CHAPTER 5

Away

So much of my life has been spent on the road singing for my supper. I average about 200 days a year out on the road with Little Big Town, and much of the time we all have our families in tow. Three couples, three children, nannies, a band, and crew. We’re quite the traveling circus at times. Generally, our schedule runs as follows: getting on the tour bus around midnight on Wednesday, then riding throughout the night to arrive in the city where we will perform on Thursday. Some mornings are spent doing interviews with local radio or television stations, often bringing our children. I find time to school Daisy and, if possible, we take the kids for an outing at a local museum or on a trip to the zoo. If we have some downtime, Karen and I will hit the flea markets or antique shops, since we’re both dedicated pickers! We’ve found many treasured little dishes and tchotchkes on those hunts, and Karen seems to always find a good fur! In the afternoon we have sound check and then dinner. After that it’s time to get all gussied up. We have a meet and greet, because we always love seeing and catching up with the good folks who buy our records and allow us to do what we love to do.

Then it’s time to put on a show! After all these years, each show is still so exciting, all that welling up of energy and striving to make the connection with the audience. It’s like Loretta Lynn said, “You have got to continue to grow or you’re just like last night’s cornbread. Stale and dry.” After the show we might have a little gathering with radio or label execs, then it’s back on the bus. We hop in our bunks and hopefully sleep as we roll through the night to the next town. Usually we’re back home in Nashville by morning on Sunday—sometimes in time for church.

Years ago, I was feeling so intensely overwhelmed by the constant momentum of traveling that my dear husband, Schlappy, took my hand, looked me deep in my eyes, and said, “Wherever we are together, that is home.” I took a deep breath, and then knew everything was okay. So these days, I’m down home all over the world!