Opening For Gretchen Wilson!!

We dropped James off this morning at the Atlanta airport at around 4:30am, and then pressed onward towards home. It started snowing right as we hit Monteagle Mountain, and didn't stop until I got home. I know this all of this unexpected snow has caused many problems and frustrations for lots of people. I know it makes it difficult for this part of the country where we aren't prepared for it. But at the same time, there is something so magical about all of this beautiful snow gracing us over and over and over again in places where we don't normally get to enjoy it!

Even on that awful drive from Augusta to Ft. Benning where the roads were almost as bad as the ones in Texas (where we had to cancel a couple of weeks ago)... it was so beautiful and majestic and storybook-like that it feels like the Universe is telling us all to pay attention. These things are what we make of it. And yes, it can be a harsh reality. But it can also be a wonderful reminder of God's beauty. So I say a prayer tonight for all that have endured hardships and loss due to this crazy weather. And I also give thanks for being surrounded by so much beauty!!!

The Gretchen Wilson show was SOOOOOOOO much fun. It was a bit disappointing that we had to do it without monitors. I kept switching my earplug from my ear to my back jeans pocket... depending on which thing I needed to hear more - my voice (earplug IN) or my fiddle (earplug out). But ideal situations rarely happen. And I was so excited that very little could have disappointed me about the show. The room was packed and the snow did NOT keep people away.

I met Gretchen in the bathroom before the show and we talked for a while about the snow and the possibility of cancellations, and then she told me about their make-shift sleds they made last week in Tennessee. I could feel my heart beating harder than normal, and I told her how cool it was to be opening for her. After we finished talking, she walked out and told someone outside "I just met Natalie in the bathroom". It was so funny! Before I could even tell the guys I talked to her, she told someone ELSE that she met ME!!!! :) That was awesome.


The show itself was awesome. The crowd was electric, and they were so gracious! I know most of them were there to see her, but they sure did make me feel the love! And we put on a great show for them. I couldn't hear my fiddle at all and at one point I looked down and saw that my E string was a D#. Not cool... but I tuned quickly and that was really the hardest part of the show. I did start getting out of breath during a few songs because my adrenaline was pumping so hard and I was putting so much into it, that my body couldn't keep up. :) That's the way it should be! It's such a high!!!
Lots of pictures have shown up on facebook... I just grabbed these two quickly... Thank you Melanie Carver for posting!



My best friend, Sarah, drove all the way down + a surprise guest to come to the show. They got stuck in traffic in Chattanooga and Atlanta, AND it snowed so hard they had to go 45 most of the way. They got there about 30 minutes after my set ended. :( After all that. But we got to hang out the rest of the night... I hated they couldn't see the show, but it was amazing to have them there. The surprise guest was my former bass player and wonderful friend Amy Sporleder!!!! Amy is now playing in Sarah's band. I still can't believe they made the long trip down there!


There are pics of Gretchen and me somewhere, but I didn't get any on my camera. I will acquire them soon, I am sure. But this is us at the merch table. Gretchen and her merch guy were both VERY gracious and let me continue selling my cd's and t-shirts throughout the night. Even when she was in the booth signing.
Here we both are signing stuff - I think this was one of the times where the audience member wanted me and her to both sign a Gretchen t-shirt:


At one point, she poured a BIG shot of Jack Daniels for herself, her merch guy, and then handed me one. When Gretchen Wilson hands you a shot, you take it. And I did. :)

A few people had her sign my shirts and cd's which was so funny to me :) Awesome, and funny. And then Sarah had me sign her Peace Love Fiddle Tee and then got in line and had Gretchen sign the other side. I liked that. :)


So the night was amazing. I have some incredible fans in Augusta and surrounding areas that showed up. We've played there at the Country Club twice before, we used to play at a bar called Coyote's, and we played at Fort Gordon last year in May. There were people from ALL of the aforementioned places. Michelle, who made a blanket during my Fort Gordon show and had me sign it last year, brought me roses AND made me a scarf which was so beautiful!!! It was just so great to have some real fan support at the show. And I can't wait to play in Augusta again! I love it there!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Fort Gordon Article

Click on each page to read!

Pshh... 80's Hair's Got NOTHING On ME!

In case you missed the awesome photo Tim posted of me after the Fort Gordon gig on facebook...

Playing for the Troops and Families at Ft. Gordon!

Tonight was one of those nights....

... where I just keep thanking the Lord that I was given this gift and am able to do what I do.

... where I don't know what to say other than "THANK YOU".

... where I can't hear myself over the screams and cheers of the crowd.

... where the line at the merch table is 2 hours long.

I really don't think I will ever get used to soldiers telling ME thank you. It is the strangest and most humbling feeling. I just want to say SHUT-UP!!! YOU DON'T THANK ME. I THANK YOU.

You know? I mean, these families and young men and women sacrifice more than my brain can comprehend. My Daddy went overseas I was 8 years old and although I understood that it was dangerous and I knew it was a big deal... there's only so much an 8-year-old can really "get". And so even though I've experienced it to a degree, I still can't imagine what it is like... from an adult perspective.

I met and talked with quite a few wounded soldiers tonight. Hearing the stories of an entire wall falling on someone's chest. Standing there looking at his scares while he's alive and telling me about it - yeah. No words.

And can I just say that when soldiers are helping us load and unload our trailer... it goes faster than it EVER does?! And we have to lift less than we ever do. They take it OUT of my hands and carry it onstage FOR me. :)

Here's the whole crew that was helping us load and unload tonight:


It was my first "Chucks" signing :)


This soldier asked me to sign his phase pass AND his Bible. Never signed a Bible before. I was a bit taken aback by that request. Pretty amazing.


Ok. So I saw this lady during sound check because I noticed she was crocheting something. She had just begun a beautiful pink blanket... and by the time she got to the merch table, she had enough done for me to sign it!!! It turns out she's making it for a friend (who was at the show) and so she wanted me to sign it. Once it's done, it will be a king size blanket!!! :) THAT was a new one! Signing a blanket that was made DURING the show!


Not only was the stage LINED with soldiers right up front singing and dancing along with us, but it was also lined with kids!!! So many adorable faces in the crowd tonight. And they literally started a "train" during Orange Blossom. SO CUTE!






And then of course, the soldiers!!











What a rewarding night. There were burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and even a dippin dots truck. It was like a festival... only... we were the main event. Just unbelievable.

Peace. Love. Fiddle. and Fort Gordon.
~natalie