Meeting James Brown
In December of 2002, WHFS/Washington held its annual Holiday show, The HFSmas Nutcracker, which was headlined by Smashing Pumpkins 
and Coldplay. As an added twist, I booked James Brown to be a part of the bill. At the MCI Center that night, I was asked if I’d like to meet The Godfather of Soul. I went backstage to his dressing room and after being introduced to James, he spoke for a couple of minutes, about what, I have no idea. I couldn’t really understand a word he said. I just smiled and thought of Eddie Murphy, who actually has a comedy bit about hanging out with James and never being able to understand what the hell James is saying. James was being managed by a guy known as Super Frank, and before I left the dressing room, he said “James would like you to have this”, and proceeded to give me an 18” James Brown animated doll, which sand “I Feel Good” when you pushed a button. My little James Brown has a little brown leather vest, which was signed “To Bob and Family, I Feel Good, James Brown”.
Going To Billy Joel’s House
Early on in my career, WLIR/Long Island had a softball team called The Heavy Hitters. One 
summer, we played a charity game against our rivals, WNEW-FM/New York. I played right field, and each team had a celebrity in its line-up. ‘NEW had Meatloaf. And, since Billy Joel’s bass player, Doug Stegmeyer, was a permanent member of our team, we had Billy Joel. I don’t remember what the score was, but WLIR won the game and after, Billy addressed the team and told everyone to get in their cars and follow him. We were going to celebrate at his house in Oyster Bay! When our caravan arrived, I realized we were drinking beer and playing pool in the basement of the house that was on the cover of his album, Glass Houses. I wonder if Billy still has that vintage Wurlitzer jukebox?
Visiting Mary-Louise Parker’s Duplex
The artist Charlie Mars and I became friends in 2004. Charlie had agreed to play an event for the station I was programming, WRNR/Annapolis, 
and said his girlfriend was a huge music fan and would likely need some tickets. Charlie had starting dating Mary-Louise Parker, the Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress who was currently starring as Nancy Botwin in the hit show “Weeds.” I hung out with MLP when Charlie performed on the “Rock N River Cruise” that night. We hit it off, and I asked her if she’d like to come to the station the next morning to be a guest DJ. I’d run the board, and she could play whatever she wanted to. The talented MLP had great taste and was totally into Triple-A leaning indie rock! A few years later, I was in Greenwich Village, meeting Charlie at MLP’s house on Washington Square. (Charlie had recently moved in with her). When I walked in MLP gave me a kiss and asked if I wanted to have a tour. Sure! Why not? When she showed me the master bedroom, it included the master bathroom, which was adorned with nothing but large, black & white, Herb Ritts photographs of Mary-Louise Parker, completely naked. Awkward.
Hozier at the Governor’s Mansion
I’m sitting in the St. David Historical Sanctuary at SXSW, to see a new artist known as Hozier perform his new single, “Take Me To Church.” It was 
a religious experience! A few months later, he would repeat the performance for WRNR listeners at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The Governor of Maryland at the time was Martin O’Malley. His wife, Katie, was a big fan of the station and in attendance. After the show, she graciously invited the band to the Governor’s Mansion in Annapolis, where the entire band spent two hours drinking Guinness and talking about their shared Irish heritage, before Hozier had ever toured in the United States. My friendship with Hozier began that day, and I was privileged to be invited to attend his birthday party last year at the Dead Rabbit, a hole-in-the-wall, Irish dive bar, in lower Manhattan on St. Patrick’s Day, 2023, on Hozier’s actual birthday. Andrew Hozier Byrne is one of the kindest, most genuine, and caring, artists I have ever known.
Beavers and Breasts!
A lot of crazy stuff happened at radio’s biggest music festival in the 90’s. I was there for all of them. In 1995, the band Primus were playing the HFStival at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.,– 
headlined that year by Soul Asylum– who were riding high on the strength of their hit single, “Runaway Train.” Their singer, Dave Pirner, was dating the Academy Award-nominated actress Winona Ryder. Around 5 O’clock that afternoon, my walkie-talkie delivered the message that Ms. Ryder “would like to speak with Les Claypool” and could I escort her to the Primus dressing room? I picked her up in a golf cart, dropped her off and introduced her to Les. The first thing out of her mouth was “What the FUCK”! Apparently, she was upset that the latest single from Primus had the title “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.” I seem to remember Les Claypool laughing heartily, as I excused myself from the situation. I never saw Winona again that day. But that wasn’t the only bizzarro world incident that day. We had two, special, unannounced performers at that year’s HFStival. The legendary Tony Bennett, and the train wreck that was, Courtney Love. Since dressing room space was limited, these two artists shared a room which was only separated by “pipe and drape.” When Courtney realized who was on the other side of the curtain, she promptly pulled it back, and said hello to a very unimpressed Tony Bennett– by pulling up her shirt and exposing herself to the 69 year-old crooner. What a surreal moment to witness!
What’s your story?
Those of us who have been lucky enough to spend our careers in this radio business often get to experience amazing encounters with people whom we admire!
Everyone here at Paragon– and all of our clients– would love to hear them! Share your story in the comment section below!
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