I Knew the Where, but Not the How

I grew up in Mississippi. Jackson to be exact. Although I have fond memories and a strong love for the place, it was certainly not where I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

I wanted somewhere bigger, with broader perspective and more opportunity, but I wanted to stay in the south. Add in the possibly now embarrassing fact that I also wanted to be the next Edie Brickell and you have the short version of how I got to the Triangle.

It was 1998 and I had been married almost a year. My then husband had really wanted to move somewhere out of the south. Los Angeles or New York were his top picks if I remember correctly. But we didn't have any money or jobs. I wasn't willing to go that far without anything at all. At least in the south I would still have my accent.

Getting out of Mississippi turned into quite the mass exodus. By the end of the first year, there were  about 10 of us with some connection to each other who had made the move from Mississippi to the Triangle. The ones we left behind accused us of having no sense of community. They might have been right, but I'm still glad to have made the move.

Chapel Hill was the place to be for up and coming bands. I just knew if we could get here, that I could meet the right people and make it, not big, but decent sized. In a way, that was true.

The thing is, I have had more success and opportunities here as a musician, but not in the way I had planned. Sure, I played in numerous bands. I have had my share of good gigs (I loved playing at The Cave) and gigs from hell (I did not love playing at the Ale House in front of a big screen TV showing a hockey game). I pretty much got it out of my system and am left with a steady gig playing and singing with Bill Leslie. Finally, music my parents like. You can almost hear my mother's sigh of relief coming straight through the internet and out of your speakers.

I always knew that I would love living in the Triangle, and I do. A new marriage, an even newer baby, and an impending move to another area of the Triangle, and I'm so glad it's all happening here. It's a completely different life than I anticipated here, but isn't that half the fun of life? The surprise of it all?