Hey all, haven't been here in a while, but thought you might like to hear about my brush with greatness earlier today.
I'm at Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT, waiting to go through security, and I see a guy pushing a cart with an upright. I think he's not going to make it, yet he makes it. I had to go ask him about it, so he's in line at the food counter and I catch up with him and ask him about it. He tells me that he actually buys his bass a seat for each flight, then he has to strap it in upside down in a window seat, and somehow maneuver the armrests so they don't knock the bridge out of whack. Sounds like a real ordeal for a working upright player.
But after a minute, it dawned on me where I knew him...I was talking to progressive bluegrass legend Todd Phillips! No wonder he could afford to buy his bass a ticket! I told him I really enjoyed a lot of the stuff I've heard from him (mostly with David Grisman) and I enjoyed the article I read about him in Bass Player (
http://www.bassplayer.com/article/to...s/aug-06/22712). Then I let him eat his lunch and got on my plane.
Very nice guy for someone being accosted by a perfect stranger. And he really makes me feel like a big wuss when I complain about having to lug my laptop through airports. Sheesh...just think what an ordeal going to the bathroom at the airport is with that thing!
