Greg Meets Glenn Frey

In 1982, I was living in L.A. In the aftermath of the Eagles, and around the same time that No Fun Aloud came out, Glenn Frey produced an great album for an R&B band called Jack Mack and the Heart Attack. The band played every week at a club on Sunset called Club Lingerie.

For a newly transplanted Ohioan, the weekly trips to see this band were nothing short of mind bending. The place rocked, people danced non-stop, and there were real, live minor celebrities in abundance. My pals and I talked to Al Franken from SNL, saw Bernadette Peters, and talked to some girl that my girlfriend at the time swore was on Little House on the Prairie.

 

On one of the nights I was there, my friend tapped me on the shoulder and asked if the guy in the red suit was Glenn Frey. ( If you read this Glenn, all is forgiven. It was 1982.) Sure enough it was. In fact he was there with Alan Blazek, who was involved in producing some of the Eagles albums, and, Nellie Frey, his mother.

 

I recall having a very pleasant talk with him. I thanked him for all of the great music I had enjoyed over the years, told him how much I liked his solo album, and was introduced to his mom. For the record she was quite pleasant, notwithstanding the portrait painted by that idiot Charles Young in Rolling Stone in 1979. He was really gracious and open to talking with us.

 

It should also be noted that he lived up to his hype by hitting on my very cute girlfriend before we left.

Dot Meets Don Henley

Yes, I found myself face to face with Don Henley at a benefit dinner/show for Walden Woods a few years ago.  It took place at a Boston hotel, with a gala reception with wondrous hors doerves and drinks, ice sculptures, and people mingling, followed by an elegant dinner and show featuring Lyle Lovett and his Big Band in the hotel ballroom.  At the reception another woman there by herself, as I was, mentioned to me that she'd like to meet Lyle Lovett. I said to her, "There he is; just go up to him."  She shyly hesitated, and I turned around and there was Don, a few feet away.  After giving her those words of encouragement, it was just natural that I should do the same. I went up to Don, introduced myself, and he graciously smiled and said hello. I asked him if he would be singing that evening, and he said he wasn't planning on it.  I said, "I thought you might sing 'Man with a Mission,' (thinking about Don with his mission to save Walden Woods).  He replied, "Actually, I wrote that song with a woman in mind."  From that point, I don't remember a thing. How did we leave that? What did I say? The next thing I remember is that I was sitting at my table in the ballroom, and dinner was being served.  All I can think of is that I sort of 'blanked out' from excitement when Don said, "....with a woman in mind."  <smile>

Ashley Meets Don Henley

Austin Meets Don Henley

 

I Cheekily sneaked through the Kitchen area at Wembley Arena in London. I remember sitting waiting for him to come in to do a sound check. He then came over to near where my son and I where sitting and I can then remember my Son having to prompt me to go up to Don to say hello and ask it we could have a photo taken with him. I have to say he seemed just as nervous as I was when I shook hands with him. I can remember him feeling genuine sympathy when I told him that that the BBC`s D.J., Roger Scott, whom not long before at the time had done a terrific interview with Don, was dying which he did that very day, God bless him. Any rate I am afraid I can`t remember much else that was said other than my words seem to come out all wrong as they do when you meet your idol.

Andy Meets Don Henley

I met Don after the Lubbock date in March 2002, after the Inside Job Tour. You may remember I travelled with a small party from UK solely to see the concert. At breakfast we read the Lubbock Avalanche Journal and were amazed that our mission had made the news due to an interview with Bill Kearns, the editor.

On taking our seats, Harry Sandler, Don's Tour Manager came and presented us with Back Stage Passes! Well, that set the mood.

After a superb long show, we met a very laid back Don, who was only too keen to sign tickets and have photos taken. He said he was very pleased that the album was going so well, and that the Band were by no means has-beens.

He confirmed the Tour for 2003 and told how the IJ album was family inspired, especially "Taking you home" which portrayed a unique moment in his life, ie taking his new born daughter home from hospital, and "Annabelle". He seemed very happy and having just played for 2 1/2 hours very relaxed.

To meet him personalizes the listening thereafter a great deal.