Well, it started out like any other day...
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| Reading |
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| Piano lesson |
Then, throw on the NCC uniform and drive to Nashville to be escorted from the artist's parking lot into the Bridgestone Arena for rehearsal with Darius Rucker for tomorrow's CMA Country Christmas Special.
Then, wait around a bit while enjoying All Access privileges in Dressing Room 8.
Oh wait...stop to get some pictures on the red carpet that was used last night by all of who's who in country music.
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| Here is the whole group. |
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| Dr. Bridges and Mr. Wells discuss the evening ahead. |
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| And Beth and I enjoy a chaperone selfie moment. |
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| Just when we thought we'd starve...we were told there was a room for that. The Green Room. I love The Green Room. There is lots of yummy food in there. (And on the night of the actual performance, Brenda Lee of "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" fame was hanging out in there, as well as members of Rascal Flatts, etc) |
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| These young gentlemen agree. |
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| A trio of beauties. |
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| In the Arena. It was huge and bright and loud. |
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| Oh, and it was also glammed up for the season. |
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| Waiting to rehearse with Darius. |
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| SNOW! |
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| Darius Rucker, best known in my book for his Hootie and the Blowfish days. |
Okay, before the following "day of" pictures, I'll just summarize the night by saying that it was amazing. It was even louder and brighter and bigger than rehearsal, and the hallways and stage were filled and shared with lots of folks that we knew (and lots more that we didn't): Trace Adkins, Sheryl Crow, Rascal Flatts, Brenda Lee, Willie Robertson and family, Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, Jennifer Nettles, Lady Antebellum, Lucy Hale, Mary J. Blige, Kelli Pickler...and even Charlie Brown and Snoopy. :)
Bridgestone Arena has a capacity for about 17,000 audience members. When a fellow chaperone and I went to do some snooping around, we discovered that it looked pretty full:
We did NOT share this with the kids. Though my girls don't get nervous anymore before performances, this was already an exception...with the cameras and celebrities...well, knowing that they would be watched by thousands live was something that we thought we'd let them think about once they entered the arena. They handled it great.
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| Rehearsal with Michael W Smith and Jennifer Nettles. |
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| Performance time with Darius. |
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| Michael W Smith stopped by our dressing room for a picture. |
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| Arthur the stage manager--super nice guy. |
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| Photo with Lucy Hale |
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| Germaine the CMA staff security guy posted outside our dressing room door. |
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| Michael W Smith greeting the choristers in the artist's parking lot before entering the concert venue. |
Warming up...feeling excited...
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| Rehearsal shot |
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| Mr. James and the rest of the gang hung out in the dressing room watching the live feed during the night between performances. |
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| Going to their second set. The tall guy on the right is Trace Adkins. He was talking with the kids as they walked. |
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| Michael W Smith and entourage |
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| Sheryl Crow |
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| Luke Bryan |
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| NCC's performance with Smith & Nettles followed "Hairy Christmas" by Willie Robertson and Luke Bryan. |
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| Waiting in the wings to go sing with Michael and Jennifer. |
This will get your heart pumping if you are 12 & 14 years old, and waiting for your turn to perform:
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| During performance set up for Smith & Nettles number. This all was a taped event, so that allowed a bit more margin for set up and switching of sets. |
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| Lucy Hale giving autographs |
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| Snoopy |
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| Willie's family being given a hard time by bouncer Phil...he just wanted proper credentials. I vouched for them. ;) |
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| The perfect topper of a great evening--my own photo op with Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty. Sigh. |
