Exciting News And Other Cool Stuff

Well, I hinted at something in yesterday evenings post that was pretty dang nifty... so here it be.

Martina, the singer in our band Keota is down in Kansas City right now with Sally waiting to audition on Friday for American Idol! So far the 2 girls are having a total knockdown, falldown blast o rama.

They left Tuesday (yesterday) evening and got to where they're staying about 7 or 8 pm then made a dry run to where the parking lot is and where "the line" was gonna be starting. They got about an hours worth of sleep and got back to the parking lot as it opened at 2 am and got in line. You would think that getting in line at 2 am for an 8 am registration would put you pretty close to the front of the line, wouldn't you?

Uh... 800 souls ahead of them in line. Yes, you read that correct... 800. Behind them... thousands. THOUSANDS! Sal called me at 6 am and it sounded like the biggest party ever in the background. The television camera crews had just shown up, helicopters overhead and the yelling and screaming of thousands of happy folks.

It's a pretty secretive and involving process. They went into Kemper Arena at 8, got registered, got their wristbands and that was that. The audition will be sometime Friday morning and can be as brief as 30 seconds... so they need to whoop out their very best to impress the judges. They also need "a few" songs ready to go if the judges want to hear more than just one well rehearsed song. There are no recordings. No music. A cappella... This weeds out most of the karaoke singers, and also takes care of most casual singers. Actually almost 99% are eliminated right there and then.

I just got off the phone with Sally and Martina is all pumped up and ready to roll, and they're off too a nice italian dinner.

Martina's voice in person is absolutely incredible, you feel it drive thru you like no other. Playing in the band with her is a joy and pleasure... the girl has a gift with her voice.

What's she gonna do for her first one? The song that never ceases to bring goosebumps to the audience and more than once... a standing ovation. Broken Wing.

We've got a couple youtubes up of this song, but this is one that we did a couple weekends ago. Louie on the harmonica, yours truly on the mandolin, Mary Beth on the bass and harmony, Ronnie on the guitar and of course Martina. Forgive the quality of the recording.





My daughter Nicky (she's got a new puppy lol) sent me a little gift the other day. Made me laugh big time...



Is that cool or what? LOL I've already got change rattling around in the bottom of it.


AND... Remingtyn talked today. Not just a little... she just started up like nothing had ever happened. Perfect. Normal. Like God intended.

You prayed didn't you?





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