I’m Now Related to a Country Singer

I remember a carefree day, four or five years ago, when my friend Meredith and I went to the Orange County Fair. Meredith, having been born in Texas and never having lost her roots, is a huge country music fanatic. She will admit to you that she has had a long-standing crush on Brad Paisley and several other male country singers. I fondly remember Meredith participating in a country music quiz at the fair. She got every question right and won a free t-shirt. It was a very exciting moment. Later that evening, we went to a live concert by Diamond Rio. She sang every word by heart. It was awesome. That’s one of the things I love about Meredith - she’s so confident and secure in who she is. Because of that, she makes a great friend.

In her tradition of trying to cultivate in me an appreciation for country music, Meredith bought me my first Dixie Chicks CD. Of course, this was before they publicly slammed G.W. Bush. Since then, the Chicks’ reputation has been irreparably tarnished in our eyes, both of us being devout Republican Women.

Now let me switch gears just a little bit. Kevin is a lover of classical music. He really digs it. He’s not one of those conservatives who works hard to convince themselves they really do like it - because their convictions won’t allow anything else. He likes it for it’s own sake. We sometimes battle over what to listen to in the car. Should we listen to "Goodbye Earl" or some sonata? Kevin is teaching me to appreciate classier music and I’m teaching him to appreciate sassier music.

All this background was needed to tell you how SHOCKED and AMAZED I was to learn that Kevin had accepted an invitation, extended through the director of his choral society, to be one of the background voices in KENNY ROGER’s Christmas Concert, coming to Sacramento on December 16. I can’t wait to see this. I’m going to be at that concert and I don’t care how much I have to pay for a ticket.

I never dreamed there would be a day when Kevin sang country music - especially on a stage.

Anything is now possible.