Friends Who Will Wear a Wig
I asked Rod Saylor if he wanted to go to The Josie Music Awards with me. There are so many talented people from Nashville to across the pond nominated for these prestigious awards. I thought, how could we ever win? Have you seen the amount of talent in Nashville alone? Still, we said, let’s just go support our friends and this awesome show.
Zero sleep. Two shows within twenty-four hours. We looked like something the cat dragged in, but decided to have fun with it. We showed up as “characters” from a failed group Rod and I had about ten years ago. It ended badly back then, but we joked, let’s get the band back together one last time.
This time, Rod went all in, rocking his “Only Talent” and “Buy The Record, Not The Rod” mullet wig. He looked like Joe Dirt met Liberace in a dive bar. I was the female version of Dave Chappelle’s Playa Haters Ball, complete with a clip-on rhinestone grill that had a metal piece stabbing me in the gums. So there I was, greeting colleagues with a bloody, slurred smile ... pure class.
We sat in the audience, cheering for our friends’ wins, when suddenly... our name was called. For Story Enhanced Performance Video of the Year. My heart exploded. Panic hit. How was I supposed to speak with a rhinestone grill cutting into my mouth?
We couldn’t find the stairs, and no one seemed to know where to send us, so naturally we climbed up the front of the stage like total idiots. All I could think about was thanking the people in the crowd, so many who had played in our band, subbed, or filled in over the years. The room was full of our journey, and our people.
And then came another shock, we also took home Rock Group of the Year, and I was beyond honored to be nominated for Best Actress for my role in our “I Didn’t Know” video.
That video wouldn’t have even existed without our incredible team! Josh Shreve, our director of photography, producer, and editor who brought every frame to life; our entire I Didn’t Know crew who hustled their hearts out; Jarret Jarvis, our lighting gaffer who painted emotion with light; and of course, our powerhouse collaborators Mickie James and The Lacs and their amazing crew. You all made something unforgettable, and this award belongs to every single one of you.
A special shout-out to our guitarist Johnny Oro, who wrote the riff that started the whole thing. Every spark begins somewhere and that one turned into a fire that’s still burning strong.
A massive thank-you also goes out to Tina Marie and Josie for the extreme hard work, heart, and energy you pour into this event every single year. Congratulations on your incredible TV network debut covering the Josie Awards, what a huge milestone! You’re paving the way for so many independent artists and showing the world what true passion and persistence look like.
And to all the incredible artists who graced the stage Sunday night, thank you for inspiring, entertaining, and setting that bar sky-high. To the country music legends who paved the way for all of us to even stand there, we honor you. Your sweat, your songs, and your stories built the very stage we’re lucky enough to stand on.
As I wrapped up our little speech, definitely running over because they started playing music over me — I just said:
“Make sure you have a best friend who’s willing to wear a really bad wig.”
Find that person in your life, golden peeps. Your BFF. Your ride-or-die. The one who says yes to taking chances with you. Because life is just one big chance and the only real wins come from the ones you take, not the ones you miss.
