June 20, 2015 Cherry Saturday with Jackie. . .

For the most part, I have stuck to my guns about "retiring" from event production.  It's really the best and healthiest thing I could do for myself.  I think Rob was surprised at first that I actually meant it but he has mostly accepted the fact that I am no longer working the shows we are hired to do.  I've been willing to set up and tear down but only because it's really good exercise! 

However. . . there is an exception to every rule.  The Cherry Fest has always been (mostly) enjoyable.  I've become good friends with the organizer of the event and it is well organized and (mostly) easy.  So when it turned out that were double booked for the Saturday of Cherry Festival, I volunteered to run the monitors for ONE day. . .

And THEN it turned out that a duo from Nashville would be headlining that evening . . .

Running monitors for headliners from Nashville is my least favorite thing. . .

HOWEVER, these guys were great.  So nice, so easy to work with, so down-to-earth.  And, this guy, the "back-up" singer (otherwise known as the backbone to the whole production) knew I was a little nervous. . .

The sound check was quick and easy and, once the levels were set, they didn't need anything else.  Except for the moment at the very beginning of their set when he looked at me as if to say, "I HAVE NO SOUND WHATSOEVR COMING OUT OF MY GUITAR". . . And then he smiled and waved away my panic and I realized he was only teasing. . .

I think he's my favorite. . . ever.

Here's a little snippet of the duo at the Grand Ole Opry:


It was a good decision on my part to work on this particular day. . .

However. . . since it was the last day, it was time to pack it all up. . .

We worked on the tear down until about 4 a.m., got a few hours of sleep in the truck and then I headed up to McCall to pick up Zach so we could drive to Disneyland. . . .