stories...  actually everyone here... enjoyable thread.

Now, I peaked at age 20. In college I was in a band called Sinister Footwear. We played frat parties, events on the quad... things like that. But we did also enter the 1986 Maxwell House Talent Competition, which came to campus. We played Chuck Mangione’s Feel So Good. And Genesis’s Turn It On Again... we won... and split $1000..

 

i think it was our mullets...

https://imgur.com/gallery/MIjfv9x

 

[rbpicker]

I don’t think I’ve hit my pinnacle yet, and may never.  😩

Actually, probably senior year of high school.  I was lead singer in the Fabulous Chevelles, middle of Indiana in 1963.  We had so much fun playing high school dances and parties.  Recorded a record in Nashville (Indiana) which sold tons...I think ever member of our families bought one.  After that, not so much.  

It all ended when I graduated and went into the Air Force.  So was life in the mid-sixties.  Wouldn’t trade any of it (including my military hitch)  for anything.  Life was good back then.... except mullets weren’t around yet. 😉

roger

Edited August 17, 2019 by rbpicker