Sarah's First Gig

I hugged Sarah this afternoon, as we were finally ready to leave the house - after wardrobe decisions, last minute rehearsals to check harmonies and general whoot whoot excitement. I told her that I was proud of her, that I knew she was going to do a great job and have a good time.

She said, "Mom, I'm living your dream."

"No," I said. "I got my dream. This one is yours."

I did the bar/club/steakhouse circuit in college. We laugh now as we remember the gig at K-Bob's steakhouse, right behind the buffet line...the weekly Sunday brunch gig at the Lubbock Holiday Inn (where I learned to appreciate eggs benedict, since I got to eat for free). I've closed down enough bars, singing choruses of Cyndi Lauper tunes and other 80's gems. Been there, done that. Happy where I am now.

It's Sarah's turn, and she's doing it with a different twist. Most of her stuff is original. She churns out song after song, fueled by whatever is going on around her in the lives of her friends and her family. It's like therapy for her, and it's powerful for those of us who listen.

And it's good music.

She played at Common Groundz Coffee House in Richmond, in the middle of all of the freshmen moving into their dorms at VCU. Lots of traffic, lots of faces on the street. And there was my girl, a young woman singing her songs for about 30 of her friends and other assorted customers who came in to get coffee and dinner.

She did really, really well. And she had a great time.

And I only teared up once....

An assortment of her fans...rapt with attention, live blogging (that's Shannon), taking pictures (that's Syd...)

Singing...

That's Travis - Shannon's boyfriend - who played two songs with Sarah, one of which was a great little tune that she wrote ABOUT Travis and Shannon's relationship. It was a comedic moment, especially when she mentioned his 'brown sugar skin' and Shannon's peculiar habit of snorting when she laughs...

Sister moment...Syd and Shannon joined her for one of the tunes she wrote, adding some exquisite harmony. Of course, they sing like sisters, which is to say that they have a natural blend that is phenomenal. They worked hard on the harmonies and I was really, really proud of them all. It sounded great. Jonas Brothers, here we come!!!

Number one fan - my mom! She said that she and dad did this so many times for my brother and I, as we traipsed around performing in various venues. She never thought she'd be going to see her granddaughter on the stage, too! She also never knew her granddaughter was so talented...