Brushes With Celebrities

Well, I've finally returned from my trip to Indiana! It was so nice to be there with family and I hope to visit again soon. While I was there I was having a conversation with our sister, Brandy, and somehow we got onto the topic of PRINCE. I asked her if she remembered when I met Prince and she said she had never heard the story. So, I feel compelled to write about my brush with "The Purple One".

I was 19 and Prince was the hottest, sexiest thing going. Purple Rain was on the big screen and everyone was begging to hear his songs. The band that I was singing with at the time was playing at a Marriott in Worcester (pronounced Woostah), Massachusetts. I found out that Prince was going to be performing nearby and would be staying at the Marriott, and to me that was just the most exciting thing in the world. I told everyone who would listen, what a huge Prince fan I was and that I would do anything to meet him.

While playing a game in the video room at the hotel one afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting Sheila E.'s guitar player, Stefan Birnbaum. Sheila E. was the opening act for Prince's Purple Rain tour and I was ecstatic to have met Stefan. He was very nice and we had a great conversation and he said he would stop into the club later and listen to our band. WOW! For me, a small town girl who was somewhat sheltered, this was super exciting.

So that night, as promised, Stef showed up. We were in the back of the club by the waitress' service station when I was hit by the overwhelming scent of flowers. Not just the light fresh scent you experience when sniffing a bouquet of flowers...More like you were attacked by all of the floats from the Rose Parade. You get the idea... I must have made a face because Stef asked, "Do you smell that?". I said that I did and asked what it was and he told me to turn around. I turned and was face to uh, well, top of his hair-do with Prince. No lie. I was standing not six inches from "The Purple One"!!!! He was wearing silk pajamas, long pearl necklaces, and about five inch heels. Oh yeah, and about three bottles of old woman's perfume. I was wearing probably three inch heels and still towered over him. He's not a tall man, but his sexiness more than makes up for it. He smiled that delicious smile and said "Hello, how are you?". To which I eloquently and intelligently replied, "Hi". I was in total shock and of course after he walked off, I could think of a million things to say.

Following Prince was his entire band, The Revolution. They made their way to our stage and after talking with the manager and our band leader, took their places on stage. Doc, Wendy and Lisa were all there, and Sheila E. sat in on drums. They began their jam and I was thinking that life couldn't get much better. I stood on a brass rail beside the stage taking it all in and handing guitar picks to Wendy while she sang back-ups on my microphone. I'm thinking "God, this is great!" Suddenly, Prince turned and looked at me, and on the microphone, he spoke to me. He said, "Could you please get down off of that rail. I don't want you to hurt yourself". Can you believe it? Prince himself was concerned for my well-being! What a high!

I was still feeling that high when I called my mom the next day to brag about my experience:
"Mom! You'll never guess who sat in on our stage last night!"

"I don't know. Who?"

"Prince! Prince and the Revolution and Sheila E.!" I exclaimed.

"Oh that's nice," she said with absolutely no enthusiasm. "Well, Wayne Newton's band sat in with your sister's band."

This she said like it was so much better. And this wasn't even Wayne Newton himself. It was just his band. Ah... defeat. Well, I didn't care. It was still an incredible experience for me and one I will always cherish.

So what about all of you? Care to share any Brushes with Celebrities? We would love to hear from you.