PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL
Welcome to my blog! I'm currently touring the country with the Million Dollar Quartet 1st National Tour. Please check back for pictures, videos and updates about my life on tour! See you later, alligator!
Hey, everyone! It's been a few days since I've posted, but we have just finished our first week of three here in Charlotte, NC. I am blown away by the beauty of this town and it's architecture; at the same time, I'm surprised at the fact that most businesses close earlier than their posted hours, and/or weren't open for the duration of the weekend. That, and the amount of "homeless" who stop and ask for money with a similar story "I've never asked for money in my life.......I came up here last week from South Carolina.......I just need (insert random amount of money here) to get back 'home'". But, it's been a great week. Rachael came to visit, and although we had limited options for food for a few days, we made the most of our time, and got to see some really great stuff! We went to the Mint Museum of Modern Art on Friday, which was breathtaking, and on Saturday we visited the Discovery Place and their Mummies Of The World exhibit. So awesome. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the mummies, but I DO have some great pictures from the museum.
This week has been special; most of all to me because Rachael was able to visit, but also because we got to join the majority of the company for a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant called Harvest Moon. All organic, locally farmed, and totally delicious food. I highly suggest it. On top of all of that, I got to watch Austin go on as Jerry Lee, AND Billy go on as Elvis this week. I could not be more proud of either of them. The crowds loved them, and they really showed all of the hard work and preparation they've put into their roles.
Oh! And, they boys, and m'am, also rode a float in the Thanksgiving Day Parade here in Charlotte. You can watch the video above! Stay tuned for more news from Charlotte, and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
We had a great time, and a great run here in Milwaukee. A few of us went to the Harley-Davidson Museum, and the Thunderstudy boys and I sang the National Anthem at the Bradley Center, where the Bucks play....when there is NBA basketball.....but we sang for a Milwaukee Admirals game (the AHL affiliate of the Predators). Now, we're off to a 3 week stay in Charlotte, NC tomorrow morning.
I have to say, I love cold weather....but MAN was it cold in Milwaukee. Hopefully it'll be a bit warmer in Charlotte, but I'm hoping not TOO warm. Stay tuned for news from our next stop!
So, the cast did something pretty amazing today. We went into a local recording studio here in Milwaukee, National Recording, and recorded two songs for an album to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. I will give you more details as we find out release dates, etc. But in the meantime, check out our rehearsals in the studio. As we approach the holidays, please consider making a donation to BC/EFA, or by buying one of our recordings.
Well, we've only been here in Milwaukee for about 24 hours, but already the city has made a big impact on me. Last night the majority of the cast and crew headed to a landmark restaurant, the hard to find Safe House; a spy-themed restaurant. Not the most amazing food, but the ambiance more than made up for it. I've taken a ton of pictures already, including a couple of great ones (above) of the Bronze Fonze, not far from our hotel. I went to the Milwaukee Public Market today with the cast that didn't perform at today's promo and watched the show and took some great videos (above). Austin and I feasted on some fried cheese curds and Chicago hot dogs. MMMM MMMM MMMM. Now, I'm here at the Marcus Center For The Performing Arts, enjoying opening night! Check back soon for more news! Including a report of the Thunderstudies' rehearsal with Chuck Meade on Thursday, our recording session for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids tomorrow, and me and the Thunderstudy boys singing the National Anthem at a hockey game on Friday!
What an amazing couple of days!!!! My friend Doug Yeomans invited me and the MDQ peeps to see his band play at the Allen Street Hardware Cafe last night......and almost EVERYONE not only showed up to the gig, but he invited us up on stage! So, I sang a couple of Cash songs including "Hurt", as well as The Band's "Weight", "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" with Martin and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?" with everyone that showed up! What a great night! Then today, Billy, Rosie, John Michael, Austin and I headed to Niagara Falls. We had an amazing time walking around and taking pictures (eventhough it was about 30 degrees, and we saw our first snow of the year), stopped by the Niagara Hard Rock so I could get a couple of pins, got some grub, and then finished the day off with a trip to the mall. All in all, and fantastic day. Hope you enjoy these pictures....more to follow!
So, I've been in Buffalo for a couple of hours. My first thought is......dear lord, is ANYTHING open? We are staying at a GORGEOUS hotel, and the theatre looks and sounds amazing. I guess I should be thankful that there is a Starbucks AND a Dunkin' Donuts a couple of blocks away. But as far as anything else? Yikes......
I took most of the day today to walk around Pittsburgh. After a trek with some of the cast to the Strip area of Pitt (no, not "strip" as in, take off your clothes) I ventured via cab to the Pitt Hard Rock Cafe, in a really cool part of town, Station Square. All of the buildings in the area are either converted train stations, or old mills. So, I took the time to explore a bit, and take a few pictures. Here are some of them....
I'm finally back at our swanky hotel, the William Penn after a LONG morning. Cody and I met with our local promotional rep, Diana at 7 AM, and headed straight to a radio interview. Then, after a scenic tour of the greater Pittsburgh area (I got to see Heinz field where the Steelers and PITT Panthers play, and PNC Park where the Pirates play!) we headed to do a TV spot on KDKA, a CBS affiliate. We stopped for a bit afterwards; just long enough for Cody to order a hamburger at 9 AM, and for him to be accosted by everyone in the restaurant for looking exactly like Elvis. Then, off to another radio interview.
We ventured back to the hotel, picked up the rest of the cast, and proceeded to the Steel City Center for our promo.
Me, Cody, Lee, Martin, Kelly, David and Billy Bob rocked out 6 songs for the media reps there, and chowed on some free lunch from Damon's Sandwhich Shop. Fantastic.
All in all, it was a successful start to my day, and to our stay in Pittsburgh. It started a bit early, and was certainly hectic, but great nonetheless. Keep your eyes peeled for new video posts!
