I admire George Harrison because once he was in some city to do a show and when he showed up at his hotel, a bunch of fans were already in the lobby and asked him for a private show. George replied that he didn't have a guitar at the moment but someone presented him with one so he sat down and took requests. After about a half-hour he excused himself because he had to get ready for the show. And his interviewon Dick Cavett really was an interview and he talked about stuff that meant something and not just bulls-hitting.
I dislike people who can afford to be generous but aren't. George always seemed to know that he could and so he was.
I've never met Tom Waits but he seems like a cool cat. He doesn't do endorsements and Les Claypool said he wouldn't take money for services he provided even when he was entitled.
George Martin was like that. He never made a penny off the Beatles. He was on a fixed salary from EMI during the Beatle years. When the band offered to cut him in, he declined the offer. He could have made millions but it was more important to him that nobody be able to say that he rode on their coattails.
My brother's band once opened for Rick Wakeman. About 3 hours before the show started, Rick showed up and helped people move equipment and talked with people--anybody. He said Wakeman was very witty and funny and cracked a lot of jokes. People would talk about getting screwed by venue owners and stuff like that and he would offer advice. The only bragging he did was about his son who also plays keyboard and looks like Rick did back in the 70s.
My brother's band also opened for BTO once and after their set, Randy Bachman and C.F. Turner called them over and told them how much they enjoyed their set.
He didn't care for Robin Trower who didn't want anybody backstage while he was playing and so my brother's band had to stand in an alley in the winter because, being the kicker band, they had no seats.
Once I played on a street corner with Dickie Betts of the Allman Bros. who seemed like a nice enough guy but I noticed he had no southern accent and when I played "Melissa" he didn't know it. Later, I went to a CD release party for another band I know and while I was there checked out Dickie Betts' photo on my phone because I didn't think that guy looked much like him as I remembered him. Not even close. Later, I walked by that same corner and this guy had a guitar case laying there brimming with cash and people lined up to get their pictures taken with him because the dopes all thought he was Dickey Betts. I made one lousy stinking dollar while I was busking there and this dude was no better than I was and yet tricked people into thinking he was Dickey Betts and must have had $200 easy.
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