Just a Few Minutes Can Make A Lasting Memory...

The news broke too late to include mention in my last "Local Scene" column published weekly in The Times daily newspaper, of the shocking back to back deaths of musicians Jeff Beck and Lisa Marie Presley. 

            I missed the deadline for that column, but I still wanted to personally acknowledge them both and share a little  personal experience beyond the simple -- "Who, What, Where and When" -- facts the flood of reports give after someone famous dies.
 

The ever moving news cycle continues forward, so taking up space in my published weekly column for personal reflections more than a week after the news of the Beck and Presley deaths broke, seemed a bit self-serving since folks generally read my column to find out where their favorite musical acts are playing that weekend and who just dropped a new piece of recorded music.

           Still, I felt the need to share. The best place to do so, seemed to be this new web page blog created for me by  Riley Mummey -- my WIMS-AM/FM radio cohort and our store manager at The Record Bin -- so I have a platform for when I feel the need to ramblings about this, that and the other. This seemed one of those times.

           My 40-plus year career in the music business and as a music journalism has offered me decades of amazing situations and opportunities to meet and sometimes get to know, many incredible entertainers, and in many cases allowing me to see "them", and not just the image the rest of the world sees.  Some of those folks have become acquaintances, and some have become friends, while others move on never to cross my path again. But each encounter leaves a memory and most of them are good ones.

          Two such encounters resulting in good memories over the last decade, have been with Jeff Beck and Lisa Marie Presley. Each left a wonderful impression despite the encounters being brief.  I found myself reflecting on them many times this past week, as I joined the world in mourning their passing, and while reading memorials and posted messages from their family and famous friends, along with those from fans who knew them only through their music.

As I dug through music files this week to edit together a couple of short radio pieces as many of my media colleagues also did, I felt a personal sadness, because I was one of those given a personal glimpse into the non-star, non-celebrity side of these two people. After interviewing Lisa Marie Presley following the release of her first album, 2003's "To Whom It May Concern,"   I was happy to again have the opportunity to chat when she released her sophomore album, 2005's "Now What?"  Both are incredible albums by the way, and ones I'm happy to play on the radio during my Sunday night "Needle Drop" program on WIMS-AM/FM. 

Some months later, I was told while interviewing Presley family friend and author Jerry Schilling, that I was on a very short list of journalists that Lisa felt comfortable talking with, because my focus was always on her music and not on her personal relationships, her private life, nor her famous father.  Jerry was a childhood friend and a lifelong buddy of Elvis, who stayed close to the Presley family over the decades since Elvis passed.  In fact, it was Jerry that Lisa Marie was seen walking arm in arm with at the Golden Globe Awards just  a few nights before she suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Following my second interview with Presley, she graciously asked if I would like to attend the upcoming concert she was soon to do at Chicago's House of Blues. Naturally, I said "YES!"
 It was especially cool, because it wasn't just a publicist asking if I wanted comp tickets, but rather Lisa Marie herself.  After she kicked everyone's ass on stage that night, Presley gifted me with a signed copy of her CD. At this moment, that signed CD is on display (until the end of January) at the Hobart Public Library, as part of the Elvis memorabilia display I created there because of January 8th being Elvis' birthday. 

     I very much enjoyed talking with both Lisa Marie and Jerry Shilling at various times over the years, recalling how they spoke so well about each other during our respective chats. Shilling clearly cared about Lisa Marie and remained a true friend to her throughout every twist and turn of her life.  As I sit here now, writing these words, I find myself smiling, happy in the thought that Jerry was still there in her corner to lend a hand, or an arm, as was the case at the Golden Globes. 

  One never knows what to expect when meeting someone as enormously talented, influential and famous as was Jeff Beck, but sharing a short time backstage on a sunny afternoon during the 2018 "Stars Align Tour," revealed the international guitar legend to be quite humble and humorous.  

    Our friends Joseph Morganfield and Connie Carroll, joined my wife Alice and I as my guests for that concert stop.  We were all backstage when first introduced to Jeff by Paul and Cynthia Rodgers (of Bad Company/Free), who are mutual friends of both Jeff and myself. Much of that afternoon was spent chatting with Paul, Cynthia and Deborah Bonham (the sister of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham), who were also on the tour.  

    Suddenly, a door opened on the trailer across from where we were all hanging out and Jeff Beck emerged and took a seat in the sun.  

           "Holy crap... that's Jeff Beck!," I thought.  

 The ever cordial Cynthia -- a darling lady who like Paul is delightful and generous to almost a fault -- was in the role of hostess that day and asked if we would like to say hello to Jeff.  Before we could answer, she briskly guided us over to his trailer.  Once Jeff discovered that Joseph was the youngest son of McKinley Morganfield (aka "Muddy Waters"), he stood up and shook hands all around. He focused back on Joseph (professionally known as "Mojo" Morganfield) and then suddenly bowed at the waist, saying -- "Joseph, if it wasn't for your old man, none of us would be here together today."

  Beck loved talking about Muddy Waters with Joseph and loved hearing stories about "Muddy" as a father; the kind of real life tales only family can share.  Likewise, Joseph loved hearing Jeff's stories about how his dad was such a huge influence on not only Beck, but also Clapton, Page and other legends of the British Blues scene of the 1960s. There was a lot of smiling, laughing and socializing going on between the two of them. Joseph later told me, how that it was one of the "best days" of his life. 

    Incidentally, another one of those "best days" of his life, came the following summer, when Paul and Cynthia arranged with me for Morganfield's band -- Mojo Morganfield & The Mannish Boyz -- to open for Paul's Northwest Indiana tour stop in Hammond with Bad Company.  I'm glad to have helped make those encounters happen for my dear friend Joseph, because he too is now gone, having passed away much too young in December of 2020.     

    Before meeting him, I had heard Jeff Beck was notorious for not taking photos and signing autographs, but you couldn't prove that by me. Jeff allowed Connie Carroll to shot many photos that day (some of those are here with this blog), and he signed some items as well, including one for my homeless animals fundraiser auction. In short, Jeff was everything a fan would want him to be, genuinely nice, down to earth and while he was always "god-like" on stage, he was very human when off of it. Jeff left a wonderful impression on all in my party.

    As I continue mourning the loss of Jeff Beck and Lisa Marie with the rest of the world, their loss reminds me how very blessed I am to have had opportunities to interact on a very personal level with some of the world's most talented and beloved entertainers. Among the best of those who are now gone, include such amazing folks as Charlie Daniels, Gene Roddenberry, Steve Marriott, and a few others.  

 Reflections on the memories of those who are gone, makes me treasure even more, those folks who I still have opportunities to converse with and to perhaps create new memories.  They include: Jim Peterik, Paul & Cynthia Rodgers, Mark Farner, Ted Neeley, and others.
 To quote the late Bob Hope, who I also had the good fortune to cross paths with a couple of times, and who did a great kindness for my father --- "Thanks for the memories!"

 I was before and still remain a fan of both Jeff Beck and Lisa Marie Presley. May they rest in peace.

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SIDEBAR "LISA MARIE" MEMORY:

          Here's a funny side bar memory....  About 9 years ago, I went to visit Graceland and had the opportunity to sit in the official Sirius "All Elvis" radio station that broadcasts from the estate's grounds. The star of the station, the now late George Kline, was not on duty at that time, but the on the air guy that day and I chatted about all things Elvis.  

 I remember him saying he was jealous when he discovered I had interviewed Lisa Marie twice, because she had never done an interview with him. I kinda puffed up my chest a bit after that, knowing I had accomplished something back in Northwest Indiana that this home town radio jock couldn't accomplish on the very grounds where Lisa had spent her childhood. That still makes me smile!