@RickiTarr Paul Robeson. Once-in-a-lifetime voice and he lived much of his life aware that the next moment could be his last because of his civil rights work.
@goodthinking@RickiTarr Hodgman is a regular performer on a charter cruise I've been on a couple times. I remember in 2018 I'd see him most mornings playing ping pong with his kids. Encountering him on the boat he was genuinely a nice guy. Going to see him the same cruise again in March.
@Chigaze@RickiTarr He’s done a lot of benefits for my non-profit over the years. It is amazing to see a brilliant artist who is also a nice person work a room — non-transactional, like why-we-are-here feel good stuff. Now I want to be on that boat :)
@goodthinking@RickiTarr They do still have cabins open although, as a cruise, it's not cheap. That's why we've only been on a couple so far over the years.
@Chigaze@RickiTarr TIL there are cruises I might actually enjoy. I’ve of course heard tell of the ones with writers I like and other luminaries I’m bought to respect, but this is different. Thank you.
@goodthinking@RickiTarr It's a really good time and I always look forward to John Scalzi's dance party! Other highlights from our last two were N.K. Jemisin’s world building workshops, Kelly Sue DeConnick's comic writing sessions, and the literal two tons of tabletop games to try out.
@RickiTarr She's been gone so long, but the first person who comes to mind is the lovely Karen Carpenter, who went out of her way to treat me with kindness when I was a kid.
Keith Flint was an amazing human being.
A good bloke anyway, but he'd leave the stage and go to the disabled kids and they'd all get his performance up close and personal.
I always though that was a bit extra, you know?
@TLB73@RickiTarr can confirm - once found myself propping up a bar next to Keith Flint, and we ended up having a lovely two hour conversation about life the universe and everything, a very kind clever insightful man.
@RickiTarr@bytebro Gary Numan (also a nice chap, methinks) joined Queen on tour in Japan circa 1980 and was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and humble and unpretentious the band was. They were probably the biggest band on the planet at the time but treated everyone with respect, especially the fans. Gary noted that many lesser bands were quite full of themselves!
It was Chip Carter, the First son, who smoked an Austin Torpedo with Willie Nelson on the roof of the White House in 1977. Jimmy Carter told the story in the documentary Rock and Roll President, per Wikipedia.
Willie Nelson and Chip Carter (aka "The Doobie Brothers") smoked a "fat Austin Torpedo" on the roof of the WH in 1977.
Chip: "I said, ‘Let’s go upstairs.’ We just kept going up till we got to the roof, where we leaned against the flagpole at the top of the place and lit one up ... [Willie] told me not to ever tell anybody.”
Not seen him mentioned here but George Michael was a lovely guy by all accounts. Did a lot of good stuff without shouting about it
On a personal note Bobby, the front man of Bob Vylan is a great guy. He arranged a women only mosh pit at the last gig I went to. My wife and eldest kid met him at a festival this year, he was very sweet and not fazed by Tom launching in for a massive hug
I watch Kelly Clarkson everyday. She seems very kind and has a talent for making people feel comfortable on her show. I don't know if you could fake that every week day. Also, she can sing pretty much everything, and when she harmonizes she lets the other person shine. I like that.
@caracabe@RickiTarr Cindi is a lovely person. A friend got to work with her on Three Penny Opera with Alan Cumming and said both were excellent folks to work with.
@RickiTarr Rick Astley (this isn't a rickroll, he's a genuinely decent chap who took a career break in the 1990s to spend time with his partner and daughter (he didn't even want to capitalise on his internet fame at the start but it ended up bringing his music to a new generation)
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