Meeting Eddie

LukinFan wrote:

mfc2006 wrote:

awesome story....would love to just say "thanks" to him & the rest of the band for helping me through the years.

+1

thefin190 wrote:

I'm going to the show in Seattle on Friday, and this whole time, I've been trying to think of what to say:

With hands reaching over in all directions to shake Ed's hand, I stood there 3 feet from a man that basically wrote the soundtrack to my life so far.

I've thought about telling him something like that "Thank you for writing the soundtrack to my life". But then it has me thinking how many times he's might've heard that before, etc. And then I've thought of saying something sarcastic like "were we a shit crowd tonight?" (Eddie's called Seattle a shit crowd before). But then I wouldn't want to rub him the wrong way, since I speak in monotone for the most part, so he might not get the sarcasm. Maybe thank him for playing a specific song, like Off He Goes?

I hope to figure it out soon, but have people really waited until 1 a.m. to meet the man himself? I am considering maybe just hoping that I run into him at the grocery store or a bar in that case.

shines69 said:

That's a great story! I had the honor of meeting Eddie and shaking his hand once at his solo show at the Orpheum in Memphis in 2009 and again at the Voices for Justice rally in Little Rock in 2010. I only wish I'd been cool enough to say something like "great show." Both of my post-concert "meet and greet" experiences played out much like you described. I'd been waiting for about 2 hours with my husband at the back door of the Orpheum. There I was...a successful, poised, confident, quick-witted 40-year-old mother of two about to meet the man behind the voice that had been such an influence in my life. What would I say? How could I possibly convey how honored I was to have this opportunity? And then Eddie came to me, grinning, and put out his hand for me to shake. To this day, I can't explain what happened except to say that I lost my freakin' mind. The simple act of shaking his hand transformed me into an absolute puddle and all I could muster was a ridiculous, giddy, school-girl gush of "Hehehe...huh huh huh...oh my God...it's so nice to meet you." The next meeting was somewhat less humiliating. I managed to thank him for all of his efforts to help free the West Memphis 3. But then I completely regressed a little later when a woman in line hugged him after we'd been warned not to do that and, before I could stop myself, I spouted in what must have sounded like the voice of a spoiled 7-year-old, "Hey! Why does SHE get a hug?" I did manage to regain my composure long enough to meekly ask for a guitar pick for my son (who calls it his "lucky pick" and only uses it when playing something special). Man, celebrities must think most common folk are complete boobs. But maybe they can forgive us when they consider what an enormous compliment it is to inspire such humiliating awe!