Eddie Vedder's First Appearance History on Letterman, Jan.-Feb. 1996

By request. Eddie Vedder recently appeared with Howard Stern, where he described how he came to show up on Dave's Late Show for the first time.* Two issues were intertwined during this late-January-February 1996 period: Dave wanting to hear more Eddie Vedder music from Paul, and the first rumblings moving the Top Ten home office from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Wahoo, Nebraska.
Eddie's interview with Howard is interspersed throughout this compilation. His recollections from nearly 25 years ago vary from what actually happened; for example, Eddie remembers Dave moving close to the camera and addressing him personally. In fact, Dave was addressing an imaginary home viewer "Billy." In his defense, Eddie acknowledges that he was stoned at the time, so the confusion is understandable.
The chronology:
1. January 30, 1996. Dave asks Paul for more Eddie Vedder music.
2. January 31, 1996. Dave once again asks Paul for more Eddie Vedder, now requesting "Black"; Paul says the band hasn't learned it yet. They will by the next day.
3. February 1, 1996. Dave's camera close-up. Later, into the commercial break with guest Alec Baldwin, Paul and the band perform "Black" for the first time.
4. February 6, 1996. Dave declares his "personal credo": "A lot of people in this country today say 'Wah'; I say, 'Wah-hoo!'"
5. February 7, 1996. Dave repeats his credo, then segues from "Wah" to singing "Whyyyyy" from "Black" and asks Paul to have Eddie sit in with the band.
6. February 8, 1996. Before presenting the night's Top Ten, Dave mentions that he's considering moving the home office from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Wahoo, Nebraska, displaying a letter from the Wahoo mayor. His "personal credo" has now morphed into a change of the home office.
7. February 27, 1996. Dave obsesses over "Black," so Paul presents Eddie to properly perform it.
The Howard Stern's interview with Eddie Vedder:
• Eddie Vedder Was Summo...

[@dongiller]

Folks, it’s been called to my attention that an “Eddie Vedder” has been replying to comments here. This person is an imposter with his own imposter YT channel, which contains no videos and no subscribers. Please don’t be taken in with this fellow.

[@christianeflentie1228]

"Eddie Vedder" has been "replying" to me personally for years in some form or another.🤣 I'm especially fond of the Eddies that don't have much command of the English language. Thank you for the post. I hope nobody is falling for this.

[@sunshine3914]

Just saw my very first ad on this channel, right after the 10 minute mark.

[@dongiller]

@@sunshine3914 You’ll probably be seeing a lot more, as the Dave channel has been monetizing my Dave-related uploads.

[@72marshflower15]

"Plagiarism, while sometimes necessary.. is never as good as the real thing" - Ani Difranco ✊️

[@bluebuilding]

I can confirm this man is correct.

[@kevinbarry7610]

That pay off is so epic, having him come in for just that one part and he just bails 🤣 what a legend

[@antipsychosoup6709]

One of the things that makes Eddie such a great rock star is that he's so uncomfortable with being a rock star, yet still rocks so hard. Man, I love Pearl Jam so much.

[@Cairo98_]

🤘

[@gjd9527]

I was never into Pearl jam in past years, Today.. I'm a Huge Fan.. Eddie Is So Talented.. "Brilliant"

[@thefutureman8577]

Truth. Garden is one of the most underrated songs in history.

[@blakfloyd]

@@thefutureman8577 gorgeous song, indeed.

[@gregrohsful]

Hes probably more comfortable with it than he lets on.

[@Nathan-gd7xq]

I love how Letterman keeps calling Pearl Jam "Eddie Vedder".

[@ThunderPants13]

I mean 6 of one......

[@ElMariachi555]

😂😂😂

[@jonswenson]

Eddie left that guy in the white shirt massively hanging on the way in, but he got him on the way out. Good man.

[@christianeflentie1228]

If you've heard him speak about it, he might well have been blazing so it was an interesting and amusing performance from that perspective. 😁

[@cuttykev1]

cool you noticed that

[@grandpacat]

eddie is such a humble one, he's always been

[@tetedepoulet8651]

Total rock star entrance

[@jonswenson]

@@johnestupido1418 I see what you did there.

[@penalozaur]

People don't understand what this meant in 1996. You get to see them live like 20-40 times a year, cameras were scarce, no KZbin to watch them daily...

[@brennoxwallace2203]

I remember going to shows and loving every second and then having to wait for EVER for my pics to be developed not even knowing how good they’d be or if I’d even got any pics worth saving lol. Fun times!

[@gardensofthegods]

Yeah but back in the day they were on MTV a lot

[@langdonalger9219]

That instrumental version of Black was amazing.

[@soulscanner66]

Really. What a band!

[@blakfloyd]

Indeed. So serene but without sacrificing the intensity of the moodier parts either.

[@HermesTrismegistes369]

Man that was great! The musical arrangements for each instrument was phenomenal.

[@mikeblaz]

It was really good. A night version where you want to mellow out, sit by the fireplace and have a beer...

[@blakfloyd]

@@mikeblaz and remember unrequited love that ripped your heart out.

[@rebeccaromanchuk1355]

The vicarious pleasure from seeing Dave’s reaction to Eddie Vedder suddenly walking into the theater is too sweet to not believe it really was a surprise for him. Plus, that painfully gorgeous song.

[@mikeblaz]

Dave knew IMO...still really cool.

[@chevisfleming6577]

@@mikeblaz I think he knew as well!!!

[@pennysmom0720]

He loved them ❤

[@marcioaguiar1985]

EVERYTHING on tv is staged

[@divinej3733]

Dave letterman actually said he loved the music, and gave Pearl Jam their lifetime achievement award. This is a pretty cool entrance on the show. Love Eddie Vedder.

[@bsmith-sj8zg]

Eddie v lurked on the PJ page

[@loungezinger]

After hearing the Stern video I said to myself 'damn i wish I could see all the leterman clips from this story...' and bam there it is, nice!

[@elishmuel1976]

Same here. The guy who did it is awesome. Got my sub.

[@Ducksoup67]

Worked as a waiter in Pioneer Square from 1987 - 1992. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Sound Garden, Jane's Addiction... yep - saw them all in little spots like the Re-bar, The Vogue, The J & M cafe, and a bunch of other Seattle dive bars. Good times. Of course we saw hundreds of other bands than went on to become nothing... but it's cool we saw these guys - at the flashpoint.

[@davegreen8569]

OK Hotel

[@dice1296]

this was kind of a big deal when it happened. pearl jam was enormous at the time and eddie was something of a recluse

[@theblackestvoid]

yep it just made them mythic because people talked about them more

[@julesrose7738]

@Franco Cavalli I agree, and constantly find myself defending these Great Bands. I've seen about 50, since the '70's - Pearl Jam looked up to Led Zeppelin. To me they're Rock, yet some say Heavy Metal & I'm ignorant, LOL! How would you reply? Heavy Metal didn't even exist in 1970!

[@vonn4017]

"AT THE TIME"really...do you have a clue about good music? i gonna go with no..which we all know is true

[@KM-zw9qb]

​@@vonn4017 regardless of what your crying fanboy ass thinks, PJ were eminently bigger and more relevant in the 90s than they are now

[@dreia2405]

They are enormous for me, now

[@poppys34]

I always knew Eddie was a cool cat. Seeing him just ultimate mic drop on Letterman, I realize no one on the planet is near as cool.

[@of_the_how_or_why_of_me__t8685]

He took the mic with him🤭🤣

[@DarioBrubeck]

I got to meet Eddie and hang out with him in the 3 arena in Dublin, and I can honestly say, meet your heroes. Man gave me something only me and U2's The Edge have, and that is SO special to me...Guy is a wonderful man.Hoping to see him this year in Marley park in Dublin

[@wendyedwards1440]

I love Eddie's music. He puts his whole self into it.

[@curtislindsey1736]

So you're at Letterman, Eddie Vedder just swings by and Dave Chappelle closes... What a fucking great show

[@johnguerin730]

You can plainly see Eddy didn't know what to make of the whole thing but he knew he had to show up for himself to make it stop and not for self promotion or marketing of the band. Very cool!

[@thegrimyeaper]

I would have stopped doing drugs so I didn't get freaked out by a show on TV "talking to me".

[@johnguerin730]

@@thegrimyeaper I’m sure being stoned added to his heightened uncomfortableness but I think it was more a case of him still basically being an “insecure kid” and not knowing if Dave was mocking him.

[@MrZZsharka]

@@johnguerin730 he was 31 there and had been through a lot before joining Pearl Jam in 1990.

[@johnguerin730]

@@MrZZsharka thanks for the info Kevin.

[@MrZZsharka]

@@johnguerin730 no worries. I was 16 at the time in Australia and they were my favorite band after seeing them live at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and buying 3 of their albums already. I couldn’t believe he was 31 either as he looked so young. Pearl Jam was already outselling Nirvana in 1992. Sorry I was a little obsessed ha!

[@leebatt7964]

Eddie and Dave, two very different people, both cool as hell in their own way.

[@Long2556]

@Simulation algorithm... you "think"? Eddie says at 1:45 he watched the show all the time 🤷

[@mensrea1974]

I remember that... wow 1996. I was just a dumb kid a few years out of high school. Still listen to Ten almost weekly after all of these years.

[@karent2419]

That was the sweetest icing on the cake of that excellent Stern interview. Thank you so much!

[@SmartStr33t]

Man I got chills when he came on. They don't make rock gods like this anymore. :(

[@CC-NH]

rock god ,,, thats funny

[@SmartStr33t]

@@CC-NH Oh is it?

[@elizabeth7563]

As a loyal Letterman fan from the first late show and a big Pearl Jam fan, there was no clue there would be a payoff. It was another Letterman moment where he'd caught lightning in a bottle. Eddie didn't want to be seen, it was a different time.

[@edvedsimon]

thank you for the compilation, i totally remember this episode. i was just listening to his Stern interview and came to your post. awesomeness

[@Van-..-z._-_z.-._-._.-z.]

WOW! You must have an insane Dewey Decimal system. For you to put this together this quickly! You're my favorite!

[@thefirstdude]

Dear Don, I love that you put this together! Thanks so much for bringing us Dave in such detail. 😎👍🏼

[@mike8610]

Leather jacket, long hair...so 1996. TV and life in general was magical back then.

[@elishmuel1976]

I was looking for this compilation exactly! Thanks for putting it up, good times.

[@laurawatters914]

I've watched this clip a few times and everytime Paul calls Eddie and he walks in I yell it's totally awesome!!! Eddie looks sooo gorgeous oohh my goodness!! Thank you for sharing ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@DarioBrubeck]

I got to meet Eddie and hang out with him in the 3 arena in Dublin, and I can honestly say, meet your heroes. Man gave me something only me and U2's The Edge have, and that is SO special to me...Guy is a wonderful man.Hoping to see him this year in Marley park in Dublin

[@laurawatters914]

@@DarioBrubeck THAT IS SOOOO AWESOME! YOU ARE ONE LUCKY PERSON, EDDIE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE HUMAN BEINGS ON THIS CRAZY PLANET! SORRY ABOUT ALL CAPS I CAN'T SEE VERY GOOD. I HOPE YOU SEE HIM AGAIN IN DUBLIN. STAY SAFE AND KEEP ROCKIN IN THE FREE WORLD!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. 😊🩷🤘✌️

[@travisfox8898]

Thanks for posting this! I went searching for the clips after that interview!

[@robstearns7080]

love this! 1996 was a great year for me and I miss the 90's too

[@njoynnsanity]

Eddie's a legend. Such a beautiful voice, ❣️

[@draganapasti_]

The light Eddie shines is unforgettable. His subtle sfumato face is so awesome, his smile surreal. Love his lyrics & approach to music 🎶 Lovely generous fellow 🌹♥️

[@DarioBrubeck]

I got to meet Eddie and hang out with him in the 3 arena in Dublin, and I can honestly say, meet your heroes. Man gave me something only me and U2's The Edge have, and that is SO special to me...Guy is a wonderful man.Hoping to see him this year in Marley park in Dublin

[@stevenmontez4757]

Paul Shaffer and the band killed it... all super talented musicians. That Eddie Vedder band is pretty good too!

[@calixa]

I've seen "the" clip lots of times, had NO IDEA this was going on for like a month prior. Very cool documentation. Thanks for the insight!

[@scottenriquez1930]

I think it was like that for everyone back then. We just couldn’t get those songs out of our heads!!! Still timeless....

[@paulocuaresma9480]

This is really great Don. I'm a fan of yours, letterman and Vedder and pearl jam. :) thank you

[@tjkinsella1111]

Thank you again Don! You are a godsend. I remember this period of Dave asking for Paul to summon the great EV. Thank you for incorporating Wa-Hoo and EV on HS. I was behind the 8-ball with my VCR at the critical moment. Thank you again. 🙏

[@cup4staples]

Wow, thank you so much for posting that. Two of my favorite entertainers...priceless.

[@beninniger2088]

Thank you for putting this together!

[@diegovera1979]

Amazing work, Don. Thank you so much for this. Anyone can tell this have came from your heart.

[@chevisfleming6577]

I love how Eddie spins around and takes a peep at Letterman at 11:09

[@nickhiggins9422]

Me too

[@jjmah7]

That part sucked

[@s.l.dixononline]

@@jjmah7haha. Got ‘em

[@brandonlozano6273]

@@jjmah7that’s the beauty of the grunge attitude. It didn’t have to be good or even make sense. It was pure passionate expression of not giving a f***

[@jjmah7]

@@brandonlozano6273 yeah totally. Well, either that, or it was just stupid.

[@kelleee91]

This is everything I didn't know that I needed. Thank you!

[@grahamrobins7411]

Hey thanks for putting this together! So good

[@christinecanty5409]

Man I miss David Letterman. He had so many great musicians on his show. Exposed alot of them. As for Eddie, who doesn't love him?? All around fantastic guy.

[@peterandjaja]

Eddddieee!!!!!🤣🤣 Miss this show and the good old 90s!

[@FIithyDisco]

This is amazing. Thanks for doing this 🙏

[@LeighGolden-b8p]

I watched all of these episodes…. On the final one I saw it coming and pushed a VCR tape in and was able to record the moment as it happened. It was iconic Letterman! This was the first time I’ve seen someone capture all of the days that led up to it. The lead up was what made it sooooo good. Thank you!

[@daphnerockzaic9096]

Dave really liked the grunge music

[@langdonalger9219]

Probably had something to do with his time in Mother Love Bone.

[@timmcleaners1987]

great and amusing compilation, Don. Im surprised Pearl Jam hadn't been on earlier than 1996. I remember Ten being a pretty big album when I was in high school around '92-'93.

[@qthelost]

I was thinking the same thing. But right at the beginning when Eddie was talking he said they hadn't been on the show and then he said they weren't doing any TV shows. But he was a big Letterman fan. One time he said that before Pearl Jam, Dave was his co-pilot many nights when he was a night security guard.

[@langdonalger9219]

@@qthelost Yeah, although they did in SNL in 92 and 94, so they weren’t completely against doing tv.

[@blakfloyd]

@@qthelost man, 80s Letterman on NBC was awesome. Not a bad way to pass the time on a shift, I'd imagine.

[@HermesTrismegistes369]

I graduated HS at 17 in 1993. Great times! Good music!

[@justingardner4658]

@Langdon - they HAD to do SNL in 92’ n 94. That was record company contract obligation TRUST me !! They were a GOLD MINE for them. They were just starting to truly BLAST off in 92’. Like literally by the week PJ n Ten just kept exponentially growing. However by 94’ they were already withdrawn . They did very very little promo for Vs. Especially for being follow up to a huge success like Ten. Which was still gaining fans. It got sooooo big with desperation of new PJ by its release it sold 1.2M first week n they did NO Videos! No interviews no press.. yet you had MILLIONS of rabid fans dying to see a glimpse and Kurt Cobain killed himself the week they played SNL. With our generation in mourning it was a kind of brilliant marketing to do 94’ SNL. It was like a mini TV concert for all of us out there jonesing for PJ. Everybody watched that night in 94’ Daughter was HUGE off that record n was all over radio at that time as well .. They knew everyone was watching and it “ had” to be done. Right after it was back to NO Pearl Jam anywhere.

[@ptys.]

Thanks for posting the whole thing, came here after listening to the Howard Stern interview 👍.

[@joeslider6663]

Don Giller has granted so many wishes he should be promoted to "Head Genie" status. Thanks for all the Letterman clips.

[@mlc4050]

Wow, thanks for putting this together

[@ahhdamm11]

So cool I remember this......getting old suck, but seeing something that brings back so many feels , it was a big thing, back then, being from Washington.

[@alma14594]

Thank you, I heard the story a few days ago, so this is a treat. Thanks again.

[@pearlejam7115]

Thank you so much for compiling this.

[@grizzzlebees]

Very nice compilation. Thank you

[@thestormlscoming]

Thank you for this compilation! So funny

[@HerptasticVideo]

I think I still have my VCR recording of that original broadcast lying in a box somewhere.

[@seanwelch71]

Big G, I thought you'd left KZbin. However, I just didn't know how to use my saved lists. You are an excellent curator.

[@WeaselWorks]

Don Giller Wow, fabulous job! This just happens to be from a period of my life when I was pretty consistently watching Letterman, and I remember seeing and being very delighted by most of these broadcasts when they aired. It is absolutely amazing and such a treat to see them again like this, and so expertly compiled! Thank you! I rarely subscribe to random dudes, but this vid earns you one.

[@lisagd22]

The prime Letterman years were the same years I (a night owl) had to punch the time clock at work at 7:30 AM, so I didn't get to see many of the shows. I'd sometimes stay up long enough for the Top Ten, but that was about it.

[@NotIfWhen]

This is Eddies world and we’re just living in it.

[@iggypopisgod9]

That would be EVH

[@NotIfWhen]

@@iggypopisgod9 lolololololololololol. No.

[@kristenbargouti5044]

This story is such a joy to hear!! I love it!! 😂❤

[@omarc606]

Amazing video. Thanks for putting this together

[@christianeflentie1228]

That was really entertaining. Thank you! 😁

[@scottsparks5231]

Back when late night TV was good back in the good ole days

[@gustavobuquera]

yeah but imagine you missed exactly this day hahah

[@jenmarks6594]

Good gawd, Eddie was freakin' beautiful!!!!!!!!!!

[@barbaralindsey9587]

Still is a gorgeous man ❤

[@KVerseVibe]

I know you're going to be a star in somebody else sky but why can't it be mine❤

[@johnmoore6977]

Really enjoyed that. Thanks, man.

[@tkclawson3336]

This was awesome! Thanks so much!

[@bbtb785]

Well that made my day.

[@chickenringNYC]

Will Lee ripped it up on the bass when Eddie dropped in! Nice!

[@timmcleaners1987]

I've never seen seen Will Lee and Stone Gossard in the same room together... what's up with that?

[@langdonalger9219]

@@timmcleaners1987 they have been in the same room many times. Any time PJ played Letterman.

[@JuanFatche]

@@langdonalger9219 You must be fun at parties.

[@drummerdoingstuff5020]

@@JuanFatche don’t believe him just ask him…

[@YeahManMillionaire]

Best thing I've seen all year long.

[@fuzzo73]

Oh man, this was 24 years ago?! I remember watching it that night lol

[@kimlaughon3887]

Best ever. Thanks!!

[@philb.954]

Incredible compilation, especially regarding the continuity

[@artlover1477]

Eddie with that Jim Morrison vibe to him, priceless.

[@lisagd22]

Have you watched Eddie sing with the rest of the Doors when he inducted them into the RnR Hall of Fame? He sounded a lot like Jim. I just watched the video again tonight, in fact.

[@artlover1477]

@lisagd22 Yes Lisa, He did a wonderful job! So glad he took the better path than Jim and still is with us.

[@lukeg2091]

Really great work on this video.

[@thejoshpresle]

Am from Nebraska- Wahoo hasn't been the same since the Home Office closed.

[@VeronicaVillafuerte-s7w]

DON GİLLER I cannot thank you enough for your Chanel and mix videos!

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@jcdova29]

I remember I missed Eddie’s appearance that night and how mad I was when I heard about it. We didn’t have KZbin to watch it so I had to beg my stoner cousin who taped the Dave Letterman show to let me borrow his tape.

[@swampape201]

nicely done man, thanks.

[@Ickabodxx]

Long Story: Black was a special song to me, like I'm sure it was for so many other people. I remember when this took place, I didn't see it that night, but I heard about it on the radio the next day. My alarm went off and the first thing I heard was the DJs talking about how Eddie Vedder was on The Late Show the night before to sing Black (part of it anyway) and then they played the clip. No kidding the day before I was dumped by my girlfriend of almost 3 years and I was emotionally devastated by it. Hearing this clip, that morning, the day after feeling like the world was coming to an end was a big deal. It felt almost fated that things were going to be ok, which eventually they were, but it was painful to get to the other side.

[@dongiller]

Late Show; not The Tonight Show. :)

[@Ickabodxx]

@@dongiller oops, ok edited

[@HAL_9000__]

Dave just posted his favorite moment ever on his KZbin channel "Letterman"... It was some random old lady singing "Walk On The Wild Side"... ok Dave. Whatever. THIS is my favorite Letterman moment. I was a huge Pearl Jam fan and I loved "Black" because... I myself was a heartbroken 20-something that couldnt win over the girl of my dreams (... Mimi! 😠). Great moment.

[@bogusbooger]

i needed this

[@theshirtuckuandoshow9165]

great video very well put together

[@joaniewwh3502]

i love this so much! vedder+letterman 🤘🏼

[@ThymeKeeper]

Was kind of expecting this to show up :)

[@hectordelacruz5222]

I rember this. Letterman wiuld do almost everynight fo like 2 weeks "impression" of Eddie talking about he loves the band. Cool

[@donfreels]

such a cool moment ❤️

[@elaine03812]

Gosh Eddie is so handsome... loveyou Eddie

[@mroy88]

thanks for all your amazing videos Don

[@mikewilliams5576]

That appearance was freakin awesome

[@ricknesar1627]

Eddie Vedder is the GOAT!

[@catenystrom6506]

GOD could Vedder BE more beautiful??!!!!

[@lisagd22]

Have you watched PJ Unplugged? OMG, he is perfect--perfect face, perfect voice, perfect hair, perfect boyish charm. And when he sings Black, I get weak in the knees. 🥰🥰🥰

[@julieloofbourow3042]

I watched those Letterman's as he tried to lure in Eddie and surprise, it worked! It's still hysterical! Particularly listening to Eddie's side! LOL!!!

[@primeraconsultamedicasanfa8451]

This gift keeps on giving. Thanks man

[@primeraconsultamedicasanfa8451]

It's a whole scholarship every single time

[@virginiaknighten4687]

Eddie is so gorgeous here!

[@frederickyturraldemdfaccfs4984]

This never gets old. EV brought a lot of joy and power in those few seconds

[@denisefreitas6727]

Very funny! Love Eddie & Pearl Jam! Thanks, Don!

[@fitter70]

That was awesome!

[@ashleybarloweNC]

Eddie is such a classy dude.