Musician's Widow

I have never watched any of the “Real Housewives of…” shows. Never cared to… too far out of reality for me. I’ve never watched any show that follows people around and documents their “real life.” (Okay, fine, maybe I have watched a few episodes of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. And I might have endured one or two episodes of Newlyweds — remember that one?)

When I stumbled upon the Road Widows blog and started contributing, I briefly wondered why CMT doesn’t do a “Real Road Widows of Music City” or something. That could be really cool, I thought. Heck, I’d be happy to contribute to it!

I’ve chewed on this idea a few times. How would that work? I guess you’d probably focus on the wives of the artists for the biggest ratings, but what about us wives of the side guys?  I know some great women that could be featured. It could be pretty cool.

Then, as I lay in bed one night, trying to turn the brain off so I could sleep (husband snoring softly beside me… dammit, I thought, I want to sleep, too!) it hit me. It would probably be one a boring show in comparison to its reality tv peers.

See, us road widows… we aren’t generally an outlandish bunch. Many of us have regular ol’ day jobs. Others of us are your typical stay at home moms (albeit part time single-parents.) We are all more focused on putting food on the table than shopping for designer dresses and shoes. We live a life a lot closer to reality than those typical “reality” TV shows portray. It is within that that it really wouldn’t be exciting. It might pass more as educational. Recipes for one. Budgeting. How to fly solo to events. Building your own support system outside of your marriage. Balancing the craziness of “the life” with “the normal world.”

Oh sure, there would be your cool out-of-the ordinary moments. The occasional awards show. CD release parties. A glimpse at hanging backstage before a concert. (Newsflash: Soundcheck is usually pretty boring, and you do a whole lot of hurry up and waiting. Though my personal favorite drama tends to deal with security guards on a power trip.) You could spice it all up here and there!

But, quite frankly, we’re a pretty normal bunch living pretty normal lives… and quite frankly, I am VERY thankful for that.

I’ve been down in Texas working most of the last two months. In a week, I fly back to work another 3-4 weeks as we finish out the income tax filing season.

But for right now, I am home in Nashville, spending time with my husband. Tonight, I got to dip my toes back into our life with his playing the Grand Ole Opry and heading out on the road for a one-off to Florida. (One-off being the term for one-show in a run.)

First, I LOVE THE GRAND OLE OPRY. Its seriously one of the only places I would drop pretty much everything to go to work for… The people. The vibe. The history. Everything about it just feels like a great big hug to me when I walk through those doors of the Opry House.

As an added bonus tonight, one of my husband’s former employers was on the bill as well. So it was big hugs to old friends in that camp as well, most of which I literally haven’t seen in well over a year — if not almost two years!

Second, I absolutely love everyone my husband works with. I really do! Its such a cool hang, and everyone treats me as one of the group. I totally put my hair down around them and its just like a big family… one that runs down the road at 65 mph in a big tour bus.

And even though allergies are seriously kicking my butt, and today they really got me down, I left the Opry House tonight with a spring in my step.

Oh don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy the work I’m doing in Texas. And getting to spend so much quality time with my parents is priceless. But it was SO nice to be reminded that this crazy life my husband and I live is always there, always comfortable, and its always waiting for me with open arms when I get back home.

The stage is set...

I’m going to say something that many, many music fans are going to gasp at my saying.

I’ve never been a Rascal Flatts “fan.”

Oh I’ve liked a lot of their songs! I think I have a CD or two of theirs. I saw their CMT tour (because their opening act was the artist my now-husband played for at the time – lol – and it was on my birthday) and I was on my feet the whole show. But all that being said, I’d still have never called myself a “fan.”

Is that weird?

The bar in Nashville that I pretty much call my second home happens to also be the bar in which they were discovered. I’ve run into Jay DeMarcus there a hand full of times. There are records on the wall from them. A huge sign inside proclaims, “Home of Rascal Flatts.”

Lon Helton

Perhaps that has, over time, fed into my, “Yeah whatever” mentality towards the band. They’re fellow members of the bar’s family, even if they’re generally not around these days. Who knows.

When I caught wind of the band doing a private show at the bar, I couldn’t let it go undocumented. (I run the bar’s MySpace and Facebook pages.) Had the people putting on the show said, “No, you can’t come,” I wouldn’t have cried about it; I’d have gotten irritated for not being able to do my job. But, I’d have also understood.

Instead, they said I could come, so I did. I joked with everyone that Rascal Flatts was eating my life. Magazines, videos, billboards. Everywhere I looked I saw Gary, Jay and JoeDon! Ahhh! (This sort of thing happens when any artist releases a new album, though, so it really wasn’t a big deal. I just had the added private show in there to amp things up and put them on my radar this week.)

The private event was last night, and it wasn’t until I arrived that I learned it was a radio broadcast taping celebrating their 10th anniversary and debuting their new album on their new label. Hosted by Lon Helton from American Country Countdown. The people in attendance were radio winners from across the country, plus a handful of VIPs. (Apparently I was a “VIP” on their list of guests. I won’t let it go to my head, I promise.)

Rascal Flatts on stage

I wandered back to the Meet & Greet, but didn’t join in the fun. (I ended up bartending awhile instead so others could go back. LOL!) However, as I stood watching the Meet & Greet line, I slowly realized Lon Helton was standing right beside me. Darn if I didn’t get tongue tied and failed to introduce myself. Still kicking myself for that. Who knew I’d get more excited about the host than the artist? I’m weird like that, I guess.

I won’t go into too much detail about the broadcast itself. You’ll have to check your radio listings for that! But lets just say I never knew that Rascal Flatts could also go on tour as comedians.  I laughed so hard through most of the night. Many of the jokes were extra funny to me as they poked gentle fun at the bar and its beloved owner and its regulars as they reminisced. The chemistry with the fans that were in attendance was wonderful as well. The added fabulous bonus? They sounded fantastic.  No lights. No smoke. No video boards. Just them. And they nailed it. I was impressed. Very impressed.

I got to watch radio magic happen in front of me. I hope to hear the radio special myself, even though I was there for it in person!

Do I call myself a fan now? Not really. But that is sincerely due to knowing too many people in common with them, and they ARE at heart still a member of the bar’s “family.” Makes it really hard to go fangirl on the band. But, I did have a total blast and I recommend everyone check out the radio show and their new album. Seriously good stuff.

I’ve lived in Nashville for 4 years now… and still I have moments when I go, “I can’t believe I LIVE here!”

Sure, there are a lot of ways that you can tell I live here. Tour buses no longer make me blink an eye. I’m ridiculously cynical about the music industry. And there is that whole night owl thing that I think this city amplifies.

However, there are definitely moments in time that make me sit back in wonder. The way everyone pulled together after the flood is one prime example that makes me look around in wonder. The way the leaves turn in the Fall simply amazes me by natures beauty. The friendships I’ve made here give me pause in their variety, strength and constant comfort.

Last night, though, I had one of those moments on the music side.

Living here, you might find it strange that I rarely go to any of the “big events” that occur here. Fan Fair, for example, I only go to the free stuff after giving myself a pep-talk to do so. You can watch GAC or CMT and hear about these big shows that happen in town, and a majority of the time they fly under my radar.

But its the nights like last night, when I am hanging out with friends and an artist comes in just to hang out. Then the band happens to get that artist up to play. It’s those nights that I pinch myself, because you’re seeing this artist who you’d pay big bucks anywhere else to see in their true element. No lights. No smoke. No video boards. Often just them and a guitar for a few songs. Something their fans would pay mega bucks to see. Instead, I find myself sitting there, taking it all in, for the cost of a night out with friends. Just because I live HERE in Music City.

I have to admit. Even being as close to the music industry as I am, I still get a thrill from it. I still feel those music-fan goosebumps, and my internal voice is squealing, “Oh my gosh! How did I get this lucky!?”

I love it. I love this city. And I get to LIVE here.

Wow.

Arkansas State Fair

This last weekend, I road tripped to Little Rock, Arkansas to see my husband do a show at the Arkansas State Fair.  (It’s half-way to my parent’s house in Texas, so it worked beautifully to break that drive up.) My Texas A&M Aggies lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks the night before the show, so there was just a touch of wounded pride for me as I crossed the state line.

During the show, the artist my husband works for mentioned how cool Arkansas’s Hog Call is, and the call was done twice through the course of the show, lead by one of the band members.

The Aggie in me was somewhat grudgingly going, “Rubbing salt in the wound!” But in reality, I had to admit… it was pretty dang cool to hear so many people doing the call:

Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!
Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!
Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie!
Razorbacks!

Truth be told, it reminded me a LOT of any of Texas A&M’s yells, and I too got wrapped up in the fun, watching in amazement from side-stage.

I couldn’t help but remember back eight years when I attended a concert in Waco, Texas, at the Heart of Texas Fair to see my friend (who would later become my husband) perform. Texas A&M just happened to be playing Baylor the next day, and, as is tradition, we would be holding Midnight Yell practice in the town of the game… which happened to be Waco. To further the irony, they opted to hold it at the fair right after the concert.

I watched the band clear their gear off the stage and promptly get stuck… they could NOT leave because of the hundreds of Aggies that had descended upon the venue. They wouldn’t be leaving until after the Yell Practice.

The artist my husband worked for ended up running to get a video camera to tape the fun and craziness of Yell Practice as the Yell Leaders took over the stage. It was so much fun to watch my friend, his boss, and his co-workers stare at the crowd in amazement… it was their turn to be entertained by this collegiate pride that shook the roof and swayed arm-in-arm.

We all go to concerts for entertainment… to see a great show. But these musicians and artists go state to state being just as amazed and entertained by the traditions and fun of the various areas. This weekend, I myself was blown away by the Pig Sooie Hog Call. Eight years ago, I was among those amazing the entertainment with Midnight Yell.

It’s a give and take with the entertainment world… they give us their all, and as fans we should give them our all right back.

Last night, the Grand Ole Opry returned home to the Opry house after the May floods.I watched the show on GAC along with thousands of other Country Music fans. My heart literally swelled with joy to see that stage and the circle and all those Opry greats on stage together for one huge homecoming night.

I can not wait to get to go and see all the changes and work that was done to bring it back home myself.

[Start rant.]

First off — I have to say this. I felt a deep anger when on my twitter feed I saw a hand full of people complain that its just a big tourist trap. Non-country fans even said during the flood that they were glad to see the Opry “go.”

Statements like that are ones that fall under, “If you don’t understand it… just shut up.” (TM – Me) Its up there with people who give me crap about being an Aggie. Some things are deeply personal. The Opry is deeply personal and revered by country music fans, artists and musicians. You don’t have to like it or understand it, but you need to respect that it means a LOT to people. A. LOT. And statements like those, are hurtful, spiteful, uncalled for and simply show an ignorance. So again. Just… shut up.

[End rant. ]

It’s been amazing to see the Opry  not miss a single performance post-flood. Thanks to the many venues around town that hosted the show the last five months, music fans could still see this wonderful show that brings the past, present and future of country music together in one place.

I remember the first time I got to go backstage at the Opry. I was in awe. I’d toured it with a tour group previously, but there is a different electricity in the air during the show.

I found a strange irony when I realized I was wearing the high heels I’d bought to wear to my senior prom, and they clicked on the asphalt parking long, down the sidewalk and then into the building. Ever since then, any time I’ve had the opportunity it go to the Opry (be it at the Opry House or the Ryman), I still go with a hushed respect for the history the Opry carries.

I’ve had the honor of meeting so many country greats that I know my parents and even my grandparents followed back in the day. I sometimes have to remind myself not to go all “fan girl” on them!

You can almost feel the ghosts of Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Porter Wagner walking those halls along side you. You can see the excitement and nervousness of those getting ready to take the stage.You can see the awe in the eyes of the new artists taking the stage for the very first time.

Ironically, a week or two before the flood, my husband played the Opry. We stood outside the bus and watched the sky churn grey to black to green with spring storms. We prayed there were no tornadoes in the area, all the while clueless to the fact that in a few short days, the area where we stood would be deep under water.

The footage of the Opry underwater made so many people just sick to their stomachs. Tears were shed over it. The people who say things like  I  mentioned in my rant above could never understand what that stage means to so many. There’s a respect and love that comes from the Grand Ole Opry. There are no words created to accurately describe the feelings people have for it.

It was those same feelings that brought such joy last night as those curtains parted and the show began. The circle of wood from the Ryman floor back in its place. Country greats standing on that stage singing, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Because amazingly enough… the circle was never broken. The show went on to eventually come back home.

Welcome home, Opry. Welcome home.