Discover the Surprising Gifts Given to Rock Legends in Meeting Minutes & More!

Buddy Guy

Knowingly or not, a local restaurant may be serving blues royalty three months from now. Eight-time Grammy-winning, 87-year-old guitar hero BUDDY GUY, who’s booked to play the Virginia Theatre in June, lists among his dressing-room must-haves “three menus from quality restaurants located in close proximity to the venue, of the following: Steak & Seafood, Cajun, Italian, and Soul Food.” (Here’s looking at you, Neil St. Blues). Also on Guy’s rider from a 2023 show at the Peoria Civic Center: one bottle of Remy Martin XO Cognac, which runs $191.48 at Sam’s Club.

Yo-Yo Ma

There’s no confusing the demands of a rock band with those of a classically trained musician. From the brief demands list on the recital concert rider of acclaimed cellist YO-YO MA, who’ll perform alongside pianist Kathryn Stott next month at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts: low-sodium V8 Juice, non-fat cottage cheese, non-fat yogurt, cherry tomatoes, bananas or other fruit, a “properly tuned” Steinway concert grand piano in “first-class condition,” and a recommendation for the “best possible hotel,” one that comes with 24-hour room service.

A Boogie Wit da Hoodie

Only the finest tequila will do for Julius Dubose — or, as the thousands who bought tickets to see him at State Farm Center know the rapper as, A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE. Host venues have the option of providing three bottles of Don Julio 1942 Tequila ($169 each this week at Binny’s) or either of two brands of champagne. Other musts: a five-pack of white cotton tank tops, a three-pack of white crewneck T-shirts, and a three-pack of black crewneck Ts, all size small. Preferred brand: Calvin Klein, but Ralph Lauren Polo or Tommy Hilfiger will suffice.

Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose

We never would have pegged Axl Rose as the interior decorator type, but here it is, in GUNS N’ ROSES’ rider: The frontman’s dressing room must have one large accent throw rug, a full-size fridge with a glass front, two couches with throw pillows, 12 fresh-cut red roses, 12 fresh-cut white roses, and two large clear-glass vases. Among the band’s other needs: one massage therapist, who should arrive four hours before show time, bring her own table and towels and, we quote, is “FEMALE ONLY!!”

Carrie Underwood

CARRIE UNDERWOOD brings her own catering crew from tour stop to tour stop, but it’s on the venue to make supermarket shopping plans for the morning of the show. Five days out, hosts must arrange for a local grocery store to provide a “designated cashier and packer” for one hour, plus track down 20 banana boxes to pack the groceries into. “THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!” Underwood’s rider emphasizes. Ditto for identifying a dedicated “runner” capable of “a lot of lifting,” as well as a cargo van, to transport said runner and the catering crew chief on their shopping spree.

Ted Nugent

Here’s a new one: a rock-’n’-roller who’s flexible about food — right down to where it’s eaten. From TED NUGENT‘s rider: “When local catering is not available for breakfast, a nearby restaurant — such as Denny’s, IHOP or similar — is acceptable. … Wherever possible, it is preferred to have crew hospitality in a private room separate from the artist’s dressing room.”

Chris Stapleton

A few significant security-related items for venues booking three-time reigning Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year CHRIS STAPLETON: the tour has a “no-physical contact” policy for anyone working security, mandates that “all gifts, flowers, pictures, etc., brought by fans to the show be collected at the entrances” and requires, upon request, “two police motorbike and/or squad car escorts” to and from the venue, airport and/or hotel.

Weird Al Yankovic

On the lengthy list of no-nos when hosting strict-vegan funnyman ‘WEIRD AL’ YANKOVIC, as the UI-Springfield did last year at Sangamon Auditorium: mushrooms, mushroom-based broth, beef, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, animal products or byproducts, fast food, turkey, Dasani water, Styrofoam anything, watermelon with seeds, salted sunflower seeds, cut-up fruit, unsweetened soy milk, or single-serving condiment packets.