Las Vegas Sun
February 17, 2006
John Katsilometes on the happy convergence of Smoothies, a teen journalist, a mom, and the immortal Steven Tyler at a Harley dealership
We start with a list of the players and a flurry of disclosures. Chiara Velotta is the daughter of Rick Velotta, who is a business writer for the Las Vegas Sun. Chiara is also a reporter for the review- Journal's rJeneration page. Christine Velotta is the wife of rick, mother of Chiara, and band director at Lamb of God Lutheran Church and First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church schools.
And I played tambourine for Aerosmith in the late- 1980s. Of course, I joke. But what remains to be reported is true. A little more than a month ago Chiara, a 17- year-old senior at Valley High School, and a group of friends were slurping Smoothies at a Coffee bella stand inside the Harley davidson dealership on South eastern avenue.
Not surprisingly, up walks aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler.
Why Tyler was roaming through a Harley davidson shop on South Eastern avenue could be explained in any number of ways, but he was there. Eventually he made his way toward the girls, who happen to be musicians (Chiara plays clarinet in the Valley High band).
A few of the Valley students started firing photos of Tyler on their cell phones, so he stopped to say hello and said he was in town for a corporate gig at the Consumer electronics Show.
Aerosmith would return in February, he added, to play at the MGM Grand Garden arena - that show is Saturday night - and Chiara seized the moment: "Can I interview you for RJeneration?" Tyler was skeptical that she was an actual journalist and made her pinkie-swear on her role with the paper (I am not kidding).
Nonplussed, Chiara called her folks - that's the aforementioned Rick and Christine.
As she started to tell her mother the story, Tyler returned and asked for the phone. "Mom, Steven Tyler wants to talk to you," Chiara said, handing her phone to Tyler while nervously twirling her hair.
The two had quite a confab - Christine spoke of teaching students to play hand bells; Tyler noted that he is a rock star but actually older than Christine (he's 57, she is not).
Tyler finished the chat, shook hands with Chiara and said "thank you." Chiara is looking forward to her exclusive - a five-minute interview with Tyler on Saturday night.
Five minutes, unless Mom calls, of course....
John Katsilometes on the happy convergence of Smoothies, a teen journalist, a mom, and the immortal Steven Tyler at a Harley dealership
We start with a list of the players and a flurry of disclosures. Chiara Velotta is the daughter of Rick Velotta, who is a business writer for the Las Vegas Sun. Chiara is also a reporter for the review- Journal's rJeneration page. Christine Velotta is the wife of rick, mother of Chiara, and band director at Lamb of God Lutheran Church and First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church schools.
And I played tambourine for Aerosmith in the late- 1980s. Of course, I joke. But what remains to be reported is true. A little more than a month ago Chiara, a 17- year-old senior at Valley High School, and a group of friends were slurping Smoothies at a Coffee bella stand inside the Harley davidson dealership on South eastern avenue.
Not surprisingly, up walks aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler.
Why Tyler was roaming through a Harley davidson shop on South Eastern avenue could be explained in any number of ways, but he was there. Eventually he made his way toward the girls, who happen to be musicians (Chiara plays clarinet in the Valley High band).
A few of the Valley students started firing photos of Tyler on their cell phones, so he stopped to say hello and said he was in town for a corporate gig at the Consumer electronics Show.
Aerosmith would return in February, he added, to play at the MGM Grand Garden arena - that show is Saturday night - and Chiara seized the moment: "Can I interview you for RJeneration?" Tyler was skeptical that she was an actual journalist and made her pinkie-swear on her role with the paper (I am not kidding).
Nonplussed, Chiara called her folks - that's the aforementioned Rick and Christine.
As she started to tell her mother the story, Tyler returned and asked for the phone. "Mom, Steven Tyler wants to talk to you," Chiara said, handing her phone to Tyler while nervously twirling her hair.
The two had quite a confab - Christine spoke of teaching students to play hand bells; Tyler noted that he is a rock star but actually older than Christine (he's 57, she is not).
Tyler finished the chat, shook hands with Chiara and said "thank you." Chiara is looking forward to her exclusive - a five-minute interview with Tyler on Saturday night.
Five minutes, unless Mom calls, of course....
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