Laura, my wife, had a fantastic idea and posted the following on the BGU Facebook page:
Totally not blues related, but since it’s Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to share how Griff and I met!
Many years ago, he played bass and guitar in 2 rock/cover bands called Voyager and Crown 5. Both performed frequently on the Tomorrowland Terrace stage at Disneyland.
I (Laura) was an Entertainment Stage Manager at that time and was in charge of the pro bands hired to play various stages throughout the park. Well..one night Voyager was playing…and I thought, “man…that guitar player is hot!” (He’s gonna kill me for that. Lol).
The rest is history! The photo was taken back in October, 2004.
We eloped to The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on June 17, 2005 🙂
The fun part is where you share the story of how you and your special someone met in the comments.
And have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
54 replies to "A Little Valentine’s Day Story…"
Great story Griff. The detail about eloping to Vegas and getting married in the Little White Wedding Chapel resonated with me since my wife and I moved to Henderson, just south of LV about three years ago. I have driven past the chapel on S. Las Vegas Blvd. hundreds of time on the way to from, well, you know, all that stuff one does on the Strip and its environs. BTW, I have not commented previously since I enrolled in several courses, but I think everyone can agree that your on-screen persona and the content you so generously share are among the very best of the internet world. My wife and I met in 1975 in group therapy. Yes, I know, slightly weird. But we’ve stayed together and are still very much in love and will celebrate our 46th anniversary this year.
love it…later.
cowboy
I was moping around after a failed engagement (Thank God), and my Mom was tired of seeing it, so she told me that I ought to meet the girl that had started working where she worked, and that she was working some overtime that night. I changed clothes and was about to leave when she asked. “Where are you going?”. “To meet that girl” was my response. “You’d better not! She’s not expecting you!” I met her on the parking lot. We talked for over an hour on the phone the next day. That was back in 1974. We were married in ’75. And we’ve been together ever since.
Great Story, Thanks for sharing. We wanted to let you know that The Little White Wedding Chapel is still lively. My wife and I just Remarried there for our fortieth anniversary. The place looks great, Pink Cadillac still out front, I was hoping to paste a picture here so you could riminess. God Bless the both of you, We wish you much happiness and good health.
Both my current wife & I both got married to the wrong person back in 1969 in Sydney Australia. I firstly married my french hairdresser at the time, I was a semi – Pro Drummer in 3 bands playing 7 nights per week for around 8 years as well as doing a day job. We then moved to live in France early 1970, I dropped music and learn’t french got a good executive job and travelled the world for business. I was travelling a lot, every month I was on a trip, so my 1st wife left me for someone else. After a while, I married a 2nd wife in Paris who was an attache in an Embassy, We lived in my apartment in Paris, she accompanied me on a lot of my travels. I eventually got an executive Job back to Sydney Aust and we eventually moved back in mid 80’s. She later died of Cancer in 90’s. I stayed single for a long while and then met my lovely wife Wendy through Rock n Roll Dancing, she was also a single mum of adult two sons hardworking but also a past Classical Piano learner/ player..We got married 12 years ago , I learn’t also Ballroom dancing. I wanted to get back into playing music so she agreed, I could take up the electric Guitar so back in 2012, I purchased a Telecaster and a Amp and took lessons and then online I came across Griff Hamlin and BGU. That was it, easily the best way I have learn’t just about everything now on the guitar and how to play Blues Guitar and now have 8 Electrics including two Acoustic Electrics. We are now retired have two sons and 4 grandsons and both of us living in a new House in Retirement Village and I have a Music Den with all my guitars & music around me and she has her Music den with her Piano..Note: My mother once said back in the 60’s that I should have got married to an aussie Bird, so I eventually did and now live back into the music scene playing songs that I love and being with a woman who loves me & I love her who almost thinks like me, could’nt be happier. World Traveller comes down to earth with Wendy..
Michael- Sydney- Australia 16th Feb 2021.
Great to hear stories from fellow travellers.
My girlfriend (a singer) went abroad for work over a Christmas. My Father invited me to stay there for the holiday. on 27th Dec 1995, I got on a train to return to London. I got on at the front, and walked through, trying to find a seat. The train was completely full! About halfway back through the train, I met a woman in a hat. I explained that there were no empty seats behind me, and she said it was the same for her – we ended up standing next to each other for the hour or so it took to London.
We chatted, and on leaving the train, I invited her for lunch.
We’re still together, and married, 26 years later!
I’m really struck by the number of people here(like myself) who have reconnected with their childhood sweethearts after many years apart.They will know(also like myself)what an incredible experience that is,like being transported back in time to an age of innocence,perhaps.Anyway,immediately after making contact with my Naomi,I sat down and wrote a poem to her in about 10 minutes.It felt like it was writng itself
For Naomi
And as my love lies sleeping,though seas between us lay,
I feel her warm heart beating,I close my eyes and pray.
That when she wakes,the sun will shine,upon her far off bed,
And birds will sing,as morning breaks,and little children tread,
So quietly upon the dreams,that carry her to me,
I pray my love will wake to find,a taste of what could be.
Upon her lips so soft and warm,may yet there linger still
The sweetest hint of love long past,may yet she yearn to fill
The cup of life with wine afresh,that time has mellowed well,
And may she share that cup with me,and those in future tell
Of two whose hearts were made as one,who felt again the joy,
Of loves’ embrace,a sheltered place,that time cannot destroy.
And so I yearn,as still she sleeps,upon that far off shore
I pray she sleeps as lovers sleep,I pray she dreams of more.
Met the love of my life under the sundial sculpture at RIT, Rochester NY back in 1979 but at the time she was my best friends girlfriend! After a very long strange trip we ended up together many years later, married in 2013 and loving every minute of the life we’re building together.
The reason I play a guitar is the girl I met in a country western bar during a break. A crowd of guys were standing around a table where I couldn’t see the girls but could hear that magical laughter. I walked around that group and found that source of laughter, asked her to dance and married four months later….. love at first sound! 48 years strong!
Met on a Blind date 1965 I was a sailor stationed in Newport Rhode.Island my shipmate said come to Boston for the weekend with me. He introduced me to his friends and I went out with one of them and now we’re married 53 years and together 55 years!
My wife and I met in a west coast swing class but I didn’t ask her out because I was dating someone else. Well I broke up with that woman and a couple of months later I met my wife again at an Argentine Tango event. We danced all night. We moved in together about 2 months later and traveled to Sedona Arizona about 5 years after that to get married.
Great idea Laura! I’m ashamed & proud to admit that I hit on a client while I was working at a veterinary emergency hospital. She came in with her orange tabby cat who wasn’t acting right, growling & just plain out of sorts. On examining him, I didn’t find the source of the problem.. Just before she was about to leave, I found a single puncture wound on the side of his abdomen. I X-rayed him & discovered someone had shot him with a pellet. If she maxed out her brand new credit card she couldn’t come close to what his care would cost. This distraught young woman had to call her brother to see if she could borrow the additional money to cover the exploratory surgery I proposed. She was a cute redhead, but I kept my mind strictly on business…..mostly. The cat did well after the bowel resections required to repair the damage done by the pellet. I discharged the cat the following day. There was extensive damage to the cat’s bowels from being shot & I told her he probably would do well but he was by no means out of the woods. I kept thinking about how cute & genuinely nice she was. I called the next day to make sure things were going okay. During the conversation she mentioned that she didn’t have a regular vet to do the suture removal 10 days later. I volunteered to remove them & if he did well, it was cause for celebration. Sure enough he did extremely well & I removed the stitches. She suggested a glass of wine to celebrate his recovery. I said dinner was what I had in mind. We were married in 1986. I’ve been paying for the cat’s surgery many times over ever since. He lived another dozen years. Our marriage is still a wonderful adventure & she’s still mighty cute!
The first day of class Sept 16, 1970 I was seated in a class called “The Principles of Selling” A young (19) lady sat down next to me because she says I looked friendly. We have been together ever since and celebrated our 49th anniversary the end of January. 2 kids, 2 grandchildren
Thanks for all the great lessons Griff and congrats to you two
Jere
Met mine on 9/16/93. Tin and Lint, Caroline Street Saratoga Springs NY.
Cheers.
Went with my wife (girl friend) Sandy in high school 1961. Her family moved that summer of 61 and with only snail mail our relationship became strained. Finally, after three years of hardly being able to see each other, the “dear john” letter came. Forty one years later 2004, the very day after my wife Kathy had passed, came an e-mail from Sandy. She was recently divorced and after almost a year of e-mail and phone calls we reunited. Incredibly the same passion that we had when we were 17 still existed. We are now 77 and the fire still burns brightly.
My wife and I met at Teacher training college in Newcastle, UK in 1972 and been together since. She was a Home Economics teacher so even better as a great cook. Both retired now, 45 years married.
It was 50 years ago today
Cath and and I came out to play
She’s the best nurse by a mile
And deserves every kiss and smile
So let me introduce to you
The one I’ve known for all these years
The Seagull Inn’s top chef in the land
( with apologies to the Beatles)
The Seagull Inn is our conservatory converted into a pub during UK lockdown !
I met my wife in a Hooks Drug Store in Indianapolis at the soda fountain. She was a country girl visiting a friend and lived in Danville. She twisted her ankle and I carried her back to where she was staying. She actually didn’t care for me at the time but needed to get back to where she was staying. 10 years later I returned from Vietnam and she was engaged to someone else and so I moved to California.. on a fluke, I sent her a Christmas card and learned she had divorced and we began talking on the phone. In 1970 we married and are now working on #51.
I was 17 in 1970 and met my beautiful Naomi at a summer program at Brock University in Canada.We were each others’ first true love,It was a great summer for music.The Festival Express with all the top bands( Joplin,The Dead,The Band,Clapton etc), crossed Canada on a train and we were lucky enough to see them all in Toronto.
I moved to a different university the following year and we parted company,but I never forgot her.I moved out to western Canada,then New Zealand for 33 years,and in 2007 came here to Ireland.In 2014,someone suggested that I should get a Facebook page to promote my furniture,so knowing nothing about it,I signed up,and noticed that it had a “Find a Friend” feature.So I thought for a second,and typed in Naomi’s name,and a few minutes later, she replied..Recently divorced like me,so we started an online correspondence and after 4 monthe I travelled to Canada to see her.We picked up where we left off and she shortly thereafter came to live with me in Ireland and we were married a year later.
We treat each and every day as a blessing.We haven’t been out in public since last March because of Covid,but we are happy to stay at home,with our various projects,jigsaw puzzles,and most of all ,delighting in each other’s company.But I do have a confession.Since retiring last year,I’ve taken up making guitars,and now have 9 in the living room.But she still loves me!!
My wife and i found each other on a dating site. We Met in a walmart parking lot feb 28 Went to dinner and started dating from there. 2 months latter we moved in together. 3 years later got married on feb 28 its been 9 years total and have wonderful marriage. I am 58 she is 57 now. Thanks for reading
So I’m 32 at the time. I was heavily into Triathlons. Happen to be doing one this day and she was doing the run portion of a Duathlon at the same time with a gut from her work and they always put your age category on your calf. So I’m running around warming up for the race and spot my future wife warming up as well.She was 23 as I could tell from age on calf muscle. So i”m thinking she is old enough for me , so after the race I’m going to go see if she will talk to me. Well I am running the last leg of the Triathlon which is an out and back course. I am running back from the turn around and she is just starting the out portion. Well she looks at me and says Good JOB WHICH i’M thinking hey she notice me so yeah definitely going to talk to her.So I wait at the finish line for her and ask her if she wanted to talk and she just kinda said I have to see my friends first so then I think great she blew me off.Then I;m standing in the drink line and see her so I figure I;ll give it one more shot. So we got to talking and come to find out she was saying Good Job to eveyone cause she was so excited to be doing the run portion.ahhhh anyway met a few times then started dating. She ask me about what groups I liked at the time and the first group I said was Poison and just happen to have 2 tickets and that was our first date and the rest is history. 27 yrs later ,3 kids and still going. Thats all folks
I had just gotten home from work when the phone rang. It was Velma my room mates girlfriend. She asked what was I doing? I replied nothing and she said, “I’m at Vi’s lounge with four single nurse’s and they need someone to dance with”. (Velma was a nurse also) I said “I’m on the way!”. That night I met my beautiful wife Kathy we’ve been married 36 years. She’s my biggest guitar fan. I play for her all the time and if I get a little alcohol in her she will sing and play the tambourine.
Met my wife Barb at the VFW in Tempe Arizona in 1973. I was playing Bass guitar and she would keep coming up to
the band stand, asking me to play Proud Mary over and over. Long story short. she asked if I would like a ride home and I said yes. The crazy thing is she ran out of gas and we have been happily married every since.
Jut wanted to add this to my story. My wife and I were also married at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
We met at a mutual friend’s party. I was in a relationship but remembered her when my other relationship was over and knew I liked her. She liked tennis and I asked her to give my daughter from a previous marriage a tennis lesson. My daughter could not make it but I did. We played tennis which I love but she crushed me. Found out she went college on a tennis scholarship. We have been married 33 years and have two more wonderful children. I used to call her and try to play Jimi Hendrix over phone. Our song wasCinnamon Girl by Neil Young. I knew I always loved her but did not get to meet her until35 years ago. We had a root beer float after tennis and she she knew I was her kind of guy.
Haha we meet when I was in 7th grade I am now 70 years old and we’re still going strong.
We met at a local swimming pool. She invited me to a local concert. I told her I had to work that Sunday morning. After several hours at the office I realized you only get one chance in life at times so I left the office early and went to the concert. 29 Years she tells anyone will listen a different story but always says that when you meet someone at a swimming pool you know can see what you are getting. Life has been wonderful ever since.
I met the woman who would become my wife at the gym. I had gotten into cycling the previous year and would ride my bike to the gym, workout and then, do a training ride afterwards. This one Sunday morning, I was doing leg extensions and this woman walked over and asked if she could work in. I agreed (I believe in being a good ‘gym citizen’). In the middle of her first set, she commented that she hated doing leg extensions. I told her that she needed to get a bike. Without missing a beat, this woman whom I didn’t know, responded with “So, buy me one!”
Now, you have to understand that I have an angry hoard of Mongols who sit on horseback in my sub-conscious mind. As you can imagine, they all screamed “The balls on her…!!” But, in the middle of all of that was this little voice that said “You’re going to….” Four months later, for Christmas that year, I did. We got married two days before the next Christmas. She became an absolutely fierce cyclist in her own right and raced with me on the Men’s cycling team.
Unfortunately, all of that came crashing down, nine years later when she was climbing off her bike after a 50 mile training ride. She said “I have this weird pain in my back….” Two weeks later, she was diagnosed with Stage IV kidney cancer and four months later, was dead–three weeks shy of her 40th birthday.
It was a fun ride while it lasted….!
Thanx for sharing such a wonderful story with a truly sad ending.
Quick addendum: After my wife died, I threw myself into studying a very traditional form of karate (wado-ryu). I did this to purge the anger that I was feeling (and, it worked). Three years after I began, I had the opportunity to test for my first degree black belt. One of the instructors sat down with me to discuss my motivations for obtaining my black belt. I told him, in part, that if I passed, I wanted two black belts–one for me and the other for my wife because I knew she would have been an amazing karate-ka. I tested, it was brutal. A week later, Shihan announced those who had passed. He mentioned me last but said, we’re not going to give you your belt yet. I was perplexed but, resolute. After the class that evening, he asked me where my wife was buried. A week later, the entire school showed up with me to my wife’s gravesite to bow her in as they would with anyone achieving a black belt ranking.
Gotta love honor and respect….
We met in a local dance hall in 1972, I was a construction welder, she was a student nurse. My only transport was a Triumph 650cc motor cycle.We married in 1976 and today valentines day we celebrate 45 years of marriage. She still thinks I suck at guitar.
My wife and I met in Atlanta Nov. 3, 1976 the night Jimmy Carter was elected and together we watched his acceptance speech (I will leave all political statements to the side…). We got married two years later to the day!
We have been together ever since that evening and married 42 years! The rest is history! Keep On Trucking!
Happy Valentines Day! To Two fine musicians! Thanks for all you teach and share with the Griff Gang! Wow Griff! You need to add that to your on stage success! Looks like Minnie Mouse thought you were Hot!!!
Gloria and I met in a yoga class here in Austin in 1999. Now, we both teach yoga and play guitar together. Just renewed our vows with Elvis officiating for our 20th anniversary at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Vegas. Oh yeah! …Fake Elvis (Brendan) sang Burning Love! 👍👍🤘🏼❤️
nice flashback pic Griff
Early one winter evening – one of those rare evenings I was actually home – a friend dropped by to ask if the trio I was in would be interested in doing the music for a play she was involved with at school. Well, yeah!
The first night of rehearsal I spotted this attractive girl backstage who’s “job” was “promoting” the actors who may have missed or forgotten lines. Thought to myself,”she has beautiful eyes!” Little did I realize she was checking me out when I wasn’t looking as well. We started chatting it up a bit when there were breaks in the rehearsals. Somehow my very shy self actually worked up the nerve to ask her out, and she said yes! We’ve now just recently celebrated our fiftieth anniversary, We sing together and I still have the same twelve string I was playing that night in 1969! I plan on never getting rid of that cheap department store guitar. To me it’s irreplaceable! It’s true…. Playing music changes your whole life! (I’ve added several more guitars since then, of course!)
My wife and I were high school sweethearts. She broke up with me ( boo hoo) & we went our separate ways. Some nearly 55 years later, several kids, grandkids, and great- grandchildren by separate marriages, we are back together again – for good!
Ours is a true love story! I had just broken up with a girl I was dating that worked at my bank. She called me to say…”there is a new girl at the bank and you two would be perfect together”…! I wondered what she was up to but went by the bank to “take a look”! Susan was absolutely gorgeous! We went out on our first date a week or so later…we’re engaged in four weeks and November 21, 2021 will be our 40th anniversary. If I had to die tomorrow…I would still be the luckiest man in the world, having spent all that time with the woman of my dreams! And most days…she still loves me…Lol!
I met her in 1973 in the midst of war in Israel in 1973. At that time I travelled with a Guild Acoustic. Fell in love playing for her and am still playing for her now. ❤️
Back in 1983, my wife and I met at a health club. I was in the bike and she was on one of the exercise machines. When I got off, she was gone. Thought I lost my chance to meet her.
After I finished working out, I stopped at the snack bar on the way out, she was sitting there with an ice pack on her head. She hit her head in an open upper locker. I started talking to her, we went out the next day, and been together every day since, for 38 years now.
Funny thing, it was the only time either of us had ever gone there on a Saturday, and the only time she went in the mixed gym. I guess we were meant to be!
Helen and I have known each other since we were five years old. We went to school together from kindergarten through High School. We were partners in our 8th grade graduation processional. We were in a group of friends that are still close today. Our Senior Class trip in March of 1964 was a four day bus trip to Washington DC, Annapolis, and Williamsbugh VA. The ride back to NJ was a long one. There was no I95 back then. Getting restless I walked up the aisle of the bus just talking to friends in their seats. When I got to Helen’s seat I stayed for a long while. We talked about school, parties, our up coming graduation, and more. A few weeks later we were at a pre-graduation party and talked again. On a whim I asked her out. Our first date was to a drive in where we talked through the whole movie. Something clicked and we dated throughout the summer. I went away to school in the fall but we got together every time I came home. I was hooked. In the fall of 1967 I wrote Helen’s parents and basically asked their permission to marry her. We were engaged that Christmas and married in the summer of 1968 when I finished school. It’ll be 53 years this coming July. If you count all the time we’ve known each other, it’s 68 1/2 years. It’s been a great trip.
My wife & I met at a New Years Eve party @ the home of mutual friends of both our parents. This was way back to New Years of 65/66, while I was home from college on Christmas vacation (I graduated in June ’66). My “future” wife’s date fell asleep on the floor (too many martinis!), so, I made my move!
Well, the rest as they say, “is history”. We got married in June 1968 & are still going strong 52 yrs. later!!
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
My fiancé and I were having trouble both finding employment, so we took jobs at a holiday camp in Hayling Island. After less than a week she was having ‘fun’ with several other guy; she was young and, I guess, me being her first serious boyfriend, she wanted to know what else was out there.
As I had a car I had promised to take another couple there out for an evening out and I wouldn’t let them down. The guy asked another girl if she’d like to come along to make it a foursome. When we got there, the couple went off on their own and Fran and I sat in the car just talking.
Now 48 years later we are still talking, though we now have 47 years of marriage, three ‘kids’ and 14 grandchildren, to talk about.
My wife Alida and I first met on a blind date on Dec 17,1966 at a Christmas party. Valentine’s Day 1967 I asked her to “go steady”. We were married May 17th,1969, so we’ve been “going steady” for 54 years! She still loves my singing and playing guitar so all is good!!!
I met Connie at here sisters wedding. I was the official photographer. She was in charge of the book signing. After the wedding we hung out all day. She was living in Walla Walla and I was living in Kennewick (the wedding was here in Seattle). At the end of the day we went our separate ways her back to Walla Walla and me to Kennewick. About a week later she called me and invited me to a Barbara Mandrill concert at the Walla Walla county fair. In June we will be married 41 years.
In 1971 I was in a chip shop, (I am English). when a really good looking girl walked in. I never knew that she would turn out to be my best friend and wife for half a century. That really was my lucky day.
My story is totally blues – but happened even before I even began to play. It was 2004 and I went to the famed Double Door Inn in Charlotte NC (Locally famous because Clapton showed up there in the mid 70s after a show and hung out and played a few tunes with the local club band). We were both recently divorced and there to hear a local Blues band called Contagion Blues. I with a friend and she with her two brothers. On a dare proposed by her younger brother she had to pick out one guy to talk to after the first set. My lucky night, she picked me. We dated for 5 years and got married in 2009. I became a member fo the BGU community a few months later. I plan to stay in both relationships until God takes me to the big blues jam in the sky.
I want to see more of Griff’s hair!
Way back in 1967 high school dance a young lady asked me to dance! We’ve been together ever since! Married in 1974! For me it was love at first sight! It took a little longer to convince my girl friend now wife that she loved me too!
I was sitting on the pool deck at the apartment where I was living at the time(2000).
The pool was crowded with mom’s and their loud kids. All of a sudden this gorgeous
blond in a turquoise bikini comes out and sits down nearby. Not even 5 minutes later
all the mom’s and kids gradually get up and leave. Here I am with this beautiful woman
and am trying to think of something cool to say to her. Well, it’s been 20 years later and I
guess I found the right thing to say to her…she’s been my wife and best friend since.
I was 19 and hanging out with my cousin in his car. In 1989, the popular thing was driving around Broadway. We stopped in the parking lot we all hung out at. I was talking to him about general kid junk when I felt someone put their fingers in my hair and literally move and point my head. (There was no one else in the car.) My eyes focused as if they suddenly had binoculars attached. A girl caught my eye and I asked him who that girl was. I didn’t even have to point her out. He said, “Oh, that’s Jen Tabor. She’s a nice girl.” You know the story how the Grinch’s heart grew 3 sizes. I can’t explain in words, the amount of love I felt all at once. The easiest way to describe it, is the first cigarette of the day. You can feel a rush come over you. (I quit smoking in 2008 and started buying Griff’s programs with cigarette $.) Anyway, she said she felt the same rush the first time she saw me. So, it short, Love at First sight DOES EXIST! We’ve been together since 1989, married since 1993.
I met my wife while we were both doing dog agility. For several months I thought she was involved cause she always said we were busy last night but she was talking about her dog and herself
Lovely story. Which Chipmunk did she end up with?
I was in an a cappella choir in college. Two perfect pitch people gave pitch, one male, one female The guy, a friend of mine, was only so so at humming the pitch. But the woman! When the conductor pointed at her and she hummed the note, the room/stage/choir loft resonated. I asked another friend who she was, we were introduced and I discovered that she not only had perfect pitch, she had numerous other perfect attributes. In May we will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Still singing.
We met in first grade and were always close, but in high school she would not go out with me. Then at our 10th high school reunion, our eyes met and there were sparks. Now been married for 37 years.