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A truly positive experience receiving an autograph! (Share your best too)

I wanted to provide a flip to the discussion asking people for the worse in person experience. This doesn't necessarily have to be in person, as I just had a wonderful example of an artist being extra kind to one of their fans.

Not many people are aware of the group The Swell Season (however they have a cult type following), in fact they aren't even together anymore. They are Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, if you have heard of the movie Once then you have seen them. They won an Academy Award for the song Falling Slowly back in 2008. I had the pleasure of meeting Glen Hansard (solo) a few years back, he signed two albums for myself and my wife and was one of our biggest dreams come true when we got to meet with him. They are mutually mine and my wife's favorite duo, However as I said they no longer are together, but continue to tour solo and produce new albums separate,

While I already had Marketa's albums (Anar and Muna) I knew that if you bought her albums on her website that she would sign them. I decided that I needed to finally complete my "Swell Season" group autographs since I don't know when I would get a chance to see Marketa again (she lives in Iceland and has two kids and hasn't toured in a few years) even if they wouldn't necessarily be signed on the same album. I decided to make a repurchase of her first album.

Two weeks went by and I hadn't heard anything, still I knew that it would be coming from Iceland so it may take a bit. I decided to send an email just to see. I ended up receiving an email back from her directly, sincerely apologetic for the delay it being the holidays. She said she could rush delivery it if I was in a hurry. I was so stricken by the fact that she personally wrote back to me, I explained it was no rush and I surely would wait!

Yesterday I finally received my package in the mail and realized right away it was a bit heavier than it should be. Inside was this note

"Thank You Adam and Lucy for purchasing Anar Enjoy, Marketa" and then on the reverse it reads

"P.S I am sending some extra stuff since you were my first customer of 2016 :) Love and Blessings to you and your family Marketa"

enclosed were her first two albums signed and inscribed to my family as well as an EP Fly Me Away (which I did not have at all or knew about)

"To The Halloran Family with Love and Blessings Marketa"

In my eyes this is an extremely gracious thing to do for a fan, she isn't the biggest name in the world but she is an Academy Award winning musician an singer and for her to go above and beyond is exactly the type of thing we all wish are heroes would provide.

I wanted to share this in hopes this blog can provide more outlets for others that have had truly great experiences (whether in person or through the mail) with artists, musicians, or anyone they admired.

4 members like this

Comment by Josh Board on January 26, 2016 at 6:30pm: I've had thousands of experiences (wait...I might be exaggerating that number, similar to the way Wilt Chamberlain exaggerated the one about sleeping with 20,000 women).

Two "favorites" come to mind, though. One, being Chamberlain. As a kid, being obsessed with basketball, he was my favorite player. I read his autobiography, and heard you can send letters to the publisher for autographs. I told him how much I loved the book and asked for his autograph. When it came back in the mail, I was in heaven.

Second, my favorite band THE DOORS. The first one I met was Ray Manzarek (RIP). I was too young to get into the bar, but waited in the parking lot with my girlfriend. I was 16. I had all the albums (without Jim Morrison...yes Doors did a few after his death), and his solo albums. I was shaking, and scared, but thrilled to death. I talked a mile a minute asking him questions about various songs. It was....AWESOME (I would meet him sooo many more times after that, but it was the first time I met somebody in my favorite band, and as a teenager; that's something special)

Comment by Adam Halloran on January 26, 2016 at 6:56pm: Thank you so much Josh! You have had so many great experiences and I am in awe of your life! Haha! Thank you for always sharing your stories, I always look forward to them!

Comment by Ben M on January 26, 2016 at 10:41pm: See my post here:
http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/lennon-in-person?id=...

Comment by Adam Halloran on January 29, 2016 at 12:41pm: I got this one sent to me today for making a donation to Al Jardine's Kids With Cancer Go Fund me (https://www.gofundme.com/rkdjgz2s) I made friends with co song writer Billy Roach in the process who along with Al Jardine signed this for me. There were only 50 they were giving out so I'm super excited that he sent it off to me. Another great interaction!

Comment by Paul on January 29, 2016 at 12:46pm: Great cause,i always give to that charity here in oz.

Comment by Adam Halloran on January 29, 2016 at 12:59pm: It is very right Paul, a great cause, very cool of these artists to get behind these charities and put their fame to great use too!

Comment by Mark Shull on January 29, 2016 at 5:57pm: Back in 1999 I decided to try to get Willie Nelson's autograph. I went to the place he was performing and happened to pull up right when he was coming out from soundcheck to go back to his bus. He signed my two albums and shook my hand. He then asked if I was coming to the show. I told him no, I didn't have a ticket. He said, "Hang around 'til showtime and we'll get you in." His assistant took my name and I went around to the box office a little later. I picked up my ticket and it was 5th row center! One of my best experiences. Willie is alot harder these days from what I hear.

Comment by Moviefan2k4 on February 1, 2016 at 6:53pm: Almost ten years ago, I was attending a convention in the Dallas area, at the Richardson Civic Center. Among the guests was John Wesley Shipp, who I remembered most from the original TV version of "The Flash", plus "Never-Ending Story II" and "Dawson's Creek". I got in line, and waited my turn; he was very kind to everyone. He signed an 8x10 for me, and posed for a picture free of charge. I shook his hand, thanked him, and headed toward the exit door.

However, about halfway there, I realized I'd forgotten to pay for the 8x10 he'd signed. Not wanting to cheat anyone regarding money or time, I simply got in line again, and waited. When he saw me, he appeared confused at first. I explained the situation as best I could, and for a moment he was skeptical. Asking if I was sure, I replied with "I think so". He accepted the money, then said this...

"You know, most people would've walked out that door, no hesitation about it. You did the right thing, and I respect you for it."

That statement really made an impact on me, getting such an unexpected compliment from a childhood hero. I thanked him again for his time, and left. I haven't met him again, but wouldn't mind someday.

Comment by Max Mustermann on February 2, 2016 at 8:13am: One name: Tom Hanks! Coolest guy ever. Met him first at a press screening in 1984 and over different occasions later (I'm a former reporter and also worked for 10 years in movie distribution). He always has at least a smile and a nice word for you.