It’s interesting that the top three artists I remembered a connection with are Tony Bennett, Carlos Montoya and Henry Mancini. There are others but these stand out because they were real people.
Dad took me to visit Tony Bennett at his guest house. We spent a half-hour chatting about everything and made sure he was OK and left. The next morning I was in my office and saw this man coming across Bestor Plaza to the men’s shop below us, like he was a regular guy. No-one accosted him for an autograph. He had no security, nothing. Amazing!
Carlos Montoya, the guitarist, was trouble from the get-go. His agent kept stressing his rider in which he needed a chair which was exactly 17.5 inches from the ground with certain other specs. I anticipated disaster. Once my driver had him safely ensconced on the grounds in guest lodging I called him so we had a few hours before rehearsal to find him the perfect chair. I’d arranged for keys to all the major facilities including the playhouse/opera house, different halls et al and had people standing by.
I picked him up and asked if he wanted to see the amphitheatre where he’d be playing and he said “yes.” So we drove and parked up the street and walked in. The Amp Crew had placed the 74 seats out for the orchestra to back Mr. Montoya. He asked if he could walk onstage. Of course! Sat in one of the orchestra chairs and asked if they had another. It was the perfect seat for him. Five minutes, done. Later on that evening I drove him to a reception and he was just a lovely man.
Henry Mancini (“Moon River”) was always one of my idols. He came to a reception at the house, catered by my Aunt Lorna and Joan C, and we kids were always around to pass hors d’oeuvres or help with dishes. He came into the kitchen to escape and get a glass of water and we spent 10-15 minutes chatting about music et al.
There are so many more. Burl Ives in his underwear (being groomed for his performance by his wife and daughter) and I was invited in but at 19 was too shy for that. The lecturers are a different breed, more on that later, as well as other artists.
I worked so much when I was there that I didn’t get a chance to do more than stop by events. That’s why I miss it so much when I have the luxury of seeing the morning lecture, lunching at the Athanaeum, et al. I’d stop by for five minutes at best. At everything. Mainly to deliver a check, roses or a speech I’d written.
For years afterwards I had trouble enjoying an entire evening at a play or opera, because it was my job that made me pop in and out of everything and therefore enjoy nothing. But what can I say. We worked there, we didn’t live there.
Sad to say I really do like visiting in the winter when the big social thing used to be the post office and bookstore. Yes, on some days one can cross-country ski to the post office. It’s become more upscale these days so Starbucks or like has come in for the growing population of winter people.
