Be A Rock Star

Some guy said to me: “Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock n’ roll?” I said: “You’d better ask Mick Jagger.

—Cher

Beatles or Stones?

Back in elementary school, I collected Beatles trading cards. The kind that came in five-cent bubble gum packages. I wasn’t interested in all the Beatles, just Paul McCartney. I’d trade three, sometimes four, of the others for one Paul. I was seriously crushing on him.

Decades later, when Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood swaggered toward me with his signature old-rocker confidence, I wasn’t thinking he was cute, but I was starstruck.

I was hosting the Saturday Night Gala Dinner at the Ultimate Pajama Party® a weekend getaway for women being held at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. The hotel’s special events manager suddenly motioned me out of the ballroom. This wasn’t the usual check-in to see if everything was running smoothly.

Standing in the hallway was Ron Wood. With him were his back-up singer Bernard Fowler and two burly bodyguards. They were in town for a few days of downtime before continuing the 2005 Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang world tour. Mick and Keith were elsewhere. Ron had been wandering the hotel and was drawn to our room by the music and laughter. He asked if it would be okay to have a table brought in at the back—he just wanted to enjoy the vibe.

I said YES.

Inside, almost 200 women were already partying like rock stars—dancing, drinking, and belting out karaoke classics. No men were allowed at this event, except my son Chris, who was working as our official photographer.

Ron’s security team quietly set the rules: no rushing, no photos. I went back in, made the announcement, and moments later, Ron and his group slipped into the back of the ballroom.

He didn’t stay in the shadows for long. Feeling safe and welcomed, Ron started mingling. For nearly three hours, he laughed and partied with us. Then, to cap off the night, he asked to sing.

I told him about Chris and asked if we could get a couple of shots. He agreed.

I was in the middle of announcing his performance when Ron took the microphone from my hand, kissed me on the cheek, and launched into a soulful rendition of My Girl by The Temptations.

Chris had been photographing girlfriend groups all night. He got into position to capture the moment, and his camera battery died right after the first shot. But one was all it took.

The next morning, Lite 96 FM was buzzing with the story. By Tuesday, The Calgary Herald ran the headline: “Lone Stone Rolls in the Rockies.” By week’s end, the story had made national papers and even STAR Magazine in the U.S., which prides itself on breaking celebrity news first.

That night, Ron Wood reminded me of something important.

Rock stars aren’t just the ones on stage. Real rock stars show up. They shine. They share their joy with the room. That night, Ron wasn’t just a legendary guitarist—he was a man in the moment, delighting in music and connection.

You don’t have to be rich or famous to be a rock star.

Being a rock star is about saying yes to life. It’s about showing up fully, doing what you love, and sharing it with others. Whether or not you ever appear in a headline or on a stage isn’t the point.

Become a star in your own eyes. Give it your all. Follow what lights you up. That’s what makes you magnetic. That’s what makes you shine.

That’s my kind of rock star energy.

An excerpt from Wear Your Life Well: Lessons on the Journey to Your Truest Self

Copyright: Helene Oseen 2026