Kevin Costner and his band, Modern West, are going to be performing in St. Augustine on Oct. 25th. You might not have known Kevin Costner even has a band, but he does and they've been making music together for 14 years, in fact. Yes, 14 years. They formed in 2007 and have 4 albums.
It was in 2007 that I met him/didn't meet him. Let me explain.
Kevin and his band had recorded an album and they were wanting to get their music played on country radio, as it was an album that only fit in the country music genre.
It was around the time the CMA Awards were happening and at that time, we would go to Nashville for the week and would broadcast from there. So, I went by myself while the rest of the crew stayed behind in Jacksonville. Stephanie, our Promotions Director, went on the trip with me.
So, during CMA Week, they have all kinds of events that all of the broadcasters who are there that week can attend, and one of them was a performance by Kevin Costner and Modern West. I had loved Kevin Costner since I saw him in the movie, "No Way Out," and I thought he was so hot. So, of course, I went to that event!
The band did a couple of songs and Kevin talked about his love of music and forming the band and recording the album. I really don't remember details about what he said. But afterwards, he was available and people started crowding around him for pictures.
I was completely starstruck. I mean, this was a bonafide huge movie star! He was the "it" guy for a time... women swooned over him, me included. I just stood there and kept watching as person after person took a pic with him. I told Stephanie that I couldn't believe he was there, I loved him and thought he was so hot and watched all his movies and blah, blah, blah. So, she is saying something to the effect of... well, go get a picture then and I'm repeating, "I can't, I can't."
Well, Stephanie was not going to let this moment pass, without me getting a picture with a movie star that I loved. She knew I would regret it for the rest of my life.
So, she starts pushing me and pulling me, going, "C'mon!" And I'm going, "I can't." But she kept pushing and pulling until I was next to him and she gave someone her phone and we got a picture. And only a picture. I never said a word to Kevin Costner. I never shook his hand, I never introduced myself, I never said, "I love you." Nothing. I never met him. But I do have a picture with him!
So, for the rest of my life, I have this picture with one of the biggest movie stars ever... an Oscar winner... the Field of Dreams guy... Kevin Costner!
Stephanie was right... I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I hadn't got a pic with him, so thank you, Stephanie, for being pushy with me and literally pushy with the crowd and getting me in there to get this pic 14 years ago!
Photo: Toni Foxx of iHeart