Lorin Hart - an L.A. nanny - slash - recording artist whose
solo album has backups by Jim Keltner (Bob's drummer on the tour) and Jeff Pevar (lead guitar in David Crosby's band, CPR). I met her in line for the
Paris I concert as she returned from visiting Jim K, etc., backstage. She stood in line with me, offered me food, and later brought me to the front to stand with her at center stage. We had beers after the show (I'm the one in red, she's on the end) and I bought her CD - great lady!
Anneke Derksen - a Rotterdam native who met her husband Hans while waiting in line for a Bob concert. She lives in Belgium and sometimes sells Dylan bootlegs (new silver discs such as Crystal Cat) on ebay. I met her online when I emailed her through ebay to ask whether she would translate my dutch confirmation email to see whether I really had tickets coming for the Brussels concert! She ended up selling me her 8th row tickets for the
Rotterdam concert and invited me to join her group for a pre-concert dinner (shown at right.) Her meeting with Dylan is described in the book,
Encounters With Bob Dylan. It is her picture with Bob that appears on the back cover!
Phil Hale - a London sandwich shop owner whose bobdylan.com discussion group ad I answered to ride with him from London to Bournemouth and
Cardiff. On the road I learned he met Dylan some years back when he (Bob) was on tour with Van Morrison. Phil was the Matre D for a fancy London restaurant. When Bob's manager called and asked for him to keep the restaurant open for 22 people, including Bob, it was all he could do to keep his dignity and hide the fact that he was a raving Bob nut! The appearance became more and more delayed until Phil had to send the employees home, but he and the cook stayed until after 1 AM to await the group. There were fewer people than promised and Bob was the last to appear. Phil made a salad for him and, after much consideration, asked whether Bob would autograph something for him. Bob said yes!!!!! So Phil tore out to his car and rummaged around to find the only CD he had with him was Knocked Out Loaded. When he presented it to Bob for his signature, Bob jumped as though startled, turned around, and gave him a look as though saying, "So YOU'RE the one who bought this album!"
Claudine Craig - a New York psychologist who claimed to have dated a member of The Band in the 70's. I wasn't yet familiar with band members' names (remember I was a newbie) so I can't recall which one she said was her guy. I met her while I was sitting on the curb at Newcastle, trying to resell the extra tickets I bought on ebay - two in row 6 and the seat next to me in row 3. She bought all three at half price and resold 2 of them to a scalper. We sat/stood together for the show - neither of us could believe the beer guzzling, cell phone chatting, drunken yelling audience nor the nasty, bellowing security people at this venue! Afterward, we walked over to
Dylan's Bar but she didn't want to go in. So I walked with her to her fancy hotel, we had some drinks, and I caught a cab to my cheap little flophouse.
Those were just the fortunates I met in Europe. I've met several other lucky people who have met Bob in person, such as Renee Olsen (shown in the photo with
dylanpool pioneer Arthur Louie and me during our August '02 Trainload Of Fools Canada roadtrip), whose daring escapades to get close to her idol have amazed even me! Of course, it wouldn't surprise me if Arthur has gotten to meet Bob, too - he sure deserves the honor!
