The Eagle's SONJA - Opens for Joe Diffie!

DREAMS DO COME TRUE!!
When I got asked by our General Manager to open for Joe Diffie...I actually found myself saying to him, "Can I think about it?" Paul said, "sure."

I walked 3 steps down the hall...stood there for a minute and thought to myself, "what are you thinking! Sonja this is something you've always loved doing...you have the opportunity to sing, stupid.." So, I turned around and told Paul, I would be honored and thanked him for the opportunity.

See, 3 weeks before that, I literally broke the guitar I had been carrying around for 15 years... sounds nuts... but I was tired of the 'you failed' ghost following me around, when it came to my music... so I threw it away and "let it go"... I felt I was in an awesome job, why cry about not being out there singing?

I learned a great lesson...let it go. Things will work out, not always how you think, but they do. So, the joke was, I went home that night and had to ask my husband, Jerry, if I could borrow HIS guitar!!

I got home and got on the phone. I hadn't had a band in years! I called my dear friends, Michael and Lisa Kohlmeier, who had been my biggest supporters for years...they were rock and roll, but I'd have to turn them a bit country!! When I asked them if they'd be willing to help me out they said absolutly. I put Mike in charge of the band... We ended up with a great crew...Mike on Lead & Vocals, Lisa on Bass, My husband on guitar, Chris on Lead guitar and my buddy Jesse Cain on guitar www.jessecain.com , with Arbie on drums. We practiced every weekend, in Centralia, WA, for 3 months! An hour and a half drive each way, but it was so worth it. Mike, lisa and Jerry knew how important this was to me!

Below:Jodi & Jessi during 'Jodi's Song'

Below: Couldn't have done it without them-
Michael,Lisa,Me,Jerry,Jesse,Chris & Arby
The night of the performance felt incredible...I was too excited to be nervous! (Although, I sing barefoot, from the fear of tripping on a cord and falling on my head in front of everyone!!)

The audience was SO supportive and interactive! We had the time of our lives and can't thank you EAGLE listeners for being SO kind!! We sang cover songs, and I sang a few originals too...my favorite, "Jodi's Song"... a song about my daughter and her sister..I brought them on stage during part of it and the response was very touching.. After the show My GM and OM Paul and Tom Freel came back stage and were so kind...Paul told us that we were opening for Dwight Yoakam if he came to town... Now that's a compliment! I had a blast and so did my dear, dear friends.. it was such a special night...