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Howdy Boys and Girls!
I want to start off by saying I'm not very consistent with much, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a while after this first blog! There is no particular way that I will be setting up this blog; I'm going to just randomly throw my thoughts out there!
I'm 24. Married. With Children (2). I'm an aspiring Bluegrass Musician/Singer by nite and Receptionist/Admin. Assistant by day. I have always liked the saying "Real musicians have day jobs." My Daddy has a bumper sticker of that on his fiddle case.-Oh yeah, that reminds me-the title of my blog "Dream of a Fiddler's Daughter"-I think you can guess why I named it that. =]
I'm sure some of you are wondering ... "Why in the world does she call herself Tater?"...it's simple. When I was born that's what Daddy called me. I guess it's fitting since my middle name is Tate-(my great-grandmother's maiden name). Everyone in the bluegrass world knows me as Tater. Daddy had a radio show back in the day-he did Bluegrass shows, of course. So, when I was born, he announced that his 'Tater is here'! There is a picture of me on his knee in the studio somewhere...
Since I'm on the subject of Daddy I might as well fill you in on him. He has been playing music for over 40 years. He learned his first song on the guitar when he was 11. He can play almost every bluegrass instrument you put in his hand, but sticks to just one when performing with Al Batten & the Bluegrass Reunion (http://www.bluegrassreunion.com/). The fiddle is what he's known for and dang if he aint a master at it! I'm hoping one day I can be as good as he is but that's alot to live up to! Not only is he a big man but he has a big heart too. He will do anything for those he loves and will drop what he is doing right then if you call him for help. He is a humble man, never boasts about anything, except his Grand-babies! He was raised on a farm, started pulling tobacco when he was a young teenager. He served on the volunteer fire department, played many, if not all sports in school, worked in a pit crew (got run over by a racecar at a pit stop once-still has a huge knot in his leg). He also got run over by a tractor that his sister was driving when they were kids helping on their farm. He played for many years with the infamous Bass Mountain Boys. I remember those days traveling with him and his band...we got to go to so many awesome places! The Bluegrass Reunion doesn't travel that much these days, which is good because I get to see him more. Daddy has taught me so much in life. I do believe he is the best kind of Daddy anyone could ever have. He always shows emotion-never holding back. Some kids have Daddys that don't even say "I love you" to them. To me, that's sad. (You need emotion, it's part of you.) He is a lover mostly, but will fight for those he loves. He has very strong opinions that he shares. He is set in his ways, but it's because he's the traditional kind. He is a protector. He is a hard worker. He is not a quitter. "He is my rock and don't want him to crumble." (that came from a poem I wrote about him when I was young) If any of you have had the chance to meet my Daddy I hope in some way he has inspired you in some way, like he has for me. I love my Daddy, he is my hero.
