My Daddy was my hero. He was a hard working, good hearted man. I always speak a lot about my Daddy and how I was raised. He taught me so much In the short number of years I was able to be with him here on earth. I miss him everyday.
On the way to open for Ronnie Milsap this picture had fallen out of my Moms bible.
There are only a few pictures of my Daddy and most are very blurry. This one is so wonderful and he even has a smile on his face. As you can see the walls are so pitiful but you know I see hardships that my Daddy then must have been facing. Barely making enough to feed us. Worrying if the power would be paid. I’m sure there was always tons weighing on his mind.
As many of you know he passed away when I was 11. My Daddy was my whole world. He taught me how to play guitar at 7. He is the one who introduced me to country music. He is the one who played guitar while I danced and sang into a hairbrush standing on the old wooden coffee table, while he was saying “Brenda Lee” you are going to sing on the Grand Ole Opry one day.
My new song “Carolina” tells the story of my childhood and how I was raised made me who I am. Looking at this picture brings tears to my eyes but not because of how hard we had it or the painful memories of everyone shunning us because we were poor and our house wasn’t nice.
I cry because I know that I grew up with a hardworking Daddy who no matter what he was facing he always made a way to teach me life lessons that money can’t buy.
He taught me how to be kindhearted, have empathy, show everyone respect no matter of how much money they had. Daddy’s hands held me tight and loved me. Daddy’s hands played that guitar while I would sing and he would grin from ear to ear. Daddy’s hands wiped my tears when I would cry because people would make fun of me in school. He always had the words to make it better.
I have missed so so many moments with not having him here on earth but I do know that he is my guardian Angel. I know he is pulling some big strings with the man upstairs. He just got to see his little girl open for a legend. On Ronnie Milsaps stage I know I was making my Daddy proud as he could be. He is proud because I never gave up. I kept his dream for me alive and I know one day I will be on the stage of the Opry. I know I will take that breath and exhale shaking off the nerves as I look up to heaven knowing that he is right there watching down over me. I will stand in that sacred circle and I will say this cabdrivers daughter is here ❤️
This was the house, and the man who built me.
Daddy’s girl always.
Proud of where I came from.
2 bedroom rundown house back in the woods of Carolina.
