Her Name Was Christina

We played a gig a couple of evenings ago that turned out to be... interesting... but in the midst of anything there's always something cool that comes of every situation, this one was Christina.

The folks that had hired us wanted the band set up before guests came and it wasn't possible for us to get there early enough on Thursday evening to get it done, it had to be done on Wednesday evening. Everyone else in the band was busy busy so after Marybeth dropped off the system I got it set up... but not by myself. I made a new friend that was just 'bout the sweetest child I've ever met in my life.

I was carrying stuff in the back door and she came from across the rented hall and kinda stood and watched me for awhile, edging in closer to me every trip I made in. Finally she spoke.


Christina: I'm Christina

Me: I'm Jace. How are you?

C: I'm fine. Are you the coach?

Me: Coach?

C: You know, the coach of the band.

Me: Ohhhhh. Nope, we don't have a coach, I'm just a musician. I play and sing in the band.

C: I thought bands had coaches.

Me: Beats me, but we don't have one.

C: Are you a boy band or a girl and boy band?

Me: We're a girl and boy band.

C: How many girls are in your band?

Me: 2.

C: Was that one of the girls that drove away while ago?

Me: Yup, that was Mary Beth. The other girl is Martina. Do you know Martina?

C: No, I'm not from here.

Me: Martina sings beautifully and is very pretty. You'll like her.

C: What are the boys names in your band?

Me: There's Louie, Ronnie and me.

C: What kind of music do you play?

Me: It's a very unusual kind, it's called Americana. We have LOTS of fun and everyone else does too.


Then she helped me unwind some cables and was fascinated with our stage lights and she said she was real excited to hear us play the next night and then she looked to the far end of the building and squealed "THERE'S MY GRANDPA!" and she disappeared.


We got to the hall the next evening and there was Christina already sitting at a table with a friend of ours, directly in front of the band. She never left that spot all night. Another friend of ours came along and asked her if she was with the band and she said "No." He asked if she knew anyone in the band and she said matter of factly....

"Yes, I know Jace."

She buddied up with Sal and was enthralled with Martina and her voice. We've got a song that usually ends up with several "backup singers" from the audience joining us on stage. Wagon Wheel and Sal got Christina up there and she did a great job tearing it up with us.

I never asked her her last name, all I got was just Christina. We told her we'd be playing another time in a couple of weeks and she ran and asked her Grandma if she'd be here then and she was big time excited to let Sally know that she WAS gonna be there. Sal told her she was gonna have to sing Wagon Wheel with us again. She just stood there and beamed.


There's always something good to come of everything.



Me and my little red headed buddy, Christina. What a joyful and perfect little human bean.












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