My fiance (now my wife) and I schmoozed our way into the composers dinner and awards ceremony the night before the CMA Awards in Nashville.  We sat at a table with a then almost unknown Phil Vassar and his wife.   Phil was a songwriter then, just about to start his solo career as an artist.

The dinner and ceremony were enjoyable.  They announced a special guest to give the big award of the night... and it was Garth Brooks, who was at the height of his fame!

After the ceremony, my fiance wanted to meet and hug Garth.  I told her she could go ahead and do it and I'd wait outside of the ballroom in the lobby.  I struck up a conversation with an older, well-dressed gentleman in the lobby. He said he was waiting for his son and daughter-in-law.

After about 10 minutes, the doors to the ballroom opened... and out walks my fiance, Garth Brooks and his then wife Sandy, chatting like old friends!  The older man I was talking to revealed he was Garth's dad!  All of us chatted for at least half an hour, until Sandy reminded Garth that they had a plane to catch to Oklahoma.

As my fiance and I walked to the elevator to go upstairs to our room, we both said, "Did that just happen?"!