Before I saw him live, I once saw Tom Waits as a guest on the Dinah Shore Show of all places. The guest co-host for the week was William F. Buckley. After Tom sang Waltzing Matilda, the three sat around and talked. All the while, Tom was fumbling for and then lighting and smoking a Camel cigarette. What I remember most was how Tom cracked up Buckley every time he opened his mouth. A few years later, I saw Tom solo in a small venue in Northampton, MA. Been a fan ever since.

dw