This Side of the Creek

In my four years at The Times-Gazette I’ve had the opportunity to interview sources from all walks of life. From military men and women to every day heroes, big-name music artists, public officials, etc., I’ve been blessed to hear about what it really means to be alive and/or what it means to be living the dream.

Last week I was excited to share a few moments on the phone with Christian music artist Matthew West and country music artists The Band Perry and Easton Corbin. You can ask my coworkers how nervous I still get when I do such interviews because I totally forget that they are people just like you and me.

Once Matthew West arrived in Hillsboro for the Festival of the Bells concert, he

Me and Christian music artist Matthew West during the 2011 Festival of the Bells in Hillsboro, Ohio.

spoke at a local church about Operation Christmas Child prior to taking the stage. My coworker, Lora, and I went over to the church to sit on the talk and to capture some video. Afterward, I introduced myself to West who informed me that he had read my article and quoted the “It’s gonna be a blast” headline back to me.

The next day, The Band Perry’s trio of siblings invited me and Lora onto their tour bus for a brief video interview. I was sporting plaid shorts, a matching top and a rather informal hairstyle with no intention of meeting the band. I quickly ran to my car to see if my duffle bag contained a dressier outfit I could throw on just before fixing my makeup and redoing my hair. An hour later, I was off the tour bus and thinking, “Why did I go through all the trouble of freshening up as if I was going on a date? They won’t remember what I was wearing nor would they care.”

Me with Dove Award-winning singer Natalie Grant in 2010.

I remember in July 2010 I sat outside Natalie Grant’s tour bus with her and asked a few questions while shaking so badly that I couldn’t write down her answers. I was star struck and didn’t shut up about that interview the rest of the year.

It is in such moments that I forget that famous musicians are still people who, while more well-known and toting more money, have similar trials, emotions, and experiences as the rest of us. They are certainly talented, but then I remembered… so am I and so are many, many other people whose names not everyone knows.

I am certainly grateful for the chance to meet and speak briefly with those I have over the past four years; however, I must always remind myself that we are all the same, but with different paths in life.