A few years ago, Sheri snared a couple backstage meet and greet passes to say hello and briefly chat with Taylor Swift. This was the period when she was first ascending and telling her musical story through the eyes of a teenage girl. Sheri brought her daughter Olivia and as you might guess Olivia was awestruck. The soon to be Queen of the music industry was warm, and engaged asking about Olivia’s school plus did a quick interview with Sheri on a portable recorder. Sheri noticed that Taylor was just as engaged with little girls whose mothers did not have a syndicated radio show.
That is not how it always goes when meeting successful performers. In fact, it’s a stressful crapshoot.
I met the brilliant David Crosby when I was fifteen years old. It was backstage just before the Byrds were about to perform. A friend of mine’s father was the promoter of the show. Crosby strolled in, we introduced ourselves, he nodded, turned and left. Not a word.
Same friend got us up to Sonny and Cher’s hotel suite. Sonny came out of the bedroom all smiles and handshakes. Cher stayed in her room. To this day I bet she regrets not having met two awkward, horny teen-age boys from Connecticut.
Like Forest Gump’s chocolates you never know what you will get.
Because of the Bob and Sheri Show we have met a lot of famous people. Despite his rep for fights with Fleetwood Mac band mates, Lindsay Buckingham was charming, interesting, and even invited Sheri to look him up when she was in L.A. Chris Issac was a delight and even preformed for our radio audience. Dropped us a note saying how much he enjoyed being on the show. Said we asked questions no one else had. We get that a lot.
And then there was Third-Eye Blind. We pulled them up via satellite and they were rude and boring. We dumped them early. Can’t totally blame them, as I am sure the mix of new money, testosterone and the road tend to shape you in strange ways.
Plus, and there is no other way to put it, some radio guys, and they are always guys, are assholes. One I watched as he brought on a big act to eleven thousand men, women and children, asked the audience…” How do you know if your girlfriend needs to lose weight? When she sits on your face you can’t hear the stereo.” Roadie came out and dragged him off.
And then there was the jerk DJ who also was invited to a Taylor Swift meet and greet and during the pictures squeezed Taylor’s ass. Wrong woman to do that to. She went public, he was fired from a great gig in Denver, and ended up in a small station in Mississippi. I hope it was owned by Entercom. Most radio personalities are careful with performers and were mortified by this moron.
The truth is this, performers in groups, be they musicians, actors, dancers or birthday clowns, inhabit a closed society. The road will beat you up, mentally and physically, and only your road family knows the way to endure, survive and maybe have a few laughs. Everyone else is an outsider and it can be exhausting to deal with strangers at every stop. When Sheri and I travel we stay until every hand is shaken and every baby kissed. But we usually end the night just the two of us with our manager Tony over drinks. I think it’s probably the same way with carpenters, nurses, and teachers. Nobody understands like your tribe.
If you get a Lindsay, a Chris, a Taylor on a good day, it’s memorable fun.
My favorite was when I was eighteen and just hired to jock nights on a small station in Fall River, Massachusetts. The local priest, Father Ed, had a deal with promoters in Boston. Send him a big act on an off night, like Tuesdays, for a low price and he would fill the local auditorium and take a cut for the CYO. (Catholic Youth Organization) by getting a local dj to plug it on air. That was me, and I got fifty bucks to bring them on.
The day of the show I arrived early and killed time playing pinball in the rec hall. A guy walked over to me and said “Hey, want to play against me?” It was Burton Cummings the lead singer and songwriter for The Guess Who who were the act that night. This guy wrote and sang lead on American Woman, (later covered by Lenny Kravitz) These Eyes, Laughing, No Time, to name a few. He was so cool and made me feel like we had known each other for years. His guitar player at the time by the way, was Randy Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive.
He probably never knew how happy he made a teenage dj / college student, or that I would recall it so many years later. Or maybe he did.
The fifty bucks was great too.
Love hearing your stories like this!
Awesome stories Bob! What a life you have had to date! Keep up the good work brother, I enjoy you and Sheri on my 35 mile drive to work every morning.
Fantastic Stories Bob!
In all these years, I’d never heard the Burton Cummings story! The Guess Who has always been one of my favorite bands (and I was born in 1977). I just grew up on them. So cool!
The ones who don’t forget who made them famous are the most fun. Reba McIntyre showed up in Great Falls, MT a few years ago. One of our volunteers here at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, was a HUGE fan. I introduced myself and asked Ms. McIntyre if she would mind if I took her photograph. She very graciously shook my hand, and asked, “Where would you like for me to pose?”
I really enjoyed reading that article that you just wrote about meeting celebrities and how other people have treated them versus how you treated them. Isn’t that just so true no matter what life you lead. As an RN for 34 years My paths have crossed over many times out in public and it’s nice to know that the feeling that you have when you see someone or when they see you is a positive feeling even if you can’t remember how you know them. Good for you Bob Lacey!!! Keep making a difference in this world!!!
Great blog Bob. I’ve been lucky in meeting and making friends with some famous shipwreck hunters and WW2 authors, and very surprised at how open and willing to share information they are. They have really been cool and I did not expect this. You can be wary of approaching people, but I’ve grown more confident and those whoa are not as giving, it doesn’t bother me anymore. I have enough!
Great stories Bob. You have lived a cool life and always stay so grounded. You and Sheri tickle my ears with your banter, stories and just every day life that is our world. Thank you. Peace
Love reading and hearing your stories. You should write a book about them.
You and Sheri are my favorite morning show but I can no longer get you in the Myrtle Beach area, the station that carried you dropped you.they think they need a younger crew but they don’t know their beach audience. This is the fastest active retirement growing area in the country. We listeners are in our 50’s – 80’s+ and appreciate your insights and humor. The ones who took over your spot seem a bit vapid. Can you tell me what station I can find you on now?
Love you Bob! Keep telling your stories!
I loved reading this.
So many “wow” moments.
Thank you for sharing the memories.
Bob, I enjoyed your article SO much! You write a great color-commentary. Thanks for the smiles!
Hey Bob & Sheri, Dan Dan the ex Limo man aka WBCY Chicken. I bet I know who that DJ is who told that nasty joke at Carowinds. Initials JB. I wanted to add some names from my driving days that were pretty awesome- Stevie Wonder,The Smothers Brothers, Terry Bradshaw, Ross Perot, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Paul Tsongas, a fairly new Radio team named Bob & Sheri(you met with a homebuilder you were getting ready to do commercials for) & Larry Johnson are a few. (I’d elaborate but then I’d be too wordy) A few duds were Bernadette Peters, Roberta Flack & Alex Trebek. It was a fun 10 years!
And then there are the awesome radio DJs who, when this avid fan, who listened to you every morning on the way to work, came to your table in Bangor when you were here many, many years ago, asked Sheri about her then very young Caramia (I hope I spelled that right!), Sheri waved me over to meet her behind the table and I got to look at photos on her phone and was made to feel like one of the family. Highlight for me! And it was nice to meet a very friendly Bob Lacey too!
I absolutely love guess who. I am 66 years old and back in the 70s. I had a cassette player. And I recorded These Eyes off of my album on a 90 minute cassette both sides just that one song. And I would play it as I fell asleep.
Bob always paints quite the picture. I always enjoy your stories, Bob!
Great story Bob, you did things I will never get to do. That’s ok. I like reading about your experiences ❤️
Thank you Bob for sharing your experiences with us. You and Sheri make me feel I’m an old friend when listening to your on air banter.
You share your hearts and souls with us.
I care for my elderly parents. The days can get to be mundane but you fill them with love and laughter.
Thank you for all the hard work you put in, day in, day out. God bless all of the Bob&Sheri team, Max, Doc, Lamar, Heather and Tony.
What a great story, Bob! I enjoy listening to the Bob & Sheri show so much, I feel like I really know y’all. I don’t recall ever hearing about you meeting the lead singer of The Guess Who. You’ve had a pretty amazing life meeting so many celebrities, I can only imagine it must be pretty interesting. Just like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, for sure.
Thanks for keeping us all entertained, it is much appreciated.
Love you all, Bob, Sheri, Max, Doc!