Meeting Our Heroes

I am often asked how it feels to play along side a famous musician. I think its cool because for my whole life I have dreamed of playing music with my heroes. As a result of the blessing of God, a lot of hard work, several bumps and bruises, and a lot of stubbornness, I am living that dream today.

Sometimes it’s disappointing when my imagination of a certain person doesn’t match up with reality. In most situations the more famous and the closer to icon status a person is the more genuine and loving they are. They have years of experience behind them and know how important the fans are to their survival as an artist. Sometimes it is the new artist that lacks the patience and understanding when it comes to dealing with fans. It is a common mistake in life to misjudge someone by the way they look or seem. The best way to deal with people is to treat normal people like rock stars and rock stars like normal people. It’s kind of like someone with new money that needs to prove their stature and adorn themselves with ostentatious outward displays of the trappings of wealth verses the millionaire that wears work clothes and drives a tattered truck. The unwise see a poor man coming and pay no attention. The wise make their inquiries and find that buried in that brown, dirty work-pant pocket is wad of $100 bills. My heroes love people just because and are not respecters of persons. No airs. No pretensions. No bologna.

I try not to make a fool of myself when I meet a hero. It is not a good thing to salivate, convulse, stutter or fall down when in their presence. I met a life-long hero a few years ago. As I reached to shake his hand he looked at me with a strange wince. I felt awkward but went on to finish the introduction and walked away puzzled. Later, feeling awkward about the encounter, I was leaving in my car and caught a glimpse of my chin as I glanced in the rear-view mirror. Right there, hanging like a ridiculous appendage, was a grotesque chunk of taco meat—a remnant from lunch two hours earlier. I’d hoped he didn’t think it was a hideous mole…or something worse.

I have worked with many of my heroes but none comes close to Charlie Daniels. He is a joy. He is also a KILLER entertainer. His ability to be a performer and a lover of God at the same time blows my mind. I used to listen to his Fire On the Mountain record with The South’s Gonna Do It Again as I was growing up in Fullerton, California. I have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with him several times and I’ll be seeing him again this Friday night.

When it comes to meeting our heroes one can never dream too big. Some heroes are a disappointment. Charlie is the real deal!