OK everyone...who?

Ramsey Lewis: Met him at Blues Alley in DC. During the intermission, my girlfriend went to him to tell him it was my birthday. He came over to sit down and talk jazz with me for 15 minutes! He was every bit as classy as his reputation suggests.

Frank Thomas: As a White Sox fan, this was a special thrill.

Dikembe Mutumbo: Met him at a house party. Tallest person I've ever met.

Various former Miami Dolphins, who I met through my friend who is also a former Dolphin.

Special Mention: I went to elementary school with Junior Walker's nephew and Mavis Staples' niece, high school with Gene Harris' daughter who is now a jazz singer herself, and college with Barry Gordy's nephew.
 
I have been lucky to meet some very nice people in the music business, from Billy Joel to Oscar Peterson, Diana Krall, Monty Alexander, Jeff Hamiltion, John Clayton, Russell Malone, Patricia Barber, tierney Sutton, Stacey Kent, Karin Allyson, John Pizzarelli, Benny Green, Christian McBride, just to name a few. I am not bashful! The coolest though, was sitting next to Helen Mirren on a flight to Australia. What a lovely and sweet woman. Just awesome.
 
When I was 12 years old, my family was at a friends house for Thanksgiving. I have 2 brothers and their family had 3 boys, each the same age as my brothers and myself. So all 6 of us boys were playing baseball in their complex, when one of the kids we were visiting told us Joe Diamaggio's niece lived at a certain house. My buddy insisted we knock to see if he was over at her house for Thanksgiving. I would have never done it by myself, but with all of us, we mustered up the courage to knock. The door opened, at standing right in front of us was Joe Diamaggio... He was gracious and talked baseball with all of us, he even let us go round up every baseball we could find and signed every one of them for us. It was a special treat. My buddy even asked him to play catch.... he politely refused, which I understand. That is a day I will never forget because most people in his position would have never answered the door and much less spend as much time with 6 kids as he did. He was a true gentleman.
 
Peed on the same bush with bill Monroe at a bluegrass festival. I swear it.


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I don't know the answer to this because celebrity status doesn't 'get' me, but my biggest moment was going to CEDIA 2.5 years ago and meeting Sandy Gross for the first time. I started my journey with Polk, so it was a big deal for me.

I can say that when I was 18, I hit a long home run off a future Texas Ranger - German Duran - after striking him out earlier in the game. I remember his team giving him hell about it too, laughing and pointing at him as I rounded the bases.
 
I was doing a corporate show in Atlantic City. I lost my sunglasses so I went into a sunglass shop in a little mall on the boardwalk. As I was trying them on, someone came in and stood next to me. It was Jim Nabors. He was playing one of the show rooms on the boardwalk. We talked for a couple of minutes as I was paying for my glasses. Very nice gentleman and he talked just like Gomer in real life.
 
My late brother-in-law was big in the music/entertainment biz, so I ended up meeting a bunch of celebrities and musical artists over a few years. I've never been up on celebrity culture, so he found it kind of amusing when I didn't recognize some of the people.

At the time, probably the most famous one I met was Paris Hilton.

At a party at the Playboy mansion, I found myself standing next to Deborah Harry, and was so dumbfounded (Blondie is one of my all time faves) that I just kind of froze and didn't say anything to her. So that doesn't count as meeting.
 
George Bush Sr. at the Continental President's Club (ironically enough) at Newark International; was surprised at how approachable he was once the Secret Service gave me the once & twice over :D
 
Forgot, I met Sally Star one night in Western Warehouse when I was buying a pair of boots. She was there picking up a custom belt they made for her. Chatted for a few minutes and then left her alone.
 
Hounddog said:
Peed on the same bush with bill Monroe at a bluegrass festival. I swear it.


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Reminds me of the time that Keith Richards talked about being in a rest room and he looked over at the next urinal and there was Johnny Cash. Keith Richards said something to the effect that I'm pissing next to Johnny Cash!
 
Shadowfax said:
Forgot, I met Sally Star one night in Western Warehouse when I was buying a pair of boots. She was there picking up a custom belt they made for her. Chatted for a few minutes and then left her alone.
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The great Sally Starr! We all had a crush on her back in the day. She turned me onto the Three Stooges. Met her as a 5 year old I think at a local event. I need to find that card she signed for me! I know I have it somewhere.
 
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