My How Time Flies « The Official FITK Blog

Posted by: erin4two | July 20, 2007

My How Time Flies

It is hard to believe how much time has passed since our last post. We had such a WONDERFUL time during the Festival of Nations at Dollywood. We performed at the Valley Theater in the park for 5 weekends for a total of 30 performances. The first two weekends were VERY COLD!!! Let’s just say the temps were around 34-36 degrees in the outdoor theater and that very tall and much welcomed heaters were placed on the stage for those of us performing there. Each group had a host that was responsible for them and I must say that the folks who took care of us were just great and treated us as if we had been friends for years. We met and made friends with craftsmen and musicians from all over Ireland as well as other Celtic groups, from here in the U.S. and that alone was worth the trip to Dollywood. A great big shout out to Brian, Michael and Paul from Ireland. We hope you all enjoyed the experience at Dollywood as much as we did. It really is a small world when you have music as a common thread.

And speaking of common threads and the threads that helped make her “Coat of Many Colors”….Ms. Dolly Parton. We, as well as all performers at Dollywood, were honored to be asked to have our picture made with Dolly. She was just as nice in person as she portrays when interviewed. It was quite the sight to see all of the performers from all of the represented nations circle the interior of the Celebrity Theater as each awaited their turn to be photographed with Ms. Parton. The closer we got to the stage for the picture the greater our excitement became.

It was hard to believe that we had been given the wonderful opportunity to share our music at Dollywood. Each and every opportunity that we are given to share is seen as a blessing. It doesn’t matter how small or how large the venue they are all blessings!!! Thank you Dave Anderson for remembering us from a past VA Highlands Festival and for inviting us to play at Dollywood. You all are the best!

And lastly but definitely not least…a great big THANK YOU to all of our family, friends and FITK groupies who drove to Dollywood to support us and watch us perform. The award for “greatest distance traveled” goes to Grace Hannah and Bernard Watkins for driving about 7 1/2 hours from Louisa, VA. We appreciate everyone’s effort, support and enthusiasm for our music and most of all your warm friendship.

Since our days at Dollywood, we have also performed at Plum Alley Days in Abingdon, at a Crooked Road concert event at the Breaks Interstate Park, at the Mountain Cultural Festival – a Jamestown commemorative concert at Grayson Highlands Park as well as several weddings…including that of Heather Shrewsbury, the daughter of Debbie our fantastic whistle/flute player. Speaking of Debbie….she was involved in a serious car accident just about 4 days before her daughter’s wedding. The talus bone in her ankle was broken in many places and let’s just say we are very fortunate to continue to have Debbie as it was a bad accident. Please remember her as she continues to heal. She’s a maniac in that wheelchair…you might want to remember the rest of us as well.

On a lighter note…if you see us out somewhere and get a chance, be sure to ask Teddy about our return trip from the Breaks. Let’s just say as we returned home and traveled thru the newly remodeled Grundy, we didn’t expect to end up in WEST VIRGINIA. Does that give you a hint???