This past Sunday started at the airport and ended in the rain in St. Louis.

First up on a busy day was a meeting with Harry Wayne Casey, better known as the KC of KC and the Sunshine Band. I met up with KC in Terminal A of Lambert St. Louis International Airport before he boarded his Continental Airlines flight to Cleveland. KC gladly signed a couple of 8 x 10s and posed for this photograph before getting in that dreaded security line. He had performed the day before at the Rib America Fest in downtown St. Louis.

Next up was a trip to Vintage Vinyl for an in-store performance and signing by Blind Melon. Unfortunately, the group's lead vocalist had a case of laryngitis, and the gig was canceled. However, they were scheduled to play later in the afternoon at Rib America, and that's where I caught up with the band. Each member gladly signed an 8 x 10, posed for photos, and apologized for canceling the in-store appearance. Two of the band members offered free admission to their show, which we gladly accepted. Here's an interesting shot with Rogers Stevens, guitarist. Kudos to all the guys for being so accommodating!

Next up on the Rib America Fest line-up was blues artist Johnny Lang. The Grammy-award winner was set to sign for me as he left his tour bus to take the stage, but his tour manager quickly halted that. Johnny said he'd take care of me after the show, and that's what he did. He signed an 8 x 10 and posed for this shot. The tour manager kept a close eye on everyone, making sure each person got only one autograph and no more. I'm pretty sure Johnny didn't care, but the tour manager was calling the shots.

I had a flashback to my high school days with Night Ranger, the final band of the day. Night Ranger was one of my favorites during the early 80's. They arrived about an hour before show time and quickly headed to their dressing room to prep for the show. However, a few minutes later, guitarist Brad Gillis popped out and came over to sign for me and a growing list of fans. Soon afterwards, lead singer Jack Blades did the same, gladly adding his signature to my albums and 8 x 10s. I had to wait until after the show to get the final original member of the band, Kelly Keagy. That wait wasn't long as a thunderstorm cut their set to about 45 minutes. The band emerged as the rain subsided and Kelly signed my items. For the "icing on the cake," the guys gathered together and posed for this group shot.

It was a judge and a rocker last night in Springfield.

United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was in town to speak at the Centennial Celebration of the Illinois Supreme Court Building at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Scalia arrived about 20 minutes before the scheduled 7 p.m. start. He signed one 8 x 10, commenting about how much hair he had in the photo. Scalia was a bit hesitant about posing for a photo, but finally agreed after a bit of prodding.

A couple of blocks away, legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice was conducting a clinic at Rolen Brothers Music. Appice got his start with Vanilla Fudge and later was the long-time drummer for Rod Stewart. During his tenure with Stewart, Appice wrote two of Stewart's biggest hits, "Young Turks," and "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" The hour and a half clinic featured numerous demonstrations by Appice and question and answer session. As he wrapped up the event, he headed to his merchandise table to meet fans and sign autographs.

A major motion picture has been filming close to home here in central Illinois the past three weeks. Matt Damon stars as FBI informant Marc Whitacre in director Steven Soderburgh's movie entitled, The Informant.

The majority of the filming has been in Decatur, Illinois, and in several nearby smaller communities. Last Friday, I paid a visit to the set in Moweaqua, one of those small communities. They were shooting scenes in the former home of Matt Damon's character. While we were treated to three different Matt sightings, he opted not to stop for our group of about thirty fans.

As evening arrived and the crew began to wrap, I overhead a conversation that the director was wanting to shoot an outdoor scene back in Decatur. We weren't sure of the location, so we opted to return to the movie's base hotel, The Decatur Conference Center and Inn. Much to my delight, I discovered they planned to shoot in the parking lot. As the group of on-lookers grew to about sixty, Damon and his co-stars, Scott Bakula and Joel McHale shot several scenes near the hotel's marquee. It was interesting to see the director call for take after take after take after take...all just a bit different.

While Matt promised to sign for fans following the late night shoot, he made a quick exit via a transport vehicle to his dressing room trailer at the back of the facility. However, Bakula and McHale casually strolled through the parking lot, through the hotel, and out the back door to their trailers. I caught up with Bakula inside and he gladly stopped to sign an 8 x 10 and pose. I then found McHale outside engaging a large group of fans. He spent at least 10 minutes signing autograph, posing for photographs, and trading one-liners with fans. In the meantime, Damon entered and exited two different trailers before hopping a ride to a side door at the hotel. Security kept fans back at a distance so they wouldn't bother Matt.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon at the Illini Country Club in Springfield. Matt and his co-stars were set to shoot indoor scenes at the private club. I found a spot in the parking lot to assess my chances. No sooner than I had settled in, but Matt drove by eating a bag of Doritos on the way to the front door of the club. I opted to remain in the background and wait for him to finish shooting.

About an hour later, I was rewarded with this shot as he exited. I called to him and asked if he'd sign. "Sure, come on over," was his reply. He signed a photograph of the two of us taken in 2007 on the set of the Bourne Ultimatum in New York City. I don't think he remembered, but he smiled nonetheless as he added his signature to the 8 x 10. He also signed my Good Will Hunting DVD cover (previously signed by Robin Williams), and a group shot from Ocean's 12. He driver asked if he wanted a ride back to his trailer. His response, "No, it's a nice day. I'll walk." With that, he strolled across the parking lot back to his dressing room trailer in the Club's lower parking lot.

I waited another couple of hours for a chance to meet Soderburgh, but he remained inside the Club working on the shots for later that evening.

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee was one of the featured guests at the Saturday session of the 10th Annual Roger Ebert Film Festival in downtown Champaign, Illinois. Lee, a 1980 University of Illinois graduate, was in attendance for a screening and Q and A of his 2003 film, Hulk.

Just as I was pulling into the parking lot, I spotted Lee walking up the street towards the historic Virginia Theater, home to the Festival. Unfortunately, by the time I got the car parked and ran inside, he was being whisked away to the VIP room to prepare for the screening.

Following the screening and a very interesting Q and A session, Lee took a seat at the edge of the stage to sign autographs, take photographs, and meet fans. He stayed about 10 minutes before being pulled away in anticipation of his plane trip back home to New York. In that time, I managed to get a signed 8 x 10 and the photo above. I got another signed photograph as he exited the theater to catch his ride to the airport.

While waiting for the evening feature film to start, I got to visit again with actor Joe Pantiliano. "Joey Pants" had been in town for the entire festival, including a screening of his film, Canvas, on Thursday night. He gladly signed a photo I had taken with him on Thursday, commenting on how much he looked like his cousin, Kelly.

Saturday evening's feature was the 1987 film, Housekeeping, starring actress Christine Lahti. Lahti and the movie's director, Bill Forsyth, both stopped to take photos and to sign my Housekeeping movie poster as they entered the theater. Lahti, probably best remembered for her Emmy-winning role on Chicago Hope, was especially interested in seeing the poster and asked where I had located the piece.

This past Thursday, during the Festival's second day, I got photographs and signatures from two English actors, Timothy Spall and Rufus Sewell. Both were at the Festival for a screening of their 1996 film, Hamlet. Spall is best known for his role as Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films.

Time to catch up from last week . . . this past Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting two-time Grammy winner Rita Coolidge. She was in concert at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Illinois for two weekend shows. She gladly posed for this photograph upon arrival at the venue and signed my CD and a couple of 8 x 10s. As an added bonus, I got to see the show for FREE thanks to another fan who had an extra ticket. The only disappointment from the show . . . she omitted one of her most popular hits, "All Time High," from the soundtrack of the James Bond movie "Octopussy."

The Golden Jet, Bobby Hull, flew into Springfield, Illinois, earlier today for an appearance at the last home game of the Springfield Jr. Hockey Blues at the Nelson Center. Regarded as one of professional hockey's greatest players, the Hall of Famer entered the lobby of the ice rink by demonstrating the "right way to skate." Sporting his 1961 Chicago Blackhawks championship ring and a Hawks leather jacket, he quickly became fast friends with folks waiting in line with hearty handshakes and posing for photographs. Once his table of merchandise was set-up, he sat down and began signing. Each person was required to purchase one item ($10 postcards, $20 and $30 8 x 10s of very poor quality, ie. no glossies, $20 pucks, $100 replica sticks) and Bobby would sign that item and however many additional items you brought. I got Hull to sign a postcard and then he gladly added his signature, complete with his uniform number and The Golden Jet inscription, to my hockey stick that I brought.

Here's John McCain, your Republican nominee for President of the United States. This photo was taken on April 13, 2007, at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois, during a Republican Day event.