I recently did a photo shoot with Steve Dole (I play some gigs with Steve and do some songwriting with him too). We were being shot by http://www.jessieandjamesphoto.com/ on a side street just off Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks CA. I was back in my element cause when I was a very young actor I first landed in Sherman Oaks fresh off the box car from my hometown of Richmond VA.
We were playing some of our songs and as I was singing, an old man impeccably dressed in his finest Western garb, approached us, stopped and just lingered to enjoy the music.
I took a quick look at him and inside my narrow mind was like, “Uh, sir…can’t you see we’re bogarting this sidewalk for our little band promo photo shoot??? Don’t you know who I think I am????”
I kept playing my version of Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin’”.
I took another glance and slowly realized this old cowboy was the actor, Robert Blake! His face was unmistakeable under the brim of his perfect black felt cowboy hat.
Only in L.A. right? Of course! And I’ll tell you what…this is precisely why I LOVE L.A! For this kind of stuff. It’s priceless and it’s part of the daily fabric we weave and adorn here in Tinsel Town.
I offered my guitar to Mr. Blake because I think he extended his arms for it. He is a very fine guitar player and singer. Very old school western cowboy singing like a sparrow!
We traded some more songs and then he was on his way up the sidewalk.
You’ll have to Wiki him or look him up on IMDB to see his lengthy credits that span a lifetime.
Only in L.A. May God bless Hollywood!
~ Phil J Hyland
6/2/2016