Paris 2014

Getting to Paris to hook up with our friends in The Rolling Stones was quite an ordeal. First of all our show schedule at home prior to the departure was grueling. Hunts that we had scheduled months in advance had to be rescheduled to January from February and during that time we had multiple shows to do.

Chuck Leavell and Gregory Allman

January 10 was a Tribute to Gregory Allman, our dear long time friend. It was a all star cast with Don Was as musical director and Chuck playing keys in the core band. This will be aired in May so I am sure that you can Google up the agenda. That was a week long rehearsal so it was very busy.. The following weekend was a finale for New Harmonies, a Smithsonian Exhibit that I had been the Chair for over a period of 3 years. This was sponsored by The Georgia Humanities Council in conjunction with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Our parting event was a Salute to Georgia Roots Music. Of course, I asked Chuck to be the Musical Director for this show. Along the way I had asked Robert McDuffie, a consummate violinist,  to participate with his students from Mercer University at one of the local programs in Perry, Georgia. We had 12 locations around the state each promoting their local musical talents.

Rose Lane and Chuck Leavell with Camille and Robert McDuffie

Robert preformed Ashoken Farewell at the opening, and I immediately mentioned to him that he should perform that with Chuck at some point in time. It is on Southscape which is one of his recordings that was done in honor of our beloved South.

The Georgia Roots Music Band

Robert  was totally in agreement, and it seemed that he was very keen to take the stage with a rock and roll band even though he had never attempted anything like that before. When the idea came up for the Festival I knew that he would definitely be interested in participating. He agreed!!! So, to round out the evening performance. Chuck asked Gregory to chip in. They wanted to do a tribute to native son Otis Redding and would be working with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Michele Malone was asked to do a song. Jimmy Hall was also brought in to add his talent along with Randall Bramblett and his band of musicians: Davis Causey, Mike Steele,and  Gerry Hansen.

Salute to Georgia Roots Music with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

In conjunction with this evening event there was also a day long program saluting the roots music for which Georgia is so well known. Both events were sold out!!!! I was so proud...of everything and everybody for being so wonderful.. Plus, it was just great to have this ending for what had been a tremendous tour through the state. Not to mention that my job was now finished, and I could take a deep breath and pack that suitcase for yet another adventure with The Rolling Stones. The really fun thing about all of our time in Atlanta was that I got to spend really special time with our daughter Amy and her husband Steve Bransford along with Miles and Rocco, our grandchildren. They got to come to the rehearsals both at The Fox and Symphony Hall. It was perfect. So, time to make it back home.

Amy and Miles Bransford

Steve and Rocco Bransford

We had more hunts scheduled after the shows in Atlanta, but we are seasoned entertainers and it just didn't seem like a big deal. I unpacked my cases from the Atlanta run and just made a pile to the side for things that I wanted to bring to Paris. Adding to the pile along the way packing just didn't seem like much. My next adventure was to meet our daughter Ashley Rose in Savannah, Georgia. Chuck and I bought a home there in the Landmark District last year  and have fallen in love with the town. Ashley and Peter Tziros became engaged in front of the fountain in Forsyth Park, and now they are marrying at St. Paul's Greek Church.

Rose Lane and Chuck with Peter Tziros and Ashley

So, it was all about wedding plans and visiting sites, etc. That and I am still doing work to the house so it was a busy long weekend. Now, back to Bullard to meet up with Chuck who has stayed at home to ready the plantation for our being gone.. After 6 days of nonstop cooking, hunting and cleaning we are nearing the final days of sanity,  and they announce we are about to have a monumental snow/sleet/ice storm. This was January 28th...and our leave was to be the 30th. Just like they said, bad weather came rolling in on the 29th....stranding motorists, school children and workers by the thousands in Atlanta.

Snow at Charlane Plantation Homeplace 2014

Alas, it also stranded 4 of our hunters from YUM! at The Lodge because they couldn't get through Atlanta. We sent them out in the snow for another quail hunt which made them happy, and, of course, one more great meal at Charlane Plantation is never a losing proposition. Now, packing became the priority and Chuck and I had to really rev it up. We hadn't planned on being so busy up to the last minute. Nor, did we have time to focus on the fact that we just might not be able to get to Atlanta for our flight on Thursday. Hal Hamilton, our new employee, drove us up to the airport, and luckily we made it!!! Cars were strewn along the roadway where folks had just abandoned them during the storm. It was a graphic site. We made it to the airport...checked our luggage and found the Delta Lounge. Delay, delay, delay....and after 7 hours of waiting and sitting we board the plane one more time and they turned us around because of a hydraulic leak. Oops. We are stranded. Do we get a motel at the airport and try to make a flight the next day. Bummer! But, just as we are collecting our bags the pilot says, " well, they might have another airplane somewhere, but I don't think that will happen."  Well, to our luck, there was one and it was only 5 gates away. Yay!!! We had another wait around, but we made the flight and it was smooth sailing! Good thing we had booked our arrival for an extra day as we know that you need at least 24 hours to allow yourself an adjustment to the time and lack of sleep. We made it in due time, and our driver squired us away to The George V Hotel...what a lovely place to lay our heads. We slept no less than 12 hours!!! Our whirlwind lifestyle had gotten to us. Now, on to our next adventure....life in Paris for 17 days.....