“A Special Night Backstage”
Wow, what an awesome evening with one of our special friends. Watching Brian rise to success as a tour manager over the years has been amazing. So, how did our dear friend get such a great gig as the tour manager for Walker Hayes? His hard work and determination have been recognized by a lot of great artists over the years… from Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington, Sam Hunt to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He has had the opportunity to share his knowledge of being a fan of music and how to incorporate it into a tour. We met Brian well before the days of him sleeping on a tour bus traveling the country with Walker and his family. We were three Kenny Chesney fans who met at a tailgate and traded a parking pass for a 12-pack of beer some 10 years ago. We know you all have similar stories as to how you have met many of your No Shoes Nation friends.
We are so grateful that the two of us were able to share the backstage experience with Brian, Walker and his beautiful family on their latest stop in Orlando. It was an evening we will never forget. We were already big fans of Walker because of Brian and have watched from afar as Walker’s career has skyrocketed over the last two years. However, being up close to the action, we found our hearts exploding on how “real” Walker and his family really are. What you see on Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram are what you get in real life too. We watched backstage as the family played an impromptu basketball game before his show. Hugs, kisses and laughing was the norm. We watched Brian and how the family relied on him for safety and we both noticed that he was certainly a part of their family. This made our hearts happy… Brian deserves this! What really put a sweet touch on the night was when we witnessed Walker and his family along with the band and crew gather together for a brief prayer before Walker took the stage. It was such a special moment.
Then, during the show it was so sweet watching his six kids and beautiful wife sing along side-stage. All the children were so friendly with us, you could tell they enjoy being on the road together as a family. Each one has their own special way of watching the show. The family stayed close but separated briefly when one of the son’s was having fun taking candid shots of the crew with his camera and one of the youngest girls waited patiently for a signal from Dad to come out on stage for “Fancy Like” to show off her dance skills. Brian and Laney were nearby making sure all went smoothly. Shout out to Monica who is Brian’s right hand lady… we watched her interact with all the kids and she was like a 2nd mom or a big sister they clearly loved having around.
Walker had rocked the Tortuga stage the night before with 50,000 fans and we were nervous that our little Ocoee Music Festival might not be as exciting to him but we quickly realized the crowd was no different for Walker. A stage is a stage and a fan is a fan… either on a beach or at a little local town festival. He spoke about his journey and how just 5 years ago he was broke with 6 kids and struggling with alcoholism. Finding his faith and meeting couple named Craig and Laura helped him get back on track both spiritually and mentally. Listen to the song “Craig”… it is moving and shows how having a complete stranger believe in you, can make such a huge impact in a persons life.
We can certainly say Walker has found his way and Brain has too. They have two fans for life. Thank you Brian, Walker and Family for a night of joy, enlightenment and getting to see what it is you do and how you all are a family on and off the stage. Brian, as we hugged you goodbye, these two ladies were beaming with pride to call you our friend. Just a reminder… don’t forget us “little” people! We are and will always be your biggest cheerleaders!
Connie & Michelle
