Musician's Widow

Two shows I really like are Restaurant: Impossible and Bar Rescue. Its fascinating to see how transformations made to the establishments make such a huge difference, and I’ve picked up a few tips here there that I’ve tried to apply to my own working in a bar.

But you ever notice how perfect the people always still look after hours of work? Ever notice how the work gets done in that super short period of time? I’ve always thrown the BS flag at that, wishing they’d show better how big of a crew they actually have doing the work.

This week, we’ve been working every day down at the bar doing the yearly cleaning and maintenance. Every year, the bar has closed the first week of January to make changes or just to do a deeper cleaning than we have time to do on a regular basis. Its a great way, in my opinion, to kick off a new year.

We’ve been painting. Building. Cleaning. Straightening. Painting…

It’s a lot dirty and harder work than they make it look on TV!! We’re sore. My jeans are an awesome multi-colored set with black and red paint all over them. Last night, we were covered in dust and dirt from just cleaning areas that get left through the year.

It’s hard work. But it is so very satisfying. Its awesome to look around and see the work you’ve done. The soreness is a good kind of sore.

And its that positive reality I wish they’d show on these shows. Everyone isn’t all pretty with perfect hair and make-up while they work. Everyone has broken nails, stained clothes, and their arms and backs ache. It’s a good thing. It’s not something to hide for TV! Show me how hard it is. Show me how very, very satisfying it is.

*Photo taken with my camera by Rose Jonas*

Most of my Nashville Family in one photo. Celebrating 15 years of our “home away from home.” A family that began in 1996 and has grown over time. SO thankful to call all of these people friends.

My Crown ornament in 2009.

There are days in the year that you wait all year long to arrive. Birthdays. Christmas. Maybe a certain sporting event. Prom for those in high school. Your wedding anniversary.

Well, crazy as it might sound to most people, I look forward to the tree decorating party I’m attending tonight. I wait all year long for this night, because its crazy-good fun.

The bar in downtown Nashville that I sometimes work at, other times just go to so much that it is my second home here, has a tree decorating party every year. Only the closest regulars are invited to attend. (Similarly, we have a Christmas party, which I also look forward to every year… but the decorating party is simply “off the hook.”) You come, preferably, with the little bottles of liquor you get at the register at a liquor store. Then, when you arrive at the party, you drink your ornament.

Drink your little bottle of liquor. Or perhaps a can of beer. Then, with the decorating items (often provided by fellow-regulars,) you decorate your bottles and cans. Glitter flies. Stockings are hung. Lights are strung up around the stage. The bar turns into a Christmas wonderland fit for Santa after a hard day of work with the elves.

One year, we hung a Bud Light sign over the top of the tree as its “star.” We have ‘Reinbeer” and Patron bottles decorated as angels. It’s all in good fun, and you’re guaranteed to go home with glue and glitter in your hair. If you leave NOT in the Christmas spirit, its your own darn fault. You can’t spend an evening surrounded by friends, hanging Christmas decorations, and not feel that spirit start to grow deep down inside.

I can’t wait. Is it time to go, yet? Bring on the glue gun!

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.