America's Next Great Star

I'm sitting in the back of the van... watching John Mayer on DVD heading SOUTH!

We're driving through Atlanta at the moment. Even though we've had the week off... this is the third time we've made this drive in a week! On our way back from Ft. Benning.... I popped down here and back yesterday.... and then we're passing through on our way to Jacksonville. Sometimes I sit back and look at my life from outside myself and just smile. I always wanted this. It's been way harder than it is now. Parts of it may get easier some day. But whatever form it takes... I just want to keep these wheels a rolling and never stop this train. :)

On Saturday night after I accepted my awards at APCA, I was asked to be a judge on America's Next Great Star. Think American Idol/America's Got Talent... but one that comes to you! Campuses can hire the show, "The Live Entertainment Experience" and audience members get to participate. After the judges select 3 top acts, the audience gets to text for their favorite. They do the WHOLE show - from auditions, to interviews and testimonials that they air as the person is walking on stage to perform... multiple camera angles shown on the projectors during the show... It's really a cool thing.

The student that won APCA's won $250, their tape will be sent to "industry professionals" in Nashville, New York, and L.A. The winners of the campus-wide tour have a chance to win $15,000.

It was so fun being a judge. And it was HARD! There were some VERY talented students and participants. I loved being a part of the show, and I was so glad they asked me to judge.

It was fun because they actually got to play with a live band. It's a band that was showcasing at APCA and they do "live band karaoke". The students had to pick from a list of songs (just like Idol) but they actually got to play with a live band! So cool.

I highly recommend the show. Campus advisors were asking me questions later... and they really do a great job of capturing the entire experience. I'm a fan!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

James and I are beginning the New Year out in New York City! It was fun walking around today - there were still pieces of confetti caught in the cracks of the sidewalks here and there. :) But it was eerily quite on the streets. Very few people were out and about.

I had QUITE the night last night bringing in the New Year. I spent it with some of my closest friends at a Masquerade Ball in Nashville. :) My best friend Sarah and I have been performing together since we were 10. We met doing the Kids Club show together and have had many crazy and wonderful adventures since. :) We brought in the New Year in 2000 together as Saloon girls out at the Opryland Hotel. And when we BOTH happened not to have gigs this New Year's - it was like a reunion!! I hardly ever get to see her anymore, and we both love any excuse to get all dressed up and go dancing. Plus, when else do you have an opportunity to go to a Masquerade Ball AND have incredible costumes and make-up provided FOR you?!?!? We even made it into the 70's disco party for a little while and got to see Bradley Johnson who was dancing at that party!!!! He was recently on DANCE WAR, BRUNO vs. CARRIE ANN :) And has gotten so much great exposure from doing that show. He lives in L.A. now, and we were so excited to see each other that he grabbed me, picked me up and carried me onto the dance floor!!!


I think my favorite story of the evening happened out on the dance floor at the 70's party and I MUST share. I can't remember laughing this hard in a LONG time :) So we wore saddle bags under our dresses to make the dress poof out more. This entire costume was authentic down to the last detail. (except for my French, or lack there of). Well, as I was disco-ing my little heart out - my saddle bags popped off and fell to the floor. My eyes got HUGE and Sarah and I LOST it. Our stage manager/Saint/Angel/Saviour, Heidi, saw the whole thing happen. I had squatted down with my dress around me.... trying frantically to find my lost hips... but Heidi swooped in, picked them up and carried them out of the room. When the song was done, we went backstage and put them back on me... but it was hysterical. Definitely will NOT forget that moment.

So here we are in the FULL costumes along with our escorts:



Here's a close-up. You know the best part? I smiled for every picture the entire 4 and 1/2 hours of the party.... my cheeks were hurting before we even took our first break. BUT YOU CAN'T SEE MY FACE.... I knew that. But I see a camera.... I smile. It's a habit that apparently can't be broken!




So Happy New year!!! I hope it was wonderful whether you sat on the couch and kept it low-key or attended a big fancy glittery party!!! Here's to the best year yet!

Cody got voted off :(

I'm so bummed!!!! Cody Linley got voted off dancing with the stars :( BOOOOO...

When I was in 7th grade, I was invited to go Los Angeles for pilot season by an agent. My mom and I moved out there with my acting coach, her two kids, and another kid from my acting class for oh about 2 months (which was about how long that season lasted). I had a bunch of auditions, but not nearly as many as my boyfriend, Chad. Apparently there was a lot more work for guys our age than girls that season. But I did get to audition for "D.J.'s first girlfriend" on Roseanne :) We lived in Oakwood apartments right around the corner of the Burbank Studios and I went to school at this place that was specifically designed for actors that needed a flexible schedule. Janet Jackson and Tiffany Amber Thiessen graduated from there. :) It was one room, and it was kind of a do-it-yourself place. You were given assignments and the teacher was there in case you didn't understand something. No tests. Just homework. The kid from "Rookie of the Year", the little girl who played "Icebox" in the "Little Giants" (she my best friend there), and then the little boy who played "Alfalfa" in the "Little Rascals" all went to school there with me at the time. I didn't ever get any work. My agent kept working with me to get rid of my accent..... That didn't go so well. I'm pretty undeniably southern. Ain't no gettin roud that' un, y'all. But Mamma and I had the time of our lives. I used all my own money from working at Opryland to pay for the whole trip. And I was 12... It was so awesome.

So back to my point.... CODY!

My acting coach was incredible. Her oldest son, Chad, was my first "going steady" boyfriend :) And his little brother who was 4 at the time was... Cody Linley! I haven't seen either of them in years - other than seeing Cody in movies and on Hannah Montana, but I was SOOOO freaking excited when he got on "Dancing WIth the Stars"!!! He has done SOOOO well. And well, Julianna Hough is his partner, so he's been in pretty amazing hands.

But he sure did a great job! I am proud of him, but so sad he won't be on the show anymore! Oh well. I am sure Mamma will go see him on the tour. It was fun to see Catherine - his mom and my acting coach in the audience every week!


Look at what a cutie he has turned out to be. :)