In my teen years I lived in Bakersfield CA and I saw Buck Owens all the time and the hubby pumped gas for Buck a couple of times a week. Buck was pretty down to earth and friendly. Hubby also went to school with Buck's sons.
Jack Palance lived in the mountains east of Bakersfield and I saw him around town. I went to a book signing at the local mall and got to hear some of Jack Palance's poetry. Last time I saw Jack before he died was at Costco.
Merle Haggard also lived near Bakersfield and saw him a lot too when I was a kid. My Mom was a big Country fan and she took me to a lot of concerts when I was a kid. So I've seen and heard a lot of the old country singers. We always stayed after the concerts to talk to the performers. Loretta Lynn was the nicest person, she sat on the end of the stage and did autographs and talked to everyone.
I've seen Roy Rogers (super nice). Micky Mantle (handsome). Glenn Campbell (not so nice). Max Baer (Jethro on Beverly Hillbillies....total jerk). David Cassidy back in the day (I was taller than him @ 14). Joey Bishop (one of the nicest celebs I've ever met). George Lynnsey, the guy who played Goober on Andy Griffin Show (he was so stuck on himself....no wonder him or Jethro never got picked for another show). lol
I got to go to a party in 1978 with a lot of the cast of Days of Our Lives! Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes (Doug and Julie). They sat at our table.....the food was so good but I couldn't eat a thing with them sitting there! They were super nice people and talked to us like we had been their friends for years.
I had autographs for all of these people but as a young kid and moving all over the place....they're gone. I sure wish I still had them.
Oh yeah....I was in the front roll on the Merv Griffin Show. Got to meet him after the show, he was very nice.
With living 100 miles from LA we got to see a lot of stars....I know I'm leaving several of them out.