Sounds of Laughter and Song at Walter Reed

Sensei Ern's Blog ^ | 10/17/2007 | Sensei Ern

[Sensei Ern]

This was our fifth show since starting a year ago. I think one every three months is about right. I counted 50 heads in the middle of the show. Not bad for one where I had so many obstacles.

Obstacles:

1. Thursday, I wiped out on my bike, injuring my leg, keeping me bed-ridden for two days.

2. Being bed-ridden means that my bike-ridden was in hiatus. I was not able to get to Walter Reed Friday nor Saturday to promote the show, getting soldiers excited.

3. Prayer is needed for Jimmy Meritt, http://www.myspace.com/jimmymeritt, and his wife, http://www.myspace.com/lesliecooley, and her father. Her father is in the hospital and they could not make it to the show. Pray for Jimmy and wife to be comforted and for her dad to recover.

4. Day of the show, traffic decided to be extra difficult, so Doc Raoul arrived later than expected with the hoagies, huge preztels and cake. He drove all the way from Pitt,Pa to be here for the show.

Despite these issues, the show went on, and was great.

The show started about 4pm, when I took an hour to set up my equipment, which good friend, Mike Sparling brought to the show in his SUV. I would have otherwise used my motorcycle, but that would have been several trips, and I am still a little wary riding me bike. Mike is on the board of America's Wounded Heroes, http://www.americaswoundedheroes.com/ , AWH sponsored the show, and I am so grateful for their help.

Kelly Terranova, http://www.myspace.com/kellyterranova, and Chris Barylick, http://www.myspace.com/chrisbarylick, arrived early. I invited them to enjoy some hoagies while I continued to meet and greet as well as set my equipment.

Then, Noel McLeary, http://www.noelmclearyonline.com/, arrived with her parents. Noel's sound equipment made my new 250 watt powered speakers cower in fear. 650Watt Amp, speakers the size of Volkswagens, and a mic that could pick up the sound of Chris Barylick's frozen tv dinner evolving in his fridge.

I took my sound equipment down, and helped set hers up. After a half hour of mic checks, recording checks, and a quick rehearsal, we all went and had a bite to eat. Those hoagies were GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Around 5:30, the girls from WiseAcres arrived...Katie, http://www.myspace.com/katie_shepard , and Jessica, (I can't find her URL, but if you go to Katie's MySpace page, you will find a link to Jessica's page). They got to sit and talk with the soldiers for about 90 minutes as the time for the show approached. FYI, Katie is heading to Chicago in a few months, to join the Navy, to be a medic. Stop by and give her props for that.

At 6:45, I corralled our performers, reviewed how things would work and began the show.

After my intro, Noel sang her heart out. She is so talented. Her voice is stronger than that of a person twice her size. Her singing brought in at least a dozen soldiers just to hear her sing. They stayed for the rest of the show, and that is always good.

I brought in a special guest, Bert Caswell, who works at the Capital Building. It was his first time at a mic, but he did very well, doing a few presidential impressions, and then reading a poem he wrote that is now part of the Congressional Record.

Since Jimmy couldn't make it, I took his spot and did my standard set.

Chris then had his turn. He delivered 15 minutes of solid material. He is definately invited back any time he wants. After the show, several soldiers had good things to say about him.

Kelly then took the mic and did what I only dream of some day doing...bringing 45 minutes of solid laughter. If anyone reading this blog is looking for a headliner to do either a club show or a corporate show, you will be getting the best of the best with Kelly Terranova.

Noel finished the show with three more songs. I found out after the show, that a couple soldiers have connections that could advance her career...I can't wait to see what comes of it.

In closing, I just want to say, Thank you Kelly, Chris, Noel, Doc, Mike, Jessica, and Katie.

Oh, and

OUR TROOPS ROCK!

[Sensei Ern]

That is a great idea!

I am thinking about not having a show in December, instead making up for it by having a show every other month from March to October. That way, I am not carrying $1000 of sound equipment on the back of my bike, with ice on the road.