Back in 2009, after a brush with reality-TV fame, I spent too many nights swooning in smoky Savannah clubs and getting underpaid. Music has always been my first love, and after spending most of my teen years and young adulthood dancing and touring with a professional dance company, I knew I had a voice that needed to be heard. So, I packed a U-Haul and headed for the southern music epicenter…Atlanta.
Almost one year to the date, I was approached at an open mic night about auditioning for Party on the Moon. I stared at the business card I was given for two solid weeks. It seemed too good to be true: travel, tour bus, and consistent gigs? Could this be? The first show I did at the Filmore in Charlotte, NC was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It was fantastic to combine my two greatest loves: dancing while singing the music that everyone knows and loves. I had so much fun that night, I called my Mom and she sounded as animated as I felt. My enthusiasm proved to be airborne!
In the last three years, POTM has taken me to places I never knew existed, challenged me in ways I thought impossible, and flooded vacant corners of my life with abounding completeness. For example, last year, I took on the task of styling for the ladies of POTM. With varying heights, curves, and vast differences in personal style, this feat proved to be a worthy one. However, Dennis and I knew it was important to sound and move like a unit, and look like one, too. Not to mention, as the #1 private events band in the country and performing on stage with Pat Benetar, Train, and Diana Ross (the ultimate diva) to name a few, we had to bring the bling!
I was never a shopper, but somehow finding beautiful things for the stage has become a pure passion of mine. As the band stylist today, I spend hours online and in clothing stores searching for stage-wear that compliments, appeals, and moves on stage. Doing a three-hour show non-stop in heels can be a challenge, so it’s important we are as comfortable as possible in our dress. Also, I make selections based on season and keep in mind what our blushing brides would want on their special day. We even offer costume choices to our clients and, on occasion, tailor them specifically for their individual event.
I don’t leave the guys out either! On my latest shopping trip to Las Vegas and LA, I scored some amazing suits and jackets for our men. And, man, do they look great! Coming back from my trip with a suitcase full of goodies for them and seeing the excitement on their faces made all the rummaging and negotiating worth it!
Looking back on the reinvention of myself, I truly give credit to this incredible band and the experiences with which I have been blessed. Everyday, I’m making memories that I will tell my grandkids about. And that is something truly special.
