Your Take: Starstruck

Most of the country artists I want to meet are the ones that talk the least (like Alan Jackson or Ricky Van Shelton). If I could meet Phil Vassar, I’d probably compliment his piano playing and say that we need more piano in country music. But like Lucas, I’d probably collapse in a heap.

In the liner notes for “Modern Hymns”, Darrell Scott talks about how awkward and awe struck he was when meeting John Hartford, and how Hartford’s songs made Scott feel as though he knew him, but he didn’t really. So, when he meets this total stranger, that he knows so well through his music, for the first time, it’s an interesting experience. Oddly enough, Darrell Scott is the only person I’ve ever met that made me feel awe struck like that.

I don’t think I’d get past the r-sound in “Reba” if I ever met her.

I’d be a complete idiot. I could probably act like a normal person around most celebrities (including all actors…I just don’t get over-the-moon about actors for some reason), but if I met someone whose music really meant a lot to me, I doubt I’d get much past hi.

And I mean, what is there to say, really? “I really like your music”? Duh, or else I wouldn’t be there, would I? “It changed my life”? Yeah, that’s a really powerful statement, because they haven’t heard that a million times before. :sigh: I am not the master of conversation I would like to be, what can I say?

I met The Judds in 1990 when they took part in a benefit concert in Philadelphia. This was just a few weeks after Naomi’s retirement had been announced. I used to work in the theater where the event was being held, so I was able to get into the green room and say a brief hello as they passed through on their way to stage. I was too nervous to say a whole lot except something like, “I love your music”, but I did get them to autograph my copy of the Love Can Build A Bridge CD. Wynonna came in at the last minute before she was due on stage and didn’t have time to give me the autograph but promised that she would do so as soon as the show was finished. I was there waiting when she came off the stage. Her bodyguards were about to throw me out when stopped them and said that she’d promised to sign my CD.

I saw Kris Kristofferson in concert and myself and several other women who are all long past the groupie age squeeed “ohmigoditsKrisKristofferson…astandingright thereitsKrisKristoffersonohmigod!!!)

I’d like to meet Merle Haggard and ask him “Merle, how did you go from Okie From Muskogee and Fighting Side of me to writing a song praising Hillary Clinton and supporting Obama? What in the hell happened to you man?” I’d make sure I was out of swinging distance and could make a quick exit….

^ John Rich had already called dibs on John McCain xD

There are actually very few people I’d be star-struck by. But George Jones, that’s kind of like talking to a President or MLK… you just realize the enormity of what he’s done for country music.

Did he talk about his apparently very active role in guiding Diamond Rio’s career?

I would mainly have kept my cool…but I’d give anything just to shake hands with Keith Urban and/or Brad Paisley and, without a single word and action, immediately put my hands on the guitar and pray the music Gods are watching over me with better arrangements. :D You gotta love yourself for improvising on a better day. But seriously, the person I’d most be honored to meet is Randy Travis simply because without him, my music education and obsessive listening to this day would have taken a whole lot longer to find. I credit him and would say thank you sir for guiding me into music as well as putting the love of it into my life on a daily basis. I’d also ask him how does he play that Hard Rock Bottom of my Heart song: the chorus fill right before that line is sung, because I can’t seem to get it down yet. Still…not giving up on that as well.