CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
OF THE CELEBRITY KIND

Some people call it synchronicity, others call it a fortuitous series of events. Either way, We all can get a little giddy when we come face to face with Celebrities. Even with my small bit of notoriety I have enjoyed my share of encounters. In time I hope to put them all up. Here are some of my favorite moments.

Bill Beutel

The last person I ever expected to see on the local Manhattan #1 subway train was Bill Beutel. He was at the height of his career as local ABC News anchorman. Then again, the early nineties were good in New York City and anyone who really knew the city also knew that the fastest way to travel in the early afternoon was the subway. I sat directly across from him and tried my best not to stare. There he was bigger than life in his three piece blue pin-striped suit. He looked up from his newspaper and we exchanged pleasant nods. As the train pulled out of the station a small empty bottle roll and bounced on the long seat about six feet away from him. I felt embarrassed that he should be exposed to such an un-thoughtful indignation. My stop came quickly. I slowly approached the offending article and took it. I looked back at him as I left the train. He seemed relieved and I took his smile to be a silent thank you. I had always watched Eyewitness News, but that night I felt a even deeper connection to the gentleman I had spent ten minutes with that afternoon.

Aretha Franklin:

Howard Johnson Restuarant, Broadway 46th Street New York City
Ms Franklin was seated at the bar. I couldnt resist approaching her.
I said, "Hello Ms Franklin, I manage and produce the group Black Ivory. we would love the opportunity to work with you someday."
She replied, "No Honey, The wind is blowing the other way." It took six months and two more hit singles but the group eventually did open for Aretha.

Dionne Warwick:

Laguadia Airport, New York City January 1971. The Vocal group- BLACK IVORY and I were on the way to a gig in Indianappolis Indiana. Just a simple hello and brief coversation with a gracious woman.

Smokey Robinson:

When I was 15 years old and life was not as perilous, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles blessed the Apollo Theatre in New York with a visit every August. An added blessing was that most of the Motown singers and musicians felt right at home shooting hoops in the school yard adjacent to the stage door. I once caught Smokey on the way back in. I asked him if he had any advice for a hopeful writer/ producer. He gave me a brief but wise answer. He said, "FORGET IT!" My interpretation was; This is tough ugly business which is not for the faint of heart. If you are easily discouraged, finish school and don't quit your day job!" I started writing when I was 12. My first song was recorded when I was 16 and I produced by first record at 17. I have been through some ugly doors, but I have no regrets.

Billy Davis & Marilyn McCoo (FIFTH DIMENSION):

In front of the Americana Hotel (now the Sheraton Centre). As I was walking briskly down Seventh Avenue my eyes were drawn to a good looking couple passing in the opposite direction. For no reason I can remember I looked back over my shoulder. They too had stopped to look back at me. Slowly we closed the distance between us. I spoke first. I looked at Billy and asked, "Are you famous?" He gave me that innocent look and pointed to the lady. "Nah, but she is!" We all laughed as we continued on our journeys.

LaToya Jackson

This gives a whole new meaning to the expression - "Bumped Into". I had just left a meeting in a suite at the Rega Royale Hotel in New York. I had been confirmed as the producer of a childrens' CD-Rom Project for Paramount. My mind was totally numb. As the elevator doors parted I dashed straight out without looking. "BAM" - right into Latoya Jackson. (No I will not elaborate on the physical contact)

Jimi Hendricks Guitar

I know this is silly. I first saw Jimi's guitar when he played the Wollman Ice Skating Rink Central Park in 1967. He was oppening for the Young Rascals. Actually my band was watching the concert from the really cheap seats. (sitting on the rocks overlooking the rink). A year later my group was in the Record Plant Studios with Three Dog Night producer Larry Fallon. We recorded during the day while Jimi was doing the night shift. Each day we I saw that beautiful black Acoustic brand electric guitar standing against the wall in studio 'A'. About a year after that I played the Apollo Theatre with the Aleems. at that time the twins band was known as THE GHETTO FIGHTERS. For a week I played Jimi's guitar which he had givin to the twins..

Earl The Pearl Monroe

The only thing bigger than a movie star in the ghetto is a bone fide basketball star. In the late sixties there was nobody bigger than Earl The Pearl Monroe of the New York Nicks. We first met when he signed the Aleem Twins to his Pearl Record label. He hired me to be the groups musical director. I actually knew the twins from childhood but thats another story. The point of this story is that Earl was always a kind and wonderfull person. When rehearsals ran very late he often would drive me home to Harlem. Imagine the looks on my friends faces when they saw me jumping out of Earls' MG Roadster. It really was embarassing. "DAMN, HE GOT EARL THE PEARL DRIVIN' HIM HOME!!!!" I have been on Earl's musical team ever since.

Jesse Jackson

The summer of 1967 My musical mentor Al Avant took me on my first jet plane ride to Washington DC. We went for the National Disc Jockey Convention. I was standing at one end of a long corridor in the hotel. I felt like someone was looking at me. When I turned and looked down the hall I saw a tall statueque Black man in African robes staring at me from the other end. Looking back, maybe it was the big Afro that we both had. It seemed like we were drawn to each other. We met in the center hall. his voice matched his strong firm handshake. 'Hello, I'm Jesse Jackson." I don't remember the rest of the conversation. I do know that I have felt some connection from that moment..I feel we will meet again.

Sly and The Family Stone

When it rains.... On the way back to New York Al Avant and I took the Eastern Shuttle. The Washington to New York flight left every hour on the hour and you could buy your ticket right on the plane. This was the flight of a lifetime for a young wanna-be producer. The entire plane seemed to be full of Record executives and Radio DJs. I struck up a conversation with the well dressed executive in the next seat. He said his name was Dave and he was Sly and The Family Stones manager. I asked where Sly was. He said the last he heard was that Sly was stuck somewhere on the road between New York City and a place called Woodstock. He said they were trying to get a helicopter to pick him up. When we were leaving the flight he invited me to come down to the hotel in the city and hang out with them. That week I had the incredible experience of watching Sly at the Apollo theater from the side of the stage. That was mind boggling. Everytime they pumped a note during "Dance To The Music", the lights would dim in time with the beat. It was like being in the band.

Jerry Lewis

Labor Day found our band at the Americana Hotel for the Jerry Lewis MD Telethon. One whole ballroom had been turned into a giant 'green room' (the waiting room for all the entertainers) It would take a whole page to list the Stars that were in that room, We didnt get to perform but after the show as we were moving our eqipment out we heard a commotion coming down the hall. It was Jerry Lewis after 20 hours of live television. He was yelling at everyone to get out the way. We were in shock when we heard the litany of curse words coming from his lips. This was not the happy, nutty professor we had come to admire. This was just an exhausted ugly dude in search of rest. Sometimes it is best to admire from a distance and remember celebs as we imagine them to be.

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